The Best Comedy Shows on HBO Max

Created By: Alec Berg, Bill Hader

Cast: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg

Barry is the hilarious brainchild of Alec Berg (Silicon Valley) and Bill Hader (Trainwreck), who also stars in this Emmy-winning series that follows a hitman who finds his passion in theater acting. Barry perfectly balances its comedic moments with biting commentary on the Hollywood film and television scene, toxic masculinity, and abuse. It’s one of the best comedies out there, with a wide variety of quotable characters, great performances, and top-tier direction. Bill Hader also directs some of the best episodes of the show, infusing his oddball sense of humor into completely wacky situations. Despite being a comedy, the show doesn’t skimp on the action.

Created By: Armando Iannucci

Cast: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods

Avenue 5 is a sci-fi comedy set in our distant future, where cruise liners take tourism to the stars. The series takes place on a luxury cruiser run by a dimwitted billionaire (Josh Gad) after a gravity mishap sends them a fraction of a degree off-course, extending their ETA back to Earth from eight weeks to three years. The dire situation of this sitcom leads our crew of overworked and underappreciated staff to solve a new harrowing yet bafflingly zany problem every week to keep the ship running before they run out of food, supplies, and sanity. This sleeper hit is insanely funny and manages to mine fresh and original bits out of a classic Trapped at Sea comedy.

Created By: Ben Best, Jody Hill, Danny McBride

Cast: Danny McBride, Steve Little, Katy Mixon

When Danny McBride (Pineapple Express) takes on a character, you know it’s gonna be a wild ride, and Eastbound & Down is no exception. McBride plays a washed-out former Major League Baseball player who returns to his hometown to be a Middle School P.E. teacher, and despite being at the lowest point in his life, he can’t help but look down on everyone around him. The sports comedy series draws inspiration from a few real-life baseball players but turns up the outrageousness as high as it can go, fully utilizing its diverse cast of comedians like Michael Peña (End of Watch), John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), and Katy Mixon (The Quiet).

Created By: Adam Reed, Matt Thompson

Cast: Adam Reed, Eric Sims, Neal Holman

Before Archer, Creator Adam Reed (Sealab 2021) created the blueprint for what that series would eventually become in his absurdist animated comedy following a struggling supervillain who is struggling to balance raising his son and destroying the world. Frisky Dingo is a bonkers parody that flips superhero tropes on their head while fusing kafkaesque bureaucracy with irreverent humor. Like Reed’s other animated series, the characters are delightfully charming in their own ways while also being terrible at the little things in life, creating a relatable platform for audiences to settle upon before being hoisted into the inane larger-than-life situations. Grab a bowl of cereal and settle in for a wild ride.

Created By: Justin Halpern, Dean Lorey, Patrick Schumacker

Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk

Harley Quinn is arguably one of the best DC Comics series running, live-action or animated, and Kaley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory) is one of the best Harleys to dawn the black-and-red tights. Being one of the only animated series made specifically for adults that isn’t connected to a greater cinematic or television universe, the show has a lot of freedom to be lude, crude, and lascivious in all the best ways. Despite drawing fun from some of the more ridiculous aspects of the decades-long comics canon, there is a real reverence and appreciation for the characters and their legacy. Plus, the show has a truckload of great character actors lending their voices, including Alan Tudyk (Doom Patrol), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), J.B. Smoove (Date Night), and Tisha Campbell (Martin).

Created By: Issa Rae, Larry Wilmore

Cast: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis

Based on the web series by series creator Issa Rae, Insecure is all about the awkward situations that Black women experience from the perspective of a rap-loving oddball who’s just trying to get through life. The series has a lot of fun with the dynamics of the core group of childhood best friends who are written in such relatable ways it’s easy to forget the series is scripted — which lends itself to the more dramatic moments when our leads struggle with relationship issues, discrimination in the workplace, and the failures of the educational system. Over the course of five seasons, the audience gets to watch these characters grow into the best versions of themselves — even if they do stumble from time to time.

Created By: David Jenkins

Cast: Rhys Darby, Joel Fry, Taika Waititi, Samson Kayo

Our Flag Means Death takes the true story of Stede Bonnet the Gentleman Pirate and attempts to fill in the gaps of his time at sea with humor and an unexpected love story that will continuously pluck at your heartstrings. Rhys Darby (Wrecked) takes on the role of the Gentleman Pirate as he bumbles his way from port to port, cosplaying as a ship captain. Eventually, his journey leads him to cross paths with the great and terrible Black Beard, played by Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit). The chemistry between Darby and Waititi is electric, and they constantly make the budding relationship between these two opposites enrapturing and wholesome — even though it puts both their lives in danger. Even if you know the ultimate fate of Captain Bonnet, this series will continue to surprise you in all the best ways.

