Comedy is such a diverse genre within itself. You have sitcoms, comedy dramas, even shows that masterfully blend comedy with horror, like the new hit Apple TV series Widow's Bay. There's so much nuance to comedy, so many different types, that choosing the right one to watch to suit your mood can be challenging. Do you want dark humor or corny laughs?
Over the last decade, there have been fantastic comedies launching on all the top streaming services. They represent a mix of types, so if you're looking for a good show to add to your watch list, one that will make you laugh in some capacity, each one of these is better than the next.
10 'Fleabag' (2016–2019)
Image via Prime VideoPhoebe Waller-Bridge turned what was a one-woman show into one of the most cleverly written, beautifully acted, unique comedy dramas on television. In Fleabag, she's the unnamed lead character, a free-spirited woman struggling with her identity while navigating life in London. As she goes about her days dating and dealing with life's challenges, she often breaks the fourth wall to address the audience about the goings-on.
Earning widespread praise, the TV show that can be called a masterpiece ran for a tight two seasons, consistently with an air of mystery about the title character and others within her orbit. It was never afraid to push the envelope and make light of otherwise difficult topics like grief and family dysfunction, masking them with a dark comedy lens. Witty and tragic, the main character makes you feel as though you're part of her journey and in on the joke, too.
9 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' (2017–2023)
Image via Prime VideoRachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein are brilliant in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a period comedy set in the late 1950s and early 1960s about a jilted Jewish housewife who discovers she has a talent for stand-up comedy. As Midge (Brosnahan) deals with the breakdown of her marriage, she finds an outlet through humor. Local bar manager Susie Myerson (Borstein) befriends Midge, believing she could be her golden ticket to something big.
The show is sharp, witty, and hilarious as we watch a strong, independent woman in the '50s come into her own, bucking stereotypes and leaving her traditional family puzzled at her career choice and sometimes risqué choice of jokes. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a comedy, but it also dives into themes of friendship, mentorship, sexism, and familial bonds, even darker scenes showing how comedy can be therapeutic.
8 'The Righteous Gemstones' (2019–2025)
Image via HBOA megachurch run by the Gemstone family in The Righteous Gemstones preaches the word of God. But the lavish life the family leads suggests they might worship money more than spirituality. The crime comedy drama centers around quirky family members, including widowed father Eli (John Goodman) and his immature grown children Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam DeVine). Walton Goggins also memorably plays Eli's brother-in-law Baby Billy Freeman, one of the actor's best characters.
The Righteous Gemstones leans into the profane angle, despite the religious central theme, serving as clever satire about greed masked as religion, and the way some can twist faith to suit their self-fulfilling needs. The series is bizarrely ridiculous but also rooted in reality, giving it a fresh, current appeal. It's wonderfully acted and gets better with every season.
7 'What We Do in the Shadows' (2019–2024)
Image via FXPerhaps one of the most underrated comedy shows of the last decade, What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror mockumentary fantasy that presents a picture of what might happen if vampires walked and lived among us, just going about their daily lives integrating into society. A group of friends resides together, living among humans and dealing with supernatural beings.
What We Do in the Shadows explores their conflict as it relates to their status as undead beings, but also as people who were once like others, trying to find their place. It subverts the typical vampire genre, offering up more of a workplace comedy meets single friends' sitcom vibe. The show contrasts the characters and their darkness with their naivety about the world and, oddly, their similarities to the very people who fear them.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it's your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
PLACE THE HAT →
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
ACourage — I act even when I'm afraid, because what's right matters more than what's safe. BAmbition — I know what I want and I have the drive and cunning to get there. CLoyalty — I show up for the people I love, no matter what it costs me. DWisdom — I think before I act and I'm always hungry to understand more.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
AStep in immediately and confront whoever is responsible — I won't stand by. BWork out the best strategy to address it — a smart move beats a rash one. CBe by their side, support them, and help them through it however they need. DAnalyse what's actually happening and find the most reasoned, fair solution.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
What does success look like to you? What you're working toward defines who you're becoming.
ABeing remembered as someone who fought for what was right, whatever the odds. BAchieving the goals I set for myself — influence, status, and earned respect. CA life where the people I care about know I was there for them, always. DMastering my field, contributing something meaningful, and never stopping learning.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
ABeing a coward when it mattered — looking back and knowing I did nothing. BMediocrity — fading into obscurity without making my mark on the world. CLosing the people I love or letting them down when they needed me most. DIgnorance — being wrong and not knowing it, or never reaching my potential.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
ABreak the rules — if it's the right thing to do, no rule should stop me. BFind a way to get what I want without getting caught. Rules are guidelines. CProbably follow the rules — but I'd find a way to help within them if I could. DThink it through carefully — is the rule unjust, or is my gut just impatient?
NEXT QUESTION →
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
AThe protector — I will go to the ends of the earth for the people I care about. BThe strategist — I give sharp advice and I'm the one who figures out how to fix things. CThe constant — I'm always there, always reliable, and I never make it about me. DThe guide — I help people think things through and see perspectives they've missed.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
AYourself standing victorious, having faced the greatest challenge and won. BYourself at the height of your power — respected, successful, and in control. CYourself surrounded by everyone you love, whole and happy and together. DYourself with all the answers — every book read, every mystery solved.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: "You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?" This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
ABravery. I want to be the kind of person who acts when others won't. BGreatness. I want to leave my mark and be more than ordinary. CBelonging. I want to be part of something good and never let my people down. DUnderstanding. I want to know the truth of things and keep growing forever.
