The 7 Best Comedy Shows On Hulu Right Now
No matter the mood you’re in, no matter the day you’ve had, no matter how many grueling tasks or frustrating complaints you’ve dealt with at work, a truly worthwhile comedy series can truly transform your emotional state for the better.
Triggering a generally upbeat response in regards to its central storyline and agreeable cast of characters, comedy series have the ability to literally turn our day around, providing a much-needed dose of humor to counterbalance the boredom, anger, and/or heartrending sadness we might feel at any given moment.
Fortunately, Hulu has plenty of remarkable TV shows currently streaming in its digital catalog. From cult-favorite 2000s sitcoms to dramatic comedy series, here are seven extraordinarily entertaining comedy show you can watch on Hulu right now.
Malcolm in the Middle
With nostalgic fans counting down the days till Disney+’s upcoming revival of Malcolm in the Middle, what better time is there than the present to enjoy this 2000s-era fan-favorite sitcom? Brilliantly subverting the formulaic standard for family comedy series, Malcolm in the Middle conjures up one of the most dysfunctional families ever featured on mainstream TV. Whether spinning an episode around the tyrannical matriarch Lois, her irresponsible husband Hal, or any one of their five equally unruly children, Malcolm in the Middle is a laugh-out-loud sitcom the whole family will enjoy watching.
Only Murders in the Building
Any television series featuring the energetic partnership of Steve Martin and Martin Short is bound to be worth seeing. Such is especially the case when you toss in a similarly buoyant performance from Selina Gomez and notable guest stars like Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep. A riveting whodunit that balances its prevalent mystery with plenty of well-earned laughs, Only Murders in the Building is a darkly comic crime series that Agatha Christie herself might have approved of.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
A far cry from the feel-good nature of a traditional family sitcom, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia explores the ceaselessly bizarre streets of the titular City of Brotherly Love. Painting an altogether unflattering portrait of life in the heart of Philly, It’s Always Sunny captures the same storytelling formula introduced by Seinfeld in the early ‘90s, specifically focusing on a group of characters who possess little to any redeeming qualities. The resulting premise paves the way to one of the darkest, strangest, most unwaveringly original comedy series of the past 20 years, as well as one of the longest-running sitcoms still going strong to this day.
What We Do in the Shadows
Any television adaptation of a movie as universally beloved as 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows was bound to face some challenges. Amazingly, though, FX’s subsequent TV series somehow managed to achieve its own lasting success as a self-contained sitcom narrative. Adapting the central premise of vampiric lords and ladies living in the unassuming neighborhood of Staten Island, What We Do in the Shadows hilariously juxtaposes light gothic horror with its ordinary settings, characters, and situations, forming the basis for a mockumentary series unlike any other.
Abbott Elementary
Taking a page from its stylistic precursors in The Office and Parks and Recreation, Abbott Elementary uses its mockumentary format to analyze the issues affecting an underfunded elementary school in West Philadelphia. Never shying away from the difficulties students and teachers face at the school, Abbott Elementary shines brightest when depicting the tremendous joys that come with shaping young peoples’ minds and forming lasting connections in the classroom. As funny as it is wholly original, it’s among the best mockumentary series in recent years, more than living up to the prestige left behind by The Office or Modern Family before it.
Modern Family
Before Abbott Elementary and What We Do in the Shadows redefined the contemporary mockumentary series, viewers tuned in on a week-in, week-out basis to learn what new troubles the Pritchetts, Dunphys, and Delgadoes faced on ABC’s Modern Family. Cleverly exploring the changing households that characterize modern America, Modern Family humorously portrays the most pressing issues most families face in their daily lives, from the inherent struggles parents have raising their kids to the turmoil of pursuing a new professional career. Retaining its sharp writing and vivid characterization throughout, Modern Family somehow remains just as fresh and enjoyable in its later seasons as it does in its earliest iterations – thanks in large part to its exceptional cast of characters and persistently approachable episodic storylines.
The Bear
Compared to every other comedy series on this list, The Bear doesn’t boast as light-hearted an atmosphere as, say, Modern Family or Abbott Elementary. Though it possesses a fair amount of comedic moments, the bulk of The Bear deals with incredibly weighty themes over the course of each new season, including such sobering topics as grief, loss, depression, and mental illness. A series destined to make you laugh even as it forces you to cry, it’s among the single best Hulu exclusive series audiences have seen yet, bar none.