Created By: Danny McBride

Cast: John Goodman, Danny McBride, Adam Devine

The Righteous Gemstones is a glorious satire of megachurches and the opulence and greed that exists behind the scenes. John Goodman (The Conners) leads a cast of larger-than-life characters played by hysterical comedians, including Walton Goggins (Justified), Tony Cavalero (The Conners), and Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down), who radiate in their roles as everyone scrambles to come out on top and rake in biblically huge piles of money from parishioners. The series perfectly captures the modern landscape of predatory churches that get rich off of the faith of their believers and lampoon the exact type of people who leverage religion for their own benefit.

Created By: John Altschuler, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky

Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Amanda Crew

Co-creator Mike Judge (Idiocracy) brings his signature biting wit to this often scathing parody of the tech industry. Silicon Valley follows three programmers, played by Thomas Middleditch (Solar Opposites), Martin Starr (Freaks and Geeks), and Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals), fighting to keep their startup alive while trying to compete with tech giants who want to either buy them, change them, or crush them entirely. The most notable aspect of the show is the writing, which balances a specificity and awareness of the tech industry that feels oddly prescient with a series of ridiculous scenarios that feel like a punch right to the gut, causing viewers to laugh themselves to tears. However, even at its most absurd, the show manages to maintain the hopeful spirit of a scrappy underdog.

Created By: Hallie Haglund, Wyatt Cenac

Cast: Wyatt Cenac, Edwin Raymond, Chrissy Shackelford

Former writer and correspondent of The Daily Show, Wyatt Cenac, takes a deep dive into the issues plaguing America by talking to experts and searching for real-world solutions. Each episode covers specific topics ranging from big things like mental health to small problems like dogs eating chicken bones. Cenac does an amazing job breaking down the issues into easily consumable pieces using unique visual graphics and a casual presentation style. The interview sections and on-site visits are also filled with delightful witty banter and straightforward answers to many of the questions casual viewers would have. With a short 20-episode run, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas is a breezy watch that you can enjoy at your own pace.

Created By: Armando Iannucci

Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky

National treasure Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld) shines in her Emmy-winning role as the fictional first woman Vice President, Selina Meyer. Adapted from creator Armando Iannucci’s own British sitcom, The Thick of It, this political satire looks at the inner workings of American politics and uses it to show how farcical and theatrical it can be. Veep surrounds Louis-Dreyfus with character actors giving their all to convey the cavalcade of yes men that enable the worst traits in any politician. Recognizable faces like Gary Cole (Office Space), Tony Hale (Harley Quinn), and Sam Richardson (Detroiters) are stand-outs in the long line of talent. Another interesting aspect of the show is watching the unbelievable satirical plots slowly become events that happen in the real world, forcing the writers to adapt to a changing political climate — a shift that only produces more hilarity.

Created By: Lisa Hanawalt

Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Steven Yeun

Tuca & Bertie is a playful and joyous look at friendship and the struggles of adulthood that isn’t afraid to tackle serious topics while delivering an endless stream of butt jokes. Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) and Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe) play the titular animated birds who navigate the world together as two friends pulling one another through hardships and their own failings. If the animation seems familiar, it’s because the series is produced by the same crew who brought you the critically acclaimed animated series Bojack Horseman, for which series creator Lisa Hanawalt did the production design.

Created By: Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond

Cast: Lolly Adefope, Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby

Ghosts is the creation of the Horrible Histories troupe, who both write and star in the zany British haunted house sitcom. The series follows Alison Cooper (Charlotte Ritchie) and her husband (Kiell Smith-Bynoe), who inherit an old country house that’s filled with ghosts from different time periods. After a near-death experience, Alison gains the ability to see and hear them. As expected of a show created by top-tier comedians, the series is gut-bustingly funny and manages to keep the familiar setting feeling fresh throughout the full run of the show, with each episode finding new ways to draw out the maximum amount of humor from every character.

Created By: Mindy Kaling, Justin Noble

Cast: Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp

College is hard, and so is being a young woman out in the world on your own for the first time. Despite the provocative title, The Sex Lives of College Girls focuses more on the difficulties and pitfalls that come with being a woman on a college campus and the myriad of ways that women navigate the many tightropes they have to walk across in order to be successful. Following four college freshmen from very different backgrounds, the series doesn’t shy away from the awkward interactions, messy relationships, and embarrassing mistakes that come with trying to figure out who you want to be when the choices rest solely on your shoulders. Award-winning writer and series co-creator Mindy Kaling (The Office) delivers a wonderfully debaucherous and heartfelt college dramedy that everyone can enjoy.

Created By: Robin Thede

Cast: Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black

A Black Lady Sketch Show is one of the most unique and creative sketch shows out there today. The humor and insightful bits come from the distinct perspective of a Black woman’s lived experiences, and the show isn’t afraid to embrace that Black Girl Magic. Creator and performer Robin Thede (The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore) introduces a rotating cast of Black comedians to new audiences while showcasing amazing heavy hitters like Issa Rae (Insecure), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), David Alan Grier (In Living Color), and Angela Bassett (Wakanda Forever). Anyone looking for a consistently funny sketch show with clever themes and fun characters should look no further!