Quality Comedy: The 15 Funniest TV Shows Of All Time

Of all the reactions that good TV can evoke, laughter is likely the one with the most lasting impact. Since its inception, television has had the power to cheer us up through comedy, and the shows that split our sides the most have lived the longest in the cultural consciousness. Here, we gather our picks of the TV shows that just might live forever – simply by virtue of being genuinely clever and very, very funny.

Atlanta

Donald Glover became a superstar off of the back of this complex comedy-drama. Taking a surreal world view and focusing it on race, class and the ‘American dream’, what makes the show so brilliant is the idea that you never know what to expect. Atlanta is especially notable for its standalone episodes, such as the horror-comedy story “Teddy Perkins”, that keep fans on their toes as they laugh all the way through. Every one of the series’ 41 episodes offers something unique, making it a must-see for people who like their comedy served with a side of surprise.

Norsemen

Scandinavian TV has become famous in the past 20 years for astute crime dramas and dark thrillers, but that doesn’t mean our Nordic friends can’t make us laugh, too. A devilishly clever pastiche of dramas like Vikings and The Northman, Norsemen takes a lighter look at ancient Norwegian history. Instead of conquering villages and battling for power in violent displays of ruthlessness, the lives of a clan in 8th-century Norway takes a more haphazard approach to their growth as a people. Full of bone-dry humour and sharp one-liners, the series continues to capture audiences’ hearts nearly four years after its run has ended.

Kath & Kim

In Australia, characters Kath and Kim are practically comedy royalty. The premise – a dysfunctional mother-daughter duo trying to keep a grip on things as they weather relationship and family troubles – is fairly common for the genre; however, it’s the show’s witty observations on suburban life and Australian culture, alongside the lead characters’ complete lack of self-awareness, that have made it so well-loved. A big hit internationally as well as Down Under, it’s a show that makes us laugh at the ridiculousness of life, both in their fictional world and in our own. 

Only Fools and Horses

This UK sitcom may have debuted in 1981, but it remains deeply embedded in the country’s pop culture; just under half the UK population tuned into the show’s final regular episode in 1996, while years later, in 2012, the characters were referenced at the London Olympics opening ceremony. At the story’s core are brothers Del and Rodney (David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst), who always have a get rich quick scheme that goes comically awry. It’s been 20 years since the last Christmas special, but the show is still in rotation thanks to its quick humour, lovable characters and the sense that, one day, the boys will finally get where they want to be. 

Derry Girls

Having launched the careers of many of its stars, including Bridgerton actor Nicola Coughlan, Derry Girls is set in mid-1990s Northern Ireland, during The Troubles, but offers a vision of school life that anyone, anywhere can find hilarious. Wild and irreverent, the show takes its fraught backdrop and infuses the personal stories with enough humour to keep things uplifting, reminding viewers that life goes on even in the most trying of circumstances. Offering additional thigh-slapping takes on religion and sexuality, not to mention attitudes on the UK vs Ireland, there’s certainly a highly intelligent approach hiding beneath that offbeat tone.

South Park

If The Simpsons was the first popular cartoon series to lean into mature storylines, South Park was the first to make them positively x-rated! Following the inhabitants of a small mountain town in Colorado, South Park’s foul-mouthed humour belied a very intelligent format that satirised the current cultural happenings and political issues of the time. Its very existence is likely to offend many (and already has), but any comedy that can remain relevant after 25 years has to have something going for it. 

Fleabag

Phoebe Waller-Bridge skyrocketed to stardom with Fleabag, her theatre-to-TV adaptation that followed a grief-ridden woman, known only as ‘Fleabag’, who is trying to heal while still suffering from her own mistakes. It’s a masterclass in dry humour and tragicomic storytelling, finding a punchline in even the most heartbreaking of circumstances. For fans of the show, the comedy’s appeal is that it celebrates the flaws we all have and recognises that, at times, everyone wishes they could turn to some invisible audience and express just what they’ve been feeling in a particular moment.

