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General => Movies and TV => Topic started by: GuineaPig on September 15, 2011, 09:38:39 AM
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As some of you may have noticed, I’m a fan of television. I think that as a medium, its development over the past decade has put it far ahead of movies in terms of the quality of entertainment it provides. Nowhere is this disparity more evident than in the realm of comedy. The strength of television comedy is at an incredibly high level right now. The gradual abandonment of the laugh track, a move toward single-camera shows, and the proliferation of non-network sources have all been instrumental in forming the state of television comedy today.
As the traditional TV season begins again, I thought I’d do a brief run-down on returning shows that I think are the best of the genre. Strictly speaking, some of these shows are not “returning” as they have recently finished their runs, but since they have all been renewed for another season I think there’s no problem including them. Regardless, with the vast amount of content available, I thought it would be a good idea to catalogue my favourites, as well as point viewers toward shows that need support.
5. Archer (FX; begins September 15th)
(https://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/archer-baby.jpg)
I mentioned the proliferation of non-network sources as a reason for TV comedy’s increase in quality, and Archer might be the best example of this. A show this gloriously unhinged could not exist on network television, and even on FX it encounters some censorship (for example, a scene involving a baby being used as a projectile had to be reworked). While it’s not the most risqué animated comedy to ever air on American television, it probably comes close.
Created by Adam Reed (creator of Adult Swim’s Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo) Archer follows the adventures of the eponymous character, a secret agent at the spy agency ISIS, as well as those of his fellow co-workers. It’s a pastiche of spy satire and office humour that meshes surprisingly well; sort of a more grounded version of the recent OSS 117 film series. The show embraces the Adult Swim aesthetic of rapid-fire jokes and non-sequiturs and applies it to a longer 22-minute run-time, and the results are interesting, to say the least. While I sometimes think the show might work better in an 11-minute format, some attempts at serialization in season 2, and its forthcoming 3-episode arc in September (which is hilarious, apparently; the show then resumes in January) have convinced me that it earns its runtime.
In particular, the show uses its extended length to better flesh out its characters, with an interest and continuity atypical of most animated sitcoms. It would be misleading to call Archer a sentimental show, but it does treat its characters as more than just joke machines, and for the most part avoids the easy route of Flanderizing its characters. Bizarrely, it’s also the only comedy I can think of currently on the air that has a majority female main cast. However, the real appeal of Archer is that it’s just plain funny. Jokes come quick, and with great variety. Archer relies as heavily on its office setting as it does its heroes' adventures, filtering the activities of a super-spy through various office mundanities. Furthermore, the voice-work of H. Jon Benjamin in the lead role is phenomenal, and the show features a deep bench of vocal talent (including Jessica Walters, Judy Greer, and Aisha Tyler). The cast is able to pull jokes out of simple dialogue unlike anything else I’ve ever seen; Tyler in particular is effective at mining single syllables for gold.
While the show faced some hurdles in its first season, like almost all comedies do, it really settled down in the second season, and was consistently hilarious. If it can continue its streak, it will be another hilarious season (with an extended order of 16 episodes!). In particular, I’d recommend it to fans of Arrested Development; not only does the show feature some of the other’s alums (Greer and Walters primarily, and Jeffrey Tambor has some guest spots; Edit: and as of season 3's premiere, David Cross is in on the action too), but it’s also probably its most direct successor in terms of structure (and hilarity). It’s great stuff, and certainly one of the funniest shows on television.
Essential episodes: “Stage 2,” “Placebo Effect,” “El Secuestro”
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Looking forward to reading your list. I've never gotten around to watching Archer but I should make some time to check it out.
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Archer is amazing. Definitely one of my favorite comedies.
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Im mostly an "off network" guy.
Spartacus
Nip/Tuck(when it was on)
Dexter
Hung(for a little while)
Weeds
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Shouldn't it be "ItalianAmericanPig"?
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I was going to come in here and argue against whatever you said. But then you had to go and choose one of the best comedies on TV, so I shall give you a :hat for now.
