turn me on to some shows

January 21, 2009 3:27 AM

Looking for a few laughs. If I like these TV comedies what else will I like?

Arrested Development
Freaks and Geeks (let's call it a comedy)
Flight of the Conchords
Sarah Silverman
Mr. Show
Tim & Eric's Awesome Show
Colbert/Daily Show
Larry Sanders
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Strangers with Candy
Reno 911

posted by stupidsexyFlanders to media & arts (55 comments total)

IT Crowd?
30 Rock?
posted by fatllama at 3:36 AM on January 21

Oops, I like 30 Rock and the Office .
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 3:39 AM on January 21

Your list hits every American show I can think of it in that field, save The Office. Let me toss out a few shows from other countries:

The Games was an Australian laughtrackless comedy much in the same headspace as Larry Sanders. It concerns a group of planners for the 2000 Olympics,and the bet adjective I can hang on it would be "droll." So far as I know, only the first of the two seasons is on DVD, and not for Region 1 -- but eminently worth tracking down.

Easier to find, but a somewhat lesser work, is a Canadian show called The Newsroom -- actually, Ken Finkleman, the creative force behind it, is an odd cat. He's done a lot of different shows and while some are good and some are bad, all are interesting. And if I can pitch the true-north-strong-and-free ball again, the deadpan Twitch City is pretty watchable.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 3:40 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Upright Citizens Brigade
Dr. Katz
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:48 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

You might try the Canadian series Slings and Arrows. Also, there are a couple of older series on dvd to look for if you haven't seen them - Sports Night and NewsRadio.
posted by gudrun at 3:48 AM on January 21

Dude, Seinfeld!
posted by eb98jdb at 4:12 AM on January 21

Definitely Dr. Katz. Also Extras, the original Brit Office, and a hard-to-find British gem called Hardware (only lasted eight episodes, but they were outstanding - starred the guy who played Tim in the Brit Office.)
posted by jbickers at 4:14 AM on January 21

Time to raid the BBC. Spaced, Black Books, Little Britain, Vicar of Dibley, Black Adder, and so on will fill your smart dialogue with somewhat absurd situations needs.

There's also Kids in the Hall for sketch comedy. Also, The State, which is the ur-show for Reno 911 and Stella, but is not on DVD for arcane reasons.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:14 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

If you like Strangers With Candy and Sarah Silverman you'll probably like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
posted by burnmp3s at 4:16 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

UK programmes Peep Show and Father Ted. 2nd Spaced, Black Books and Black Adder.
posted by Jakey at 4:17 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Seconding Extras. Hilarious. Especially when the Harry Potter kid shows up.
posted by TrialByMedia at 4:18 AM on January 21

Another Canadian show: Trailer Park Boys.
posted by misteraitch at 4:21 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Seconding Spaced and Blackadder, thirding Extras, registering a note of concern about the Vicar of Dibley.
posted by marmaduke_yaverland at 4:23 AM on January 21

Egad, The Vicar of Dibley should never appear on one of these lists, especially not alongside great programmes like Spaced, Black Books, Peep Show, Father Ted, and The IT crowd (none of which are from the BBC by the way, they're all Channel 4).

If you like the singalong quality of Flight of the Conchords, then you might want to check out The Mighty Boosh. It's a magical realist absurdist sitcom with a funny song or two each episode.
posted by iivix at 4:24 AM on January 21 [2 favorites]

Sports Night
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:26 AM on January 21

I think you might really like the Whitest Kids U Know.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:33 AM on January 21

I forgot to add this skit.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:37 AM on January 21

Comedies I currently like (I'll list ones in common with you too)
The Office, FOTC, 30 Rock, Chuck, How I Met Your Mother (like it more than I thought I would), The Big Bang Theory, The IT Crowd.
posted by syntheticfaith at 4:38 AM on January 21

How I Met Your Mother
Dr Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog

No, I don't have a man-crush on Doogie Howser, why do you ask?
posted by Grither at 4:40 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

How I Met Your Mother, for sure. I hate sitcoms, and it's probably one of my favorite TV shows at the moment.

If you liked Freaks and Geeks, go find Undeclared. Much in the same vein, but not quite as poignant.
posted by SNWidget at 4:46 AM on January 21

Kenny vs. Spenny. No question.
posted by gwenlister at 4:49 AM on January 21

Thirding both How I Met Your Mother and Undeclared (only made it one season, but go out and get it).

I would also add Scrubs, though maybe you've tried it and passed on it.
posted by dnesan at 5:15 AM on January 21

Have you seen Undeclared? It's another Judd Apatow show with Seth Rogen and Jason Segel, but set in college instead of high school.
posted by amarynth at 5:24 AM on January 21

Clark and Michael!
posted by gaspode at 5:26 AM on January 21

thanks for the ideas. Of what's been mentioned, I didn't mention, but have seen and do love: Extras, Dr. Katz, UK Office, newsradio, and of course Seinfeld. I'll look up the others. Great help, keep them coming!
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:49 AM on January 21

Check YouTube for Look Around You. It's a British absurdist spoof of educational videos. They've also just started airing them on Adult Swim, but they air some time around 1am EST, so I still prefer YouTube for convenience and selection.
posted by explosion at 5:54 AM on January 21 [2 favorites]

Another vote for Sports Night and How I Met Your Mother.
posted by Silvertree at 6:06 AM on January 21

I second explosion. The episode about math is particularly hilarious.
posted by King Bee at 6:11 AM on January 21

Nthing:

How I Met Your Mother
Dr Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog
Undeclared
Slings and Arrows

I'm surprised it's not on here already:
The short-lived but very smart Wonderfalls.

