The Top 10 Comedy Shows Streaming on HBO Max (Ranked)
#10 - Whose Line is it Anyways (1998)
It’s the show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter! If you’re a fan of comedy and haven’t seen an episode of Whose Line is it Anyways then you’ve been missing out. Based on a British television program of the same name, this show introduced a lot of people to improvisational comedy. Four comedians are put into odd situations and silly games and have to come up with everything they say right on the spot. And what they come up with is really impressive! Breakout star Wayne Brady (The Wayne Brady Show, Let’s Make a Deal) even won an Emmy for his work on the show.
Photo © Hat Trick Productions, Warner Bros. Television, Angst Productions, Warner Horizon Television.
#9 - Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)
From the mind that brought you Seinfeld comes the HBO Original Series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David plays a version of himself in a series, much like Seinfeld, and pokes fun at the everyday things of life. The show features many celebrity guest stars and in lieu of a full script, David simply outlines the scenes and the actors all improvise their lines. The show is critically acclaimed, having been nominated for 47 Emmy Awards, somehow only winning two. It holds the record for most Outstanding Comedy Series nominations without a win (9). If you’re a fan of Seinfeld, you’ll certainly enjoy this series.
Photo © HBO Entertainment
#8 - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Yo homes, smell ya later! One of the best sitcoms of the nineties, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has found a streaming home on HBO Max. This is the show that took the up and coming rapper Will Smith and turned him into a Hollywood A-Lister. He would go on to lead studio Blockbusters like Independence Day and Men in Black, but he was at his most sincere and arguably at his best in this series. After you binge the series, be sure to check out their reunion special!
Photo © Quincy Jones Entertainment, Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, NBC Productions, Warner Horizon Unscripted Television.
#7 - Key & Peele (2012)
But, is it illegal? The only sketch comedy show on this list, Key & Peele bring laughs in short segment bursts. While Jordan Peele has gone on to direct successful horror films like Get Out and Us, he was really at his finest here writing hilarious sketches and performing fantastic characters. Keegan-Michael Key is the ying to Peele’s yang, and has gone on from this show to a great career in comedy. The two have a comedic synergy that even comedy legends would be envious of. Sketch after sketch you’ll be smiling from ear to ear. Some of our favorite sketches are the “East West Bowl,” “I Said Bi*&^,” and “Turbulence.” Start watching and you’ll find yourself quoting the show in no time.
Photo © Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Comedy Central, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment.
#6 - South Park (1997)
These foul mouthed children of Colorado made their debut all the way back in 1997. Would anyone in the world have guessed that the show would surpass 300 episodes and still be airing new ones in 2021? I don’t think so. But, that speaks volumes about the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and the show’s loyal fan base. South Park has parodied and made fun of pretty much everything in the past 24 years, so much so that it almost acts like a time comedic capsule for an entire generation. The first weekly television series to be rated TV-MA might seem less offensive/crude in 2021, but that’s only because this show opened the door to more edgier programming.
Photo © Celluloid Studios, Braniff Productions, Parker-Stone Productions, South Park Studios, Comedy Partners.
#5 - Rick and Morty (2013)
This show is the brainchild of Justin Roiland (Solar Opposites, Adventure Time) and Dan Harmon (Community, Harmontown). It has a cult following of loyal fans and is critically acclaimed, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program in back to back years (2018-19). It’s the highest rated comedy series and highest rated animated series on IMDB.com, with a score of 9.2. The show follows the inter-dimensional misadventures of Rick, a mad scientist, and his good-hearted son, Morty. Time after time, they find themselves in crazy, yet hilarious experiences!
Photo © Harmonious Claptrap, Starburns Industries, Justin Roiland's Solo Vanity Card Productions!, Rick and Morty, LLC., Green Portal Productions.
#4 - Flight of the Conchords (2007)
The self proclaimed “fourth best folk duo” from New Zealand is number one in our book when it comes to musical comedy television shows. Bret McKenzie (The Muppets, Lord of the Rings) and Jermaine Clement (What We Do in the Shadows, Men in Black 3) play fictionalized versions of themselves as members of a struggling two-man band trying to make it in New York City. While they decided to end the show after the second season due to the demanding schedule, the two seasons of this show are masterful. The Emmy committee agrees, having handed the show 10 nominations over the two seasons, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series and one to Jemaine in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category. We love everything about this series, the characters, the writing, the music, the guest stars, and more. If you like musical comedy and haven’t checked out the series yet, we highly recommend you do so.
Photo © HBO Entertainment
#3 - Veep (2012)
When it comes to political satire shows, the bar has been elevated with Veep. Julia Louis Dreyfus (Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine), shines as career politician Selina Myers. If that wasn’t enough, she is surrounded by an outstanding ensemble cast featuring Anna Chlumsky (My Girl, Inventing Anna), Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Toy Story 4), and Matt Walsh (Upright Citizens Brigade, The Hangover). All four of the actors mentioned have been nominated for Emmys for their work on this show. In times where politics have been front and center lately and highly argumentative, Veep offers a counterbalance of laughter and fun.
Photo © HBO Entertainment, Dundee Productions.
#2 - The Big Bang Theory (2007)
Bazinga! Coming in at number two on our list is the former CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Centered around four nerdy friends and their attractive neighbor, the show became a huge success. Jim Parsons (Home, Hidden Figures) has won many awards, including four Emmys, for his incredible performance as the eccentric Sheldon Cooper. If you’re into things like comic books and Star Wars, then this show will really speak to you. Great writing, great characters, and lots of funny situations make this multi-camera sitcom stand out above the rest.
Photo © Chuck Lorre Productions, Warner Bros. Television.
#1 - Friends (1994)
So, no one told you life was going to be this way (clap, clap, clap, clap). Topping our list is the show that HBO Max shelled over $425 million for the right to carry it on its streaming service. Money well spent if you ask us because Friends is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. The story is as simple as six friends living in New York City. That’s the show. But, it serves as a wonderful time capsule of the 90s and actually set some of the trends of those days (hello the Rachel haircut). The show has plenty of laughs and heart, and reigns supreme in our book as the best comedy show streaming on HBO Max.
Photo © Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, Warner Bros. Television.
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