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I need to watch Archer. I've seen a few episodes and liked it a lot but somehow, the wife and I never watch it.
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inb4 Arrested Development wins
If it doesn't your list is wrong.
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inb4 Arrested Development wins
If it doesn't your list is wrong.
Arrested Development isn't my top comedy.
Besides, this isn't what this list is about.
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I think the thread title implies "currently on TV". I could be wrong though.
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I've been obsessed with Archer for the last few weeks, it's mind-blowingly funny, and it actually gets funnier the more you watch it and start to pick up on all the little references and jokes and such.
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I think the thread title implies "currently on TV". I could be wrong though.
Reading comprehension? Who needs it!
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So excited for the new season starting tonight :caffeine:
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Added Archer Season 1 to my instant queue.
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James make sure you catch the one tonight.
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(https://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/heart-of-archness.jpg)
FUCK YEAH HEART OF ARCHNESS
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I don't watch real TV lol
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(https://i.imgur.com/iuJ3W.jpg)
RAAAAMMMPPPPAAAAAAAGGGGEEEE
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4. Parks and Recreation (NBC; begins September 22nd)
(https://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbkjtjiMwC1qcuy4vo1_500.jpg)
Of all the comedies on this list, Parks and Recreation has come the farthest in terms of quality. Originally conceived as a spin-off to the American version of The Office, the show was originally cramped by the style of its predecessor. An incompetent boss, a will-they-or-won’t-they romance, and all the stylistic flourishes of The Office (talking heads, mockumentary style filming, etc.) manifested themselves in the shortened first season of Parks and Recreation, and it wasn’t pretty. Not only was it too derivative, but it was also incoherent and worse, unfunny. However, a re-tool for season 2 yielded very positive results, and further changes for season 3 have turned it into one of the best comedies on television. Moving away from the style of The Office has provided Parks with its own identity and charm, and in my opinion has superceded the show that was its inspiration.
The show is set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana (obviously South California; I’m not sure why TV shows even try to pretend otherwise), focusing on the Parks and Recreation department of the city government. Amy Poehler plays the lead character, Leslie Knope, who is constantly undermined and obstructed as she attempts to better the town; however, her dedication and competence usually prevails. The ensemble is pretty fantastic, as well. Leslie’s Libertarian boss Ron Swanson (played by the wonderful Nick Offerman) has, for good reason, become the internet’s favourite television character. Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, and newcomers Adam Scott and Rob Lowe are all excellent in their supporting roles.
The humour on Parks and Recreation is a little more subdued than its contemporaries on NBC. It’s mostly been successful in trying to maintain cohesion amongst its characters, and as a result there’s a real feeling of chemistry and sweetness. It’s genuinely a happy show, something that’s getting rarer these days. The happiness isn’t a product of group hugs at the end of each episode though, or some other induced cliché or contrivance. The writers have done a great job of figuring out how the characters work best with each other (something that almost all comedies struggle with at first), and its yielded really solid results. It took quite a bit of juggling for the show to arrive at its present state; plotlines were abandoned or squeezed out, characters were dropped or reorganized, and relationships were modified or excised. The growing pains are quite obvious while watching it over the course of its three seasons, but in a way it’s rewarding to see the puzzle being put together.
After suffering ratings-wise in its second season, Parks and Recreation’s third (and by far the best) season was an abridged 16 episodes. With a full order for its fourth season, I hope it can pick up some more viewers. For the life of me, I can’t understand why this show isn’t more popular; it’s accessible, funny, and just a feel-good experience. I thought for sure that its stylistic similarities to The Office (even as they have diminished over Park’s three seasons) would’ve guaranteed a sizeable audience, but it struggles to pull in even half of its sister-show’s viewers, and four or five times less than the multi-camera sitcoms CBS churns out. With the viewership falling again at the end of last season, it’s only a matter of time before NBC gets its act together and releases a rating success that pushes it out. While I would like Parks and Recreation to end before it becomes creatively exhausted, it doesn’t deserve to be cancelled just yet.
