The Best Sitcoms You Can Watch on Netflix
Sitcoms have traditionally had a reputation as one of the inferior art forms: stock laughs and stock scripts full of stupid characters who bear only a modest resemblance to real people. While there is some truth to this, the best shows in the genre have always broken the rules in interesting ways. Netflix doesn’t have the largest library of classic sitcoms, instead focusing on a carefully curated (and expensive, in the case of a show like Seinfeld ) selection of sitcoms from the past, a few more modern pickups, and some truly beloved ones (not to mention the received critical acclaim) shows that it was commissioned and produced for himself.
Arrested Development (2003–2019)
Of course, the seasons of the Netflix-era revival don’t connect nearly as well as the seasons at the beginning of the series, but the early aughts seasons are top-notch comedy, full of brilliant jokes, bumbling characters, and endless memes. -capable moments. Be it Tobias with his obsession with the band Blue Man or his penchant for never being naked; a banana kiosk that always has money; or the brilliantly terrible Lucille Bluth (“It’s one banana, Michael. How much can it cost? $10?”), the endlessly inventive show was ahead of its time and has influenced every cringe comedy since. Plus: It features Jessica Walter, who elevated everything she ever touched.
Seinfeld (1989–1998)
Seinfeld’s appearance on Netflix a couple of years ago caused far more of a pop culture stir than you’d expect from a 30-year-old network sitcom about nothing (the streamer paid about half a billion dollars for the streaming rights). Now this is nothing new, but what was new was that we created a core quartet of equally terrible people and made us love them. While other sitcoms are often about the friends you wish you had and the people you wish you could be, Seinfeld has always felt like a show about the much funnier people we fear we might be. Here are 10 episodes to get you started.
The Parkers (1999–2004)
Departing from the more teen-oriented Moesha , The Parkers bring that series’ crazy Kim (Countess Vaughn) and send her off to college, where she’s joined by her mom (future Oscar winner Mo’Nique). Nikki Parker dropped out of college two decades ago when she became pregnant with Kim and believes now is the right time to return. The show is intentionally silly (another way of saying “fun”), full of incredible characters and wild situations, but the strong and believable mother-daughter relationship at the heart of the series anchors it throughout its five seasons.
Kat and Kim (2002–2007)
This Australian import may not be as familiar to American audiences as some of the others on this list, but the series was not only an all-time hit, but also a worldwide sensation, spawning a couple of spin-off films and a short film. a live US version and, most recently, a 20th anniversary reunion special (all of which, with the exception of the US run, are streaming on Netflix). The show, starring creators Jane Turner and Gina Riley, follows the daily lives of the titular mother and adult daughter, whose affection for each other does not exclude frequent vociferous arguments. The style is a bit Absolutely Fabulous , but in a work environment. So think of it as AbFab meets classic Roseanne: loud, funny and occasionally touching.
Kenan and Kel (1996–2000)
One of the classic teen sitcoms from Nickelodeon’s golden age of the ’90s, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell play Kenan and Kel, a pair of high school-age best friends whose lives are constantly complicated by Kenan’s wild plans (climbing to the top of the Sears Tower; prolonging a bank robbery to avoid getting caught skipping school; searching for a dead parrot’s doppelgänger). It’s silly fun for all ages, supported by a talented cast carried over from Nick’s sketch comedy show All That .
Community (2009—2015)
Dan Harmon’s influential series didn’t gain many viewers during its initial run on NBC, but had an impressive afterlife. Under the direction of Joel McHale and the notable presence of Chevy Chase in previous seasons, virtually all of the show’s actors (including Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Alison Brie and Ken Jeong) became stars. Canceled after six seasons, the series wraps up the film , although it will air on Pikaka when it finally airs.
Girlfriends (2000—2008)
Tracee Ellis Ross ( Black-ish ) leads the way in a comedy about the lives of four women from different backgrounds living in Los Angeles, combining comedy about single life with some biting social satire. It’s funny and smart, and deserves a lot more recognition given its impressive eight seasons. The show ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but it did well for Netflix and now there’s talk of a revival . Start watching now, and maybe by the time you’re done with eight, a new season will already be on the air. The long-running spin-off The Game is also on Netflix, but only for the first three seasons (it switched networks halfway through its run).
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015–2019)
The inexplicably underrated sitcom Crazy Ex-Girlfriend delivered wildly ambitious and consistently hilarious musical numbers over its four seasons. In the series, Rachel Bloom plays Rebecca Bunch, a Yale- and Harvard-educated lawyer who works for a big New York firm and leaves it all to pursue her teenage love in a small town in California. What’s most impressive is that the show dives into the real-life issues of mental illness and treatment with humor, as well as genuine compassion and honesty, doing a much better job than most other shows.
