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Across the past few decades, Dan Harmon has garnered a progressively thriving following, and his best TV shows reveal exactly why he has such a devoted fanbase. Whether he's writing, directing, or appearing in front of the camera, Harmon's distinct creative voice shows through within every project he's involved with. With his earliest credits popping up in the late '90s, Harmon has a significant number of projects under his belt spanning an over twenty-year career.
In the 2020s, Dan Harmon is most known for specific shows like Community and Rick and Morty, which are both considered among the best comedies of the 21st century. However, Harmon didn't jump from obscurity straight to helming two of the most successful shows of the last few decades. While many of Harmon's highest regarded works are among his most popular, he has also been involved with numerous lesser-known cult classics. As the best Dan Harmon TV shows reveal, his unique and quirky comedic talents were honed across a variety of projects before his most well-known arrived on screens.
10 Acceptable.TV (2007)
Dan Harmon's Quirky 2000s Gameshow
Acceptable TV is an interactive sketch comedy show developed by Jack Black, Channel 101, and VH1. Released in 2007, it presents five mini TV shows in each episode, encouraging audience engagement and participation through its unique format.
Release Date March 23, 2007
Network VH1
Seasons 1
A short-lived gameshow that ran on VH1 in 2007, Acceptable.TV was the brainchild of co-creators Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, and the show was notably produced by Jack Black. Each episode consisted of numerous mini-episodes which took the form of comedic short films. While most of the skits in Acceptable.TV were created by the writing team, each episode also featured an entry from a viewer.
While not the most widely known TV show in Dan Harmon's career, Acceptable.TV is notable for how slickly it managed to incorporate audience participation through online voting. The gameshow element of the series came in the form of viewers' ability to vote on these mini-episodes to determine a winner, with the two of these shorts with the most votes being continued on Acceptable.TV's next episode. While reviews from critics were mixed, Acceptable.TV still stands out as a hialrious early slice of Dan Harmon's unique brand of humor.
9 Harmontown (2014)
The Documentary Exploring Harmon's Unique Creative Process
Harmontown is a documentary that follows TV writer Dan Harmon, creator of NBC's Community, as he embarks on a nationwide tour with his live podcast. The film offers a candid look at Harmon's personal and professional challenges throughout this journey.
Release Date March 8, 2014
Runtime 101 minutes
Director Neil Berkeley
Not to be confused with the TV series of the same name, 2014's Harmontown offers an unrivaled look into the creative process and career of Dan Harmon. Directed by Neil Berkeley, Harmontown is a documentary that premiesed in 2014 as the SXSW film festival. Unlike the other entries on this list which were creative projects of Harmon himself, this documentary documents Harmon in the period following his firing from Community.
The documentary gives an impartial and genuine look at the concept of self-improvement while providing a great deal of insight into Harmon and his work. While it's now over a decade old and so, for obvious reasons, only offers a snapshot of Harmon's career at a specific point, it's still more than worthwhile watching for fans. In particular, the 2014 Harmontown documentary was released around a year after Rick and Morty first debuted, so captures Harmon at an incredibly pivotal point in his career.
8 Great Minds With Dan Harmon (2016)
Harmon's Time-Travelling Project With The History Channel
Great Minds with Dan Harmon is a 2016 television series in which writer Dan Harmon, aided by his assistant Spencer Crittenden, uses a time machine to bring historical figures to the present for interviews. The figures' physical forms are temporary, collapsing into dust that Spencer collects after a few hours.
Release Date February 25, 2016
Network History
Seasons 1
A Dan Harmon creation that aired on the History Channel in 2016, Great Minds With Dan Harmon was written by and starring the mind behind Rick and Morty and Community. The surreal 2016 comedy contains many of the hallmarks of Dan Harmons unique humor, and follows Harmon and co-star Spencer Crittenden as they construct a time machine with the intent of interviewing historical figures for the channel.
While Great Minds with Dan Harmon only lasted for a single season, it featured memorable standout episodes, such as the initial episode which featured Jack Black as Ludwig van Beethoven, and the series final episode, in which Harmon interviews Harry S. Truman. There were many notable guest stars alongside Jack Black too, includign Aubrey Plaza, Sarah Silverman, Kristen Schaal, and Nick Kroll. It's an incredibly unique viewing experience, both in general and among the best Dan Harmon TV shows.