Essential episodes: “Telethon,” “Flu Season,” “The Fight”
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Huh. Given the amount of people that watch The Office, I figured at least some would've seen Parks and Recreation. I guess my last paragraph is more accurate than I knew. It's only been mentioned once previous on this forum; in Political and Religious.
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Eh, I can't stand Parks and Rec. It is The Office 2.0. And I can't stand The Office 1.0. (or is it 3.0 and 2.0 because of the British office?)
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If it's like The Office, do want.
Also, I started watching Archer. Seems pretty nifty thus far. Thanks GP.
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I'm guessing the actual episodes of Archer was way funnier than the promos for it, because I have never seen more unfunny material to promote a comedic show than I have in those.
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I'll admit that it isn't crazy funny. Some chuckles here, but it's pretty entertaining.
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I'm guessing the actual episodes of Archer was way funnier than the promos for it, because I have never seen more unfunny material to promote a comedic show than I have in those.
I haven't seen the promos, so I don't know what they're using to represent it, but it's a great show. I think it works better as whole episodes with knowledge of the characters than just one off jokes though. (ok, that sounds like an excuse for it not being funny, but it's actually a very funny show).
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That makes sense. Heck if it's on Netflix I might as well dig into it.
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Either Archer or Community should be on top of this list, as far as I'm concerned.
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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia x5. Only show on TV I make time to watch (as long as sports and SportsCenter don't count)
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I'm betting my next pick will surprise people, because it's never, ever, been mentioned on this forum (or at 5/8). And I don't think many people watch it.
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Is it about a hospital?
I'm just trying to think of obscure comedies I watch that I never see mentioned around here.
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Do you think Parks & Rec is something you can just jump in and watch, or would it really be best to go back from the start and try to catch up?
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Do you think Parks & Rec is something you can just jump in and watch, or would it really be best to go back from the start and try to catch up?
You could start with season 3, which is by a good margin the best one. Season 2's pretty good overall as well; it starts OK and gets better throughout. Either one would work.
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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia x5. Only show on TV I make time to watch (as long as sports and SportsCenter don't count)
If it was 3-4 years ago when the show was in its best seasons I'd agree. The show's rapid decline in quality is hard to ignore so I dunno if it's a top comedy show any more.
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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia x5. Only show on TV I make time to watch (as long as sports and SportsCenter don't count)
If it was 3-4 years ago when the show was in its best seasons I'd agree. The show's rapid decline in quality is hard to ignore so I dunno if it's a top comedy show any more.
I know the last couple seasons have been a little bit hit and miss, but the season premiere on Thursday was stellar, and from what I've heard the next few episodes are great as well
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3-4 years? Season 5 was probably one of the best seasons. I'll agree last season was really hit and miss. It's hard to do when someone is pregnant, and trying to explain it, in a show like this. But man, this show is absolutely wonderful.
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I wouldn't really use the word stellar but it was fairly amusing. Though they used a Tiger Woods joke at the very beginning and not that the payoff at the end was really that funny but that joke was outdated even when South Park did it a year and a half ago.
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I wouldn't really use the word stellar but it was fairly amusing. Though they used a Tiger Woods joke at the very beginning and not that the payoff at the end was really that funny but that joke was outdated even when South Park did it a year and a half ago.
I'm beginning to think your standards on everything are just too high.
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You would think that. In some ways the show parallels the current state of Family Guy: the first three seasons are chock full of brilliant, original comedy but once popularity sank in it kinda went on autopilot with a new writing team and is now spinning its wheels just to cater to whatever lazy comedy they think the lowest brow audience will find funny. Like in the newest episode when they were talking about boiling jeans and then later on you see Frank and Charlie boiling something and it's funnier if you just assume it's the pants but then when the show reveals it it's a big "Hey guys did you get the joke?" slap in the face to the audience.
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Orcus puts the "sin" in standards. And if you're wondering where he does that exactly, then you clearly don't understand quality grammar and spelling.