Good Place (2016–2020)
Another show with big ambitions, this high-concept fantasy comedy follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) after her death and is sent to the heavenly “Good Place” – a paradise run by Ted Danson’s Michael. Turn? There was a mistake: Eleanor was a terrible person. I say twists, but the show is full of them, and there are revelations that often turn the main idea around. It’s one of the best sitcoms of recent years, with colorful and smart design, an exceptionally playful cast and a genuine interest in exploring what it really means to be a good person in an increasingly complex world.
Ugly Betty (2006–2010)
The Colombian telenovela “Yo soi, Betty, la fea” was so popular during and after its initial airing that it spawned not only translated versions, but also remakes in India, the Philippines, Brazil and Greece (among others: I watched mostly Mexican version and mi español no es bueno). In the American version, America Ferrera plays the decidedly unstylish (and slightly naive) Betty Suarez, who takes a job at a leading fashion magazine and finds herself at the center of four seasons of romantic and career complications. As with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend , Ugly Betty episodes run longer than the usual 22–25 minutes, which used to be considered an unofficial limit for something considered a “sitcom”. But who really cares?
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015 – 2019)
One of Netflix’s earliest originals (it was originally conceived for NBC), Unbreakable Jimmy Schmidt made it clear that the streamer would be more than capable of producing shows that were at least as good as anything on the network. Produced by the 30 Rock team of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the film follows Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) as she moves to New York to start a new life after escaping a doomsday cult. She is joined by a stellar supporting cast that includes Carol Kane, Tituss Burgess and Jane Krakowski. The show received 20 Emmy nominations and spawned a hilarious choose-your-own-adventure sequel , Kimmy vs. the Reverend , which is also available on Netflix.
One day at a time ( 2017 – 2020 )
Inspired by Norman Lear’s beloved 1975 sitcom of the same name, the comedy quickly became one of the streamer’s most popular series, telling the story of a Latino family led by Justina Machado as Lupe Alvarez, an Army Nurse Corps veteran struggling with her comeback. to civilian life and single motherhood (she’s joined by Rita Moreno as her delightfully outspoken mother). In addition to this solid Latino representation, the funny and big-hearted show caught the attention of Justina’s lesbian daughter, Elena, and her nonbinary love interest, Sid. Since the show changed networks, Netflix only has the first three seasons of the show, but it’s still worth watching.
Kim’s Convenience (2016 – 2021)
Another foreign import, this time from Canada. The Kims are a Korean-Canadian family who own a convenience store in Toronto. Paul Sung-Hyun Lee and Jin Yoon lead the cast as traditional-minded parents, with Simu Liu as son Jung. The show takes a deft route by tackling the issues facing immigrant families in a sharp way, but rarely or never at the expense of laughs.
Derry Girls (2018 – 2022)
A legitimate and charming sitcom set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1990s, when clashes between nationalists and unionists often resulted in violence. It’s a fascinating contrast, brought to life by the writer and creator (Lisa McGee) who lived it. It’s also very funny, although it doesn’t make any allowances for audiences unaccustomed to Irish accents, so don’t be discouraged if you need subtitles until you’re comfortable with them. The show ended after three seasons but came to a satisfying conclusion.
Alexa and Katie ( 2018–2020 )
The heyday of Nickelodeon and Disney teen sitcoms in the ’90s and 2000s is largely behind us, although there are some notable exceptions. Alexa and Katie star Paris Berelc and Isabelle May as the series’ best friends, and while there is some drama in the background given ongoing cancer treatments that complicate Alexa’s athletic ambitions, the series is otherwise a refreshingly old-fashioned multi-camera couple’s sitcom. mutually supportive friends who are in high school. The show is a great reminder that shows aimed at teens can be smart and funny.
Gentefide (2020 – 2021)
Gentefied follows three Mexican-American cousins who have built a life in Los Angeles but face a new challenge: the impending gentrification of the neighborhood they helped build. This bilingual series has a lot of heart, and although it was cut short after two seasons, it keeps getting better as time goes on.
Fuller House (2016 – 2020)
Fuller House didn’t win many (or any) major awards over its five seasons, but it did win the Teen Choice, People’s Choice, and Kids’ Choice awards for favorite comedy show, so in the end, who cares? What do the critics think? This revived series is excellent comfort food that has nothing better to do than satisfy nostalgic fans of the original and earn the smiles of their children. What happened to predictability?
Grace and Frankie (2015 – 022)
The names “Jane Fonda” and “Lily Tomlin” would probably be enough to sell Grace and Frankie to anyone, and those names also clearly have something to do with its success and longevity (seven seasons is a good time for anyone series, but is almost unheard of in the streaming world). The main characters, one a former cosmetics company executive and the other a hippie artist, begin the series as anything but friends, a relationship status they must overcome when their husbands run away together. After a slightly rocky first season, the show quickly turned into something special.