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TV is winning right now. By and large, most regular TV viewers are more satisfied by whatever edgy cable drama is airing this month than what's in theaters. But while everyone is exchanging notes on which dramas are must-watch, a lot of great comedies are flying disgustingly low on the radar.
Sure, Modern Family is cool, Family Guy is still reliable for a good chuckle, and Louie and Parks and Recreation are finally reaching the critical-to-fan-acclaim ratio that they deserve, but there are many more sitcoms out there deserving of your attention. Complex is stepping in to bring attention to the top ten currently airing sitcoms that you're not watching. Get acquainted with The 10 Most Underrated Sitcoms On TV Now before they go the way of Freaks and Geeks.
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Written by Frazier Tharpe (@The_SummerMan)
Bob's Burgers (Fox)
Voices: H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal
Status: Airing Sundays at 8:30 p.m.
The only series on Fox's Sunday night animated-comedy block that doesn't boast Matt Groening or Seth MacFarlane's name in the credits is also, on the low, the best half-hour of the night. Created by Loren Bouchard, the same mind behind the equally genius-yet-underrated Home Movies, Bob's Burgers follows the Belcher family and their ups-and-downs while running a family burger joint.
All of the materials are what you'd expect from a animated family workplace comedy—Bob (voiced by Archer's H. Jon Benjamin) and wife Linda engage in sexual misadventures, youngest child Louise (the tremendous Kristen Schaal) is a sociopath in the making, a rival family runs a restaurant right across the street, etc.—but Bouchard's unique sense of humor and the uncompromising eccentricity of the characters makes Bob's Burgers a solid standout. We're hoping that this is the season it blows up to Family Guy proportions.
Suburgatory (ABC)
Stars: Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Carly Chaikin, Allie Grant, Alan Tudyk, Rex Lee, Chris Parnell, Ana Gasteyer
Status: Season two premieres October 17 at 9:30 p.m.
The premise of the city-bred teen being uprooted to the suburbs is well-worn territory by this point, so most of the stranger-in-a-strange-land gags—Identically manicured lawns! Spray-tan housewives! Minivans!—should fall flat. ABC's freshman hit Suburgatory counteracts this with a super-talented cast and one of the best father-daughter relationships on the air.
In particular, lead Jane Levy is a real find; her dry-humored performance was on point before the series was. After attaining a moderate following last season, the Modern Family lead-in this year should take the Suburgatory all the way.
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (ABC)
Stars: Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker, James Van Der Beek, Liza Lapira, Eric Andre, Ray Ford
Status: Season two premieres October 23 at 9:30 p.m.
Despite boasting one of the most eye-grabbing titles of all time, Apt 23 debuted as a mid-season replacement earlier this year to little fanfare—which is unfortunate because it's funny as hell. James Van Der Beek is having the most fun he's had during his whole career playing a douche-bag version of himself, but the real star is Krysten Ritter, whom you may remember as Jesse's doomed addict girlfriend Jane on Breaking Bad.
Ritter has murdered every role she's done so far, and her performance as Chloe, the titular untrustworthy bitch, is no different. Dreama Walker does well as the straight woman, routinely horrified by Chloe's hilariously amoral, selfish antics, and, along with Van Der Beek, they've quietly created one of TV's funniest trios.
The series also features unique stunt-casting. Instead of going for big names, the show mines funnier appearances from the C-list, with Dean Cain and Kevin Sorbo joining James in playing ridiculous caricatures of themselves, or up-and-comers like Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka. ABC has thrown Apt 23 into the deep end with an embattled Tuesday-night time slot, but paired with the equally hilarious Happy Endings the experiment just may work out.
Life's Too Short (HBO)
Stars: Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Jo Enright, Rosamund Hanson, Jon Key, Kiruna Stamell
Status: Season 2 will air sometime during 2013
Some people have criticized Life's Too Short on the grounds that it's too similar to Gervais and Merchant's other fictionalized, Hollywood day-in-the-life HBO sitcom Extras. Considering how hilarious that show was, we respond: So what. Life's Too Short mines all of the comedy-gold and sight gags one would expect from a series centering on the fictionalized trials and tribulations of a Hollywood dwarf.
Real-life actor Warwick Davis (you've seen him in the Harry Potter films, Leprechaun, playing an Ewok, and basically anything else that requires a short person) is fantastic as a self-obsessed, delusional version of himself who's trying to jump-start a career resurgence, much to the chagrin of "friends" Ricky and Stephen. The cameos are even better: The trio's bizarre meeting with Liam Neeson, who does gruff and hilarious stand-up comedy in the pilot, should have you sold.
Cougar Town (TBS)
Stars: Courteney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Phillips, Brian Van Holt, Dan Byrd, Ian Gomez, Josh Hopkins
Status: Season four airs on new home TBS in 2013
Thank God Cougar Town originally premiered on ABC because we'd hate to have to admit we actually like an original sitcom on TBS, home to abominations like Sullivan & Son and Meet the Browns. No, TBS actually swooped in during the 11th hour and decided to add some quality and originally to its programming slate, saving CT from the axe ABC was going to give it after its third season.
