Netflix has so many great original comedy shows that it’s easy to overlook some real gems. With Netflix being one of the first streaming services, some of its original shows are now over ten years old, and the number of originals continues to increase.
It’s easy to overlook some of Netflix’s older shows, especially comedies. Comedies often don’t get as much recognition as dramas or thrillers, but Netflix actually excels at them. These forgotten shows prove just that.
Easy (2016-2019)
Joe Swanberg, known for directing early mumblecore films, created the comedy series Easy. The show shares many similarities with the mumblecore style that was popular in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
This show takes place in Chicago and centers around the lives of young adults as they deal with everyday challenges like love, relationships, and figuring out their futures. While some storylines continue throughout the series, you can enjoy each episode as a standalone story.
“Easy” is a funny and heartwarming love story, similar to the “Modern Love” series on Amazon Prime Video, but with a stronger emphasis on comedy. It also features a fantastic cast, including well-known actors like Zazie Beetz, Aya Cash, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Orlando Bloom, and Aubrey Plaza.
Dear White People (2017-2021)
As a critic, I found Dear White People to be a compelling follow-up to the 2014 film. The series centers on a group of Black students navigating life at a predominantly white Ivy League college. It doesn’t shy away from tough conversations, diving right into important political, cultural, and social issues that are incredibly relevant today.
Logan Browning plays Sam White, a college student who isn’t afraid to voice her opinions on important issues. The show is smart and thought-provoking, and it often takes surprising turns. You’ll find yourself both nodding along with Sam one moment and strongly disagreeing with her the next.
Each episode of the show feels like a standalone short film, only loosely connected to the others. They usually focus on a single character, and their story often jumps around in time, happening before and after what we saw in the previous episode. This creates a playful sense of mystery that keeps things interesting.
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp (2015)
The quirky comedy Wet Hot American Summer came out in 2001, playfully poking fun at the popular summer camp and teen comedies of the 90s. While it wasn’t a hit at first, it eventually gained a dedicated fanbase, so it’s not surprising that the show set before the movie also took a while to catch on.
Okay, so “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” is actually a prequel to the original movie, set before all the craziness of 2001. The really wild part? They brought back all the same actors. That means we’re watching these actors, who are now significantly older, play even younger versions of their characters. It’s a bit surreal, honestly, but also kind of hilarious to see them pulling it off!
The show relies on a wonderfully silly premise that surprisingly works. The sight of actors in bad wigs trying to look younger is consistently funny, and the humor actually builds as the series goes on. It’s packed with great comedic talent and feels like a light, clever, and comfortable watch.
American Vandal (2017-2018)
American Vandal was a clever show that poked fun at the growing popularity of true-crime documentaries and podcasts. However, it turned out people weren’t going to get tired of that genre anytime soon, so the show’s satire didn’t land quite as effectively as its creators might have hoped.
Taking inspiration from true crime documentaries like Netflix’s Making a Murderer and the Serial podcast, American Vandal cleverly parodies the genre. Each season of the show is set in a high school and follows a group of students determined to solve a different act of vandalism.
The first season of American Vandal centers around a bizarre case of cars being vandalized with inappropriate drawings, while the second season involves someone secretly adding a laxative to the school’s lemonade. It’s not highbrow television, but the show is surprisingly funny and well-made, creating genuinely interesting mysteries around these strange crimes.
Sex Education (2019-2023)
Sex Education is a British comedy-drama series about the lives of teenagers and adults in the town of Moordale, primarily focusing on the students at Moordale Secondary School. The show stars Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn, a shy teenager whose mother, Jean Milburn (played by Gillian Anderson), happens to be a sex therapist.
I’ve always been fascinated by this character – he’s so endearingly clumsy and unsure, especially when it comes to, well, that stuff. But his mom? She’s incredibly open and honest, and that really pushes him to do something amazing. He and his friend Maeve decide to start a sex therapy clinic at their school, which is just brilliant. They genuinely help all the other students navigate their feelings and understand themselves better, and it’s so heartwarming to watch.
Sex Education is a bold show that consistently hits the mark. It doesn’t shy away from being frank and open about sex, but it also balances that with genuine heart and empathy. While the series features plenty of funny and awkward sexual experiences, it always approaches the topic with honesty and without being judgmental, offering a realistic look at growing up.
GLOW (2017-2019)
Although GLOW had a dedicated following while it was on the air, its cancellation at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic caused many to forget about it. Despite not having a perfect conclusion, GLOW remains a funny and enjoyable show.
I stumbled upon this Netflix series a few years back, and I was immediately hooked! It started in 2017 and follows Ruth Wilder, played by Alison Brie, who’s an actress trying to make it in 1980s Los Angeles. She was getting nowhere with traditional acting, so she decided to try something totally different – professional women’s wrestling! It’s all about this promotion called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, or GLOW for short, and it’s a really fun ride.
The new wrestling show is directed by Sam Sylvia (Marc Maron), a cynical and unconventional man. His approach often conflicts with Ruth, who wants the wrestlers to deliver convincing performances. It’s a really original Netflix series with plenty of funny moments and a surprisingly clever story about the time period.
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2025-11-04 23:32