Ready to yuck it up? If you're in the mood for some binge-able laughs, good news: Hulu is jam-packed with some of the best comedy shows, from sitcom classics to the latest hits. Whether you're looking for animated gems like Rick and Morty or Bob's Burgers or live-action staples like Seinfeld and Frasier, workplace comedy favorites like Brooklyn Nine-Nine or genre-defying essentials like Atlanta and Community, not to mention underrated must-watch shows like Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23, Hulu has what you're looking for. In addition to a heavy selection from NBC, Fox, and FX comedy favorites, Hulu is also bulking out an original content roster of their own with comedy winners like the Aidy Bryant-fronted Shrill, the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg-produced Future Man, and the heartfelt early-aughts nostalgia trip PEN15.
New Girl (2011)
New Girl is a hilarious ensemble comedy starring a talented core group of late-twenty-somethings living in a Los Angeles apartment together while they navigate their careers and relationships. Though the show originally focuses on Zooey Deschanel (Elf) as the star, it quickly embraces the wit and banter executed by the other roommates played by Jake Johnson (Stumptown), Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood), and Lamorne Morris (Woke), ultimately leaning into the strength of the group’s unique personalities and quirks as a whole. The show ran for seven years and managed to keep their ideas and scenarios fresh while allowing the characters to grow together.
Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. (2021)
The Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is one of Marvel's oddest, least-loved creations, pretty much only popping up to get his tiny floating ass kicked by Earth's Mightiest Heroes for 50 years, so it was more than a little surprising that his headlining show on Hulu is not only very, very funny but also genuinely heartwarming. Co-creator Patton Oswalt also voices the titular supervillain, who splits his time plotting world domination at his failing tech company Advanced Idea Mechanics with being a family man to wife Jodie (Aimee Garcia), daughter Melissa (Melissa Fumero), and son Lou (Ben Schwartz). Crafted with impressive stop-motion puppetry, featuring the most joke-packed animated scripts this side of The Simpsons, and playing with Marvel continuity in much wilder ways than the MCU would ever allow, M.O.D.O.K. is something you need to check out A.S.A.P. --Vinnie Mancuso
The Full Monty (2023)
- Creator: Simon Beaufoy
- Cast: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Paul Barber, Steve Huison, Lesley Sharp
Reuniting British icons Mark Addy (Game of Thrones) and Robert Carlyle (Once Upon a Time), as well as Paul Barber, Steve Huison, and Lesley Sharp, The Full Monty explores the next chapter of the Sheffield gang, first established in the 1997 film. Set 25 years after Simon Beaufoy’s original film, The Full Monty deftly continues the stories of unforgettable characters. Through uproariously ridiculous situations, along with meaningful moments spreading messages of resilience and perseverance, The Full Monty balances Beaufoy’s writing with humor and heart in the eight-episode first season.– Yael Tygiel
Up Here (2023)
From Steven Levenson (Tick, Tick... Boom!), Kristen Anderson-Lopez (WandaVision), and Robert Lopez (Frozen) comes a creative comedy series called Up Here. Co-starring Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes (The Flash), Up Here follows a couple of young people struggling to overcome the literal voices in their heads as they pursue their passions in New York City. Up Here holds a premise similar to beloved musical comedies Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend yet finds a way to maintain individuality and pave its own path, uniquely marrying romance, humor, and original musical numbers. – Yael Tygiel
Tiny Beautiful Things (2023)
Based on Cheryl Strayed’s beloved book, Tiny Beautiful Things is cleverly adapted for television by Liz Tigelaar (Little Fires Everywhere). Tiny Beautiful Things stars Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision) as Clare, a woman who reluctantly accepts a position writing an advice column despite her own life falling apart. Through anonymously providing guidance for her audience and reflecting on her own journey, Clare finds a way to help herself. Featuring a magnificent supporting cast, including Sarah Pidgeon (The Wilds) as a younger version of Clare and Quentin Plair as Clare’s husband, Tiny Beautiful Things thoughtfully explores themes of hope and home. – Yael Tygiel
Extraordinary (2023)
Created by Emma Moran, Extraordinary is a beautiful comedy series from the UK that stars Máiréad Tyers as Jen, a plain young woman eager to find her place in a world where everyone but her has superpowers. With a delightful diverse ensemble, Extraordinary co-stars Sofia Oxenham as Jen’s roommate and best friend since school, as well as Bilal Hasna as Carrie’s deadbeat boyfriend who, in hopes of finding his own purpose, attempts to launch a vigilante group. With a slew of superhero shows available to binge, the first season of Extraordinary sets itself apart with unexpected takes on conventional superpowers (for example, a parent who doesn’t how to use her phone yet is imbued with technopath powers) as well as truly outstanding humor and clever dialogue. – Yael Tygiel
Reboot (2022)
