After all these years, it’s surprising that we haven’t compiled a list of the best comedy TV series! Well, it’s time to fix that. I’m a huge comedy fan, and until recently, it was my go-to genre. I could binge-watch for days. This list reflects my personal tastes and binge-worthiness, focusing on shows that have aired this century. While some choices might be controversial, the truly great ones have risen to the top.
Before we begin, I want to mention that I’ve included a few references to politics. However, these mentions aren’t inflammatory or controversial. Comedy, more than any other genre, has become intertwined with political opinions in the last decade, and outside of political pundits, who needs that?! Some shows on this list touch on politics, but it’s always for the sake of comedy. The laughs always come first.
10 30 Rock, 2006–2013
This underrated comedy has incredibly funny moments. One highlight is Jenna Maroney starring in a film with such a bad title that no one can figure it out without offending her. It’s hilarious! She even sings about the film in a later episode. The show is named after 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where NBC studios are located, and revolves around an NBC comedy show and the lives of its cast and crew. It stars the brilliant Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, whose witty and quirky character often delivers hilarious conservative quips.
9 How I Met Your Mother, 2005–2014
Neil Patrick Harris is reason enough to watch How I Met Your Mother. The show follows friends hanging out, getting drunk, and generally being awesome. Harris plays a suave womanizer who helps his best friend, Ted, mainly by suggesting he wear a suit and mimic… himself. The show was nominated for 30 Emmys and won ten. Harris won the award for Favorite TV Comedy Actor. Really, it should have been called the Neil Patrick Harris show! One of the funniest lines: “What do you expect? To meet some cute travel agent while you’re reading a newspaper at a bookstore? None of those things exist anymore!”
8 Portlandia, 2011–2018
This comedy skit show, created by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, relentlessly mocks the alternative lifestyles of Portland, Oregon. The skits courageously poke fun at current social mores and sacred cows. The show is so on point that it may one day be used in universities to illustrate the progression of political discourse in the US. For example, a popular skit involves the owners of a feminist bookstore, with Armisen hilariously playing one of the owners. Whether you’re left or right, you’ll love how it teases both sides without offending (except maybe feminist bookstore owners!).
7 Schitt’s Creek, 2015–2020
Schitt’s Creek is a light, fluffy, and addictive comedy. Created during the binge-watching era, it stars Eugene Levy as Johnny, alongside his real-life son Daniel and daughter Sarah. The show begins with the family losing their vast wealth due to tax non-payment, leaving them with only one asset: Schitt’s Creek, a town Johnny bought as a joke. It’s a story of riches to rags and then rags to moral riches. It’s a wonderful breath of fresh air. Best line: “Oh my God! Eww David!”
6 Will and Grace, 1998–2020
The original Will and Grace series was delightful, though its appeal isn’t as broad as others on this list. The highlight was the interaction between Will’s gay friend Jack and Grace’s “receptionist” Karen, who was filthy rich. Forget Will and Grace; it should have been the Jack and Karen show. While Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a comedy legend, Megan Mullally as Karen is a close second. The show is about Will, a gay lawyer, and Grace, a straight interior designer, living together as close friends. It’s a great “slice of life” comedy worth watching.
5 Arrested Development, 2003–Present
This show is just lovely, full of insane and colorful characters, from Gob, the aspiring magician, to Tobias, the “never nude” husband of Lindsay. The family’s quirkiness is seen through the eyes of Michael, played by Jason Bateman, who tries to fix their messes. The family is led by the narcissistic Lucille and George, who’s on the run for selling model homes to Saddam Hussein. Many episodes revolve around their banana stand and Mexican servants. The cast is brilliant, and the show has been revived twice, proving its enduring popularity. Even The Fonz appears as their bumbling lawyer!
4 Veep, 2012–2019
Veep is a comedy about Selina Meyer, the Vice President of the United States, whom nobody really likes. The show doesn’t brand the Vice President with a party affiliation. Julia Louis-Dreyfus needed a new vehicle for her talent after Seinfeld, and she found it in Veep. She’s bumbling, rude, and politically incorrect. Her staff lists her internet nicknames: “Grizzly Madam, She-Ra, Meyer the Liar, The Batcave, Pissface… The Wicked Witch of the West Wing, Veep Throat, Voldemeyer, Dickless Van Dyke, Tawdry Hepburn, Blunder Woman, Vaselina, Betty Poop…” Her awkward interactions with the Prime Minister of Finland are hilarious. Louis-Dreyfus won six consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for her performance.
3 Friends, 1994–2004
I had to include it, didn’t I? Friends stole the hearts of millions of people. The “Ross and Rachel” saga kept people talking, and the characters’ mannerisms influenced how we spoke and behaved. Friends, more than any other show, defined a generation. A list like this without Friends isn’t worth reading.
2 The Office (US version), 2005–2013
The US version of The Office follows the staff of Dunder Mifflin, led by Steve Carell. This series is a must-see, and most people agree that The Office deserves to be on any list of the best comedy TV series. If you want to experience a moment in which two worlds collide, here’s a clip where Ricky Gervais (David Brent) bumps into Steve Carell (Michael Scott) outside the elevator.
1 Curb Your Enthusiasm, 2000–Present
Curb Your Enthusiasm features a neurotic Jew who can’t get anything right, a happy-go-lucky best friend, and great comedy actors from the ’80s and ’90s. Created by Larry David, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, the show is largely ad-libbed with a pre-planned storyline. The acting is so good that you can’t tell it isn’t scripted. The show is witty, cringey, and full of cultural humor. Similar to Portlandia, the show has a politically outspoken creator, but it doesn’t spoil the comedy. Curb Your Enthusiasm doesn’t need to preach to be funny and will go down in history as better than Seinfeld and the best comedy TV series ever.
Best moments: when Larry hires an orchestra to play Wagner outside an Orthodox Jew’s house after an argument and his daughter toilet-papered Larry’s house.
+ Frasier, 1993–2004
This spin-off from Cheers follows Frasier Crane, a radio psychologist, and his family. The humor was never dumbed down, resulting in one of the classiest and funniest comedies peeking into the new millennium. If you want more than just a general “best of,” here’s a compilation of Niles Crane’s best bits.
++ Seinfeld, 1989–1998
Leaving this off the list is almost a mortal sin, as many consider it the best comedy show in television history. Although it didn’t make it to the 21st century, it deserves a mention. I still recommend it for when you get through the others here.
In conclusion, these TV comedy series have brought laughter and joy to millions. From the witty banter of 30 Rock to the cringe comedy of Curb Your Enthusiasm, there’s something for everyone. These shows have not only entertained us but also influenced our culture and the way we interact with each other.
What are your favorite TV comedy series? Leave your comment below!
