Anthony Carrigan as NoHo Hank in Barry
As shows like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia have taught us, dark comedy consistently toes the line between being controversial and being cancellable, but there are some shows that are known for their ability to keep audiences laughing.
While some shows choose to err on the side of caution, keeping jokes clean and comfortable, others know just how to push the envelope. Dark comedy is one of the most difficult genres to get right. With such a careful balance to maintain, few shows have been able to consistently succeed. It's Always Sunny has helped redefine what TV comedy could look like since its premiere in 2005, standing out for its willingness to embrace dark moments. The FX series has opened the door for boundary-pushing TV, making room for even more discomfort. 11 Archer Archer, an animated series that premiered in 2009 and ran for 14 seasons, follows deeply dysfunctional secret agent Sterling Archer as he moves through absurd cases and parodies different styles of spy thrillers. Typically, Archer operates as a parody of a Cold War espionage story, but some of the show's seasons switch styles, tackling the Latin American drug trade, '40s film noir, and retro-futuristic space opera. After years of rapid-fire dialogue, absurd scenarios, and hilarious moments with deeply flawed characters, Archer came to a close in 2023. The show's willingness to mine humor from toxic scenarios, often treating dangerous situations with irreverence, makes it stand out as a dark comedy that knows its identity entirely. 9.5/10 Archer 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Comedy Animation Action Release Date 2009 - 2023-00-00 Network FX, FXX Directors Casey Willis, Matt Thompson, Justin Wagner, Pierre Cerrato, Adam Reed, Megan Johnson, Chi Duong Sato, Omaka Schultz, Kim Feigenbaum, Stephen Slesinski, Marcus Rosentrater Writers Mark Ganek, Matt Roller, Asha Michelle Wilson, Mike Arnold, Shane Kosakowski, Shana Gohd, Brittany Ann Miller, Alison Zeidman, Miles Woods, Mehar Sethi Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 10 Workaholics Comedy Central's Workaholics, starring Adam Devine, Blake Anderson, and Anders Holm, ran for seven seasons from 2011 through 2017. The series focuses on a trio of college dropouts who live together and work at a telemarketing company, but spend most of their time slacking off and scheming, their antics often interfering with their lives at work and at home. The series often leans into stoner comedy, which qualifies it as a dark comedy despite it not being a directly dark show. Workaholics shows off the trio's lack of ambition, disregard for consequences, and its cynical take on adulthood, consistently turning failure into a punchline. The humor comes from the characters sabotaging their own lives, embracing their immaturity and poor decision-making. Workaholics 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Sitcom Release Date 2011 - 2017-00-00 Network Comedy Central Showrunner Adam Devine Directors Adam Devine Writers Adam Devine Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 9 Barry Barry, which ran for four seasons from 2018 through 2023, follows a depressed hitman who discovers his passion for acting, leading him to question his life choices. Starring Bill Hader, the series defines what a dark comedy can be when it leans into its violent nature. Blending violence with deeply uncomfortable humor, Barry's comedy stems from its contrast between the search for self-improvement and self-acceptance. Barry works through themes like trauma, morality, and guilt, exploring them without losing the thread of comedic tension. Much like It's Always Sunny, Barry thrives on morally comprised characters, including Henry Winkler, who plays Gene Cousineau, an eccentric acting coach and Barry's mentor. The series uses its characters to delve further into psychological darkness. 8.8/10 9/10 Barry 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Comedy Crime Action Release Date 2018 - 2023-00-00 Network HBO Max Showrunner Alec Berg Directors Alec Berg Writers Alec Berg Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 8 Search Party Airing between 2016 and 2022, Search Party starts as one thing, but eventually grounds itself as a darkly comedic mystery series. The series, which stars Alia Shawkat as Dory Sief, begins as a mystery about a missing woman, but as it continues, it evolves into a surreal and chaotic series. With a group of self-absorbed millennials rounding out the cast, the series spirals into crime and paranoia. Search Party began its life on TBS and was revived on HBO Max years later, which gave viewers time to sit with the show before the mystery continued. Its sense of humor comes from how casually it treats serious circumstances, at times allowing the characters to be entirely detached from their escalating actions. The show's morally bankrupt ensemble maintains a biting critique of privilege and identity. Search Party 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Comedy Drama Crime Mystery Release Date 2016 - 2022-00-00 Network TBS, HBO Max Showrunner Michael Showalter Cast See All Directors Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, John Lee, Ryan McFaul, Michael Showalter, Heather Jack, Jay Duplass, Alia Shawkat, Carrie Brownstein, Lilly Burns Writers Starlee Kine, Matt Kriete, Andrew Pierce Fleming, Christina Lee, Anthony King, Jordan Firstman, Craig Rowin, Sabrina Jalees Creator Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers Powered by Expand Collapse 7 Spaced Spaced, a British sitcom that aired between 1999 and 2001, follows a pair of twenty-somethings who pretend to be a couple in order to rent an apartment. With a series of surreal misadventures bringing Simon Pegg's Tim Bisley and Jessica Stevenson's Daisy Steiner together, Spaced is a lighter comedy than some others, but still incorporates some dark elements into its storytelling. Spaced's sense of humor often leans into existential frustration and escapism, using pop culture and surreal sequences to explore emotional stagnation. The characters’ inability to move forward in life echoes the same kind of arrested development that defines shows like It's Always Sunny, but the British lens adds a whimsical sense of humor. 