7 Harmontown (2012-2019)
Dan Harmon's HIt Webseries
A show synonymous with Dan Harmon, Harmontown was a weekly web-series that ran from June of 2012 to the end of 2019. Starring Harmon and Jeff Davis, the series is an unscripted live comedy show. It featured countless well-known comedians and actors, ranging from former Community stars such as Joel McHale to those with an online-based presence, such as the "Game Grumps" and even the late Robin Williams.
Much like the Harmontown documentary, the web series of the same name should be considered essential viewing for any fans of Dan Harmon. It offers an unrestrained glimpse into his unique mind. Harmon has described the show as his own "live therapy sessions", which gives insight into just how intimate and personal some of the unscripted conversations can get. What's more, with a staggering 360 60-120 minute episodes available, there's more than enough of Harmontown for fans to sink their teeth into.
6 HarmonQuest (2016-2019)
Dan Harmon's Mixed-Media Take On The Fantasy Genre
HarmonQuest is a fantasy comedy adventure series featuring comedians Dan Harmon, Jeff Davis, and Erin McGathy. Released in 2016, the show combines live-action performances with animated sequences as they embark on a roleplaying game, guided by Game Master Spencer Crittenden, and joined by rotating guest members.
Release Date July 14, 2016
Network VRV , SeeSo
Seasons 3
In an era rife with popularized "live play" table-top roleplaying podcasts, HarmonQuest is a series that features Dan Harmon's unique take on the fantasy genre and RPGs, as well as the format of shows like Critical Role. In HarmonQuest, Dan Harmon appears alongside Erin McGathy, Jeff Davis, "game master" Spencer Crittenden, and numerous guests as they play a "traditional" table-top roleplaying game.
While similarly structured podcasts rely entirely on the storytelling and gameplay, a significant amount of HarmonQuest is animated, giving excellent visual accompaniment to the adventure. The mixture of animation and live-action makes HarmonQuest incredibly unique, and allows for plenty of moments that showcase the visual side of Harmon's distinctive brand of humor. There were also several noteworthy A-list cameos on HarmonQuest, including Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, and Patton Oswalt.
5 The Sarah Silverman Program (2007-2010)
Dan Harmon Teams Up With An Equally Distinctive Comedic Voice
In the 2020s, Sarah Silverman is known as an A-List comedy movie star. However, she got her start working on the small screen. What's more, her self-titled series The Sarah Silverman Program also stands as one of the best Dan Harmon TV shows thanks to him being a key member of the creative team. While this series' star may be blatantly announced in its title, The Sarah Silverman Program ran on Comedy Central from 2007 to 2010 and was co-created by the namesake Sarah Silverman, Dan Harmon, and Rob Schrab.
Running for thirty-two episodes, the surreal brand of comedy in this series has Harmon's fingerprints all over it, and much of his later work would employ similar brands of humor. The show primarily focused on a semi-fictionalized version of Silverman and her various colleagues and friends (as well as her old sister, Laura Silverman). It's a solid watch across all 3 seasons, and while it may be named after its star, Dan Harmon's unique humor bleeds through in almost every scene.
4 Strange Planet (2023-Present)
Dan Harmon Brings The Hit Webcomic To Life
Strange Planet is an animated series based on the popular webcomic by Nathan W. Pyle, exploring whimsical and thought-provoking aspects of human nature through blue-skinned extraterrestrial beings who navigate life's absurdities and simplicities.
Release Date August 9, 2023
Seasons 1
Based on the webcomic by Nathan W. Pyle (who co-created the series), the AppleTV+ original Strange Planet is one of the most intriguing entries among the best Dan Harmon TV shows. The show focuses on blue beings who refer to everything in an incredibly literal sense, and explores their day-to-day lives. Part satire, part wacky (yet wholesome) animated sketch comedy, there's nothing else quite like Strange Planet out there, and it has all the hallmarks of Harmon's best work.
