From heartfelt lessons to slapstick hilarity, comedy TV series have provided laughs and tears for decades. But which ones have stood the test of time to be worthy of a watch? The Herald’s Jenni Mortimer and Mitchell Hageman discuss.
Drastically different tastes are put to the test once again as the Herald’s entertainment reporters reveal their top comedy series picks, spanning British delights to political satires.
These series are based in the realm of fiction (so no docu-comedies or panel shows) and must have had at least two regular seasons. The rest, as always, is entirely subjective.
Have your say in the poll at the bottom of this story, for which series reigns supreme.
A series that’s essentially about nothing doesn’t seem like the right grounds for a comedy masterpiece, but thanks to Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld’s impeccable writing, Seinfeld stands as (in my opinion) the best sitcom of all time. Spawning unforgettable pop culture references like Festivus and “yadda yadda yadda”, this show takes the concept of social normality and turns it on its head, letting the intrusive thoughts win every time and creating some of the funniest situations ever seen on screen. It paved the way for sitcoms to come, no matter how bad or good they ended up being. – MH
The comedy series about six friends living and learning in New York City gave us the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Matthew Perry and became iconic to a generation over its 10 seasons. It was an easy watch, kept us laughing and ultimately gave us the endings we wanted. There was a character everyone could relate to, with every 90s girl declaring themselves a Rachel, Monica or Phoebe. As a Monica, I neatly put this on the list while declaring she should have ended up with Richard. – JM
At its core, this is a show about very bad people doing very bad things ... and boy, is it wild to watch. Danny De Vito is having the most fun he’s ever had on screen playing a gremlin of a man who eats cat food for breakfast, and the rest of “the gang” are equally despicable. Crimes are committed, psychopathic traits encouraged, and there’s no filter when it comes to the moral depravity at play, but it’s both a cautionary tale and a raucous romp. This show lets its characters’ inner demons out in a cathartic and hilarious fashion, unlike any other show seen on screens, and deserves a spot on the list for proving that surreal comedy does have a place on TV. – MH
It was The Office that started it all, with the deeply unlikable David Brent at the helm of the show. It was its own brand of sharp comedy, and it pioneered the mockumentary-style show. In typical British comedy style, it offered us far fewer character arcs than were later seen on the US version, far less warmth and not an ounce of American cheese. But Ricky Gervais as Brent showed us a show could be grotesque, offensive, get it all wrong, fluorescent lit, set in Slough, and we would still all follow along. - JM
While The Office, Black Books, Blackadder, and The IT Crowd paved the way for British comedy, The Inbetweeners cemented it in modern pop culture history. Still as relevant as ever in the TikTok age, this series about growing up has just the right amount of gross-out humour and heart to make it appealing as a comedy series. While the actors for Will, Simon, Jay, and Neil may have grown up, their spirited mishaps and quotable quotes (some too rude to share here) will continue to stay in the minds of comedy buffs everywhere for years to come. Just make sure you read up on British slang before watching to get the full comedic effect. – MH
The softer US iteration of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s series gave us Steve Carell as Michael Scott and plenty of beautiful and horrific characters to follow – I still detest Toby more than any character, ever. But The Office US gave us the UK Office with optimism, and more unforgettable moments and quotes than virtually any other show. Pam and Jim’s love story is elite. Dwight’s character is unmatched, and Michael finding love with “the hottest girl in the world” warmed even the coldest of hearts. Dunder Mifflin forever. – JM
A best comedy series list isn’t complete without the longest-running American animated comedy series ever, and The Simpsons has stood the test of time for good reason. It continues to reflect the world we live in, satirically touching on relevant issues with just the right tone and style to still entertain. The dynamic of our favourite yellow family never gets old, and new and legacy characters create an iconic world worthy of the movie and theme park rides it spawned. To this day, we are still waiting for the next opening credit couch gag, and will no doubt continue to look forward to it. – MH
While the series starts slow, and season 1 of the Fox show can be considered anything but its best, seasons 2-4 of New Girl were lessons in elite comedic timing, perfect casting and characters who seamlessly feed off each other. The greatest TV friendship of all time sits in the form of Nick and Schmidt, Winston’s mess-arounds will forever live rent-free in my head and Jess (played by Zoe Deschanel) and Nick’s fiery (literally) love story reminds us that sometimes your person comes in the form of your best friend. – JM
Scarily real, yet ludicrously over the top, this political satire from the genius mind of Armando Iannucci acts both as a warning and an expose of just how stupid politics can be. With some of the best comebacks and one-liners ever constructed, this show paints fictional US politician Selina Meyer (played by the superb Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as an unfiltered, morally despicable clown who will do everything and anything to retain power – and the result is rib-shatteringly hilarious. What makes the show even better is its supporting cast, who bend to the will of Meyer, often at their own expense, resulting in a circus of errors that leaves viewers in hysterics. – MH
Ricky Gervais as Derek could easily be misconstrued by pictures or even trailers. But Derek is one of the most beautiful characters in comedy history, showing us that kindness and believing in others are undervalued qualities. The gullible Derek, who works in a retirement home, shows us through the lens of humour, shows us that despite all odds, it’s possible to find the good in everything. The cast of Kerry Godliman, Karl Pilkington, Barry Martin and Brett Goldstein (of Ted Lasso fame) turn a high-risk storyline into a comedy masterpiece. – JM
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
Jenni Mortimer is the NZ Herald’s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.