I know you are all used to me reviewing shows that I’ve streamed or some questionable network dramas, but there are plenty of comedies in my life, too! I just don’t typically write about them. I was especially hesitant to since Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Superstore got kicked off the air last year. I’d simply lost hope for a good new comedy to come around. Somehow, the cable gods proved me wrong. Here are the few comedies I’m watching now that you should give a chance.
In first place by a decent margin is CBS’s remake of the British comedy of the same name, Ghosts. In it, young couple Sam and Jay inherit a gigantic old house in upstate New York from one of Sam’s relatives. They decide to move in and convert it into a bed and breakfast. Not long into the first episode though, Sam wipes out down the stairs and can suddenly see all the ghosts inhabiting this old home. There’s Hetty, a prim woman who is actually one of Sam’s distant relatives, Isaac, an American Revolutionary officer, Richie, a former boy scout leader, and honestly a ton of others. They are all equally hilarious, and it’s fun to see scenes from Sam’s perspective interacting with the ghosts compared to Jay having to guess at what’s going on. This show seriously gets funnier every episode, and I beg you with every fiber of my being to watch this. Heck, even Mark Hamill is a huge fan!
I also found ABC’s original comedy, Home Economics, growing on me as the weeks have gone by. I definitely get a handful of hard laughs every episode, which is a win in my book. It’s somewhat wholesome in that it focuses on the families of three siblings, but the difference here is that all three of them operate in very different tax brackets. The show is told from eldest brother, Tom’s, perspective, as he’s decided to make his family the center of his next book. He and his family are sort of your average family income, while his youngest sister is sort of kissing poverty, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, his youngest brother is obscenely rich. It’s hilarious watching these three interact with each other, and while their income levels do make for some interesting encounters, it’s still a tale of siblings who all love and annoy each other. The in-laws play an equally as wonderful part in this series, and I get excited to watch this every week. It also reminds me how much I missed That 70’s Show, now that Topher Grace is back on my television.
The final comedy I watch isn’t at all my favorite, but CBS’s United States of Al does provide the most consistent laughs. It focuses on the friendship between Riley, a veteran, and his former interpreter, Awalmir (Al) who now lives with Riley and the rest of his family. There are plenty of struggles in this series, one of which being Riley’s impending divorce from his wife Vanessa, while also trying to maintain a balanced life for their daughter, Hazel. It’s clear Riley suffers from PTSD, so Al tries his hardest to make life better for the man that helped him escape Afghanistan. For being a comedy, the show doesn’t shy away from difficult issues, including more recently when the Taliban was going to take over the country. There are plenty of hard-hitting moments, and for some, they don’t try and coat it with comedy, but when they get back to the sitcom roots, it excels. Al is so particular, even outside of his religious beliefs, so his interactions with Riley’s family are wonderful. This isn’t a show for everyone, but I’ve spoken with the lead actor on a number of occasions, so I’m a fan for life.