Top 5 Underrated TV Comedies

It seems like all of the very best comedies on television are underrated these days. They are on these obscure channels, that are the sister channel, of the sister channel of a major network. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the best comedy on TV, is on FXX. Even FX was too mainstream for them! Fox had to create an entirely new channel with an extra “X” on it just for them! All of the comedies in my Top 5 TV Comedies article that I wrote last December can be included on this list too, and in fact, I could have easily titled that article, “Top 5 Underrated TV Comedies,” as well. So, for this article, I had to dig even deeper. Here are the Top 5 Even More Underrated TV Comedies:

1) Maron – Bet you don’t know what channel number IFC is on without looking? But that is where you will find Marc Maron’s brilliant show, Maron. The show takes all of Maron’s signature neuroticism, anger, and insecurities, and packages it in a style similar to Curb Your Enthusiasm. There are even a few wisdom bombs dropped in here and there. Season 4 premieres on May 4, and I highly recommend giving this show a shot.

2) Grace and Frankie – Netflix might be easy to find, but you will have to pay an extra $9.99/month to get it. It is worth it, as they are starting to cultivate some of the very best comedies on TV, and Grace and Frankie might be the best of them all. And the most underrated. You wouldn’t think a show about four senior citizens would be in my wheelhouse, but funny is funny, and this show is funny. The material is all very new and fresh, and the acting is nothing short of outstanding. Season 2 premieres on May 6.

3) Episodes – Another underrated show on a premium channel, Showtime. Episodes is a hybrid British/American comedy that satirizes Hollywood. The show stars Matt LeBlanc, who is surprisingly very funny in it, but it is really more of an ensemble cast, and all of them play their roles perfectly. It is a very understated and witty show that deserves more attention. Season 5 is currently in production, and a release date has not been announced.

4) Review – You can find Review on Comedy Central, which is as close to mainstream as it gets for this list. Review is a show within a show, where one man attempts to review all of life’s experiences, both the good and the bad. It is truly very unique and there is nothing to really compare it to, other than the Australian TV show that is was adapted from, but you get my point. Season 3 will be their final season, and a release date has not been announced.

5) The Carbonaro Effect – truTV is the most underrated TV channel, period. This spot could have easily gone to Those Who Can’t, Billy on the Street, or Fameless, but the new season of The Carbonaro Effect is on right now, and they are absolutely killing it. It is a prank show, where a magician goes undercover and creates hilarious illusions to fool unsuspecting marks. The show makes you realize how easily people’s minds can be blown when they see a great illusion that they were not expecting to see. Like I mentioned earlier, Season 2 is airing now, and truTV is constantly marathoning all of their shows, which is awesome.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)