The last few years have seen the development of innovative sitcoms that have exploded in popularity, likeAbbott ElementaryorWhat We Do In The Shadows. While these series are amazing, there are also plenty of recent sitcoms that haven’t been as successful but are just as funny and innovative. Whether their premises are offbeat or they simply flew under the radar, these shows have been consistently ahead of their time and are cult favorites among their audience bases.As time progresses, it won’t be surprising if they grow to be viewed as classicsby larger audience bases and critics.
Thebest sitcoms of all timehave many elements in common, with romance plots, workplace drama, and satirical tones all being common parts of the stories. However,the best sitcoms push themselves to be different from their competitors,tackling more serious subjects and blending genres to set themselves apart from the rest. Though the story and writing are a huge part of a sitcom’s success, the performances of the actors and their onscreen chemistry also play into how well the TV series will do with viewers.
Miracle Workers
Cast
Miracle Workers is a TBS-based television series that began in 2019 and is currently set to see its fourth season in 2023. A Comedy anthology series, each season follows a different story that revolves around the inner-workings of angelic “miracle workers” and God.
Daniel Radcliffe continues his streak of starring in slightly strange but also delightful projectswithMiracle Workers. Steve Buscemi, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Karan Soni join Radcliffe in every season, and though they play different characters, they seamlessly embody them within the vivid worlds of the story. For a show with such an unexpected premise, its four-season run was something of a success and allowed the actors and writers to explore many different narratives with great results.
Each installment explores intense and dire situations for humanity, uncovering what people will do when pushed to fight for their survival.
As the series progressed, its critical and audience acclaim increased, aseach season stands alone, allowing viewers to tune in at any point in the showand still understand the premise. Each installment explores intense and dire situations for humanity, uncovering what people will do when pushed to fight for their survival. However, it takes on these seemingly dramatic storylines with a hilarious and genial tone, making even the most outlandish developments enjoyable.
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Superstore
Superstore is a workplace sitcom following the employees of the St. Louis branch of a fictional big-box store. Cloud 9 sells everything anyone could ever possibly need, but its workers often leave much to be desired. Trying to organize their lives around the demanding world of retail work, Cloud 9’s staff more often end up having fun than they do working.
One of the best sitcoms of the last decade,Superstorehits many of the traditional marks and tropes of a classic sitcom, but somehow it never grows stale or boring. The brilliant cast with fantastic chemistry is a large part of this, with the central romance between America Ferrera’s Amy and Ben Feldman’s Jonah serving as the emotional core of the story. Like many other workplace comedies,Superstoremines its setting for comedy while making the audience care about the characters.
Superstore: Jonah & Amy’s Relationship Timeline, Season By Season
Through moments of beauty to heartbreaking splits, Amy Sosa and Jonah Simms' relationship was one of the most engaging romances on Superstore.
While there are plenty ofTV sitcom couples that never should have dated, Jonah and Amy aren’t one of them. However, romance isn’t the only reason to tune intoSuperstore, as the friendships between the characters and their internal growth are just as compelling. Despite being a lighthearted series,Superstorewas never afraid to grapple with the larger social and cultural implications of its storylines,engaging with the world events that unfolded as the show aired.
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Ghosts (US)
Ghosts is a comedy series about Samantha and Jay, who convert a country estate into a bed-and-breakfast. Unbeknownst to them, the house is inhabited by ghosts of former residents, visible only to Samantha. The show blends humor with supernatural elements as the couple navigates their unusual challenges.
This U.S. comedy series based on the British show of the same name has a supernatural twistthat adds to the comedy and intrigue of the story. While the original British version is just as strong and compelling, the American iteration ofGhostsis still airing and has diverged from its predecessor in new and exciting ways. Starring Rose McIver as Sam, the young woman who can see the ghosts in the house she inherits, the narrative follows her attempts to coexist with them and help them reach the afterlife.