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You would think that.
Nothing wrong with it. I guess a show like Sunny just lets me not think about anything and it doesn't emotionally tie me into the show. To me, a near perfect comedy. Favorite TV show, right behind Seinfeld.
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3. Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim; finished season September 1)
(https://media.avclub.com/images/articles/article/57949/cast_jpg_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg)
Childrens Hospital is in sort of a weird position. It’s a show that has been surging in popularity ever since it has been brought to television (it’s tripled its ratings in a little over two years), is ridiculously funny and smart (in a stupid sort of way), but is almost completely ignored by critics (on print and on the internet). I mentioned in a previous post that no one’s ever mentioned it previously on DTF (or 5/8), which is strange because it pulls in nearly double the audience Archer does. Furthermore, the show is as accessible as it can be, with almost all the episodes are available online, and the episodes are bite-sized with a running time of 11 minutes. I guess one can chalk this up to it airing on Adult Swim.
Childrens Hospital was created by Rob Corddry during the writer’s strike of 2008, with its entire 50-minute first season “airing” online on December 8th of that year. Intended as a one-off project, Adult Swim picked it up in 2009, and an expanded second season began airing in 2010, followed by a third this year. Already, it’s had one spin-off (NTSF:SD:SUV), and another is in the works. So what’s the appeal behind one of the most bizarre success stories of recent television history?
Basically, it’s hilarious. A satire of medical dramas, it combines all the stupid elements of previous shows (most notably Grey’s Anatomy, but there’s bits of ER, House, Scrubs, and others in there) of the genre and mashes them into a long series of jokes. The show speeds along at an incomparable pace; in a typical 11 minute episodes, there’s typically three story arcs, incorporating most of the eight or nine series regulars and two or three guest stars. The writing is phenomenal; not only is it hilarious, but it’s also one of the smartest satires in recent memory. All the most stupid, illogical, and ridiculous conventions of medical shows are included: characters die and come back to life, doctors are fired and then promptly rehired, sexual relationships are constantly being established and broken with no rhyme or reason, plot and continuity are ignored. To my delight, one of my biggest pet peeves is constantly made fun of: shows pretending they aren’t set in southern California. Ostensibly, the show is set in Brazil, but outside of one episode where constant and hilariously on the nose establishing shots of Rio de Janeiro are used, the show makes no attempt to hide the fact of where it’s filmed (which, as the characters occasionally point out, is the same place where Scrubs was shot).
Oh, and the characters. I mentioned in the write-ups for the previous two shows that they are atypical in the way they make sure their characters remain rounded and don’t become Flanderized; Childrens Hospital does exactly the opposite. The characters are literally one-note; Owen (Rob Huebel) is retarded, Glen (Ken Marino) is Jewish, the Chief (Megan Mullally) is a crippled sex-addict, Valerie (Malin Åkerman) is beautiful, Blake (Rob Corddry) is a clown who only believes in the healing power of magic, etc. The plot (what there is) is just an excuse to throw them off each other in amusing ways, and it is wonderful. Not only is the main cast a comedy dream-team, the show has also been able to reel in what might be the best guest stars of any comedy, ever (Nick Offerman! Kurtwood Smith! Nick Kroll! Jon Hamm! Michael Cera! Ed Helms! Lizzie Caplan! Adam Scott! Sarah Silverman! etc.).
The point is, you should watch Childrens Hospital. In my opinion, it’s the funniest show on TV, and it certainly brings the most laughs per minute. The show’s gotten better and better over its three seasons, and you can watch all of the episodes in a little over five hours! What are you waiting for?
Essential episodes: “‘70s Episode,” “Childrens Hospital: A Play in Three Acts,” “Party Down”
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Wow, I've never even heard of that before.
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I've seen a commercial for it that caught my eye, but never watched, haha.
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I CALLED IT. READ BACK A PAGE. I predicted a show in a hospital. ;) And I have mentioned it here before in a chat thread once or twice.
