Our sense of humor is one of our most distinguishing characteristics, which can make it difficult to find a favorite comedy show. Do you prefer sitcoms set in the workplace? Perhaps surreal musicals? What about a mockumentary series or a dramedy that leans more towards the serious end of the comedy spectrum? Almost nothing irritates the TV-watching experience more than spending a couple episodes completely stone-faced when you were expecting to laugh. What we find funny is subjective, but luckily, so many great comedy shows were released in 2021 that you’re bound to add at least one to your queue.
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Here are our picks for the 10 funniest shows.
1. Dickinson:
The final seasons of Apple TV+’s Emily Dickinson comedy dispelled all of the connotations associated with the phrase “Emily Dickinson comedy” by evolving into an even weirder, more true version of itself. With the Civil War raging, she is struggling with her own role in society in the third season. Her conflict manifests in bizarre ways, ranging from the unnervingly elusive (the appearance of a certain “Nobody” personified) to the downright amusing.
2. I Think You Should Leave:
The first season of Tim Robinson’s absurdist sketch show I Think You Should Leave, created by former SNL writer and Detroiters co-creator Tim Robinson, was a triumph. Robinson’s obnoxious characters, who are always quick to lash out but also incredibly sensitive, have only grown funnier and oddly poignant in the new season. Even when they are at their most repulsive and belligerent, they retain a humanity that keeps the show from becoming too long.
3. Resident Alien:
Alan Tudyk finally gets to star in his own show, playing both Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle and the alien who has secretly crash-landed on Earth and assumed the dead doctor’s appearance for safety. When the imposing local sheriff (Corey Reynolds) demands Vanderspeigle’s assistance in solving the murder of the lone town doctor in nearby Patience, Colorado, much actual hilarity emerges. You can watch it on Syfy.
4. Made For Love:
When Hazel (Cristin Milioti) flees her megalomaniacal tech bro husband Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen) after being trapped for ten years inside his company’s simulated-nature campus, she discovers, much to her horror and dismay, that Byron has implanted her brain with his newest prototype, a chip that allows him to read her thoughts and see through her eyes as she tries to free herself from him. The dark comedy show, adapted from Alissa Nutting’s 2017 novel, examines the nature of love, human relationships, and the personhood of sex dolls in a hilarious and irreverent manner.
5. Happy Endings:
When it comes to shows that ended too soon, Happy Endings is always near the top of the list. A comedy about a group of friends going through the “adulting” process while living in Chicago may not sound revolutionary, but it’s the performances that make this show so great. Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Damon Wayans Jr., Casey Wilson, and Adam Pally play emotionally stunted thirtysomethings struggling to make ends meet.
6. New Girl:
Zooey Deschanel stars as Jess, a teacher who is forced to share a room with three other guys, Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris), after discovering her boyfriend has been cheating on her. For the next seven seasons, the gang matures into close friends, marrying, having babies, experiencing sympathy PMS, and becoming stranded in Mexico, among other misfortunes. Fox’s comedy about a quirky girl who moves in with three male roommates quickly evolved from a fairly simple premise to one of the best shows on television.
7. The Good Place:
Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) finds herself in “the good place” after her life comes to an end. Though she is told this is because she has led a good, altruistic life, Eleanor knows she is a terrible person who is only in this utopia because of the architect’s (Ted Danson) mistake. Schur is able to take risks and create a truly absurd show while still dealing with morality and other philosophical issues thanks to this limitless, fictional world.
8. Only Murderers In the building:
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, an unlikely murder mystery-solving trio, added a wholesome touch to crime dramas. When another of their Upper West Side neighbors dies under suspicious circumstances, their shared obsession with true-crime podcasts brings them together and inspires them to put their sleuthing skills to use. The show makes fun of podcasting and true crime culture, while inevitably turning the viewer into an armchair detective themselves.
9. Bojack Horseman:
Due to its silliness, BoJack Horseman may initially turn off viewers in its first few episodes. But it goes deeper than a show about a horseman and his fellow animal-people should, becoming very real and depressing in places. However, there is always a layer of comedy woven into its intricate plots, which is only heightened by the sadness. After all, there’s a recurring character named ‘Vincent Adultman,’ who is clearly a bunch of young kids piled inside a trench coat. You can watch it on Netflix.
10. Sex Education:
This British teem comedy is dedicated to digging deeper into all of the vile, taboo subjects associated with sex. The series follows a mother-son duo as they navigate those awkward “talks.” Of course, the mother here is a sex therapist named Dr. Jean Milburn, and her son Otis is the one who has to deal with her overbearing tendencies at home while also providing his own sex advice in an underground sex therapy ring among his friends. Although the show enjoys playing up ’80s high-school tropes, there’s real nuance and thought that goes into how these teens are portrayed and their interactions with sex.
You should definitely watch some of the comedy shows listed above to cheer yourself up. In the comments section below, please share your favorite funniest shows.
Also Checkout: The 10 Netflix blockbusters That Had Viewers Hooked in 2021