Also possibly Pushing Daisies.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 6:15 AM on January 21

Summer Heights High
Catherine Tate
posted by FergieBelle at 6:27 AM on January 21

It looks like you and I have near identical taste in comedies. Congratulations, you must also be awesome. I'm gonna voice extra support for Spaced and the IT Crowd. I also recommend one thing that got canceled after one season, but is really easy to find on a website that rhymes with "Smurf the Panel": Carpoolers. Written and directed by Bruce McCullough of Kids in the Hall, and pretty damn funny in it's own weird way.

Now, I'm gonna take is in a slightly different direction: cartoons.

I'd recommend, Venture Brothers, Metalocalypse and Moral Orel (Jay Johnston from Mr. Show is ALL OVER this last one). Although, I have to say what I've seen of this last season of Moral Orel, it's taking a very weird turn.
posted by piratebowling at 6:38 AM on January 21

Try Comedians of Comedy. Seconding Clark and Michael and Dr. Horrible
posted by originalname37 at 6:41 AM on January 21

Oh! Also, "My Name is Earl"
posted by piratebowling at 6:43 AM on January 21

Nthing How I Met your Mother (it's so, so funny), The Mighty Boosh, and Wonderfalls. Pushing Daisies has had some funny moments as well.

Also recommending Coupling, a british sitcom (though the last season sucked...)
posted by firei at 7:52 AM on January 21

Action.
posted by box at 8:01 AM on January 21

Catherine Tate

Only one shout for the Tate...? Shocking.

Note this as the 2nd.
posted by Webbster at 8:18 AM on January 21

You must watch Aussie political comedy The Hollowmen.
posted by alby at 8:22 AM on January 21

Wonderfalls is on DVD. [Amazon.com]

The "Customers who bought this also bought" section echoes a lot of the titles that have already been mentioned.
posted by Restless Day at 8:24 AM on January 21

Your tastes are very similar to mine. I got lots of great ideas from this recent AskMe. I can tell you that so far of all the British comedies we have watched, The Royle Family, Smoking Room, Nighty Night, and Black Books have been our favorites. Spaced and dinnerladies were both very watchable but not top tier. YMMV
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:33 AM on January 21

Spaced.
posted by camcgee at 8:35 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

n-thing Slings and Arrows & Black Adder
I like How I Met Your Mother and Scrubs (haven't seen much of the last two seasons of scrubs though). I am ashamed to admit that Big Bang Theory is growing on me, but I don't think that will last.
I really liked Home Movies (older, animated). The Venture Brothers (also animated) is another good one.
posted by Good Brain at 8:46 AM on January 21

nthing Look Around You -- insane, brilliant, hysterical genius.

I just caught an episode and a half of Summer Heights High last month and found it pretty amusing (I think HBO's rerunning the full series soon.)
posted by scody at 8:52 AM on January 21

Check out Undeclared. Done a little after Freaks and Geeks by Judd Apatow and alot of the same cast but little more "accessible". It was a great show that meet an untimely death due to the wise folks at Fox.
posted by boomcha76 at 9:15 AM on January 21

Brass Eye!
posted by orme at 10:01 AM on January 21 [1 favorite]

Nthing How I Met Your Mother. It's seriously excellent. You also might check out Red Dwarf and Dead Like Me.
posted by Caduceus at 10:17 AM on January 21

not strictly a comedy, but it certainly has elements of the hilarious (and some supremely witty dialogue...Bryan Fuller, how I love thee...) but Pushing Daisies may be for you

(from the creator of 'Wonderfalls'...)

Sadly, it has just been cancelled. But well worth a look.
posted by miss_scarlett at 10:19 AM on January 21

In the spirit of "you like those, I like those, here are some others I like":

Fawlty Towers

and

SCTV

Also, any Fridays sketch with Michael Richards.
posted by Gorgik at 12:00 PM on January 21

Have you looked at Scrubs? Been on for a while and still, for my money, funny stuff.
posted by Spyder's Game at 12:02 PM on January 21

Don't think anyone has mentioned this yet:

You would also LOVE "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (on Fx) and "Flight of the Conchords" (on HBO).

They are quirky and weird and silly and genius. Just like Arrested Develpoment, The Office, 30 Rock, etc. CRACK ME UP.
posted by veronicacorningstone at 1:09 PM on January 21

Mr. gudrun suggests you check out "Tim and Eric Awesome Show", "Tom Goes to the Mayor", and "Superjail!" You also might try the 1970's show "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."
posted by gudrun at 6:14 PM on January 21

Oops, I see you already have Tim and Eric on your list. Have you ever considered "Entourage", or "The Middleman"?
posted by gudrun at 8:10 PM on January 21

I don't know if you like cartoons, but check out Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbillies and Frisky Dingo. Ah, just check out all the Adult Swim programming.
posted by wherever, whatever at 8:34 PM on January 21

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, maybe. Maybe try The Mighty Boosh, which will be on Adult Swim starting in March, apparently.
posted by Mael Oui at 9:36 PM on January 21

Graham Norton can be fun to watch. Samples here.
posted by auntbunny at 12:46 AM on January 22

3rding Summer Heights High! Similair to The Office in concept (ostensibly a documentary) but grander in scope, ambition and acting imho.
posted by Gratishades at 5:09 AM on January 23