There’s ‘Haha’ funny, there’s ‘Ohh BC’ funny, and then there’s ‘Holy shit I will literally die’ funny. And that’s what the shows on this list are – they’re the highest rated, most balls-to-the-wall, crying laughing comedies around. Ratings for these shows are high for a reason, so watch ’em and weep… with joy.
1. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – 96%
A group of absurd degenerates run a bar in Philly, which ironically only has 6 days of sun in a year. The beauty of this show is in the brutal devolution of the characters as the seasons progress, with priests becoming prostitutes, seemingly normal guys becoming visible sociopaths, and a sweaty Danny DeVito literally climbing out of leather couch naked.
2. Curb Your Enthusiasm – 92%
Starring the inimitable Larry David in and as himself, this show works on a general outline written by Larry, and mostly improvised upon. Considering the talent on the show and Larry’s own hilarious idiosyncrasies, Curb really goes off the rails on the funny charts.
3. Man Like Mobeen – 100%
Guz Khan is one in a million – everything out of his mouth is hilarious. In this show, he plays Mobeen, a man in the UK trying to escape his sketchy past while raising his sister and talking trash with his weird friends. Apart from being ludicrously funny, the show is also surprisingly poignant.
4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine – 97%
Arguably the funniest cop show of all time, Jake Peralta’s antics are matched only by the quirks of his crew, from the outlandishly strange Boyle to Gina’s no-nonsense zaniness. They’ve got a good team together, and it makes for some truly memorable laughs. *Starts singing the Stake Me Out song*
5. Great News – 85%
If you’re a fan of the Tina Fey brand of comedy (who isn’t?), this this show is perfect for you. Tina actually co-produced this series about a woman trying to rein in her rambunctious mother who’s also got a job at her workplace. The show’s got some brilliant writing and golden moments. Unfortunately, it’s been cancelled, but if enough of us watch it, maybe they’ll pick it up again!
7. Community – 88%
Fun fact, this show was created by the same person who made Rick and Morty – Dan Harmon. That in itself should suffice in terms of whether you should watch it or not. It revolves around a group of extremely… diverse students in a community college who are just trying to get by, but craziness can’t help but follow them.
8. 30 Rock – 85%
Tina Fey stars as Liz Lemon, an iconic character in her own right, in this show she works as head writer of a sketch show (a bit of a satire on the backstage goings on of Saturday Night Live). It’s got some of the funniest quips, jests, and gags of television history, as well as a totally on-the-money Alec Baldwin. Enjoy!
9. New Girl – 94%
A lot of people disregard this show just because of its basic premise (4 friends living in an apartment), but I guarantee you, it’s got some of the most laugh-out-loud funny sequences you’ll ever see. Zooey Deschanel is charmingly goofy as ever, and the characters of Jake Johnson and Max Greenfield really bring home the absurdist bacon.
10. Eastbound & Down – 91%
Danny McBride was literally made for this role. He plays the hard-drinking, boorish, and all-around asshole Kenny Powers. His baseball abilities took him to fame and money, but his personality made him a star, and not always in the best way. After all, even stars explode… or implode.
11. The Last Man on Earth – 85%
Will Forte plays the highly insecure and most likely insane Phil, who travels the world in search of companionship after a virus wipes out pretty much the entire population. He’s joined by a few other survivors, all of whom have their own fair share of behavioral deficiencies. The first few episodes aren’t that great, but the show becomes amazing as things go along.
12. Parks and Recreation – 93%
Amy Poehler’s effusive Leslie Knope is what made this show so funny, as well as strangely heartfelt. She plays a mid-level bureaucrat working to make the district’s parks better, joined in turn by her uniquely entertaining co-workers, including Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza. Such a good show!
13. The Good Place – 97%
Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, and Jameela Jamil truly outdo themselves in this superbly constructed yet unsuspectingly subversive show about the afterlife. It questions the very constitutions of good and evil, of judgement based on a human’s deeds, and most of all, does anyone actually like frozen yoghurt?
14. Bojack Horseman – 93%
How could this not be on the list? A devastatingly poignant show that’s equal parts hilarious and depressing, Bojack the star drowns his self-loathing in booze as a bevy of other characters dance around him trying to accomplish their own goals, foiled many a time by our titular horse himself. Essential watching, this.
15. Archer – 91%
H. Jon Benjamin’s distinctive low drawl makes the comic deliveries in this satire about a self-obsessed spy who somehow always seems to make it out the other end despite swigging margaritas for breakfast and having some truly conflicted mommy issues. Who doesn’t love watching a dysfunctional spy agencies many misadventures?
So when you’re watching these, know that you’re like, part of the elite. At least in terms of viewership. ‘Cos critics approved of this stuff. Critics! But don’t be sheep – form your own opinions, goddammit! However, those critics have given their lives to this job, so they probably know more than you. Anyway, just have a good time and a lot of laughs, ciao!