Sam’s husband, Jay, played by Utkarsh Ambudkar, cannot see the ghosts, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to help Sam however he can, even if he gets in the way. The ghosts themselves come from all periods of history and died in all manner of ways, allowing for an almost unlimited amount of potential storylines for the show. Full of good-natured humor and genuine heart,Ghostswill bring a smile to viewers' faces before it ever scares them.
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Somebody Somewhere
Somebody Somewhere is a comedy/drama series created for HBO by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. Set in a Kansas town, Sam finds herself having difficulty establishing herself in a community that doesn’t seem to want her. However, following her sister’s death, Sam refuses to give up and decides to embark on a personal journey to find herself and a place to belong.
WhileSomebody Somewhereis undeniably hilarious, that doesn’t take away from its serious momentsand the fact that the protagonist, Sam, goes through a lot of growth and development. Bridget Everett plays Sam in a career-making performance, simultaneously serving as an executive producer on the series. Though it ran for only three seasons,Somebody Somewherecovered a lot of ground and tackled big themes like grief and self-acceptance through its comedic format.
In the past few years, sitcoms, andcomedy TV series in general, have broadened their scope and found success in blending genresand taking on dark subjects. Finding humor and light during difficult periods is something that everyone faces throughout their lives, and shows likeSomebody Somewhereunderstand this perfectly. Not only is it easy to empathize and relate to the characters, but it’s a joy to spend time with them.
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St. Denis Medical
St. Denis Medical follows a diverse team of doctors and nurses at an underfunded Oregon hospital as they manage patient care and maintain camaraderie amid challenging circumstances.
St. Denis Medicalis NBC’s newest mockumentary, and while this format has been done many times, the series is making the most of it. Stressed and at the end of their ropes,the doctors and nurses at the titular hospital find themselves in many unexpected and impossible situationswhile trying to find extra money and time to treat their patients. Wendi McLendon-Covey leads the cast as a hospital administrator determined to make the hospital worth coming to.
Though it’s easy to find similarities between the series and older medical sitcoms likeScrubs, so far, it’s distinguished itself thanks to a strong cast.
Medical dramas are some of the most popular series on television,andSt. Denis Medicaleffectively plays with the many tropes and formulas seen in these shows. Though it’s easy to find similarities between the series and older medical sitcoms likeScrubs, so far, it’s distinguished itself thanks to a strong cast. WhileSt. Denis Medicalhas only recently hit screens, it’s already making waves in the comedy sphere thanks to its wit and relatable characters.
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Loot
Loot is a comedy series that follows a woman named Molly Wells who divorces her wealthy husband, with the end result making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Feeling a disconnect with the world at large, Molly decides to take the reins on a charity foundation she created years ago as a means to give back to the world and find her purpose.
Maya Rudolph leadsLoot, the Apple TV comedy that simultaneously delivers a searing critique of the ultrarich while following a woman on a journey to rediscover herself.Rudolph’s character, Molly, receives a multi-billion dollar settlement after her divorceand is faced with the consequences of her actions when she attempts to help run a charitable organization she founded a long time ago. Of course, the people who run the charity are less than happy to have her back, and a culture clash ensues.
Most of the comedy inLootcomes from Molly’s total disconnection from the real worldand how money and community work for everyone else. Due to Molly’s wealth and privilege, it would be simple to hate her. However,Lootdoes a great job pushing her character to be better and teaching her tough lessons along the way. With Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Joel Kim Booster,Loothas an amazing comedic cast that can also handle the emotional core of the story.
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Girls5eva
Girls5Eva centers on a ’90s one-hit-wonder band that is given a second shot at fame when their song is sampled by a young rapper. The Peacock original series began in 2021 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2021. The series stars real-life singer Sara Bareilles, Busy Phillips, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
Smart, funny, and unexpectedly deep,Girls5evahit the small screen at the perfect time,capitalizing on how social media has led to a resurgence in the popularity of long-forgotten songs and bands.Girls5evaexplores the adult lives of one of these bands, the titular girl group Girls5eva, whose single hit skyrockets back to prominence, bringing them back together. However,Girls5evamines its humor from the very different lives the women lead as adults and how the concept of celebrity has evolved in the age of the internet.
