Between the rise of crime and drama focused prestige TV—you can thank HBO for that—and a 192-day strike, sitcoms and comedy shows are no longer a big priority for studios in 2023. Even The Kapil Sharma Show went off air this year (though a version if it is now expected to pop up on Netflix). Many of the top comedy shows this year actually blended humour with other genres, aiming for a larger crossover audience. But just because it’s been a down year for TV comedy, doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the laughs we did get.

There were excellent follow-up seasons to some of our favourite comedy shows, a few left-field newcomers that took the streaming world by storm, and even a couple of historical comedies! Read on to find out which shows made the cut. Here are DeadAnt’s favourite comedy shows of 2023.

10. Shrinking (Season 1)

Ted Lasso‘s Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence got together once again this year to give the world another feel-good show titled Shrinking. A ray of sunshine in this otherwise bleak world, the show chronicles the lives of three therapists—Jimmy, Paul and Gabby—and offers a realistic exploration of how all of us are flawed in our own ways. The writers have done a great job of bringing humour into very real and emotionally charged moments. 

At its core, the show is about navigating personal and professional relationships. Jimmy (played by Jason Segel) is dealing with the passing of his wife and trying to fix his relationship with his daughter. Paul (played by Harrison Ford) has worked all his life and is now trying to find a way back into his daughter’s life, and Gaby (played by Jessica Williams) is coming out of a divorce. It’s all pretty hard stuff. But Lawrence and Goldstein give it the sitcom treatment and mine hilarious moments out of the uncomfortable truths of life. 

Available on Apple TV+

9. Permanent Roommates (Season 3)

Sumeet Vyas’s Mikesh and Nidhi Singh’s Tanya quickly became the internet’s favourite couple owing to their goofy chemistry on TVF’s hit web series Permanent Roommates. With tons of meme-worthy moments and hilarious dialogues, the show resonated with young adults trying to make their way in a world where situationships are now a thing. In 2023, seven years after the show’s second season premiered, fans finally got their fix with the third installment of the show, this time available on Amazon Prime Video. 

Once again we see our protagonists at a crossroads, this time tackling the loaded question of relocating to a different country to keep their relationship intact. Despite the subtly serious tone of this season, the actors reprise their roles effortlessly, treating viewers to the wry sense of humour we had all come to love. The short five-episode season is a great analysis of the challenges of becoming a responsible adult, but with enough laughs to offset the serious tone.  

Available on Amazon Prime Video

8. Our Flag Means Death (Season 2)

Our Flag Means Death isn’t your traditional workplace comedy. For starters, it’s about pirates traversing the high seas looking to plunder some riches. But to be fair, that is their workplace. Using actual historical pirates opposite fictional characters, creator David Jenkins has uncovered a treasure chest of one-liners and high-octane moments in this one-of-a-kind historical fiction. 

Starring a roster of comedy all-stars, including Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi and Guz Khan, the show explored uncharted territory this year, with its second season taking a romantic turn. Loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet (played by Darby), a former aristocrat who gave up his fortune to live a life of crime at sea, the series is a refreshing break from your usual pirate franchise. Just hit play, matey! 

Available on JioCinema

7. Cunk On Earth (Season 1)

After giving us multiple panic attacks and existential crises with his dystopian sci-fi show Black Mirror, creator Charlton Brooker figured he’d offer us some respite. And so he created Cunk on Earth. The 5-episode mockumentary Netflix series follows presenter Philomena Cunk (portrayed by Diane Morgan) as she tries to uncover the mysteries of humankind. 

The eager-to-learn presenter meets up with academics and scholars asking them hard-hitting questions like, “It was so long ago. Why should I care?” The straight-faced earnestness with which she asks her questions is where the comedy comes in. What adds to it are the guests’ absolutely priceless reactions. A show clearly inspired by Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat and Ali G, this is the perfect binge for all the dry humour enthusiasts out there. 

Available on Netflix

6. The Great (Season 3)

Historical fiction is a genre that requires a great deal of tact and care. Especially in today’s world, where history has become weaponised by various factions in order to support their political agendas. But when done correctly, it can be a riot—think Inglorious Basterds. Tony McNamara’s The Great is another example of historical fiction done right. A fictionalised re-telling of Catherine The Great’s life after her royal marriage, the show—which calls itself “an occasionally true story”—follows her as she learns to fall in love with Russia, only to find herself locking horns with the Orthodox Church and court in her quest to make it a great nation. 

