10 Best 2010s Comedy Shows, Ranked

The 2010s were host to an incredible lineup of comedies, with some of the sitcoms made in the era guaranteed to be referenced for years to come. It was an exciting decade of television that adapted to a savvier audience who were quickly growing bored with the cookie-cutter template of a standard network sitcom.

Sitcoms from the previous decade like 30 Rock and Arrested Development demonstrated that viewers were open to more experimental or sophisticated comedy. A new class of creative voices entered the mix, pushing the boundaries of what comedy could accomplish in 30 minutes. Although there are numerous amazing shows to spotlight, these are the comedies that defined the 2010s.

10 ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013-2021)

Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur

Light, goofy, and charming, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was a highlight in the Fox live-action comedy lineup. Set in a Brooklyn police department, Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the exploits of Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), a brilliant but immature detective. When newly assigned Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) won’t abide Jake’s sloppy behavior, Jake has to choose which is more important, his pride or the job. Stacked with an all-star cast of comedy veterans like Terry Crews and Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an immensely rewatchable workplace sitcom.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is escapism television at its strongest, layered with fast-moving plotlines that often introduce a light mystery for the detective to solve. The chemistry between the cast is that rare electric energy that lifts each performer to shine, allowing even the smallest cast member to get large laughs. Braugher’s previous work on the cop drama Homicide: Life on the Street brought gravitas to his performance as Captain Holt, one of the best bosses in TV history.

9 ‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011-)

Created by Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive

Owning a small business can lead to all types of zany adventures in the long-running animated comedy, Bob’s Burgers. Archer voice-actor H. Jon Benjamin lends his voice to Bob Belcher, the owner and proprietor of a small greasy spoon called Bob’s Burgers. Along with his wife Linda (John Roberts) and three kids, Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman), and Louise (Kristen Schaal), Bob struggles to keep his restaurant afloat amidst nearby competition and any number of disasters.

The animated comedy landscape is crowded, but with a unique comedic perspective and impeccable voice work, Bob’s Burgers has outlasted its competitors for over a decade. While animated sitcoms tend to indulge in cynical or mean-spirited family dynamics, the strength of Bob’s Burgers comes from the bond the Belcher clan have—their love and support for one another. The combination of sentimental and eccentric has propelled Bob’s Burgers to not only small-screen success but a big-screen debut in 2022.

8 ‘The Good Place’ (2016-2020)

Created by Michael Schur

A comedy that found humor in typically unfunny topics like theology or the afterlife, The Good Place is one of the most unique shows of the decade. Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor, a recently deceased soul adjusting to her new residence in a perfect community only described as The Good Place. The only problem: Eleanor is certain she’s in the Good Place by mistake, but she fears the alternative destination too much to correct her kindly guide, Michael (Ted Danson).

The Good Place shucked network television traditions of dragging out each plotline past its expiration date, choosing instead to constantly push the characters into new areas of growth and discovery. Large visually comedic set pieces along with broad fantasy-style type humor allowed The Good Place to explore themes of redemption and self-actualization with ease. Thought-provoking, heartwarming, and effortlessly funny, The Good Place is an easy binge-watch with four seasons.

7 ‘Broad City’ (2014-2019)

Created by IIana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson

When Broad City premiered on Comedy Central in 2014, it took the nation by storm. Following the lives of two 20-something-year-old New Yorkers, Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer) as they attempt to thrive in New York City, Broad City is a fast-paced showcase for real-life best friends to chew scenery. Each episode would utilize Jacobson and Glazer’s natural chemistry as they went on adventures in a heightened version of the Big Apple.

Originally a web series of the same name, Broad City was an inspiration for struggling artists looking to break into film or television without access to traditional resources. Broad City received critical acclaim for all five of its seasons, only ending when the creators decided to stop the show on their own terms before the quality of the comedy had a chance to dip. It’s a shame there are not more seasons to enjoy of the comedy duo’s labor of love, but Broad City will remain one of the highlights of Comedy Central’s original programming.

6 ‘Barry’ (2018-2023)

Created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader

Bill Hader channels his dark side in the HBO dark comedy, Barry. When hitman Barry (Haider) loses his sense of purpose, an acting class inspires him to move his life in a new direction. Determined to leave his murder-for-hire past behind, Barry tries to trade in his handgun for headshots, but his old associates, including handler Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root), are not as enthusiastic about his new career.

Most could be forgiven for assuming Barry’s plot would be a disappointing retread of similar premises, but Haider and co-creator Alec Berg push the comedy into unexpected, and oftentimes uncomfortable situations. Each fatal step Barry takes to secure a life of peace challenges the viewers to take stock of which character they’re rooting for and why. The show already started on a darkly comedic note, but with each season delving deeper into the fragile mind of its main character, Barry became a disturbing, and still somehow hilarious, character study.