Reboot is a hilariously brilliant comedy from Modern Family co-creator Steven Levitan. Bursting with meta jokes and references to the inner workings of Hollywood, Reboot is, at its core, a comedic exploration of found families. Reboot explores the intertwined lives of a former cast of dysfunctional actors, Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, and Judy Greer, as they’re reunited to bring their canceled sitcom from the 2000s back to life. Rife with clever jokes, Reboot also features Paul Reiser (The Boys) and Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as the reluctant and estranged father-daughter show-running duo intending to revive the failed sitcom – and potentially their relationship too. – Yael Tygiel
Younger (2015)
Created by Darren Star, the mind behind Sex and the City and Emily in Paris, comes Younger, a show about Liza (Sutton Foster), a woman in her 40s who pretends to be in her 20s to get a job at a publishing company. She must navigate work with her demanding boss Diana (Miriam Shor) and cool co-worker Kelsey (Hilary Duff), as well as a love triangle with a young tattoo artist (Nico Tortorella) and established boss (Peter Hermann), all while keeping her secret. Both sexy and silly, Younger is a fun watch. – Taylor Gates
Only Murders in the Building (2021)
If you love murder mysteries and truth, but can’t handle the intensity of real documentaries, then Hulu has you covered in the form of one of television’s best comedies to date. Only Murders in the Building follows a group of misfits (played to perfection by comedy icons Steve Martin and Martin Short, along with former Disney starlet Selena Gomez) who come together to make a true-crime podcast about just that: only murders that occur in their posh, New York apartment building. When the amateur sleuths take on a grisly murder that may have connections to one of them, they’re led quickly down a path that’s both grim and hilarious, as the trio makes for one of the best comedy performances in Hulu’s history, trying their best to solve the case, even though they’ve got no idea what they’re doing. Also featuring guest roles from stars like Nathan Lane, Cara Delevingne, and even Sting, the series is a perfect send-up of true crime, podcasts, and our obsession with the macabre, while also being an effective and engaging murder mystery on its own. — Maggie Boccella
Abbott Elementary (2021)
A comedy that sees Quinta Brunson prove she is a triple threat as creator, writer, and star, Abbott Elementary is the funniest new show out there that is even better than you’ve heard. It all centers on a group of teachers at a Philadelphia public school trying to do the best they can for their students in a tough situation. They must fight against a chaotic principal, a lack of funding, an uncaring school district, and high turnover from teachers getting burnt out. All of this means the odds are stacked against them, which the show digs into for an endless succession of jokes that never stop landing. It never misses an opportunity to mold the day-to-day challenges into both incisive and hilarious reflections about what it means to be a teacher. All the cast has razor-sharp timing and wit that makes it one of the best, most inventive sitcoms of recent memory. - Chase Hutchinson
What We Do in the Shadows (2019)
Turning the simple premise behind writer/director Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi's 2014 deadly-funny vampire mockumentary What We Do In the Shadows into a TV show seemed like a tall task. Fortunately, Clement himself took it upon himself to just double down on the film's oddball polite-horror comedy stylings and assemble the funniest cast currently working on television. Pretty simple formula, really, as easy as screaming "bat!" Like the film, FX's What We Do In the Shadows follows the everyday lives of a coven of vampires who have settled in Staten Island: Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), his human familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou), and Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), who at one point in his life was almost definitely Jack the Ripper. Much like the creatures who populate it, this show absolutely freaking kills, every single episode, whether it's big reoccurring gags like Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) the "energy vampire"—he's just really, really boring, basically—or the way Matt Berry says, uh, literally anything. Over three seasons and counting, it's not been a bloody good time. --Vinnie Mancuso
The Great (2020)
One of the most delightfully odd pieces of entertainment in the last few years, The Great lives up to its title by telling the "occasionally true story" of Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) in as madcap a way as possible. Boasting a tone that's somewhere between Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite — it's no surprise that film writer Tony McNamara created this series—and the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode "The Gang Cracks the Liberty Bell," The Great is a crass, often graphic journey through the political and social landscape of 18th century Russia. Fanning is fantastic, as usual, across from Nicholas Hoult having the deranged time of his life as Peter III, the Emperor of Russia ("toosh!"). Plus, season 2 just added Gillian Anderson, which is always, always a net positive. --Vinnie Mancuso
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
