MomSkoop
Comedy on television has never felt more alive than it does right now. The 2020s have brought a fresh wave of sitcoms that mix laughs with real emotion, sharp writing, and unforgettable characters.
From quirky workplaces to haunted mansions, these shows prove that great storytelling can make you laugh and feel deeply at the same time. If you are looking for your next favorite show, this list is a great place to start.
1. Abbott Elementary (2021-)
Walking into Abbott Elementary feels like stepping into a school where every day is an adventure.
Created by Quinta Brunson, this mockumentary sitcom follows a group of dedicated teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia public school.
The humor comes from real, relatable situations that teachers and students actually face.
What makes the show shine is its heart.
These teachers genuinely care about their students, even when the system makes things incredibly difficult.
The comedy never punches down, and every joke lands with warmth.
Abbott Elementary quickly became one of the most celebrated comedies on television, winning multiple Emmy Awards.
It brought the classic workplace mockumentary style back with a fresh, culturally rich perspective that feels totally modern.
2. The Bear (2022-)
Few shows have made viewers feel the heat of a kitchen quite like The Bear.
Technically classified as a comedy-drama, it follows Carmy, a fine-dining chef who returns home to run his family’s Chicago sandwich shop after a personal tragedy.
The tension is real, and the pacing is relentless.
Season one’s episode “Review” – a nearly unbroken 18-minute single take inside a chaotic kitchen – became one of the most talked-about pieces of television in years.
The show blurs the line between comedy and drama in ways that feel genuinely new.
Its portrayal of kitchen culture, family dysfunction, and personal grief is brutally honest.
The Bear earned massive critical praise and a devoted fanbase almost overnight.
3. Hacks (2021-)
Jean Smart playing a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedian named Deborah Vance is one of the great casting decisions of the decade.
Hacks pairs her character with Ava, a young, broke comedy writer, and their clashing personalities drive every episode forward with wit and electricity.
The show explores generational differences in comedy, feminism, and what it means to reinvent yourself.
It never lets either character off the hook, treating both with equal humor and equal respect.
That balance is rare and refreshing.
Jean Smart’s performance earned her multiple Emmy wins, and rightfully so.
Hacks manages to be laugh-out-loud funny while also asking serious questions about women in entertainment and the price of staying relevant in a changing world.
4. Ghosts (US, 2021-)
Ghosts is the kind of show that makes you smile the moment you turn it on.
Based on the beloved British original, the American version follows a couple who inherit a crumbling estate, only to discover it is packed with ghosts from different historical eras.
The catch: only the wife can see and hear them.
Each ghost represents a different time period, from a Viking to a 1980s finance guy, and their personalities clash in endlessly funny ways.
The writing is clever without being mean-spirited, which gives the whole show a cozy, welcoming feel.
Ghosts became a sleeper hit for CBS, proving that broad network comedy can still be inventive.
It rewards loyal viewers with surprisingly touching storylines beneath all the supernatural silliness.
5. What We Do in the Shadows (2019-2024)
Based on Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s cult mockumentary film, this series transplanted a group of ancient vampires to Staten Island and let the comedy flow naturally.
The premise sounds absurd, but the execution is incredibly sharp and surprisingly rich with character development over five seasons.
Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson became genuinely beloved TV characters.
Their struggles with modern life, from filing taxes to understanding the internet, provided endless comic material.
The show also explored some surprisingly emotional territory in its later seasons.
What We Do in the Shadows ended in 2024 after a satisfying final season that gave every character a proper sendoff.
It stands as one of the funniest and most consistently creative comedies of the entire streaming era.
6. Only Murders in the Building (2021-)
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez sharing a screen is a comedic combination nobody knew they needed.
Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers who bond over their love of true crime podcasts and then find themselves investigating an actual murder in their upscale Manhattan apartment building.
The show is funny, mysterious, and surprisingly touching.
Each season introduces a new mystery while deepening the friendship between the three leads.
Guest stars including Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd have made memorable appearances without overshadowing the core trio.
The chemistry between the cast is genuine and infectious.
Only Murders in the Building has become one of Hulu’s biggest hits, blending comedy and mystery in a way that keeps audiences eagerly awaiting each new episode every season.
7. Reservation Dogs (2021-2023)
Reservation Dogs arrived as one of the most genuinely original comedies in recent memory.
Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the show follows four Indigenous teenagers on a reservation in rural Oklahoma who dream of escaping to California.
It was the first American TV series to feature almost entirely Indigenous writers, directors, and cast members.
The humor is dry, absurd, and deeply rooted in community.
Jokes land differently here because they come from a perspective rarely seen on television.
The show also handles grief, identity, and belonging with remarkable tenderness.
Over three seasons, Reservation Dogs built a passionate following and earned widespread critical acclaim.
Its ending was deeply satisfying, making it one of the most complete and meaningful comedies of the decade so far.