REVEAL MY HOUSE →
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
🦁 Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you're terrified — especially then.
- Gryffindors don't act because they're fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
- You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
- You charge toward what's right even when the odds are terrible.
- Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts's greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
🐍 Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
- Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
- You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
- You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
- The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
🦡 Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
- Hufflepuff is not the "safe" house or the "leftover" house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
- You show up. You work hard. You don't need glory or recognition — you do what's right because it's right.
- Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
- Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world's finest. And now you join them.
🦅 Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you've always known it.
- Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
- Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it's about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don't know something yet.
- You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
- Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
6 'Cobra Kai' (2021–2025)
Image via NetflixJohnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is the reason to watch Cobra Kai, especially if you want to lean into the humorous side of this nostalgic martial arts comedy drama. A sequel to The Karate Kid, he and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) reunite 30 years after their iconic fight in the first movie. Their lives have taken very different paths, but karate is still in their hearts. When they both start to train new kids at rival dojos, competition heats up.
As much as Cobra Kai is emotionally charged, even dark at times, it's also a downright funny, feel-good series about both young people finding their way and older ones going through some of the best midlife crises on TV. When it comes to the ribbing between Johnny and Daniel, the one-liners are hilarious, the delivery of them even better. When Johnny tells a kid to post something online with "one of those hashbrown things" so it gets attention, you'll be rolling over laughing.
5 'Hacks' (2021–2026)
Image via HBO MaxEnding this year after its five-season run, Hacks combines the talents of Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas-based stand-up comedian with Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young, struggling comedy writer whose reputation and an insensitive tweet have made it challenging for her to find work. When they are brought together, they initially clash. But as they grow to understand one another, and how they can help each other through challenges, a sweet bond begins to form.
Hacks is hilarious as Ava encourages Deborah to push the envelope more and be riskier in her routines, something she finds increasingly necessary as she competes with new talent infiltrating the city. Sharply funny yet also emotional, Hacks is the perfect modern-day, female-led comedy with biting humor and an original premise.
4 'Shrinking' (2023–Present)
Image via Apple TVFrom the creative team behind Ted Lasso, Shrinking is similar in its approach of tackling tough subject matter with a backdrop of humor. Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) is struggling following the tragic death of his wife. But with the help of his friends and family, he finds his way through grief. Others have their own challenges as well, from a Parkinson's diagnosis to struggling with identity and finding a lasting relationship. The show personifies the saying that it takes a village.
As one of the best Apple TV shows of the last five years, Shrinking is deeply heartfelt, making you cry as much as it does laugh. Every character brings their own comedic sense. For instance, Christa Miller and Ted McGinley stand out as neighbors and friends, Liz and Derek. Harrison Ford, meanwhile, and his deadpan style of humor as Jimmy's boss and mentor Dr. Paul Rhoades, prove he's an actor with many talents.
3 'The Studio' (2025–Present)
Image via Apple TVWith a first season finale that had me almost rolling off the couch laughing so hard (thank you, Bryan Cranston for that memorable performance), The Studio skewers the Hollywood industry, Seth Rogen not holding anything back in its jests about everyone from studio heads to demanding and eccentric directors and arrogant actors. In fact, many actors and directors make cameos playing themselves, from the legendary Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard to Charlize Theron and Zoë Kravitz.
The plot begins when Matt Remick (Rogen), a long-time studio executive, is promoted to department head. He's excited about making movies that mean something, that remind him of the heydays of cinema. But he soon realizes the studio wants to make big-budget, popcorn movies that will break the box office, with no interest in actually creating masterpiece art. Plus, Matt doesn't quite know how to say no, and he's dealing with personalities from a different perspective now, realizing more than ever how little anyone actually respects him. It's a gem of a series with a new roster of stars set to guest in Season 2. The show's first season also marks one of the last on-screen appearances by the late Catherine O'Hara.
2 'Only Murders in the Building' (2021–Present)
Whoever dreamt up putting together Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez in a comedy was pure genius. The trio plays residents of a fancy building in New York who share one common interest: they love true-crime podcasts. When a young man winds up dead in their own building, they band together to investigate. This ends up blossoming into a friendship and eventually, their own podcast. It helps that people keep dying in, outside, or around the building.
Only Murders in the Building is peak comedy, appealing to both an older generation who love Martin and Short and a younger one that idolizes Gomez. It's one of those rare shows that crosses generations, even baking jokes about age and generational differences into the plots. With the insane list of guest stars every season, it's enough to make you ignore how unbelievable the plot is from one season to the next.
1 'Ted Lasso' (2020–Present)
Image via Apple TVTed Lasso might have gotten mixed reviews for its third season, but with a fourth coming soon, three years after Season 3, Ted Lasso will soon remind fans why we fell in love with the show, the lead character, and everything it stands for in the first place. Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is an American football coach who goes to England to coach a struggling Premiere League soccer team. He doesn't really know anything about English football, but it doesn't matter because clearly what this team is missing is heart.
One of the best-ever feel-good Apple TV shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish, Ted Lasso will punch you right in the gut with its heartfelt moments, especially those involving men in sports being vulnerable and opening up in a way that has never really been depicted before so openly. Its messaging about the importance of mental health, positivity, and camaraderie is universal; the storylines raw, real, and honest. The show beautifully toes the line, moments that suggest humor is as much a personal coping mechanism as it is a way to make others feel good.
Ted Lasso
Release Date August 14, 2020
Network Apple TV
Directors Declan Lowney, MJ Delaney, Erica Dunton, Matt Lipsey
English (US) ·