Image courtesy of Fox
Published Aug 31, 2026, 11:46 PM EDT
Charlie Ridgely is a writer from Maryland, currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. He may be new to Collider, but he's been writing, editing, conducting interviews, and podcasting around the industry for 10 years. From 2016 to the start of 2026, Charlie was a full time writer and critic at ComicBook.com. A lifelong movie fan, avid reader, and renowned (fictional) dungeon explorer/dragonslayer, Charlie is a jack-of-all-trades throughout the fandom multiverse and has covered everything under the sun.
We may not be in the golden era of network sitcoms anymore, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some great comedies coming out of the basic cable networks right now. Abbott Elementary has obviously been a major bright spot, and has fortunately reached a level of popularity that has been difficult for classic sitcoms in the streaming era. Over the past few years, however, Fox has seen one of its few original sitcoms sneakily rise in popularity, finding sizable audiences on both TV and Netflix. Not only that, but the series seems to be getting better and better the longer it goes.
In what feels like a mixture of Community and Parks & Recreation, with a healthy dose of Brooklyn Nine-Nine sprinkled on top, Animal Control is the kind of show that has really benefited from being given the chance to find its fanbase. Starring Community's own Joel McHale, Animal Control just saw its fourth season land on Netflix, with its fifth set to premiere on Fox in the coming weeks. If you haven't already jumped on the Animal Control bandwagon, now is the time, because one of TV's funniest shows appears to just be getting started.
'Animal Control' Is Worth the Watch
Image via Bettina Strauss/FOX
If you're not familiar yet, Animal Control is a workplace comedy set in Seattle, following the folks at the city's Animal Control office. They go out on calls to deal with animals, deal with strange city rivalries, and get caught up in one another's personal drama. Of course, there's also a healthy dose of found family mixed in, checking off all the boxes necessary for a great workplace comedy. It doesn't hurt that the animal-centric setting offers a lot of unique and hilarious scenarios for the main characters.
After starring in six seasons (and, at some point, a movie) of Community, McHale leads the cast of Animal Control as a lone wolf agent named Frank Shaw. Much like Jeff Winger, Frank has his guard up around everyone, using overconfidence and self-deprecation as defense mechanisms to keep anyone who might actually like him at arms-length. His plan to remain the mysterious hero forever is upended by aloof snowboarder-turned-animal control agent Shred (Michael Rowland), who joins the team and is assigned to be his new partner.
The series also stars Vella Lovell, Ravi Patel, Grace Palmer, and Gerry Dee. McHale's former Community co-star and real-life best friend Ken Jeong has also guest-starred in several episodes over the past couple of seasons.
The Show Gets Better, the Cast Keeps Growing
As Animal Control continues to grow its audience, and gets funnier with each passing season, the cast has gotten even more impressive. Kyla Pratt and Josh Segarra both joined the Animal Control cast last year, each appearing in at least seven episodes heading into Season 5. Both are reportedly returning for the new season on Fox this fall.
The show has seen several big-name guest stars arrive over the years, including Sarah Chalke, Thomas Lennon, Lucy Punch, Oliver Hudson, and Rob Gronkowski. Jim Rash, known to many as Dean Pelton, has also appeared in an episode, making two former Community stars that have reunited with McHale on the series.
The first four seasons of Animal Control are currently available to stream on Netflix. The fifth season, meanwhile, is set to debut on Sunday, September 27th.
Release Date February 16, 2023
Network FOX
Writers Dan Sterling, Tad Quill
English (US) ·