It's a damn good thing the TBS did because Cougar Town is highly deserving of a second chance. If it were actually about a suburb full of hot women in their 40s then it would probably have no trouble attracting ratings. It isn't, but it does star hot 40-something women Courteney Cox and Christa Miller, as neighbors in a wacky cul-de-sac, where they hang out with other well-off adults, drink wine all day, and do...stuff. If that sounds like an unglamourous premise, trust us, every half-hour spent with the Cul-De-Sac Gang is well spent.
We like our apathetic dark comedies as much as the next person, but every now and then a sitcom where people care about each other earnestly without being too saccharine comes around. Actually, it's been around for the past three years. Catch up.
Eastbound & Down (HBO)
Stars: Danny McBride, Steve Little, Elizabeth De Razzo, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes, Jennifer Irwin, Andrew Daly
Status: A fourth and final season was recently greenlit
HBO is the reigning king of drama but for some reason, most of its comedies that aren't written, directed, and created by Lena Dunham seem to fly under the radar. The cult status of Eastbound & Down is the most puzzling of oversights, given the talent that's behind it. Produced by the dynamic duo of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, Eastbound follows the misadventures of Danny McBride's Kenny Powers, a foul-mouthed Major League Baseball burnout who's forced to return to his hometown to teach middle school phys ed and work his way back into the game.
Over three short seasons, Kenny's quest for a comeback has taken him from home to Mexico to Myrtle Beach, with special guest stars Jason Sudeikis, Matthew McConaughey, and Ferrell regularly joining in on the fun and depravity. The surprise fourth season won't go into production for some time, so take the hiatus to utilize HBO Go and get acquainted with this gem.
The League (FX)
Stars: Mark Duplass, Stephen Rannazzisi, Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, Jon Lajoie, Katie Aselton
Status: Season four premieres October 11 at 10:30 PM
There's no good excuse for not being up on this show. You like football, you're probably in a fantasy league yourself, and there's an 8 out of 10 chance that your crew dynamic resembles that of Pete, Kevin, Ruxin, Taco, and Andre. (Every crew definitely has an Andre, the successful dork who fails spectacularly at trendhumping.) You will love it. Also, NFL players and analysts make frequent cameos.
The semi-improvised comedy found its footing last year with a stellar third season (peaking with a hilarious Thanksgiving episode guest-starring Jeff Goldblum and Sarah Silverman), but we've been sold on it ever since the pilot featured football nuts Kevin and the fantastically droll Ruxin letting league business dictate a plea deal. Add in fan favorite Taco's weekly, often musical, antics and meme-worthy terms like "vaginal hubris" and The League is one breakthrough season away from fully blowing up.
Workaholics (Comedy Central)
Stars: Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, Kyle Newacheck
Status: Season four will air sometime in 2013
We've been trying to tell you about this one since the spring, when Complex devoted an entire week of coverage to the Comedy Central series about three underachieving slacker-stoners. Real-life homies Anderson, DeVine, and Holm play Blake, Adam, and Anders, college grads who just barely get by as telemarketers. The rest of their day is spent getting shitfaced and into all sorts of trouble, along with creepy drug-dealer Karl.
The show is an expansion of the trio's web series, which got them noticed by the brass at Comedy Central, and has slowly but surely been gaining popularity and momentum with each season. A fourth is already in the works, but don't take that for granted. Get up on this heater before it's gone too soon.
Happy Endings (ABC)
Stars: Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans Jr., Casey Wilson
Status: The third season premieres October 23 at 9 p.m.
We know you all love The New Girl, but there's another quirky, 20-somethings ensemble sitcom on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. that's equally (if not more) deserving of your attention. ABC's surprise 2011 mid-season replacement hit has blossomed into a hilarious, fast, and furiously funny pop culture one-liner comedy machine.
Happy Endings is unquestionably a Friends-for-the-present, and so far it has risen to the challenge. Like Friends, the Chicago-set exploits of the six BFFs kicked things off with a failed wedding between two group members, with a premise centered on the gang's attempts to stay tight in lieu of that. Thankfully, all of that drama was put to the wayside so the series could focus on the essentials: namely the antics of six self-possessed people who commiserate in their self-possession.
The series has already spawned breakout performances from Adam Pally as slacker Max, the most non-stereotypical gay character on TV, and Damon Wayans Jr. as effete businessman Brad. In addition, it's mined great performances from typically non-comedic actors Zach Knighton and Elisha Cuthbert as the doomed, equally dim-witted couple at the group's center. If the rhythm-finding second season is any indicator, then the upcoming third should be a riot, ratings war be damned.
Community (NBC)
Stars: Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong, Jim Rash
Status: Season four premieres in a new timeslot on October 19 at 8:30 p.m.
The rabid Community fan base demanded six seasons and a movie for the beloved oddball gang at Greendale Community College. So far the show has made it about halfway, but to fully realize that pipe dream, Community is going to have to honor its projections in its new time slot this fall.
We understand the fans' frustration with Community's perennial on-the-bubble status because, well, that's a fate undeserving of one of best (if not the best) sitcoms in the game. The show revels in meta humor and pop culture references, i.e. the two biggest draws in popular present comedy. It also features a top-notch cast that includes the legendary Chevy Chase, funnyman Joel McHale, sexy Alison Brie, and Ken Jeong—it is also one of Donald Glover's 17 jobs.
Its consistency is indisputable; each week feels like an event episode that most shows only attempt during sweeps. Here's to two more seasons and a silver screen adventure.