Friends

The sitcom that changed TV in the 1990s, tens of millions around the world tuned in to laugh at the misadventures of six twenty-something singles as they navigated life, love and friendship in The Big Apple. Sparking cultural debates and giving rise to catch phrases that have entered the public lexicon, the show’s humour has become like a security blanket for fans, making them laugh at the characters’ mistakes and follies, while still letting them know everything will be ok in the end. 

Cheers

Across 11 years and 275 episodes, Cheers gave audiences everywhere a place to call home. Set in a local Boston bar full of lovable regulars, every week there would be a new issue for bar owner Sam (Ted Danson) to contend with among his patrons, from broken hearts to rowdy rivalries. Here again, the comedy comes from the comfort of knowing that everything will be sorted within around half an hour, thanks to the good hearts of the characters in the show. What Cheers did so well was to make light situations incredibly funny, creating the many episodes one you’ll come running back to. 

Arrested Development

“You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family,” is a phrase that many of us will have used over the years, but this early 2000s hit takes that premise to new heights. Jason Bateman starred as Michael, a clever, down-to-earth son in a wealthy, eccentric family who lost everything when their patriarch (Jeffrey Tambor) went to prison for fraud. In his father’s absence, Michael tries to hold things together despite his relatives’ selfishness and delusions. The show works as a heightened take on how families can be entirely dysfunctional as people but still bond, making for ridiculous situations that only happen when you share DNA. 

The Simpsons

It’s a giant of TV, a show all of us will have watched – at least in part – over the years. But what makes The Simpsons so enduring? It’s because, at its best, the show holds up a mirror to society in clever and extremely funny ways. Whether it’s a scathing pop culture reference, some slapstick humour, a movie homage, or just the Simpsons family being their madcap selves, the show has something for everyone. Even if you haven’t caught every episode over the years, there’s bound to be at least one joke from The Simpsons that has earned a place in your heart. 

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Only recently finishing its long run in early 2024, Curb Your Enthusiasm embraces the grumpy old man in all of us! Larry David plays a fictionalised version of himself, often getting into awkward situations due to his lacking understanding of or appreciation for social conventions. The key to David’s comedy is his ability to look at life and find the ridiculous elements, poking fun at the everyday absurdities of human nature and culture without being cruel. Featuring cameos from various celebrities who are also willing to satirise themselves, ‘Curb’ may be one of the most intelligent comedies you’ll ever see. 

Fawlty Towers

This British sitcom about a failing hotel and its irate manager only lasted four years and 12 episodes, but remains a pop culture phenomenon. John Cleese plays Basil, a hotel manager who harbours aspirations for his establishment to reach new heights, yet who is constantly thwarted by clumsy staff, picky guests and his combative wife. Incorporating the silliness of Cleese’s Monty Python antics with a very British sensibility, the laughter is found in watching a man crumble under small inconveniences, often of his own making! 

The Office (US)

Apologies to the Brits: we’re going with the US version of The Office for our list, with an honourable mention to Ricky Gervais’ for his inspirational UK original. This ‘mockumentary’ series, in which camera crews follow the inner workings of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, remains one of the biggest shows on streaming – and it’s clear to see why. Steve Carell plays Michael Scott, a middle manager leading a troupe of malcontent, eccentric and sarcastic workers who pass the time in the office with various pranks. In fact, Michael participates in the madness as part of his own unique management style. Featuring improvised humour, physical comedy, dry wit and a surprising amount of heart, viewers can inevitably see themselves in The Office – and have returned many times since its 2013 finale. 

Seinfeld

Perhaps the most hilarious show ever is one that has no plot at all. For nine years, and ever since its finale, Seinfeld has brought in generations of fans who fell in love with this self-professed ‘show about nothing’. Why does it work? Well, because life doesn’t go by a particular plot. The weekly exploits of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his group of friends depicted mundane events, like forgetting your spot at a car park, waiting for a table in a restaurant, or getting excited about a date – events that are as relevant today as they were in the 1990s, and which are served up with Seinfeld’s masterful observational humour. If you’ve yet to watch an episode, we highly recommend delving into Seinfeld’s hilarious chaos.