It’s comedy’s next wave – these series offer a fresh way of making us laugh, and bingeing them is the perfect remedy right about now!
Feel like a laugh? There’s a new wave of comedy on television, with plenty of series taking a swerve from the expected format to explore everything from conflicted hitmen to trashy televangelists, or perhaps giving audiences a mix of wry humour and something a bit more thoughtful. And all of them are perfect to binge!
Here’s a look at some of the series available On Demand that will make you smile.
BETTER THINGS
What it’s about: Pamela Adlon plays a divorced jobbing actor and in LA who somehow navigates the somewhat ridiculous world of Hollywood while doing her best to raise her three daughters (and put up with her irreverent mother), who are experts at pushing all her buttons.
Why it’s different: The Hollywood Reporter says this series is consistently “one of the very best things on TV”. Adlon’s take-no-prisoners approach to work and family is not only funny, but bitingly sharp. This under-the-radar comedy is a real gem.
Watch: Seasons 1-3 are available to stream On Demand, with episodes of the current fourth season dropping weekly On Demand.
BARRY
What it’s about: Former Saturday Night Live funnyman Bill Hader plays the titular Barry, who has built quite the career as a killer for hire. That is, until a job takes him to LA and he gets hooked on the acting scene, thanks to a class run by teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler).
Why it’s different: Hello? A hitman who’s a wannabe actor? The concept for this series is so out-there – and it works. Hader (who co-created the show) makes you care for his character, despite him being a very dangerous and deadly man. It’s also given Winkler an Emmy-winning role for which he puts in a career-best performance. Its critical and ratings success has meant a third season is now in the pipeline.
Watch: Seasons 1-2 are available to stream On Demand.
INSECURE
What it’s about: Issa Rae originally presented her vision of the travails of life as a millennial single woman in her online series Awkward Black Girl, which became a huge hit and led to the creation of this series that follows her character as she deals with keeping her head above water in City of Angels.
Why it’s different: With its largely African-American cast, Insecure has forged its own path, along the lines of Sex and the City and Girls. “I just wanted to see myself and my friends reflected on television, in the same way that white people are allowed and which nobody questions,” Rae has said of the show. With Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations under her belt, she’s clearly onto a winner. A fourth season is due this year.
Watch: Seasons 1-3 are available to stream On Demand.
DIVORCE
What it’s about: While Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Robert’s (Thomas Haden Church) marriage is over, the aftermath is just beginning in this low-fi comedy that follows what happens when a partnership breaks up.
Why it’s different: While it may not have reached the stratosphere status of Sex and the City, Parker’s follow-up series is a funny and clever look at the complexities of a break-up and how it impacts all involved. Parker and Church are excellent sparring partners and, combined with a hilarious supporting cast that includes Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam and Tracy Letts, this series is extremely engaging.
Watch: Seasons 1-3 are available to stream On Demand.
HIGH MAINTENANCE
What it’s about: Follow along as The Guy (Ben Sinclair) has a variety of mini adventures all over New York City as part of his job delivering marijuana to a wide range of customers.
Why it’s different: Whimsical, smart and quite often moving and insightful, this is another series which offers a surprising and refreshing view of the world. Based on a hit web series of the same name, High Maintenance has found a wider audience thanks to its television outing. Trust us, one taste of this and you’ll be hooked.
Watch: Seasons 1-3 are available to stream On Demand, with episodes of the current fourth season dropping weekly On Demand.
THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES
What it’s about: Welcome to the world of the Gemstone family – three generations of television evangelists (with the associated level of mega-wealth that comes with such a job). However, all is not peaceful in this clan and one particular night of debauchery for one member of the family triggers a spiral of events that need to be seen to be believed.
Why it’s different: Creator and star Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down) clearly has gone to the so-wrong-it’s-right school of comedy as this series isn’t afraid to push the envelope. The Gemstones’ family crisis makes for very funny but also very adults-only viewing! A second season has been greenlit.
Watch: Season 1 is available to stream On Demand.
Words Cameron Bayley