While the writing and premise ofGirls5evaare a large part of what makes the series work, the chemistry of the core cast elevates every interaction they have.
Though Peacock didn’t renew the series after season 2,it was picked up by Netflix for the third installment,which has continued the trend of receiving rave reviews. While the writing and premise ofGirls5evaare a large part of what makes the series work, the chemistry of the core cast elevates every interaction they have. Beautifully imperfect yet well-meaning, it’s easy to root for and laugh with the characters inGirls5evain equal measure.
Girls5eva (2021–Present)
Girls5eva Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play
The Girls5eva soundtrack is full of the fictional girl group’s throwback and comeback tracks from all three seasons of the comedy series.
Everyone Else Burns
Everyone Else Burns is a comedy-drama television series created by Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor. The series follows the misadventures of a puritanical Christian family in Manchester known as the Lewises. They believe the end of days will occur sooner than later, with their teenage daughter seeking a life beyond religion and their young son drawing constant images of the family burning in hell.
Poking fun both at the always challenging landscape of coming-of-age and aspects of puritanical religions,Everyone Else Burnsis an underrated British comedy that everyone can relate to.Following a family living in Manchester, England, who are part of a highly religious Christian faith,Everyone Else Burnssees the members of the Lewis family start to question their faith and look outside it to find themselves. As their strict and old-fashioned views clash with modern society, the Lewises find themselves in sticky and hilarious situations.
Fans ofMy Lady Janewill recognize Kate O’Flynn from her role as Princess Mary,and the cast all delivers their unconventional and sometimes ridiculous lines with full sincerity, adding to the already sharp tone of the script. Though their faith is the butt of the joke many times throughoutEveryone Else Burns, the series is most concerned with exploring the universal experiences of the characters and the difficulties that every family faces, regardless of religion. There’s just as much kindness and joy within the story as there is satire.
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English Teacher
Evan, a gay high school English teacher, and his coworkers as they try to balance the complicated demands of their students.
For longtime fans of Brian Jordan Alvarez, the genius and quick wit ofEnglish Teachercomes as no surprise. Rising to fame on the internet for his sketches and web series,The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo,Alvarez has always had fans in some of the more niche corners of the internet.However,English Teacherhas found a strong audience base already and appeals to viewers who are new to the comedian’s writing style and audiences who have been with him since the beginning.
Touching upon some of the most relevant social topics while always keeping a light and hilarious tone,English Teacheris a classic in the making.
English Teacherseason 2is not yet confirmed, but fans of the series have high hopes, andthe show has set itself up for success with a premise that could go on for many seasons.ThoughEnglish Teacherinitially drew comparisons toAbbott Elementary, the series couldn’t be more different, with the only commonality being that they’re set in public schools. Touching upon some of the most relevant social topics while always keeping a light and hilarious tone,English Teacheris a classic in the making.
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The Other Two
The Other Two is a comedy series that follows two siblings living in the shadow of their 13-year-old brother’s meteoric rise to fame. Cary and Brooke, two siblings who had hoped to make it big in their lives, never quite make it to the top. But when their younger brother becomes famous online, the other two siblings try to make sense of the modern world while finding their place.
The Other Twois the perfect series for audiences who love film, television, and pop cultureand enjoy watching the satirization of all these industries even more. Though it was cut short after just three seasons,The Other Twobrilliantly evolves with each installment, taking the hilarious and ridiculous characters to their extremes as they fight for fame and relevance. It stars Drew Tarver and Heléne Yorke as Cary and Brooke Dubek, the older siblings of Chase (Case Walker), the preteen who becomes internet famous overnight, changing the family’s life.
Also featuring Molly Shannon and Wanda Sykes at their best,The Other Twomakes the most of its all-star cast, creating outlandish and almost surreal plot lines. While technically a sitcom,The Other Twodeftly handles the fast-paced internet-driven world that we’ve come to inhabit andhas its finger on the pulse while somehow managing never to feel dated.This is a fine line to walk when tackling such topical subjects, but that’s what makesThe Other Twogreat.