For the past [checks notes] 16 years, dozens and dozens of sitcoms have come and gone, their characters learning valuable lessons, forging heartfelt relationships, and ultimately becoming better people. Over that same period, the absolute trash monsters of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have been there, striving to never change or learn anything resembling a lesson, and it's been wonderfully depraved every step of the way. The very first episode of this show is titled "The Gang Gets Racist," and not much has changed since for the show's commitment to its core characters—Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny Devito)—being the worst people possible at all times. The key to the show's likability, and the reason it's lasted 14 seasons and counting, is how clearly the creative team condemns the behavior they're creating. The Gang never "wins." They're never "right." They simply toss gasoline and a match onto any social situation they find themselves in and then sneak out the back door, back to the same exact pub for another beer. --Vinnie Mancuso
30 Rock (2006)
When 30 Rock debuted in 2006, it was the underdog to West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin’s dramatic take on an SNL-like show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. But as it turns out, Tina Fey’s ridiculous, slightly surreal half-hour comedy would not only outlive Studio 60 but go on to become one of the best and most iconic sitcoms of the 21st century. Fey plays the head writer of an SNL-like series, juggling her corporate boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), and image-obsessed stars (Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski) all while trying to have some semblance of a personal life. The amount of laugh-out-loud jokes packed into each and every 30 Rock episode is crazy, but what endures about the series are its characters. Its lovable, strange, certifiably insane characters. – Adam Chitwood
Community (2019)
Before Dan Harmon brought Rick and Morty, he tried his hand at a more traditional network sitcom with Community. The NBC series wasn’t without its many ups and downs, but its core ensemble—a group of misfits attending a community college for various reasons—remains tremendous throughout, and Harmon always managed to find the humanity in his characters. The show would get more experimental as it went along, bringing in directors like The Russo Brothers or Justin Lin to craft epic homages to famous film genres. The back half of Season 1 through Season 3 is where the show really hit its stride before Harmon was fired and then re-hired and the writing got a bit inconsistent, but the characters are endearing enough to keep things compelling throughout. – Adam Chitwood
Bob's Burgers (2011)
It’s something of a miracle that Fox has not only not canceled Bob’s Burgers by now, but they’re actually making a feature film adaptation. Loren Bouchard’s animated series is delightfully, almost glaringly silly. Each episode is packed with oddball jokes and original songs, and the plots mostly revolve around trivial nonsense that the kids get into. It’s a weird show, but its focus is always on the love amongst the central family—a little heart goes a long way, and this is a goofy comedy with a lot of heart. If you’re looking for a pure feel-good watch, you can’t go wrong with this one. – Adam Chitwood
Shrill (2019)
Shrill is a deeply honest series, one that can be extremely blunt in its exploration of Millennial life. It’s the show that Girls should have been; it has a lush aesthetic and a killer soundtrack, but its emotional beats will sear you to your core. Even if weight issues aren’t your self-conscious trigger, as they are for our protagonist Annie (Aidy Bryant), Shrill speaks to that pre-teen inside you who was cripplingly insecure about something and everything, that voice that still today makes you question your worth because of how the world perceives you (or how you think the world perceives you). It’s the voice that makes you willing to accept less than you deserve. The only real complaint about Shrill is that it’s too short. There are many, many layers to the relationships Annie has with her friends and co-workers, and the show does an admirable job of giving them as much shading as they can in such a short amount of time. But, some of them aren’t allowed to be more than caricatures when there’s clearly so much more to explore (hopefully in subsequent seasons), and interesting plotlines fade away or come to abrupt halts because of those constraints. Shrill is not yet about a loud woman, but a soft-spoken one who is just beginning to find her voice. We’re ready to hear more. — Allison Keene
PEN15 (2019)
To a certain subset of the millennial generation—those of us who can still distinctly remember the screech of a dial-up internet but also don’t quite recall never having an iPhone—Hulu’s PEN15 is going to be, as we used to say on AIM, 2Real4U. Created by Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle with AwesomenessTV and The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone onboard as executive producers, the 10-episode series stars Erskine and Konkle playing seventh-grade versions of themselves surrounded by real grade-school actors. But that’s never a gimmick. It never devolves into, “Isn’t it weird these adult women are talking to kids?” Instead, PEN15 takes its leads’ genuinely huge-hearted performances and beautifully, achingly brings to life the moments from your youth that still keep you up at 3 A.M—good and bad. PEN15 is a slight show because the dramas that upend your life at twelve years old tend to be slight. It’s the year 2000, B*Witched is a thing, and Maya and Anna head into seventh grade determined, as we all still are, to have the Best Year Ever. They experience first love and heartbreak. Bullying and triumph.
