Summary
- Netflix offers a wide variety of underrated comedy shows to discover, from dark and edgy series to absurdist comedies that suit any sense of humor.
- Some hidden gems include "Lunatics" with multiple eccentric characters played by Chris Lilley and "Man vs Bee" featuring Rowan Atkinson's physical comedy.
- Series like "Teenage Bounty Hunters" have great chemistry between the leads, while "The Way of the Househusband" blends a former Yakuza member with a slice-of-life story.
Netflix is a seemingly infinite source for binge-watching, but it can be difficult to find new gems hidden underneath all the popular titles, especially some of Netflix's underrated comedy shows. There is so much TV content on Netflix that there can be a lot to go through when not relying on recommendations or examining one specific genre. Narrowing the options even further to comedy still leaves a million potential shows to wade through.
Fans of edgier comedy series won't be disappointed by Netflix's stand-up offerings or sitcoms as long as they can dig deep enough to uncover them. From dark, heady shows to absurdist sing-a-longs to reimagined sketch comedies, there's bound to be something that suits anyone's sense of humor among Netflix's most underrated comedy shows.
Lunatics (2019)
Chris Lilley is a controversial, but intriguing, Australian comedian known for developing mockumentary-style series wherein he plays multiple characters whose narratives overlap. Lunatics is Lilley's latest venture; Lilley plays six people of all ages and backgrounds who possess eccentric beliefs or behaviors.
At its best, Lunatics provides sincere glimpses into the lives of Lilley's various personages. At its worst, it employs problematic characterizations that don't hold up to valid criticism.
Fubar (2023-)
Action-comedy is a genre that works well for Netflix’s original movies, so it makes sense that Netflix would want to capture that same success with its television shows. Fubar is the attempt to do just that, and it does work so well that it’s got a second season renewal
The series follows a father and daughter who discover that they’ve both been lying to one another for years as they’re both secretly government agents. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro play the father-daughter pairing.
Man vs Bee (2022)
Rowan Atkinson is best known as Mr. Bean, and Man vs Bee definitely plays to the same strengths in physical comedy that Atkinson exhibits as Mr. Bean. The series sees him play a house sitter who ends up battling a bee.
The only reason Man vs Bee isn’t ranked higher is because Atkinson’s work is always going to be compared to Mr. Bean. This underrated Netflix comedy will likely be seen as an extension of his best-known work.
The Way Of The Househusband (2021-)
Inspired by the manga of the same name, The Way Of The Househusband is an anime that would simply be a slice-of-life series, but the titular househusband is actually a former Yakuza member.
The comedy in the series comes from the fish-out-of-water nature of someone used to working in a very dark and violent atmosphere having to adjust to a very different lifestyle. Netflix isn’t specifically known for its anime, but this underrated series demonstrates that the streamer is heading in the right direction and taking risks on lesser-known properties.
Teenage Bounty Hunters (2020)
Another action comedy for Netflix, Teenage Bounty Hunters didn’t find a huge audience when it premiered, and unfortunately, it wasn’t picked up for a second season. The underrated Netflix comedy series is fueled by the chemistry between the two leads in the series.
Maddie Phillips and Anjelica Bette Fellini play twin sisters who find themselves in a little trouble when they dent their dad’s truck. To pay for the damage, they decide to start working for a bounty hunter while hiding their new job. They’ve got no experience in this line of work, and they need to balance their teen lives with a very adult job, which makes for some absurd situations. The actors hold their own in those absurd situations with their quippy dialogue and their ability to play off of one another.
Murderville (2022-)
Part scripted mystery series, part improvisational comedy series, Murderville is a very unique series for Netflix. While the story itself is planned out for each episode, there is a special guest star who has no script and has to try to solve the murder mystery by the end of the episode.
Will Arnett leads the cast as a police detective trying to solve a crime every week who is assigned a new partner to help him. The series only has a handful of episodes, but it also has a holiday special and has a range of guests that include Sharon Stone, Marshawn Lynch, and Kumail Nanjiani. The improv situations are hilarious, making it hard for Murderville actors not to break character.
Crashing (2016)
Before Fleabag there was Crashing written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge and available to stream on Netflix. There are only a few episodes of this series so it's a quick watch and definitely worth it for the laughs.
The Netflix comedy series follows a group of young adult strangers who live together because they can't afford to rent on their own. The show follows them adjusting to life after university that requires more responsibility all in the abandoned hospital they live in.
Kim's Convenience (2016-2021)
Kim's Convenience might be more well-known today as people are discovering it with its 5th season coming out, which hopefully won't be its last, but it's still relatively unknown compared to other Netflix comedy series, and it's certainly worth the watch.
The series follows the Korean-Canadian Kim family, who own a convenience store, in their misadventures that include a lot of laughs alongside a lot of heartfelt moments. It will give Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fans a different look at what Simo Liu can do since his role in the sitcom is very different from his Marvel hero.
Tuca & Bertie (2019-Present)
Tuca & Bertie was a Netflix original series that reminds some fans of BoJack Horseman but is nowhere near as well-known as BoJack is. The series follows two best friends Tuca (Tiffany Haddish) and Bertie (Ali Wong) who get along despite having completely different personalities.
It's a fun and inventive series with creative storylines and animation and isn't afraid to approach series subjects like sexual harassment while still staying one of Netflix's funniest shows. Netflix dropped the series after one season, but it has continued on Adult Swim.
Great News (2017-2018)
Great News is a relatively unknown series, yet it was executive produced by the well-known Tina Fey and has a similar comedic approach to 30 Rock. The comedy follows the employees of a cable news network that has a lot of strong personalities from characters like the co-anchors the retro newsman Chuck (John Michael Higgins) and the younger hip Portia (Nicole Richie).
But the series mostly centers on Katherine (Briga Heelan) who is hired onto the news team only to find that her mother (Andrea Martin) has successfully gotten an internship at the company, so she can hang out with her daughter all day every day.
