Best American TV Comedies of the Last 15 Years

If the show was just watching Nathan hatch and execute his whacky ideas, it would still be funny, but the series goes the extra mile by turning the real Nathan Fielder into “Nathan Fielder,” a more awkward, isolating version of himself who’s weirdly confident in his business acumen, but is actually motivated to help business owners by his desire to connect with other people. Nathan is desperate for romance, or even a friend, and he carries his quest to find connection throughout the series, with hilarious results. Nathan For You expertly blends the dramatic reality elements of series like Bar Rescue with Andy Kaufman-like cringe comedy, creating something truly unique and most importantly, hilarious. It transcends a normal prank or reality show by offering real, poignant observations about human nature. Now that’s good business. – NH

13. Ted Lasso

Sometimes you watch comedies to laugh uproariously; sometimes you’re seeking a deeper, even illuminating satire about the human condition; and sometimes you just want to spend time with likable characters who make you smile. And that’s the real secret of Ted Lasso, which is the television equivalent of a warm, cozy holiday sweater giving you a hug. Anchored by Jason Sudeikis’ unassuming mustache and his ability to convey cornball sentiment with the sincere earnestness of a Frank Capra movie, Ted Lasso really achieves the sitcom ideal of convincing millions of folks they’re spending time at the pub with old friends. There’s Juno Temple’s Keeley, the unsinkable pop star-turned social media manager; actor/showrunner Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard, an enigma wrapped in strangely charismatic facial hair; and of course Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), living proof that “fuck,” “shit,” and “wanker,” can all be synonyms for “I love you.”

The unlikely Apple TV+ flagship launched out of an NBC ad campaign, Ted Lasso sounds like one of Sudeikis’ old SNL setups: a happy-go-lucky American optimist agrees to become the manager for a professional football (soccer) team in the UK despite knowing nothing about the game. It’s a riff on the thin plot of Major League where the team’s new owner, here played by a magnificent Hannah Waddingham, is setting Ted up to fail. But the brilliance of Ted Lasso is that for all its use of archetypes and sports movies conventions, there’s a real affection for these characters, including their interior mental health. Waddingham is not a villain, but rather the superb counterweight to Ted’s sunshine, and the yin and yang of their always evolving relationship is at the center of how such a simple show can cultivate such complex emotions from its audiences. It’s a heart-to-heart with your best mates. – David Crow

12. BoJack Horseman

I don’t know if it’s the nitrous and bath salts talking, but I think BoJack Horseman may stand forever as the most profoundly realistic representation of the period from 2007 to 2022 on TV. Sure, it’s animated, and stars a talking horse, but it is us, and it is forever now. BoJack Horseman is the most brilliantly complicated character ever played by Will Arnett, remember him in your thoughts and prayers. He is a Mr. Ed-type who can’t afford his accustomed style of living off the residuals of his soul. 

Past his prime and out to stud, BoJack clumsily circumnavigates the modern landscape of celebrity, tripping on the #metoo movement, galloping over cancel culture, and planning a comeback. Princess Carolyn may never balance work and home life, but the series perfectly aligns comic and dramatic narratives into an emotional rollercoaster of depressing hilarity. Loaded with amazing repartee, one of the best episodes is a half hour soliloquy and another doesn’t let Bojack speak at all. It’s gone now, but don’t fret, we may never unsee “The View From Halfway Down.” – Tony Sokol

11. Rick and Morty

Listen, I hate to break it to you, but love is just a chemical reaction to compel animals to breed. It hits hard, and fades. But you can always subscribe to Hulu or HBO Max to rekindle your love for Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith. Loosely spoofing Back to the Future, they viciously break the cycle of Doc Brown and Marty McFly. One is the most intelligent super-genius in the Central Finite Curve of any known universe. The other is a traumatized tagalong who wants to curl into a fetal position. Both are voiced by Justin Roiland. Family Guy may have a higher ratio of obscure cultural references per frame, but Rick and Morty isn’t afraid to make your brain bleed.