# TV series that revolve around the lives of miserable or dysfunctional comedians **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052 "2015-04-19T17:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/1 "2015-04-19T17:27:56Z")
I enjoy the TV shows Legit, Maron, Curb your Enthusaism and Louie. Louie is my favorite but the other 3 shows are good also. Are there any other shows worth watching that fall along these plot lines? I know there are a lot of other TV series that revolve around the lives of comedians (Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, Ray Romano, etc) but aside from Seinfeld I don’t know if I like them as much. Besides Seinfeld isn’t really miserable or dysfunctional. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/2 "2015-04-19T17:32:08Z")
_It’s Garry Shandling’s Show_ or _The Larry Sanders Show_, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/3 "2015-04-20T18:25:40Z")
You might like _Inside Amy Shumer_, although it’s format is dysfunctional/miserable skits rather than the standard sitcom format. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/4 "2015-04-20T18:33:06Z")
If you instead want miserable and dysfunctional shows revolving around the lives of comedians, there’s _Mulaney_. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/5 "2015-04-20T21:02:59Z")
[Hancock’s Half Hour.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock%27s_Half_Hour) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/6 "2015-04-20T21:09:17Z")
There was one back in the mid 90s? Tall, skinnyish, white guy. Lasted only a season or two. Based on his family life I believe. Titus? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/7 "2015-04-20T21:11:18Z")
There’s a new series called “The Comedians” on FX, starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad as themselves starring in a fake documentary about the two of them creating a new sitcom. Two episodes in and I can’t figure out if I’m going to continue. Gad does that man-child shtick, which has gotten pretty trite after years of Will Ferrell and Jonah Hill wearing it thin. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/8 "2015-04-20T21:26:34Z")
The Comedians is based on a Swedish series with the same premise (older and younger comedians working together). And they’re not making a sitcom, but a sketch comedy show. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/9 "2015-04-20T21:46:26Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > There was one back in the mid 90s? Tall, skinnyish, white guy. Lasted only a season or two. Based on his family life I believe. > > Titus? Titus definitely fits the category. Roseanne probably qualifies as well. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/10 "2015-04-20T23:01:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And they’re not making a sitcom, but a sketch comedy show. See, I told you it was barely holding my interest. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/11 "2015-04-20T23:06:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > > [@billfish678](#): > > > > There was one back in the mid 90s? Tall, skinnyish, white guy. Lasted only a season or two. Based on his family life I believe. > > > > Titus? > > Titus definitely fits the category. > > Roseanne probably qualifies as well. In the case of the three shows mentioned in the OP, the main characters are stand-up comedians; basically, they’re playing themselves. I don’t think that’s true for Titus or Roseanne, but I don’t know if the OP meant to limit it in that way. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/12 "2015-04-20T23:43:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > In the case of the three shows mentioned in the OP, the main characters are stand-up comedians; basically, they’re playing themselves. I don’t think that’s true for Titus or Roseanne, but I don’t know if the OP meant to limit it in that way. I like the show Roseanne, but I wouldn’t call her miserable the way I’d call Marc Maron or Louis CK miserable. Like I said, Ray Romano has a show built around him but its not along the lines of what I mean. I remember watching Titus, but I haven’t seen it in a while. I like Titus’s comedy specials though. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/13 "2015-04-21T00:24:55Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > … Besides Seinfeld isn’t really …dysfunctional. Sure he was. Superficial, anal retentive, a neat freak, apathetic to the suffering of those around him, narcissistic, unwilling to commit to a woman (or willing to break it off for the most trivial reasons), etc. But certainly _funny_. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/14 "2015-04-21T00:48:11Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Sure he was. Superficial, anal retentive, a neat freak, apathetic to the suffering of those around him, narcissistic, unwilling to commit to a woman (or willing to break it off for the most trivial reasons), etc. > > But certainly _funny_. He wasn’t miserable though. George was miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/15 "2015-04-21T03:51:55Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > He wasn’t miserable though. George was miserable. Hence my ellipsis. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/16 "2015-04-21T04:51:44Z")
There was Dabney Coleman’s series _[Buffalo Bill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bill_(TV_series))_, which only lasted for two seasons. I’m not sure though that Coleman is the type of actor you’re looking for. He’s a comic actor but he isn’t a stand-up comedian. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/17 "2015-04-21T11:46:23Z")
Good thread, Wesley. Very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/18 "2015-04-21T12:35:18Z")
Titus does not exactly fit the OP. It was mostly autobiographical and based on his stand up act at the time which was filmed as _Norman Rockwell is Bleeding_ (one of my favorite stand up specials of all time BTW). However, in the show he is not a stand up comedian, he owns a custom car shop. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/19 "2015-04-21T12:44:12Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > He wasn’t miserable though. George was miserable. I recall the ep. where Jerry was dating “himself” in his current girlfriend. He broke it off because, as he put it, he hated himself. ---
**Author:** ![norvalnormal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@norvalnormal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norvalnormal)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052/20 "2015-04-21T18:23:24Z")
Though, yeah, Dabney Coleman’s character isn’t a comedian, the episode of _Buffalo Bill_ with the Jerry Lewis impersonators is one of the funniest sitcom half hours ever. (P.S.: Pre-fame Geena Davis is in this tv show’s cast. She’d later be in _Tootsie_ along with Coleman.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-that-revolve-around-the-lives-of-miserable-or-dysfunctional-comedians/718052.md?page=2)