For fans of quirky sitcoms, the early 2020s have already offered a few true hidden gems in the form of shows likeSt Denis MedicalandGhosts. The sitcom seems like a pretty reliable, dependable, straightforward TV institution. In many ways, sitcoms are conventional and reliant on well-worn formulas, but they are also home to some interesting experimentation as well.
Looking back onthe most influential network sitcomsever made, viewers might be surprised to see edgy efforts likeThe SimpsonsandAll in the FamilyalongsideI Love LucyandThe Jeffersons. The most popular sitcom of all time,MASH, was an anti-war seriesthat didn’t shy away from highlighting the hardships of conflict.
As such, it should come as no surprise that many of the best sitcoms of the last five years have also been on the more experimental end of the genre’s output. Sitcoms are always changing and evolving, from traditional multi-camera hangout shows with laugh tracks to single-camera family sitcoms with narrators to meta-shows that acknowledge their own status as sitcoms.
8Grimsburg
Jon Hamm’s Cartoon Cop Comedy Is Wildly Underrated
Set in the titular crime-ridden town,Grimsburgis ostensibly a parody of cop procedurals and gritty crime dramas likeTrue DetectiveorMare of Easttown. I say “Ostensibly” because, althoughGrimsburgdoes indeed parody these subgenres, the show also somehow finds time to mock everything fromM3GANto recent conservatorship scandals.
The series is a bizarre, surreal comedy where Hamm’s detective, Marvin Flute, could face down anything from a pack of killer dolls to a slasher-movie-style masked murderer in a given week. His investigations are aided and abetted in equal measure by his unhinged colleagues, but Flute himself is far from a model detective.
A heavy-drinking, divorced father who has a terrible relationship with his son,Grimsburg’s antihero is a compendium of cop show clichés rolled into one character. In a more serious show, the character would be painfully tired and over-familiar, butGrimsburg’s parodies of cop mediamake Hamm’s character a hilarious introduction to the show’s wild world.
7English Teacher
Brian Jordan Alvarez’s English Teacher Is An Instant Classic
AlthoughAbbott Elementary’s critical success made Brian Jordan Alvarez’s FX seriesEnglish Teacherseem like a high-risk proposition, the two shows could not be more different. WhereAbbott Elementaryis set in a Philadelphia city school,English Teachertakes place in Texas and mines a lot of comedy from this setting.
Former TikTok star Brian Jordan Alvarez proves he has real potential as a leading man in the role of Evan Marquez, the show’s likable antihero.
English Teacheris a raunchy, R-rated comedy that centers on Alvarez’s amoral educator, a teacher who means well but isn’t averse to taking convenient shortcuts in both his personal and professional life. The TikTok star proves he has real potential as a leading man in the role of Evan Marquez, the show’s likable antihero.
English Teacheralso boasts a killer soundtrack and a surprising number of poignant moments alongside all the cynical humor and sitcom antics. WhileAbbott Elementary’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiacrossovermight have featured some unexpected obscenity,English Teacheruses its adults-only rating to get away with much more than any network sitcom could ever manage.
6St Denis Medical
This Hospital Sitcom Blends Mockumentary With Medical Drama
WhileSt Denis Medicaldoesn’t reinvent the wheel with its premise, the show’s style makes the NBC sitcom well worth a watch.St Denis Medicalcenters on the titular hospital, an underfunded Oregon institution where the staff are constantly stretched thin by the demands of their jobs.
Starring iconic sitcom alumni like Wendi McLendon-Covey and David Alan Grier,St Denis Medicalis a rare mockumentary sitcom set in a hospital. There have been plenty of workplace sitcoms that utilized the mockumentary approach before this one, fromThe OfficetoParks and Recreation. Meanwhile, there have also been hospital-centric sitcoms likeMASHandScrubs.
However, althoughSt Denis MedicalprovesScrubs’ upcoming revivalcan succeed, the show is not a carbon copy of either these earlier mockumentary workplace sitcoms or earlier hospital sitcoms. Instead, the show brings a sense of humor all of its own, equal parts warm and sharply cynical.
If its creator’s preceding show, the cult hitSuperstore, is anything to go by,St Denis Medicalmay only improve as the show grows its audience in the coming seasons.
St Denis Medical’s mockumentary style makes its comedy a little more deadpan than many of the offerings on this list, but the show displayed real promise in its first season. If its creator’s preceding show, the cult hitSuperstore, is anything to go by, this sitcom may only improve as the show grows its audience in the coming seasons.
5Animal Control
Joel McHale’s Underrated Sitcom Is Worth Seeking Out
Airing on Fox,Animal Controlstars Community’s Joel McHale as the bitter Animal Control Officer Frank Shaw. McHale’s character will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has seenCommunityor the short-livedThe Great Indoors, but this shouldn’t put viewers off the Fox sitcom.
