Watch These TV Shows If You Need A Laugh, Which You Do
Just a reminder that joy exists in this world.
One major problem with modern television is a lot of it is bleak.
In 2020 so far there have been Nazis, Nazis and more Nazis on our screens.
When you want to unwind and escape the madness of the world right now most of the high-quality viewing options just don’t cut it. You may also be on the hunt for fresh LOLs because there’s only so many times you can watch The Media Blitz episode of Parks and Recreation.
So, if you need a god damn laugh right now here are the best new-ish comedy options.
Miracle Workers: Darks Ages (Stan)
The anthology series starring Daniel Radcliff and Steve Buscemi presents a different setting each season but with the same cast; like Blackadder or American Horror Story.
The first season focuses on a corporate version of the afterlife where Buscemi plays a burnt-out, slacker God. In the second season, the series jumps to a medieval setting where Radcliff plays a prince who is always disappointing his warlord father (Peter Serafinowicz) and Buscemi is the local shit shoveler.
You don’t have to watch the seasons in order, pick one and prepare to chuckle.
I Think You Should Leave (Netflix)
Now is the best time to get into Tim Robinson’s hilarious sketch comedy series (check out Detroiters, too).
The episodes are short and you can jump to specific sketches depending on your mood. Why not watch the ‘Focus Group’ sketch on a loop? The series has an infinite replay value.
Avenue 5 (Foxtel)
Set in the future, Armando Iannucci (Veep) takes you to space with this series that follows a cruise ship doing a lap around the solar system.
In the middle or the trip things go from bad to worse and it’s up to the charming Captain (Hugh Laurie) to get everyone back to Earth safely. Push through the opening few episodes and get to the show’s major twist and then things get wild.
Outsource the madness of the real world right now to Avenue 5.
Wellington Paranormal (SBS On Demand)
Rejoice because the awesome film What We Do in the Shadows (directed by Taika Waititi) has a spin-off series.
The show follows a special team within the Wellington police department that investigates things that go bump in the night.
The Bold Type (Stan)
File this one under: unintentionally hilarious.
Grab a mate and prepare to yell at the TV, a lot, over the exploits of Jane (Katie Stevens), Sutton (Meghann Fahy) and Kat (Aisha Dee). The trio live in New York (Toronto) and work (hardly work) for Scarlet Magazine.
It’s a grand workplace fantasy where writers are given months to work on articles and social media directors change the world one Instagram post at a time.
They also refer to their website as The Dot Com, which only gets funnier each time someone says it.
Brooklyn 99 (SBS On Demand / Netflix)
Yes, cops can be funny.
If you’re coming to this show for the first time, head to Netflix and learn the true meaning of cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool.
If you’re ready for fresh episodes, SBS On Demand fast-tracks each new season. Cool cool cool.
Content (ABC iView / YouTube)
Mix it up and watch a show set on a phone. The ground-breaking series plays out in real-time on the phones of wannabe influencer Lucy (Charlotte Nicdao) and her responsible best mate Daisy (Gemma Bird Matheson).
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (Foxtel)
A no-brainer for AwkwafinaHeads.
The series follows a slacker (Awkwafina) who tries to do something with her life and ends up bouncing between random jobs and awkward situations.
This Time with Alan Partridge (ABC iView)
Essential viewing if you’ve been following the career of Partridge (Steve Coogan) but a great jumping on point if you’re new to the iconic British broadcaster. Each episode happens in real-time and focuses on Partridge co-hosting a morning TV show.
Shrill (SBS On Demand)
Two perfect seasons await!
Shrill is based on the memoir of writer Lindy West and stars Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as a writer living in Portland. While Shrill fits into the ‘dramedy’ category, it still delivers the laughs, especially when it comes to idiot boyfriends/podcasters and chaotic co-workers (look out for the scene-stealing Patti Harrison as Ruthie).
Broad City (Stan)
The final season of Broad City took ages to get to Australia, and even though it SUCKED to say goodbye, the series went out on a high.
So, why not watch the whole thing from the beginning? If you are watching the whole thing for the first time know we are extremely jealous.
Succession (Foxtel)
Indulge in the worst behaviour of ridiculously rich people.
Succession is one of the wildest shows on TV and it can pivot from Shakespearean-level power plays to witty satire and expert-level use of a good ‘fuck off’.
The series follows a wealthy media family squabbling over the future of their company after their dad (Brian Cox) gets sick.
What We Do in the Shadows (Foxtel)
Want more from Taika Waititi’s vampire world?
Okay, so the film inspired this series but it’s not a scene-for-scene remake. Like Wellington Paranormal, it’s a spin-off set in the world established in Waititi’s film, but it focuses on another share house of vampires (Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou and Mark Proksch) living in New York City.
All the original creators are involved, including Jemaine Clement, and look out for the episode with an incredible number of cameos from famous vampires.
John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch (Netflix)
There are a lot of comedy specials on Netflix, so we’ll let your own taste decide where to go with the wide selection on offer, but John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch is guaranteed to lift your mood.
The whole concept is it’s a loose version of a kid’s show. Worth the watch alone for Jake Gyllenhaal’s delightfully mad Mr Music; possibly his greatest performance.
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (Apple+ TV)
Workplace comedies are a mainstay on TV and the best one we’ve seen so far this year is Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet. The series is set at a videogame studio that makes the world’s most popular online multiplayer game.
The struggle between art and commerce is what’s always at stake and the ensemble is crazy good.
Correction
In an earlier version of this article we stated that you can never watch the ‘Media Blitz’ episode of Parks and Recreation too many times, which is wrong because you can watch it endlessly cause it’s the absolute best.
Cameron Williams is a writer and film critic based in Melbourne who occasionally blabs about movies on ABC radio. He has a slight Twitter addiction: @MrCamW.