10/10 Spaced 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Comedy Release Date 1999 - 2001-00-00 Network Channel 4 Directors Edgar Wright Writers Jessica Hynes Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 6 Party Down Airing from 2009 to 2010, Party Down stars Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Ryan Hansen, and a group of fellow caterers as they work through Los Angeles society. The group, which features aspiring and failed actors and writers, are all looking for their big break, but find themselves stuck. Each episode finds the team working a new event and getting tangled up in the guests' drama. The show’s dark comedy comes from its brutally honest look at failed dreams and the entertainment industry. Each episode places its characters in humiliating or absurd situations while highlighting their lack of success and direction. The humor is rooted in disappointment and self-delusion, with characters clinging to ambition despite overwhelming evidence that they won’t achieve it. Party Down 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Comedy Sitcom Release Date 2009 - 2023-00-00 Network Starz Showrunner John Enbom Cast See All Directors John Enbom Writers John Enbom Powered by Expand Collapse 5 Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David's long-running HBO series, uses the comedian's signature style to explore the minutiae of everyday life in Hollywood. David, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, navigates social situations in his bumbling, grouchy way, adding his own layer of commentary throughout each episode. While Curb Your Enthusiasm's style isn't always for everyone, it's undeniably funny. The show's dark comedy stems from David's inability to adhere to social norms, which eventually leads to escalating conflicts as the stakes get higher. One of the most interesting parts of Curb is that the series is largely improvised, with David guiding the actors through each episode, but their dialogue stemming from a more natural place as performers. 17 9.2/10 8/10 Curb Your Enthusiasm 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Comedy Release Date 2000 - 2024-00-00 Network HBO Max Showrunner Jeff Schaffer Directors Robert B. Weide, Larry Charles, David Steinberg, Bryan Gordon, Alec Berg, Andy Ackerman, David Mandel, Barry Gordon, Cheryl Hines, Dean Parisot Writers Jeff Schaffer, Larry David Cast See All Creator Larry David Powered by Expand Collapse 4 You're The Worst As a comedy with a heightened sense of drama, You're The Worst is one of the best dark comedies of the modern era. Running for five seasons from 2014 through 2019, the show follows two deeply flawed people, struggling self-absorbed writer Jimmy Shive-Overly and reckless PR manager Gretchen Cutler , as they fall into a relationship that they actually want to work. As they move through attempts at a romance, Jimmy and Gretchen see the worst of each other and appreciate it, which brings about both comedic and poignant moments. You're The Worst deals with dark themes and romantic comedy in equal measure, which makes it a messy, toxic, and often painful experience. 10/10 You're the Worst 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Sitcom Release Date 2014 - 2019-00-00 Network FX Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 3 Difficult People A three-season series airing between 2015 and 2017, Difficult People follows two aspiring comedians in New York City as they deal with the realities of their lives from a deeply cynical lens. Starring Julie Klausner as Julie Kessler and Billy Eichner as Billy Epstein, the series watches as Julie and Billy struggle to like anyone but each other in their small circle. Unapologetically mean-spirited, Difficult People uses its dark humor to anchor the series as it constantly judges, insults, and dismisses others. Julie and Billy's bitterness towards others' success, fame, and society mirrors the same kind of abrasive, self-centered perspective seen in It's Always Sunny. Thriving on blunt observations and discomfort, Difficult People crosses into taboo territory without softening itself. Difficult People 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Comedy Release Date 2015 - 2017-00-00 Network Hulu Writers Scott King Cast See All Powered by Expand Collapse 2 The Great Hulu's original series, The Great, premiered in 2020 and ran for three seasons. Based on the rise to power of Empress Catherine the Great of Russia , the series is a satire that blends political intrigue with absurd humor, portraying royal life as ridiculous and brutal. The show's dark comedic moments come from the juxtaposition of lavish settings with less-than-lavish behavior. Starring Fanning alongside Nicholas Hoult, who plays both Peter III of Russia and Yemelyan Pugachev, the series moves through difficult moments full of violence, manipulation, and corruption with a comedic air, treating serious events with a sense of irreverence. Leaning into the characters' selfish ambition, The Great frames its events from a heightened satirical state. 9.3/10 7/10 The Great 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Comedy Drama Biography Release Date 2020 - 2023-00-00 Showrunner Tony McNamara Directors Tony McNamara Writers Tony McNamara Cast See All
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