I LOVE Childrens Hospital, and it's spin off, National Terrorism Strike Force: San Diego: Sports Utility Vehicle.
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In a related note, Rob Corddry looks incredibly like Dick Cheney.
(https://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpqtrvyZpr1qmhhi8o1_500.jpg)
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I've been hearing about this show for a while but never watched it. But if its the funniest show on television what shows will fill in the other two top spots? :P
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Also, just noticed it has Barry from AD and Ron from Party Down. Definitely have to check it out now.
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First episode I saw of this show, I couldn't stop laughing. It is so random, and so stupid, but so fantastic.
A urine drive to raise enough urine to send to African children who are in need of urine? Genius.
Waiting on an execution of a kid who just reached 18 so you can use his heart to save a patient before she turns 18? Genius.
An episode about racism against clowns? Genius.
An episode where a kid pretends to be dying so he can steal wishes from the make a wish foundation? GENIUS.
A character named Jewy McJewJew? GOLD.
An episode where they have to diagnose a woman with the symptom of getting fat over the past 9 months? Amazing.
I could go on. This show is amazing.
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A character named Jewy McJewJew? GOLD.
I hope that was intentional. :lol :lol
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Waiting on an execution of a kid who just reached 18 so you can use his heart to save a patient before she turns 18? Genius.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
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A character named Jewy McJewJew? GOLD.
I hope that was intentional. :lol :lol
Indeed it was. :hat
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LOUIE
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Waiting on an execution of a kid who just reached 18 so you can use his heart to save a patient before she turns 18? Genius.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
Most of the episodes can be found on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjXhF67LhYo
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That was amazing.
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louie, eastbound & down
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Community is on there.
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I keep wanting to see Children's Hospital, but I don't have cable. So I added the first dvd to my netflix thing. I am pretty much under the impression that anything Ken Marino does is gold by default.
However it does have Corddry, who I have never liked in anything ever.
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This is GP's thread, Louie is going to be on this list.
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just watched all CH vids on youtube, thrilled with it
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LOUIE
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2. Community (NBC; begins September 22nd)
(https://yawgurt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/community-201-anthropology-betty-white-africa-toto-britta-tshirt.png)
Arrested Development is probably the biggest martyr of recent television shows; its devoted fanbase still bemoans its cancellation, five years later. FOX is portrayed as the evil party in the whole affair despite giving Arrested Development numerous chances to succeed, including prime time slots, strong marketing pushes, and a myriad of other approaches to sell the critically-acclaimed show to the American public. The problem is, they weren’t interested.
What’s the purpose of that introductory paragraph? Context. For FOX, Arrested Development drew in low ratings, averaging ~ 6 million viewers during its second season. In its own second season, Community pulled in an average of a little more than 4 million viewers, and its audience had shrunk to 3.3 million by the season finale. It’s easy to think (or naïvely hope) that quality will inevitably draw people in, but it doesn’t seem to manifest itself in reality. More importantly, it’s not in the interest in a network’s bottom line to protect a show like Community, that’s admired but little-watched; they’d take a mammoth hit like Two and a Half Men any day of the week. The only reason Community wasn’t cancelled after its first twelve episodes is that NBC is a mess that is having trouble producing a hit comedy.
The point is, I’m grateful for two seasons of Community. I’m grateful there’s going to be a third. I’m grateful that network politics and the hope of syndication makes it slightly more likely there’s going to be a fourth. It’s a phenomenal show, and it’s phenomenal for the same reasons that not many people watch it. Sitcoms breed on familiarity; that the characters, settings, situations, and overall tone won’t change week-to-week. Viewers tune in expecting and craving this familiarity; many of television’s most enduring and popular shows were unique in their ability to tap this desire (Cheers would be a great example). For most of its excellent second season, Community tossed this convention out the window. The initial premise of the show long abandoned, it shifted tones, concepts, and genres from episode-to-episode. It was enough to disorient some regular viewers, and no doubt has a polarizing effect on potential viewers.