As well as being incredibly distinctive in its own right, Strange Planet is also notable among Dan Harmon's TV shows because the humor is, by and large, more family friendly than most of his work. Shows like Krapopolis and Rick and Morty have more than their share of R-rated jokes, but this isn't the case with Strange Planet. This means it stands as proof that Harmon is just as funny even when he doesn't rely on edgy humor.
3 Krapopolis (2023-Present)
Dan Harmon's Take On Ancient Greek Mythology
Krapopolis is an adult animated series created by Dan Harmon. The show is set in a fictional ancient city, where a group of flawed heroes must navigate their way through mythological creatures, gods, and prophecies. The series features the voice talents of Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, and Pamela Adlon, among others. Krapopolis premiered on Fox in 2023.
Debuting on Fox, Krapopolis is the latest original animated series from Dan Harmon, and is the Rick and Morty creator's take on the mythical world of Ancient Greece. With a cast of distinctive voice actors including Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, and Hannah Waddingham, the humor of Krapopolis takes everything fans love about Harmon's shows like Rick and Morty and Community and transplants it to a swords-and-sandals setting.
Like many of the best Dan Harmon TV shows, Krapopolis also features a staggering level and amount of cameos from A-List actors. These include the likes of Stephanie Beatriz, Steve Buscemi, Dave Franco, Nick Kroll, Jane Lynch, and many more. While not as critically acclaimed as Dan Harmon's absolute best shows, Krapopolis still stands as a perfect example of his unique comedic style, and is certain to appeal to fans of his other projects.
Dan Harmon's Breakout Sitcom
Created by Dan Harmon, Community is a comedy series that follows a study group at an unorthodox community college where zany antics occur daily. When disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger is forced to enroll in a local college to get a degree and reinstate himself, he gets roped in with fellow students from different backgrounds, races, religions, and ages and reluctantly forms a study group. Together, these lovable misfits will navigate their school lives in some nigh unbelievable situations as they all try to figure out where their futures lie.
Release Date September 17, 2009
Seasons 6
Running from 2009 to 2015, Community is a sitcom created by Dan Harmon that was once the most popular series from the creator (and, in the eyes of many fans, still is). Community is a truly unique sitcom that many credit as being one of the best of the 21st century so far, and it maintains an incredibly loyal fanbase. With notable cast members including the likes of Joel McHale, Alison Brie, and Donald Glover, the series follows a memorable and distinct group of students attending Greendale Community College.
Much of Community's strengths stem from the series' excellent use of its limited setting, as seen within the numerous paintball episodes, and hilarious and self-aware writing. While the series initially had a smaller following than its contemporaries, the show's dedicated fan base grew considerably over time, and it's come to be one of the most popular and bingeworth shows during the age of streaming.
1 Rick And Morty (2013-Present)
Dan Harmon's Most Celebrated TV Show
Rick and Morty is an adventure/Sci-Fi animated series that follows the intergalactic, inter-dimensional adventures of super-genius Rick Sanchez and his less-than-average grandson Morty Smith. Rick's daughter, Beth, his granddaughter, Summer, and his hated stepson, Jerry, also take center stage more often than not. Hailing from creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the series blends comedy with science fiction as a way of exploring a wide variety of themes aimed at an adult audience.
Release Date December 2, 2013
Seasons 7
No other work of Dan Harmon has been able to break into the cultural zeitgeist like Rick and Morty. Co-created by Harmon and the now-controversial Justin Roiland, the animated series depicts the exploits of super-intelligent scientist Rick and his grandson, Morty. While it started as a simple parody of Doc Brown and Marty McFly from the Back to the Future movies, Rick and Morty has long since outgrown the premise of its original pilot.
With a deep lore that keeps fans incredibly hooked season to season, it's safe to say that no Dan Harmon TV show has had as much of an impact on pop culture as Rick and Morty. This series is by and large one of the most widely popular adult-catered animated series of the 2010s, utilizing a bizarre yet hilarious blend of borderline degenerate low-brow humor, nuanced use of pseudo-science, and a deep understanding of science fiction and pop-culture tropes.
English (US) ·