There’s no way PEN15 connects with everyone on the same level, but moment after moment floored me in their sheer spot-on specificity. This is all led as un-gracefully as possible by two incredible, brace-faced performances Erskine and Konkle, all flailing dance moves and never quite knowing where to put their hands. Again, the joke of the show is never just the fact that Erskine and Konkle are 31 and 24, respectively. Instead, the two actresses use their character’s awkwardness as a comedic weapon. Really, PEN15 is less a cohesive show than it is flipping through an old yearbook on a warm afternoon. It is snapshots brought to life, memories revisited. Anyone looking for a plot-heavy binge won’t find it here, and I also expect some who see The Lonely Island’s name attached expecting Popstar-like madcap comedy to be a bit disappointed, too. (It’s still there in its most surreal form, but subtle and muted.) But there’s something irresistible about PEN15, similar to what I felt while watching Bo Burnham‘s Eighth Grade. It’s not a show that you’ll immediately take to social media to discuss with countless other people. But in its own, completely different way, it will make you feel less alone. -- Vinnie Mancuso
Absolutely Fabulous (1994)
To know Absolutely Fabulous (or AbFab) is to love it. Jennifer Saunders' satirical BBC series chronicles the misadventures of two high-powered London women desperate to never leave the hard-partying, high-fashion Mod scene they grew up in -- even though it was quite a long time ago. As PR agent Edina and magazine fashion editor Patsy, Saunders, and Joanna Lumley are truly exceptional, with over-the-top physical humor and fantastic one-liners, as they obliviously trip through a world that is often horrified by them (especially in the case of Edina's daughter Saffron, played with tired resolve by Julia Sawalha). Though the series aired in the early 90s, the bizarreness of Patsy and Eddy's world remains timeless. And despite their enabling, bumbling, hip-obsessed personalities, they're also strangely lovable. -- Allison Keene
Adventure Time (2010)
The wonderfully trippy Adventure Time is a true joy of television. Pendleton Ward’s animated series is a fantasy adventure (obviously) that essentially chronicles a boy and his dog, except that this boy, Finn, lives in a weird, post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, and his dog, Jake, is really an adoptive brother who has magical powers where he can change his shape and size. The long-running series is a fantasy of wonder, as Finn and Jake help Princess Bubblegum battle the Ice King and others with the help of a vampire queen named Marceline, a video player named BMO, and so many other colorful characters.
What really puts Adventure Time a cut above other series of its kind is that there are no other series of its kind. It’s smart, emotional, and definitely not just for kids (and maybe not even for kids — it can also be scary!) There are some darker and more complicated themes and dynamics as the series goes on, but everything is always anchored by the joy that Finn and Jake have in their never-ending cycle of battle. Joy permeates Adventure Time, but it’s also a series that has won a slew of awards for its innovation and intelligence. As the song in the closing credits says, “Come along with me / And the butterflies and bees / We can wander through the forest / And do so as we please.” — Allison Keene
Futurama (1999)
There’s no lack of animated programming these days, but in terms of rewatchability and satisfaction, it’s tough to beat just about any of the 140 episodes of Futurama. The show was a huge deal when it premiered in 1999, hailed as the new series from the creator of The Simpsons, and the story possibilities seemed to be endless for a show about a guy who gets frozen in 1999 and wakes up in the year 2999. Buoyed by a fantastic voice cast and whip-smart writing, the series is constantly engaging and packed with spot-on humor that never leans too hard on any one element (sci-fi, pop culture, etc.), instead succeeding on its own merits as simply a great show. – Adam Chitwood
Cougar Town (2009)
Probably the most infamous example of a great show with a terrible name, Cougar Town actually played with the fact that it hated its title by retitling itself each week in the opening credits, illustrating how playful and meta it has always been. Though the series did lamentably begin as one focused on “man-hungry women of a certain age” (using the now outdated and still regrettable slang “cougar”), it evolved into a really beautiful (and very funny) look at a close group of adult friends and neighbors living along the central Florida coast. The unusual TV locale played a big role in making the series unique, and its great cast brings exceptional warmth and humor to a show that manages to be hilarious, subversive, and cozy all at once. — Allison Keene
Atlanta (2016)