Community started off somewhat tepid, but like many comedies, it quickly found out what worked and what didn’t, and adapted accordingly. The show moved away leading man Joel McHale (as excellent as he is) in order to place more emphasis on the ensemble. Britta (Gillian Jacobs) transformed from a clichéd love interest to a much more funny (and endearing) character, Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed (Danny Pudi) formed one of the better bromances of all time, and the roles of Alison Brie and Yvette Nicole Brown were enlarged significantly. While this juggling has created some problems (the writers clearly had trouble integrating Ken Jeong and Chevy Chase in the second season), the creativity bursting at the seams more than makes up for it.
Watching an episode of Community (much more so in season 2) is sort of like rolling the dice; you’re not quite sure what’s going to happen. There are so many delightful surprises in the show’s run that I don’t even want to spoil them for anyone else. It’s far from perfect, but it’s so energetic and creative that its strengths vastly overwhelm its weaknesses. It’s hilarious, unpredictable, and occasionally very moving. I understand why people don’t watch it, but that doesn’t give you an excuse not to try it. But do it quick, before it becomes another bemoaned martyr of fantastic, original television.
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Community and Curb are the two funniest shows on TV for sure.
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i would have The League on my list but i don't disagree with anything so far
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Children's Hospital sounds amazing. I'm checking it out now.
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Children's Hospital sounds amazing. I'm checking it out now.
"Let's have a moustache contest. I win."
Seriously, watch all of them now.
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I would do but my internet is being a douche.
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So I guess I'm the only one who found that CH episode posted to be about 90% unfunny? There were three or four jokes that were funny, and while they were very, very funny, the rest was meh.
imo
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Tempus Vox Top 5
1) Modern Family---best sitcom in years
2) Big Bang Theory
3) Louie
4) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
5) Community
Honorable Mention
Archer
Rules of Engagement
The Middle
Bored to Death
Wilfred
Eastbound and Down
How I Met Your Mother
and have also enjoyed Death Valley thus far.
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Anyone here into How I Met Your Mother?
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Anyone here into How I Met Your Mother?
I am. However to a lesser extent than I used to be. It used to be amazing, then they introduced the whole "lilly will eventually be pregnant....but not today!" thing and it became sooooo boring. The only thing that saved the last season or so was John Lithgow. That man could carry anything, he's brilliant and his entire arc with Barney was great.
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Hmm.. that's too bad.
I've only seen the first 3 seasons and most of the fourth.
I'll watch the rest until I'm caught up with it all, though I will approach it with lowered expectations.
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1. Louie (FX; ended season September 8th)
(https://img.poptower.com/pic-20246/louis-ck.jpg?d=1024)
Comedy is, obviously, subjective. What people find funny varies just as much as what music or art or food people like. This thread should be proof enough of that: all of the shows on this list pull in less than five million viewers. Hell, three of them draw less than two million. That’s a far cry than the highest-rated comedies; nearly thirty million people tuned in to watch the season premiere of Two and a Half Men, for example. Obviously, there seems to be a big divide between critics and the TV-viewing public.
This principle is best exemplified by the case of Louie, my pick for the best comedy (and show) on television. The second season of Louie is probably the best critically received season of television since The Wire’s fourth season back in 2006. Like that low-rated but critically adored show, it radically bucks the conventions of its supposed genre, earning much praise but little attention. Unlike some of the other shows on this list (Parks and Recreation being the big one) that I don’t understand why they aren’t more popular, I get why Louie only has niche appeal. It’s strange, radical, and frequently deliberately not funny. It requires a basic understanding of the man behind and in front of the camera. It’s structured, written, and shot unlike anything else on TV.
That being said, I think everyone should attempt to watch Louie. It’s literally reinventing what television can do, and it’s fascinating to watch purely in that respect. It’s also one of the most poignant and fearless examinations of parenthood, masculinity, self-worth, and all the myriad connections we make with others. It can be hilarious, or brutally difficult to watch, or anything else it wants to be. The Wire always drew comparisons to great literature due to its scope and deliberate pace; Louie could be compared to poetry. It’s incredibly insightful, imbued with a distinctive personal touch, and adopts many different forms and structures.