With a strong supporting cast that includes Ravi V Patel and Vella Lovell,Animal Controlis a little bit like a more cynicalParks and Recreation, and this should be taken as a good thing rather than a knock on the show’s premise. WhenParks and Recreationwas on the air, the show’s cheerful tone was a breath of fresh air.
Now, after over a decade of shows trying to replicate its style, it is fun to seeAnimal Controlseason 3take a familiar premise and treat it with a little less reverence and a little more mean-spirited charm. WhileAnimal Controlisn’t entirely dark, it does have a little more edge than the average network sitcom, and this is a welcome addition to the show’s formula.
4Miracle Workers
This Anthology Comedy Focuses On Two Angels and their Adventures
Arguably the most ambitious show on this list in terms of its premise,Miracle Workersfollows a pair of angels played by Daniel Radcliffe and Geraldine Viswanathanas they undertake new assignments from God, played by Steve Buscemi. An anthology series,Miracle Workersdeposits the characters in various settings for each season.
While the second season brings the angels back to the Dark Ages, the third is set on the Oregon Trail, and the fourth jumps ahead to a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland.Miracle Workerswas canceled before season 5, but the show still managed to explore a wide variety of settings and characters in its short run.
Moreover, Radcliffe and Viswanathan brought charm and verve to every new iteration of their characters. With each season’s new setting, the angels inhabited increasingly absurd characters, but the stars always managed to find their humanity, no matter how ridiculous the circumstances they find themselves in are.
3Abbott Elementary
Quinta Brunson’s Award-Winning Sitcom Brought Back The Rockumentary Format
Set in the eponymous Philadelphia school,Abbott Elementaryis a mockumentary sitcom that follows the staff of an underfunded public school. This allows the show’s creators to make all sorts of canny commentary on the state of public schooling, but viewers need not worry about the show being didactic or hectoring.
Chris Perfetti
Jacob Hill
Abbott Elementaryis the best sitcom on television right now, thanks in part to its razor-sharp writing and in part to its stellar ensemble cast. From the worry-prone Jacob toQuinta Brunson’sAbbott Elementaryheroine Janine, there isn’t a weak link in the show’s lineup.Abbott Elementaryseasons 1-3 focused on Janine’s growth, while season 4 prioritized Principal Ava.
Abbott Elementaryis available to stream on Hulu.
However, each season manages to give Melissa, Barbara, Gregory, Mr. Johnson, and the rest of the beleaguered educators moments in the spotlight. With witty dialogue, pitch-perfect performances, and a tone that wavers between smart social commentary and pure, inspired farce,Abbott Elementaryis a genuine must-watch that rivals classics likeThe OfficeandBrooklyn Nine-Nineat their best.
2Derry Girls
This Successful Sitcom Is Set In An Occupied Territory
Every show on this list has something that makes it stand out, a unique perspective or hook that makes its story more interesting or original. AlthoughDerry Girlsseason 4 is unlikely to ever happen, the show undoubtedly fits this mold thanks to its killer premise.
Audiences might reasonably expect a sitcom set in a territory occupied by an invading army to be tense, dark, and unpleasant.
Derry Girlsis set in Northern Ireland during the dying days of its British occupation, and the show is entirely aware of what viewers think this means about its style, tone, and content. Audiences might reasonably expect a sitcom set in a territory occupied by an invading army to be tense, dark, and unpleasant.
Monica-Jackson makes the comically pretentious but deeply lovable Erin a uniquely memorable sitcom protagonist.
Instead,Derry Girlsis one of the warmest, silliest, and most life-affirming shows of the last decade. Anchored by a superb quintet of central performances,Derry Girlsis elevated by star Saoirse Monica-Jackson’s fearless portrayal of Erin. Unafraid of seeming utterly ludicrous, Monica-Jackson makes the comically pretentious but deeply lovable Erin a uniquely memorable sitcom protagonist.
1Ghosts
CBS’s Quirky Sitcom Follows A Group of Ghosts Living Together
Most hang-out shows have pretty simple, straightforward premises. Everything fromSeinfeldtoFriendstoHow I Met Your MothertoNew GirltoThe Big Bang TheorytoHappy Endingscould be summarized with the phrase “A group of mismatched friends navigate life, work, and romance in the city in their thirties.”
As such, it takes a lot for a show to come up with a truly original spin on this perennially popular premise. However,CBS’s underrated sitcomGhostsmanaged this feat. Based on the BBC series of the same name,Ghostsfollows a group of mismatched ghosts that inhabit a mansion.
Devon Chandler Long
Thor
After a young couple, Sam and Jay, inherit the house,a near-death experience allows Sam to see and talk to ghosts. Soon, she is trying her best to accommodate the needs of the house’s undead residents, andGhostsis providing viewers with the most original sitcom setup sinceSt Denis Medicatbrought the mockumentary format into a sitcom hospital.