FX has commissioned several out-of-the-box comedies in the last few years, but none have been as successful as Atlanta, which was truly experimental on several fronts. For one, it focused on an all-black cast on a network not previously known for giving a voice to minorities (something they are actively changing), and the show’s form and format could, refreshingly, never be pinned down. The general trajectory was that a smart young guy named Earn (Donald Glover) tries to make some money by managing his cousin’s (Brian Tyree Henry) rap career, while also needing to step up as a father. But wrapped up in that was a very specific look at a variety of facets of life as a young black man in a city like Atlanta told through a juxtaposition of raw truth and surrealist effects. Atlanta had several stand-out episodes that focused on just one topic, and “B.A.N.” in particular is notable not just because of how it uniquely told its story, but in the way, it incorporated fake commercials that played out as long, drawn-out jokes within the series. For the weary TV viewer, it can’t be overstated how fresh and exciting that is. A huge amount of kudos also goes to Hiro Murai (who directed most of the first season’s episodes), for setting up the show’s visually distinct and atmospheric tone. While Glover created something wonderful here in a series that easily cut through the din of Peak TV, he also showed how collaboration can make a singular vision into something extraordinary. — Allison Keene
Better Things (2016)
Though tainted somewhat by the show’s close association with Louis C.K. (who co-created the series and has a writing credit on most of its episodes), Better Things’ second season is a thing of beauty. Directed in full by Pamela Adlon, who also stars, it is once again styled — but even more successfully — as a series of New Wave-y vignettes about a hardworking mom and her three difficult children (well to be fair, only two are difficult — the youngest is essentially an angel). Several intense episodes, including “Phil,” which focuses on the decisions surrounding aging parents, and “White Rock,” where the family absconds to have some time to themselves, are visually stunning and emotionally perceptive. Adlon’s direction is exceptional, and it plays a major role in the success of the storytelling. While most of the episodes include fantastical moments or ones that seem that way, it all complements the series’ desire to explore truth both within and without. — Allison Keene
Don't Trust The B---- in Apartment 23 (2012)
Yes, Don’t Trust the B– in Apt 23 may be one of the worst titled shows in the history of television; it’s too long, it’s unwieldy, and it’s a pain to write, to say, and to explain. Yet the show itself also happened to be one of the funniest, weirdest, and most innovative sitcoms to grace the airwaves. Nahnatchka Khan’s (Fresh Off the Boat) series starred Krysten Ritter as the scamming, titular bitch, alongside Dreama Walker as her doe-eyed roommate. But the show’s scene stealer was James van der Beek playing a hilariously augmented version of his real self. The series was one of the quirkiest and funniest things ABC has probably ever aired, what with its portrayal of the panty-hating Japanese superhero Shitagi Nashi, people getting “weird” on pills and playing Mario Cart, and unexpected John Woo references. But the show’s uniquely wonderful comic sensibilities can now be experienced all over again thanks to Hulu, or discovered for the first time. Do not miss out on this joyous show. — Allison Keene
Fresh off the Boat (2015)
Fresh Off the Boat is a comedy that works on three very distinct levels in a way that feels seamless. It’s a family comedy, a 90s show, and a series that highlights the specific experience of a Taiwanese family living in America. It also tackles each with aplomb. The show was unfairly maligned early in its run by Eddie Huang (on whose memoirs the show is based) for being what it was — a broadcast sitcom — yet it has continued to push the boundaries of the bizarre and avant-garde, particularly in Season 3. Few comedies can handle both adult and kid-focused stories with equal weight and humor, but Fresh Off the Boat succeeds in this and in extraordinarily well-rendered nostalgia jokes (Zoobooks! Tamagotchi! The Browns almost leaving Cleveland! Shaq Fu!) that never feel forced or like overkill. Plus, it cannot be overstated how much it matters that this is a show about an Asian family and exploring Asian culture — that was also very long overdue. — Allison Keene
Rick and Morty (2013)
Rick and Morty is not only one of the most delightfully twisted animated shows on television, but it’s actually also one of the most consistently brilliant pieces of sci-fi storytelling in recent memory. Loosely based on the Back to the Future relationship of Doc Brown and Marty McFly, the series revolves around a meek young boy named Morty and his genius, sci-fi-gadget-equipped grandfather Rick. The two go on sci-fi adventures week-in and week-out, with the show consistently delivering wildly compelling science-fiction stories set on different planets or even sometimes different dimensions. While hilarious, the show also has a finger on its self-aware pulse, allowing the characters to behave badly, but not allowing them to go on like it doesn’t affect them and the loved ones around them. The result is this insane—and insanely entertaining—cocktail of humor, heart, philosophy, and sci-fi. – Adam Chitwood
