One of the most exciting new shows on television now is The Afterparty. Featuring an impressive ensemble the crime-comedy follows a group of people all suspects in the murder of a former classmate at their high school reunion afterparty.
The show delivers on big laughs along with a compelling mystery while also taking an innovative approach to the typical storytelling. But as unique a show that it is, for fans who enjoy The Afterparty, there are some other fun series that they should check out next.
Columbo (1971-2003)
Tiffany Haddish takes the role of the detective investigating the murder in The Afterparty. She brings her usual charm and comedic skills to the role in playing this rather talkative and personable investigator.
When it comes to television detectives, few as are memorable as the titular hero in Columbo. Peter Falk gives an iconic performance as the seemingly bumbling detective whose confused approach to each case is just a disguise for his own brilliance. The long-running series offers endless fun and clever mysteries with this unique character at its center.
Community (2009-2015)
One of the most interesting things about The Afterparty is how it plays with all different types of storytelling genres with each new episode. As the individual suspects give their accounts of the night, the episode becomes a rom-com, noir thriller, or musical.
Community is another sitcom that was known for playing around with genres and paying homage to movies in its wacky storytelling. From a paintball episode inspired by action movies to a chicken finger storyline inspired by Goodfellas, the show always found fun new approaches.
Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
Audiences seem to love a good murder mystery story and The Afterparty is yet another whodunnit for the genre. As it opens with a victim being presumably pushed to their death and then gradually exploring the facts of the case, it is hard not to be reminded of Big Little Lies.
That series also began with a death before all of the key suspects were introduced, and the truth slowly comes out. And while The Afterparty is filled with familiar comedic actors, Big Little Lies boasts another star-studded ensemble, including Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Nicole Kidman.
Murderville (2022)
The mix of comedy and murder mystery is not an easy balance to pull off, but The Afterparty does it very effectively. But for fans of the police procedural who also like some laughs in their stories, Murderville might be perfect for them.
The new Netflix series stars Will Arnett as a police detective who investigates a new case each week where he is joined by a new celebrity guest as his partner. The intriguing bit is that the guest stars are not given a script beforehand and must improvise their way through the episode.
The Reunion (2005-2006)
Sometimes, two shows can have very similar premises, yet the result feels like two completely different projects. Such is the case with The Afterparty and The Reunion. The short-lived drama series also revolved around a group of friends who reconnect at a high school reunion only for one of them to be killed and the others become suspects.
With its cast, the humor, and the stylish approach, The Afterparty is a more compelling take on this story. But fans of the show might find it interesting to see how the similar story compares in The Reunion.
Monk (2002-2009)
With so many detective shows and murder mysteries, The Afterparty has a lot of fun playing around with the tropes of these stories while also being a part of the genre. another series that pulls this off extremely well is Monk starring Tony Shalhoub, a brilliant detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The show is a great mix of comedy and engaging mysteries as Monk deals with his own eccentricities while trying to solve each new case.
Bored To Death (2009-2011)
It's always fun to see a show play in a genre usually reserved for dark and gritty series and bring its own silly tone to it. For The Afterparty, that is the approach it takes for its murder-mystery police procedural. For the underrated HBO series, Bored to Death, it is a quirky take on the hardboiled private eye stories.
Jason Schwartzman stars as a directionless former writer who begins moonlighting as a private eye. The show also features the likes of Ted Danson and Zack Galifianakis along with some terrific guest stars.
The Flight Attendant (2020 - )
Though The Afterparty is certainly an ensemble, Sam Richardson pretty much takes the lead role as Aniq. As the prime suspect in the murder, Aniq is racing against the clock to discover the real killer before the police decide that it was him.
The Flight Attendant was a similar murder mystery with the protagonist serving as the prime suspect. Kaley Cuoco plays the titular flight attendant who wakes up with no memory of the night before and a dead man in her bed.
Only Murders In The Building (2021 - )
As entertaining as the comedy is, there is a real thrill The Afterparty delivers as various motivations and backstories of the suspects are revealed and the audience attempts to crack the case before the truth is revealed.
That is also what helped make Only Murders in the Building such a hit. It stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as tenants in an apartment building who join forces to start a podcast about the suspicious death of their fellow tenant.
Search Party (2016-2022)
While it is fun to see brilliant detectives solving crimes in shows, it can also be a lot of fun to see incompetent characters attempting to deal with these deadly situations. Search Party follows that same madcap tone in a dark yet hilarious story.
The show revolves around a group of friends who learn that their former classmate has gone missing and they decide to find her themselves. However, this leads to them putting themselves in the middle of a deadly and dangerous situation.