With season 3 of Barry underway, the term "dark comedy" is cropping up a lot when describing its genre. The show features heavy material, from violence and crime to topics of mental health, while also managing to be hilarious. Taking the world's more serious subject matter and productively accompanying it with humor has allowed for some great television.
For fans of the genre, look no further, as users on Ranker have voted for their favorite dark comedy TV series, with content spanning almost every streaming service available. Many of these series are still ongoing, with new seasons premiering in 2022.
Fargo (2014 - )
Stream On Hulu
Inspired heavily by the Coen Brothers' film of the same name and genre, the anthology TV series Fargo has four seasons of bizarre crimes, deception, larger-than-life characters, and some of the best acting performances on TV. The series is known for its casts of movie star actors such as Billy Bob Thornton, Ewan McGregor, and Kirsten Dunst.
Each season offers a story of shocking twists and turns, with great humor, akin to the films of the Coen Brothers, along the way. For fans of the original movie or of the dark comedy genre, Fargo has a lot to offer, as each season has something totally fresh and new to enjoy.
After Life (2019 - 2022)
Stream On Netflix
Ricky Gervais is known for his sarcastic and deadpan style of humor, particularly in the USA for his many times hosting the Oscars and Golden Globes, where he's made light of some of Hollywood's shadier moments. Gervais, who isn't new to writing and performing in great television, recently created the series After Life for Netflix, in 2019.
Gervais' character, Tony, suffers a tragic loss, causing him to abandon all social formalities and say what he wants to who he wants as a coping mechanism. The show offers some highly relatable comedy, while also possessing a moving story about loss.
Succession (2018 - )
Stream On HBO Max
HBO's Succession is considered, by many, to be one of the best shows currently on television, and even to be the successor to Game of Thrones in terms of the intrigue and drama of wealthy families. The show's talented cast has given some of the greatest acting performances of the past decade, creating a huge fan base.
Succession is filled with dark humor, with each character having a quick-witted and vile arsenal of insults and backtalk. The series, loosely based on the real-life Murdoch family, takes a dramatized look at the owners of a major news conglomerate, offering some of the best drama and intrigue on TV.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000 - )
Stream On HBO Max
From Larry David, one of the creators of Seinfeld, comes Curb Your Enthusiasm. The show, titled to warn Seinfeld fans that it would be taking a different approach to its comedy, has had some of the funniest humor on TV for over 20 years and 11 seasons. Similar to After Life, the show follows a comedic actor saying the things that the audience has always wanted to say.
Larry deals with life's common annoyances in his own particular way. He constantly finds himself in predicaments with his family, friends, and many film industry professionals and the show includes many celebrity cameos and actors, such as John Hamm and Ted Danson, playing fictionalized versions of themselves.
Better Call Saul (2015 - 2022)
Stream On Netflix
The prequel to the legendary AMC series Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul has been captivating audiences for six seasons of incredible television, following the adventures of Jimmy McGill on his path to becoming the lawyer audiences know from the original series. Like many of the series in the ranking, Better Call Saul is helmed by an actor with comedic roots.
Jimmy McGill is a fast-talking, witty character, willing to cross lines to achieve his goals. Like Walter White in Breaking Bad, the show depicts Jimmy's descent from a hard-working but struggling lawyer to a millionaire criminal. The show has a wealth of strong side characters as well, including familiar faces from the original show.
What We Do In The Shadows (2019 - )
Stream On Hulu
Taika Waititi has grown immensely popular since his superhero debut in 2017 with Thor: Ragnarok. He's become a household name for his comedy-drama movies, and his older works have become widely viewed. In 2014, he directed the film What We Do in the Shadows, which he recently transformed into a mockumentary TV series for FX.
For fans of his comedy in movies like Thor or Jojo Rabbit, the series offers more of the same, following a bizarre group of vampires living in Staten Island. The show tells a relatable story about how roommates interact with each other, with the added twist of them having been roommates for over 100 years.
Barry (2018 - )
Stream On HBO Max
Barry's third season has been a huge hit so far. The show offers one of the truest forms of dark comedy available, as it really touches on more serious issues of mental health. The terrific cast manages to pull off a highly thoughtful show while also having moments of comedy gold.
Bill Hader is perfect for the show as a writer, producer, and leading actor, creating an iconic character with his deadpan style of humor. The show also features great performances from Sarah Goldberg, Stephen Root, and Anthony Carrigan, who are all strong in supporting roles, creating many of the great character relationships in Barry.
The Boys (2019 - )
Stream On Amazon Prime
One of the biggest commercial hits among dark comedy shows is The Boys, in which Amazon Prime took the superhero popularity to a new level. The dark interpretation of comic book worlds shows superheroes as celebrities, media personalities and even politicians. The show shows the danger of media control and a potentially more realistic take on what would happen if superpowered beings existed in the world.
The Boys has a mix of up-and-coming talent like Jack Quaid and Erin Moriarty, paired with well-known stars like Karl Urban. Season 3 of the hit series will release on June 3rd, 2022, and fans are excited to see the debut of star Jensen Ackles as the character Soldier Boy.
The Outlaws (2021 - )
Stream On Amazon Prime
The Outlaws is a relatively new show and doesn't have the fanbase as some of the other dark comedies out today, but it is a quality series, starring comedian Stephen Merchant as well as veteran actor Christopher Walken. Like many dark comedies, the plot is topical but still allows enough entertainment to be a source of great enjoyment and laughter.
Lead actor, Stephen Merchant, isn't new to this type of humor or role, having done multiple shows with Ricky Gervais, giving the pair a long-standing creditability for comedic series. From The Office to The Ricky Gervais Show, the two have paired up for some iconic content.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - )
Stream On Hulu
Having recently ran its 15th season, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the longest consistently running series in the ranking, with a massive dedicated fan base. The show is known for its loud, often improvised humor between its main characters, a group of awful people who run a bar in Philadelphia and can't seem to go a week without ruining someone's life.
The characters embody different aspects of the worst types of people, specifically in regard to American politics and social issues. The cast is perfect, particularly with the addition of Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds following the show's second season. Since it's pretty easy to follow, a good starting point for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is its 10 best episodes.