8. Ted Lasso (2020-)
Ted Lasso arrived at exactly the right moment.
Premiering in August 2020 during a particularly difficult stretch of global uncertainty, this show about an optimistic American football coach taking charge of an English soccer team became an unexpected comfort for millions of viewers around the world.
Jason Sudeikis plays Ted with such genuine warmth that it is impossible not to root for him.
The show’s central message, that kindness and belief in people can genuinely change lives, never feels preachy because it is always grounded in real character work.
Ted Lasso swept the Emmys in its first two seasons and earned a devoted global fanbase.
Its return for a fourth season is one of the most anticipated TV events of the mid-2020s.
9. The Rehearsal (2022-)
Nathan Fielder has always made television that is hard to categorize, but The Rehearsal pushed that to an entirely new level.
The show follows Fielder as he helps ordinary people rehearse difficult life moments by building elaborate, sometimes jaw-dropping recreations of real-world scenarios.
The results are equal parts hilarious and deeply unsettling.
Season one built a fake bar to help a man confess a lie to a friend.
It then spiraled into something far stranger and more philosophically provocative.
The line between reality and performance became genuinely blurry in ways that sparked endless conversation online.
Whether it counts as comedy, documentary, or social experiment is part of what makes it fascinating.
The Rehearsal is unlike anything else currently on television, and that alone earns its place on this list.
10. Somebody Somewhere (2022-2024)
Somebody Somewhere is a quiet gem that sneaks up on you.
Bridget Everett stars as Sam, a woman who returns to her small Kansas hometown after a loss and struggles to find her place there.
The comedy is understated, the emotion is real, and the characters feel like people you might actually know.
What sets this show apart is its celebration of outsiders finding community in unexpected places.
Sam and her friend Joel build a chosen family through a group they call “choir practice,” which becomes a safe space for misfits and free spirits.
Bridget Everett’s performance is raw and completely unguarded.
Somebody Somewhere ran for two seasons before concluding in 2024, leaving behind a small but deeply devoted audience who treasured every quiet, funny, heartfelt moment.
11. Shrinking (2023-)
Shrinking takes a wild premise and makes it feel completely natural.
Jason Segel plays Jimmy, a grieving therapist who decides to break all the professional rules by telling his patients exactly what he thinks.
The results are chaotic, funny, and surprisingly moving.
Harrison Ford plays Jimmy’s mentor and fellow therapist Paul, and watching Ford do comedy this well is one of the great TV surprises of recent years.
His dry delivery and impeccable timing make every scene he is in feel special.
The ensemble around them is equally strong.
Created by Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, and Bill Lawrence, Shrinking balances big laughs with genuine emotional weight.
Its first two seasons have made it one of Apple TV+’s most beloved comedies alongside Ted Lasso.
12. The Studio (2025-)
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg created The Studio as a sharp, satirical look at the absurdity of working inside a major Hollywood film studio.
Rogen plays Matt Remick, a newly appointed studio head desperately trying to make serious, meaningful films while constantly bowing to commercial pressures.
The result is one of the funniest and most self-aware comedies in years.
The show features an enormous roster of celebrity cameos, many of whom play exaggerated versions of themselves.
It skewers Hollywood ego, creative compromise, and corporate culture with gleeful precision.
Premiering in early 2025, The Studio quickly generated massive critical buzz.
Its long, technically ambitious single-take episodes drew comparisons to prestige drama while remaining genuinely, consistently hilarious throughout every episode of its debut season.
13. English Teacher (2024-)
Brian Jordan Alvarez created and stars in English Teacher, a sitcom about a gay high school English teacher navigating the chaotic, politically charged world of modern American education.
The show earned strong reviews for its sharp writing and willingness to tackle genuinely thorny cultural debates without losing its comedic footing.
Alvarez had already built a devoted online following through short-form comedy videos, and his transition to network television felt completely natural.
His character, Evan, is flawed, funny, and relatable in ways that make him easy to root for even when he makes questionable choices.
English Teacher brings a fresh voice to the workplace sitcom format.
Its first season on FX earned strong ratings and critical praise, positioning it as one of the more exciting new comedies to watch closely going forward.
14. Derry Girls (2018-2022)
Derry Girls earns its spot on this list because its final season aired in 2022, making it very much a show of this decade’s early years.
Set in 1990s Northern Ireland during the final years of the Troubles, Lisa McGee’s sitcom follows a group of teenage girls and their hapless cousin as they navigate school, family, and a society on the edge of historic change.
The comedy is loud, chaotic, and deeply affectionate toward its characters and setting.
The jokes come fast, but the emotional underpinning is always present.
The series finale managed to be genuinely moving while staying true to its comedic roots.
Derry Girls proved that regional comedy rooted in a specific time and place can connect with audiences worldwide.
Its three seasons form one of the most complete and satisfying sitcom runs in recent memory.