Louie is as close to a true auteur project that has ever aired on television. Shot on a shoe-string budget (in an exchange for total creative freedom), it’s written, edited, and directed solely by the creator and subject, Louis C.K. C.K.’s been one of the world’s best stand-ups for a while now, and his transition into acting and directing has been remarkably smooth. As the sole focus of the show (other characters exist, but they fade in and out of without a semblance of continuity), it depends almost entirely on his performance, and he delivers. I was pleasantly surprised that he got a couple of Emmy nominations (for acting and writing, as well as a pair for his most recent stand-up special), even if he never really stood a chance against the other nominees.
Louie’s not for everyone. It might not be for most. But everyone should at least try it, because it is without peer in its originality, insight, and style. More than anything else on this list, I sense that this show will survive in the cultural memory. It’s not reliant on pop culture, or elaborate set-ups or gags. Instead, it builds itself up from the emotions and life of its protagonist, in ways that will make it as relatable in fifty years as it is now. Why wait to appreciate after its time? It can be appreciated today.
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I really need to check out Louie. Just put it in my instant queue on Netflix.
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Agreed with Childrens Hospital and all the comments I've read on the thread thus far. I still have the DVD of the first season gathering dust in my pile though...maybe it's because of bloody Adult Swim :-\
I'll have to add Venture Brothers in that list. The caveat about this show though is that there are many direct and indirect references to comic book and pop culture lore.
*Spoiler*
David Bowie and Brian Eno are villains in this series!
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I actually don't find Parks and Rec or Archer to be very funny, but Louie is goddamn hilarious. I know I said Modern Family is the most funny current comedy, but that was before I started watching Louie.
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I really need to check out Louie. Just put it in my instant queue on Netflix.
WTF, it wasn't there when I checked a month ago...
Well, shit. Thanks for mentioning that letters. :heart
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I love Louie but I don't see it as a comedy. It is such a radical take on his stand up but to me it is a drama that puts funny in uncomfortable moments.
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I must be the only person who finds Louis CK overrated
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That might actually be true.
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And it's not surprising.
Anyway, Archer has grown on me tremendously since I started. I thought it was kind of weak, but it needed the first 4 episodes or so to set up the characters' personalities, which are now getting wayyyy better.
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Louie will never be overrated as it's pretty much the thinking man's comedy, which is as on top of the comedy food chain as anything. To me, comedy exists on a stupidity scale which you can smirk at but dark, sarcastic, self depreciating commentary is very near the top of "least stupidity" (barring "most stupidity" is slapstick and fart jokes).
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I also left "Curb Your Enthusiam" off of my honorable mention list. The "Larry vs. Michael J. Fox" episode made me nearly piss myself.
Michael J. Fox happens to be one of the bar patrons chatting away throughout Larry's girlfriend Jennifer’s "background music' bar set, and Larry shushes him. On his way out the door, Fox shakes his head in an ambiguous (and possibly involuntary) gesture. Cue the second best line of the night: “Was it pissed or Parkinson’s?” Larry (who this season now lives below Fox in NYC) grows increasingly obsessed with MJF's Parkinsonism.
Best line of the show was from Leon talking about MJF being a good fight match for Larry.
Leon: Shaky mothafuckers like that, ya know little kids and shit, old people, mothafuckers who can't defend themselves, and you. That's perfect. You two face off, that shit is even Steven.
Larry: Oh, you don't think I can take Micheal J. Fox?
Leon: I don't know Larry. That shaky shit might come in handy.
:lol
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Ok, I started watching Louie and the first two episodes had me thinking "Yeah, life really does suck sometimes, damn. But this guy funny." By the third episode, he had me in stitches. Fucking art right here.
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I watched the first few episodes of Louie today, and I loved it!
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Anyone watch Workaholics?