Unfortunately, being funny doesn’t always equal big ratings. It’s hard enough to make a sitcom where the cast plays off one another perfectly, and the humor lands in the way it’s intended, but then there’s the matter of getting people to watch it. Whether it is due to being on an obscure network or working with a concept too niche for a general audience, there is a television graveyard filled with hilarious, underrated sitcoms.
Many of the following sitcoms went on to become cult classics, but when they were airing new episodes, audiences weren’t tuning in to make them the next smash hit. From clever workplace comedies to absurdist showcases of satire, the following underrated sitcoms were deeply funny shows from beginning to end.
10
‘Running Wilde’ (2010–2011)
Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, Jim Vallely, and Will Arnett
In the short-lived Fox sitcom Running Wilde, absurdly rich and emotionally stunted Steven Wilde (Will Arnett) decides to shake up his sheltered existence. Looking to rekindle a romance with his old love, eco-activist Emmy (Keri Russell), Steven works with her daughter, Puddle (Stefania LaVie Owen), to arrange for them to live on his estate. Hell-bent to show Emmy he’s a better person, Steven will work hard to fake being the type of man he thinks she wants.
As the follow-up to the beloved sitcom Arrested Development, hopes were high that Running Wilde would develop a loyal viewership. Although the series boasts good chemistry between Arnett and Russell, and hilarious performances from Mel Rodriguez and Peter Serafinowicz, the comedy failed to draw ratings. Running Wilde only lasted one season, but there was so much more potential for where the comedy could have gone.
9
‘The Critic’ (1994–1995)
Created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss
Movie stars get all the attention, but for once, the person reviewing the films is the focus of the animated sitcom The Critic. Jon Lovitz stars as Jay Sherman, an acerbic but lonely critic who hosts a movie review show, Coming Attractions, in which he routinely eviscerates the biggest movies. Jay’s icy reputation on his show hides a vulnerable personality that craves real friendship and love, with episodes following his search for both.
A large part of The Critic’s comedy came from film parodies in the form of trailers making fun of sequel culture, such as Jurassic Park, which is due to release its seventh film with Jurassic World Rebirth. The Critic may have never found its audience during the two seasons it was on the air, but of all the shows that deserve a revival, this may be the one that would work well with modern viewers. One could only imagine the contempt with which Jay treated a podcast.
The Critic
- Release Date
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1994 – 2000
- Network
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ABC, FOX
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Jon Lovitz
Jay Sherman (voice)
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Christine Cavanaugh
Marty Sherman (voice)
8
‘NewsRadio’ (1995–1999)
Created by Paul Simms
NewsRadio follows the hectic workday of Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) as he moves to New York City from Wisconsin to take on the demanding task of new director for radio station WNYX. Somewhere between keeping eccentric owner Jimmy James (Stephen Root) happy and the ego of his news anchor Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman) in check, Dave mixed business with pleasure by creating a secret romance with reporter Lisa (Maura Tierney).
Featuring electric scripts and one of the best ensemble casts of the ’90s, NewsRadio is a sitcom that has aged incredibly well. NewsRadio had a devoted fan base that appreciated the witty sitcom, but in a pre-DVR era, the constant shuffling of the show’s timeslot made it impossible for fans to watch. After Hartman’s murder, NewsRadio continued for one more season with Jon Lovitz as a replacement, but the ensemble cast lost a vital piece, and NBC cancelled the comedy.
NewsRadio
- Release Date
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1995 – 1998
- Network
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NBC
7
‘Strangers with Candy’ (1999–2000)
Created by Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Amy Sedaris, and Mitch Rouse
Cheesy after-school specials are the subject of a razor-sharp parody in the irreverent comedy Strangers with Candy. The series follows Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris), a 46-year-old woman who decides to go back to high school after a life spent living on the streets as a drug-addicted sex worker. As Jerri struggles to fit in, she receives dubious guidance from teachers like Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert) and Geoffrey Jellineck (Paul Dinello).
Sedaris is perfectly deranged as the faux innocent Jerri, who simultaneously wants to be the popular girl at school while also knowing how to hide a dead body if necessary. Strangers with Candy is ruthless with the subjects it satirizes, taking shots at drug awareness campaigns and teen pregnancy with a special brand of dark humor that made it a cult classic show for Comedy Central. The series ran for three acclaimed seasons before jumping to the big screen for a prequel film of the same name.
6
‘Man Seeking Woman’ (2015–2017)
Created by Simon Rich
In Man Seeking Woman, Josh (Jay Baruchel) is forcibly thrust back into the dating scene when his longtime girlfriend ends their relationship. Heartbroken and reluctant to move on, Josh receives advice from his socially comfortable best friend Mike (Eric Andre) and emotional support from his sister Liz (Britt Lower). Emboldened, Josh takes on a surreal world of dating where anything, including dates with bridge trolls, is possible.