Elle Fanning (Catherine The Great) and Nicholas Hoult’s (King Peter) fraught relationship serves as the butt of a lot of jokes on the show. The Great‘s third season premiered in May this year, and stayed true to its comedic roots while tackling some of life’s larger philosophical quandaries such as god, tradition, enlightenment, folklore and whether intellect can prevail over brute force. For the people who enjoy high-brow humour and subversive history, this is the best show out there. 

Available on Amazon Prime Video

5. Beef (Season 1)

Let’s be honest, at some point in our lives, all of us have stopped and enjoyed a classic road rage showdown. There’s yelling and screaming and people pointing at imaginary dents and scratches. But it’s all eventually resolved. There’s always a voice of reason who calms the two parties down and poof—the conflict is over. But what if it never died down? What if that fight went a little too far? Break into your house far. ‘Take on a fake identity and get close to your family’ far. Burn down your house far. That’s exactly what Netflix’s Beef is all about. A small road rage incident keeps snowballing until it all ends in a Pulp Fiction-esque climax. Seriously, it’s right out of Tarantino’s playbook.  

Starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun as the main protagonists, this comedy-drama goes places at breakneck speed, exploring the concept of vengeance and unfiltered forgiveness. The rhythm is going to keep you at the edge of your seat and the characters’ actions will make you reel back in disbelief. At its core, Beef is about confronting your inner demons. Childhood trauma, repressed memories, anger, failed ambitions. There’s an undercurrent of unrest that sets Beef apart from other comedies. It’s the TV show equivalent of a rollercoaster—equal portions anxiety-inducing and happy. If you’re looking for a binge-watch that’s going to grab your attention from the get-go and make you forget about your phone, Beef is for you.

Available on Netflix

4. What We Do In The Shadows (Season 5)

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s mockumentary style horror comedy film What We Do In The Shadows was first adapted for television in 2019. The series follows the lives of three traditional vampires Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja, their energy vampire roommate Colin and the human assistant Guillermo, all of them getting up to mad hijinks in Staten Island.

In its fifth season, the show continued to deliver the same sharp and biting comedy that has made it such a fan favourite. Only this time, the group dynamics are a little skewed. We can’t get into it without giving any spoilers. But it’s safe to say that the writers have used the sexually charged narrative that is closely associated with vampire stories to their advantage and produced yet another hilarious season. What We Do In The Shadows is a must-watch for fans who enjoy a touch of the surreal in their comedy.

3. Only Murders In The Building (Season 3)

True crime is one of the most popular genres in all forms of entertainment—podcasts, TV shows, films or books. So it’s fitting that this comedy show about three true crime enthusiasts was such a big hit. Starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, Only Murders In The Building roped people in with its gripping story-line and flawless performances from the actors. 

The show’s third season which premiered in August this year, also saw the inimitable Meryl Streep join the cast as a struggling Broadway actor. Building on the humour and sharp commentary it’s known for, this season was a lot more committed to generating laughs, packing each episode to the gills with witty repartee and snarky retorts to deliver an all-out romp! 

Available on Disney+ Hotstar

2. Jury Duty (Season 1)

If we’ve learnt one thing from watching American sitcoms, it’s that people really don’t want to do jury duty. In some cases, they are so keen on being thrown out of the courtroom that they don’t even mind being called a racist—case in point Family Guy’s Peter Griffin. But if the case—and our fellow jury members—were even remotely similar to those on Amazon Prime Video’s Jury Duty, something tells us we’d happily oblige. 

The eight-episode series is a mashup of the reality TV and mockumentary genres, with our protagonist Ronald Gladden being completely unaware that the entire thing is a farce—the jurors, the case, the courtroom et al. With lesser-known but incredibly talented comedic actors at their disposal, creators Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky managed to extract some fantastic situational comedy from a series of awkward, outlandish interactions. Inspired by shows such as Nathan For You and Punk’d, Jury Duty was easily one of the most fun watches of the year. 

Available on Prime Video

 1. I Think You Should Leave (Season 3)

What if people let their intrusive thoughts dictate how they behaved in society? What if they said every single thing that came to mind? What if they never let go of their inner child—and by that we mean, throw hissy fits every time they didn’t get their way? Tim Robinson’s I Think You Should Leave gives us a peek into such a world. 

After two critically acclaimed seasons, the show returned this summer with the usual six-episode order. Once again we got a glimpse of Robinson’s chaotic mind, which continues to wow us with the absurd sketches it manages to eke out. If you think that after two seasons, you know where Robinson’s mind will take you, then you’d be wrong. That’s the beauty of the show. You never know what’s in store for you. There’s a hilarious surprise waiting for you at every turn.

Available on Netflix