The third season of the hit animated series Central Park just returned to television. Over the course of its several seasons, it has shown that it is one of the most entertaining and warm-hearted animated sitcoms.
Focusing on the Tillerman family who lives in the titular park, it follows their various adventures as they try to keep the park free from the influence of a land developer who wants to use it for her own nefarious purposes. Quirky and good natured, it is a series designed to engender good emotions. In that sense, it has a great deal in common with some other beloved series.
Bob’s Burgers (2011-Present)
Stream On Hulu
There are many similarities between Bob’s Burgers and Central Park. This makes sense, as one of its co-creators is Loren Bouchard, who is one of the creative minds behind Bob’s Burgers. Focusing on the Belcher family, the series has established itself as one of the best series on Fox.
Like Central Park, it has a gentle sort of comedy, one which asks the viewer to laugh with, rather than at, its characters. More than anything else, though, Bob’s Burgers is about the extraordinary bond that exists among the various of this idiosyncratic family.
Family Guy (1999-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Over the course of its long run, Family Guy has proved its credentials as one of the best adult animated series. Though it can at times be crass in of its comedic sensibility, it is undeniably clever, with jokes that are both topical and timeless.
The Griffin family, like the Tillerman-Hunter family, are at the center of the story, with their various adventures leading to chaos. Even after so many seasons on the other, Family Guy continues to purvey its own unique brand of comedy, and in many ways it has paved the way for shows like Central Park.
The Simpsons (1989-Present)
Stream On Disney+
It’s indisputable that The Simpsons has become an American institution. From its humble beginnings, it has become one of the longest-running series on American television, and there are no signs that it’s going anywhere soon.
Like Central Park, it has a generosity to its humor that is at odds with much of the cynicism so evident in comedy. What’s more, it has long managed to be one of the most insightful series on television. It has a unique ability to tap into the zeitgeist, taking the issues percolating in American culture and serving them up in humorous form.
Q-Force (2021)
Stream On Netflix
For a while, Netflix was producing some high-quality animated series, and one of the most notable of these was Q-Force. Focusing on a group of spies who are all of the LGBTQ+ community, it featured a truly all-star cast, including the likes of Wanda Sykes and Sean Hayes.
It was the type of series that seemed to truly like its characters, and it wanted the audience to do so, as well. Though the series proved to be unfortunately short-lived, it is nevertheless a testament to the presence of LGBTQ+ people in entertainment.
Rick And Morty (2013-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Though it might be a bit more cynical than Central Park, there is still much for fans of the Apple TV+ series to enjoy in Rick and Morty. With its clever take on Back to the Future, the series follows the many adventures of the title characters, the mad scientist Rick and his grandson Morty.
There is often a frantic nature to its comedy that can take some getting used to, but it is exactly this which contributes to its remarkable originality. Small wonder that it is often seen as one of the best shows airing on Adult Swim.
Girls5Eva (2021-Present)
Stream On Peacock
Central Park is a show that is, at its heart, all about the fundamental goodness of people. There is, as fans of the series know, something intrinsically refreshing about such an attitude toward comedy.
For this reason, fans of Central Park will also find much to enjoy about Girls5Eva, which focuses on a 1990s pop group that reunites after many years of estrangement. With its unique mix of nostalgia, sweet humor, and earworms, it’s no wonder the show has become a hit among both fans and critics.
Archer (2009-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Central Park is, like many sitcoms (both animated and live-action) at least in part, a workplace comedy. Thus, much of the humor emerges from the various scenarios that emerge from the central family’s various encounters in the park itself.
Though Archer is far edgier than Central Park, it still does some new and interesting things with the conventions of its chosen genre. It is also highly irreverent, with a bawdy sensibility that makes it one of the chief contenders for the title of best adult animated series.
Rutherford Falls (2021-2022)
Stream On Peacock
During its two seasons, Rutherford Falls showed that it was one of the best series on Peacock. Taking place in the fictional town of the title, it follows Nathan and Reagan, as they navigate the fraught politics of their hometown and its ties with the local indigenous community.
Like Central Park, it is one of those series that truly wants the audience to care about its characters. There is, moreover, an emotional authenticity to the series that makes it particularly appealing to those who want to watch a series that makes them feel better about the world.
Parks And Recreation (2009-2015)
Stream On Hulu
Parks and Recreation has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best feel-good TV series. In this respect, it has a great deal in common with Central Park. What’s more, its main character, Leslie Knope, is similar to the characters of Central Park in that she has devoted her life to both the parks department and to the city of Pawnee.
Though the characters of this series can be as frustrating as they are zany, it never leaves the viewer in any doubt that their hearts are definitely in the right place. These are people that it is truly easy to love and appreciate, especially as fans journey deeper into the series.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)
Stream On Hulu
Across his many TV shows, Michael Schur has earned his reputation as one of the best purveyors of comedy. Each of his shows features lovable characters doing the best they can to make the world a better place. This is definitely true of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which focused on the various of the 99th precinct of the NYPD.
As is so often the case with Schur’s shows, there is no true villain, just people trying to do the best they can. And, though it’s a comedy with a heart–much like Central Park–it isn’t afraid to talk seriously about issues such as police brutality.