All of us love a good sitcom. With light-hearted plotlines, rollicking comedy, and heartfelt characters, what’s not to love about a sitcom? The Office and F.R.I.E.N.D.S are the fan favorites, and it seems incomplete to have a meal without Michael Scott or Chandler Bing throwing a zinger at you. However, if multiple watches and rewatches of these favorites have you looking for more, fret not! Here are some underrated recommendations that retain the fundamental light-heartedness and comedy of our favorite sitcoms, while having an active fanbase to foster further conversation and are perfect mealtime watches.
1. Parks and Recreation (2009 - 2015)
Created by the same showrunners of The Office, Parks and Recreation is another mockumentary-style comedy that follows Leslie Knope, a government employee in the typical American small town of Pawnee, Indiana. Leslie works in the Parks and Recreation department and gets up too many hijinks with her co-workers and the townspeople. Set in the optimistic Obama-era America, with a stellar star cast of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, and Adam Scott among others, Parks and Rec is heartfelt comedy perfection. (This author is of the personal opinion that Leslie and Ben >>> Jim and Pam.)
2. New Girl (2011 - 2018)
If you loved F.R.I.E.N.D.S.'s close-knit friendships and episodic humor, New Girl might be your perfect show. The show takes off when adorkable, polka dot-wearing, schoolteacher Jess (played by Zooey Deschanel) begins to share a loft with her three-boy roommates Schmidt, Nick, and Winston. Wonderfully written characters, brilliant comedy, and the fantastic chemistry of the cast make this show a must-watch.
3. Community (2009 - 2015)
On your 10th rewatch of The Office or F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Try these shows instead! 2 Do you like meta, mind-bending, intelligent comedy replete with sardonic wit and wry humor? Or perhaps you are a fan of the found family trope where a ragtag group of characters band together and hilarity ensues? Then Community is the show for you. Set in a community college, Community with its top-notchh writing and incredible performances by Joel McHale, Donald Glover, and Alison Brie among others is equal parts nerdy and fun.
4. Crashing (2016)
Created by the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge (of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame), Crashing is a hilarious British mini-series. Centered around a group of people who are down on their luck and thus forced to communally live in an abandoned hospital, Crashing, featuring Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jonathan Bailey his Bridgerton fame) is a rollercoaster ride that is non-stop laughs.
5. Bojack Horseman (2014 - 2020)
If you like your comedy with a huge dose of existential crises on the side, then Bojack Horseman is the show for you. The exquisitely written, layered plot is satirical comedy at its best. Set in a weird world where animals (bipedal and with consciousness) and humans coexist, the show follows the eponymous Bojack Horseman, a washed-up 90’s TV star, as he struggles to deal with the world. With voice acting by Will Arnett and Aaron Paul (among others), superb writing, sardonic wit, and wonderfully done satire make this show a must-see.
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