Man Seeking Woman pushes the boundaries of the “unlucky in love” trope that sitcoms rely on with extreme interpretations of dating challenges. The comedy makes bold decisions with its satirization of the single life, sending episodes into unpredictable directions that can sometimes look like an extended comedy sketch. The third and final season wisely examines a different aspect of romance when Josh meets a longtime girlfriend, making it a rewarding way to close out a show for the hapless hero.
5
‘Those Who Can’t’ (2016–2019)
Created by Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, and Ben Roy
The teachers of Smoot High School are paid to be the guiding voices of the student body, but they can barely keep their own lives on track in Those Who Can’t. The sitcom follows teachers Loren (Adam Cayton-Holland), Shoemaker (Ben Roy), and Fairbell (Andrew Orvedahl) as they scheme, fight, and occasionally teach during their time at school. Joining them on many of their misadventures is librarian Abbey (Maria Thayer), as they stress out the overly kind Principal Quinn (Rory Scovel).
Those Who Can’t is similar to what would happen if the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia forged teaching degrees to grift a steady paycheck. The blatant disregard for their jobs gives the sitcom a tone of comedic anarchy that rides the line of over-the-top plotlines, but always grounds itself with smart and snappy writing. In a perfect world, more people would have seen the underrated school-based sitcom, but it still managed to produce three funny seasons on its home network of TruTV.
Those Who Can’t
- Release Date
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2016 – 2019-00-00
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Adam Cayton-Holland
Loren Payton
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Andrew Orvedahl
Andy Fairbell
-
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Maria Christina Thayer
Abbey Logan
4
‘Ugly Americans’ (2010–2012)
Created by Devin Clark
Living in a big city can be rough, especially when your roommate is a brain-eating zombie that rents his room out to Yetis. These are the problems human Mark (Matt Oberg) faces in the Comedy Central sitcom Ugly Americans. Mark navigates a version of Manhattan where wizards ride the train with zombies and mermaids while doing his job as a social worker to help new creatures find stable careers and housing.
The premise of Ugly Americans used the freedom of animation to its fullest, showcasing a wide variety of creatures from science fiction and horror acting out commonplace scenarios. The show’s humor could be aggressively dark at times, but it was never without wit and social commentary to accompany it. The unique world of Ugly Americans had endless potential for storylines involving all forms of mythological characters, but unfortunately, the offbeat comedy only received two seasons before being cancelled.
3
‘A.P. Bio’ (2018–2021)
Created by Mike O’Brien
A humiliated and disgraced collegiate professor takes refuge in his hometown while he plots revenge in the fantastic comedy A.P. Bio. Glenn Howerton stars as Jack Griffin, a Harvard professor who finds himself in Toledo teaching Advanced Placement Biology to a group of intelligent but socially awkward students. Unfortunately for his class, Jack has no interest in teaching biology, choosing instead to use the students as a sounding board for his bitter rants.
People who checked out after a few of A.P. Bio’s first episodes missed the series transforming from a straightforward revenge story into a comedy that took adventurous, unexpected turns into odd territory to produce comedic gold. The cast finds a rhythm that allows them to produce effective character work, and becomes a launching ground for Paula Pell to say the funniest things anyone has ever heard as the Principal’s secretary, Helen.
A.P. Bio
- Release Date
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2018 – 2021-00-00
- Network
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NBC
2
‘Party Down’ (2009–2023)
Created by John Enbom, Dan Etheridge, Paul Rudd, and Rob Thomas
An amazing sitcom with a staggeringly incredible cast is the short-lived cult classic Party Down. The series followed the disinterested crew of actors and entertainers who worked for the Party Down catering company while waiting for their big break in Hollywood. Each episode focused on a new catering job that would pose new challenges or humiliations for the service group, especially Henry (Adam Scott), who quit acting after starring in a series of famous commercials.
Party Down mixed dry humor with well-rounded characters to create a comedy that could feature cringe-inducing scenes followed by emotionally profound moments. The series was never highly watched, but Scott received an opportunity to star in Parks and Recreation, and Jane Lynch’s departure for Glee was the nail in the coffin for Party Down. A 2023 revival in the form of a third season briefly continued the story of the characters, demonstrating that the series still had a strong fan base who wanted more of the characters they loved.
1
‘Brockmire’ (2017–2020)
Created by Joel Church-Cooper
A sitcom all comedy fans should make a point to see is the brilliant baseball comedy Brockmire. After suffering a public breakdown in the wake of learning about his wife’s infidelity, professional baseball announcer Jim Brockmire (Hank Azaria) leaves the country for a world tour of drugs and debauchery. When Jim is lured back to the U.S. to announce for a minor league baseball team, the baseball legend has to overcome his pride and addictions to climb back to the pros.
For four seasons, Brockmire told a story of redemption and the hard work required to live with alcoholism while being one of the funniest shows on television. The writing is sharp, sometimes mean, but always with an earnest love for its characters, largely delivered in a career-defining performance from a top-of-his-game Azaria. Brockmire starts as an irreverent piece of comedy and turns into an inspiring story about receiving help and the transformative love of a found family.