Based on the glowing recommendations in the Community thread I binged the entire series. I’d have missed that gem if not for the fans. That made me wonder whether there is other stuff I’m missing out on.
The thing is, there are various strands of comedy series, dependent on the kind of humour you like. I believe Community is somewhat in the vein of 30 Rock with its rapid fire fairly high-brow humour, although to my mind more grounded into character development. I like how the series makes the main characters fairly likeable even with their flaws. In older series I believe Newsradio was somewhat similar in the kind of jokes.
Community also uses some fun technical tricks in story telling that remind me of How I Met Your Mother.
I’ve encountered recommendations of Arrested Development and Modern Family which apparently introduced some of the techniques used as well. However, when I tried these series I found the characters too cartoonish to my liking. A series like The Good Place is more to my taste. Also, for different reasons, I enjoyed Lucifer and Crazy Ex Girlfriend.
Sorry for rambling on a bit. Possibly I’d simply appreciate a discussion on the characteristics of comedy series.
Community features a group of largely co-equal characters with minor conflicts between them, while major conflicts are usually the group against some outside force. They are placed in situations which are often absurd from the viewpoint of the audience but are largely treated as normal, or at least only a bit out of the mainstream, by the world within the show. (This is often lampshaded for a laugh, but no one threatens to break the reality of the show by seriously protesting the logic of the situation). Most major conflicts in the show are resolved by the group coming together in an expression of their mutual affection and shared values despite their more surface level differences. Making the morally right choice is often punished in the short term but rewarded in the longer term.
The show you should watch that shares these traits is Parks and Recreation. It’s also very funny.
I second the recommendation of Parks and Recreation. I see Parks and Rec, Community, and 30 Rock to be a trio of sorts. People who like one generally will like all three.
I was going to mention Arrested Development until halfway through your post…
Possibilities (both of which I’m currently rewatching) could include the shortish-lived Better Off Ted and the Britcom Moone Boy. Also Pushing Daisies and Wonderfalls.
If you’re looking for something more on the character development side of things, we just finished Schitt’s Creek, and highly recommend it. It’s not hilarious - for most of the first season, it rarely rises above “mildly amusing”. My wife and I also are usually pretty generous with giving a series a good amount of time to get going, and even we were disappointed with how slowly the gears started up. But once the writers finally let us in on the secret that these characters are actually good and decent people worth rooting for, you’ll stay tuned in. We unfortunately started the series after the final season aired on cable, and we were willing to spend $20 to buy the last season before it makes its way to Netflix - that’s how much we ended up liking it. It doesn’t have any story-telling tricks/gimmicks like Community or How I Met Your Mother, and it’s certainly not as rapid-fire as 30 Rock - but it’s also not as cartoon-y as Arrested Development (though I really enjoy all the shows you listed).
Oh, and this just came to me–Adventure Time. It may at first seem like a quirky kid’s animated series for quirky kids, but it does actually have deep and complex character development for the main characters and long (sometimes epic) story arcs.
Maybe, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? The anti-Friends.
re ebbWhere Community puts good people into absurd situations and their shared values and affection bring them together, Always Sunny puts bad (but relatable) people (i.e., the worst of our own traits) into absurd situations where their twisted values force them apart, and condemn them to re-living their own mistakes. Good fun.
Some folks say it’s a lazy cliché to describe Always Sunny as “Seinfeld On Crack”. Thing is, though, the day came when they literally took a “Seinfeld” plot only to, y’know, build it around crack cocaine (while adding a subplot about hookers).
Thanks for all the quick replies, I’d forgotten how fast the board moves!
Great analysis, ebb. I must say, however, that my liking for Community is not solely based on these characteristics, it is also the brand of humour that resonates with me. But the way the characters are treated is certainly an additional reason for my esteem for Community.
That was something I missed in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt which I’d forgotten about. While it provided plenty of laughs and some very smart jokes, it never grew on me (and the final season was a chore to watch). Similarly with Will and Grace, which I also enjoyed for a while but became tiresome in the end.
So, Parks and Recreations? There was a thread recently comparing the two and P&R seemed to end second place (but only just), but you’ve convinced me I should check it out. Silver and Gold, no losers here, huh?
Some other interesting suggestions to check (in particular Better off Ted and Always Sunny in Philadelphia, given that these are mentioned several times), I’ve never heard of most of them. I’m in The Netherlands, but can access a variety of streaming and see previews on Youtube, and will buy a DVD if I believe the series is fun. That’s how I got hooked on 30 Rock.
Anyway, if there are other ideas I’d love to hear about them.
Thanks for that review! I watched most of Season 1 when it first came out and I couldn’t get into it, and forgot about it. Until it became super popular in the US and I couldn’t figure out why everyone was on about it. I’ll have to continue on for sure now!
Another vote for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It sounds like something the OP would enjoy. It’s a very funny show but it’s one that respects its characters.
On the other hand, I question the recommendations for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s a hilarious show but if you want a show with likable characters, it’s not for you.
Several people have mentioned Parks and Recreation. One thing about that show is that it took a while to find its place. The first season was very shaky as they developed the characters and the overall style of the show.
Just to add a new recommendation, I’ll suggest Trophy Wife. It only lasted a single season but it was a good show.
The obvious recommendation is Rick and Morty which was the subsequent show created by the same creator, Dan Harmon. If you like Rick and Morty, you might also enjoy checking out Solar Opposites which is the subsequent show created by the other Rick and Morty co-creator, Justin Roiland.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Andre Braugher is a national treasure. He was one of my favorite dramatic actors since Homicide. Brooklyn 99 showed what an incredible comedic actor he is. And of course there is also the star of the show, Cheddar.