Frasier (1993)
The 90s were a golden age for sitcoms, and Frasier was one of the most distinct and best-performed of the bunch. Mixing highbrow and lowbrow humor, Frasier follows Kelsey Grammar’s psychologist from the Boston bar Cheers to Seattle, Washington, where he has his own radio show and a new roommate – his curmudgeonly father Martin. Frasier and his brother Niles are the very picture of snobbish intellectual elites, but their dad is blue-collar to the bone and that cultural clash provides an endless stream of comedy, as does the life-long petty rivalries and jealousies between the preening brothers. Smart without turning its nose up and endlessly endearing, Frasier is one of the best family comedies in a decade full of good ones and easily one of the best spinoffs of all time. – Haleigh Foutch
Baskets (2016)
In its second season, Baskets elevated its game. Jonathan Krisel’s direction, especially in those first few episodes where Chip (Zach Galifianakis) is living the life of a hobo, is gorgeously styled. It becomes a surprisingly beautiful tale, but one still marked with the show’s trademark physical humor that befits Chip’s clown training. Once back in Bakersfield, the story gives more time to Louie Anderson’s exceptional Christine Baskets, Chip’s mother, including a few stand-out episodes like “Ronald Regan Library” that really highlight why that character — and Anderson’s portrayal of her — is so wonderful. But Baskets also backed away a little bit from as much caustic humor as Season 1 held and instead became a little sweeter. It was the right change. — Allison Keene
Key and Peele (2012)
There’s a proud history of sketch comedy on TV, but few series have hit the heights of hilarity and insightful commentary like Key and Peele. Before he became an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, Jordan Peele brought his incisive comedy as one-half of the powerhouse comedic duo alongside Keegan-Michael Key. Together, the pair played every kind of character under the sun, from Devil-possessed church ladies to impossibly-named footballers, and tackled tough topics on the regular. Nearly every sketch was a laugh-out-loud home run. Fearlessly goofy, impeccably performed, and endlessly inventive, Key and Peele is a show that’s guaranteed to get a laugh. –Haleigh Foutch
Arrested Development (2003)
Surely one of the best sitcoms ever made, Arrested Development was far ahead of its time when it debuted in 2003. Its wit and wry sense of humor now feels in lock step with the modern state of the genre, but at the time it was incredibly different, which led to an early cancellation. But Netflix revived the series in 2013 to mixed results, with credit going to Hurwitz for at least trying something different than before. Regardless of how you feel about Season 4, the show’s previous episodes are undoubtedly some of the silliest, smartest, and funniest TV comedies ever produced. – Adam Chitwood
Black-ish (2014)
Kenya Barris’ black-ish, which focuses on the trials and tribulations of an upper-middle-class African American family, is one of the sharpest comedies of the last decade. Barris has a lot to say about white culture, black culture, and just about everything else, but his show is never preachy. Instead, black-ish is incredibly smart and funny, and also full of heart. So many comedies feel a need to push for a “lesson” to be learned, but black-ish incorporates any growth its characters go through as organic, never forced. With a stellar cast and a strong sense of itself, black-ish just keeps getting better and better. — Allison Keene
Archer (2009)
One of the great mysteries of the 007 franchise is how James Bond, in any of his incarnations, remains so seductive and suave. The guy drinks like the last days of disco, fornicates with more women than Wilt Chamberlin and Gene Simmons combined, and then, for work, kills hundreds upon hundreds and impossibly survives thousands of fatal encounters, all while barely disguising his true, internationally known identity. The reality of such ludicrous endeavors is the pull of Archer, which pitches the inimitable H. Jon Benjamin as the voice of Sterling Archer, an improbably brilliant yet shallow and self-obsessed superspy.
The unique and generous thing about this uproarious, beautifully designed FX comedy is that the humor arises largely from delivery, the distinct, unerringly intelligent language accentuated by pauses, stutters, random inflections, and elongated vowels. Benjamin is backed up by a stellar cast, and each of whom attacks the material with comic gusto, molding wild, hysterical caricatures in the process. Even as they dodge bullets on a super-train on its way to Montreal or a drug dealer’s yacht, the overflowing laughs come from an outrageousness of character, rather than a cleverness of premise, which, in this case, just happen to be really freaking clever. -- Chris Cabin