5 ‘Atlanta’ (2016-2022)

Created by Donald Glover

Donald Glover stars in the surreal and enthralling FX comedy, Atlanta. In Atlanta, Earn (Glover) convinces his up-and-coming rapper cousin Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) to let him manage his burgeoning career. From that simple premise spawns a wholly original comedy filled with striking visuals and bizarre occurrences that the young men must navigate on their way to new levels of fame and fortune. Once described by Glover as, “… Twin Peaks with rappers,” Atlanta is a show that challenges the expectations of what a comedy can be.

Oftentimes eerie and unsettling, Atlanta is still at its core a comedy that uses surrealism to explore racism and the struggles of marginalized communities. Each episode demands numerous revisits as there’s always a new detail to catch or an instance of symbolism that offers up numerous interpretations to consider. From the beautiful cinematography to the grounded and fantastic performances, Atlanta is a comedy that won’t be replicated any time soon, if ever.

Watch on Hulu

4 ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015-2020)

Created by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy

Reaching rock bottom has never been more entertaining than in the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek. Overnight, wealthy couple Johnny and Moira Rose (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) learn their business manager stole their money, and they are now penniless. Broke and with nowhere to turn, the Roses are forced to move to Schitt’s Creek, the only asset they have left as a result of buying the town as a joke. Living with their two adult children in a rundown hotel, the Roses need two things: a way out of Schitt’s Creek and some fresh towels.

Schitt’s Creek is a classic throwback to comedies from a previous generation of entertainment, taking a fable-like fish-out-of-water story and dressing it up to please modern sensibilities. The humor is broadly entertaining with larger-than-life characters, but Schitt’s Creek also knows when to slow down and let the characters breathe and grow. Viewers on some level already know that the Roses will learn the error of their ways and embrace their new surroundings, but the spoiled family’s adventures in discovering these revelations will continue to surprise and delight viewers.

3 ‘Superstore’ (2015-2021)

Created by Justin Spitzer

America Ferrera leads an impressive ensemble cast in the NBC comedy Superstore as Amy Sosa, a floor manager at a St. Louis location of the fictional Cloud 9 big box retail chain. Amy and her colorful co-workers must, on a daily basis, contend with rude customers, in-fighting, and the struggle to make a living wage. Providing questionable support for Amy and her crew is Kids in the Hall legend Mark McKinney as befuddled boss Glenn Sturgis. Superstore was a modest hit for NBC, running for 6 seasons before calling it quits.

Despite it being a familiar setting for viewers, there are surprisingly very few shows set in the retail environment. It works to Superstore’s advantage because the examination of workers’ rights through the eyes of the overworked and underpaid staff of Cloud 9 is fresh and impactful. More than just “The Walmart Show,” Superstore is a smartly written workplace comedy that demands your attention with pitch-perfect performances and consistent funny visual gags.

Watch on Hulu

2 ‘Rick and Morty’ (2013-)

Created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland

The mixture of science fiction and humor hasn’t always had the best track record on television, but the success of Rick and Morty proves the winning formula exists. Rick and Morty chronicles the universe-hopping adventures of mad scientist Rick (Ian Cardoni) and his grandson Morty (Harry Belden). Together they face alien threats, evil Mortys, and problems of their own creation. The cartoon was a runaway success for Cartoon Network with no end in sight, as Rick and Morty has been renewed for a total of 12 seasons.

Each episode of Rick and Morty is packed with the meta references and light nihilism that fans of co-creator Dan Harmon have come to appreciate since his time as creator and showrunner of NBC’s Community. Each episode is immediately dissected by the rabid fan base that either reveres or despises the newest offering from week to week, but that level of scrutinization only speaks to how perfect the show can be when it’s firing on all cylinders.

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1 ‘Veep’ (2012-2019)

Created by Armando Iannucci

Arguably the best and most decorated of all the HBO sitcoms, Veep garnered immediate praise when it premiered on the premium cable channel. Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) toils away in the shadow of the Commander in Chief while desperately seeking a way to cement her legacy in history. Through public scandals and personal embarrassments, Selina will be forced to rely on her staff of misfits if she ever hopes to claim the throne of President of the United States.

Creator Armando Iannucci brought the same level of biting satire to Veep that he did in his previous creation, the British political comedy The Thick of It. In front of the camera, Louis-Dreyfus continued to outdo herself with one of the defining performances of her career in a comedy that somehow balances the tightrope of being current and timeless. Veep exists in a cynical world of politics that punishes kindness and rewards ruthlessness, but the comedy’s rapid-fire joke delivery is so expertly constructed that viewers can only enjoy the darkness of Selina’s journey to the top.

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NEXT: The Best Comedy Shows of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb