With a sophomore season that recently debuted on HBO Max, The Righteous Gemstones continues to serve its purpose as a unique and darkly funny series for a niche audience of hardcore comedy fans. The newest creation from actor and writer Danny McBride – who also stars – about a dysfunctional family of televangelists almost feels like a spiritual successor to the raunchy comedy films of the mid-to-late 2000s.

Related: Danny McBride's 10 Most Outrageous Characters, Ranked

Existing among a slew of television comedy offerings that now tend to incorporate elements of honest drama within their complex storytelling, The Righteous Gemstones at its core is silly and slapstick in its smart approach to the subject material; however, it can be said that several characteristics of the show bear considerable resemblance to other notable programs.

Eastbound & Down

Kenny Powers and a group of people look on from Eastbound and Down

Perhaps the most obvious choice similar to The Righteous Gemstones is Danny McBride's earlier entry Eastbound & Down, which debuted on HBO in 2009 and ran for four seasons. After former Major League Baseball player Kenny Powers (McBride) experiences a career downturn and enters retirement, he moves back to his hometown and becomes the substitute P.E. teacher at his old middle school. Many of the show's elements here feel familiar for The Righteous Gemstones fans: jokes infused with vulgarity, a profane anti-hero at the helm of the story, and an overall irreverent tone established by McBride that heightens the comedic effect.

Succession

The cast of Succession walking side by side

It's safe to say HBO's critically acclaimed Succession is one of the most talked-about shows as of late. Loosely based on the infamous Murdoch family, the Roy family owns the fictional global news and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo, with longtime family patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) leading the company. As Logan undergoes a notable decline in health, his many children attempt to assume control of the company in light of its apparent uncertainty. The series is known for its humorous and razor-sharp wit paired with devastatingly raw pathos – rounded out by a perfectly curated cast – and the ongoing struggles and turmoil involving family dynamics is reminiscent of the family conflicts seen in The Righteous Gemstones, not to mention its conspicuous role as a biting satire.

Barry

Promo image for HBO's Barry showing Barry looking worried

Like The Righteous Gemstones, the hit dark comedy crime series Barry follows a narrative built around a seemingly ridiculous and far-fetched premise: a formerly discharged U.S. Marine turned skilled hitman, portrayed by co-creator and SNL alum Bill Hader, follows his next target into an acting class in Los Angeles and ultimately falls in love with the prospects of theater. This leads him to begin questioning his direction in life while intensifying existing conflicts between himself and criminal associates tied to his murky past. Fans of The Righteous Gemstones will appreciate the show's adept ability to balance truly hilarious moments with a dark and, at times, morbid reality.

Arrested Development

The Blueth family poses for a family picture in Arrested Development

Continuing the theme of dysfunctional family dynamics with a much lighter tone is Arrested Development. Portrayed by Jason Bateman, Michael Bluth serves as the straight man to the other selfish and arrogant members of the wealthy Bluth family and he feels a responsibility to keep the family together and run the Bluth's real estate company after his corrupt father is arrested during the show's opening moments. The relationships between members of the Bluth family are the driving force behind this sitcom – a crucial component of the character interactions in The Righteous Gemstones – supplemented by intelligent writing, self-referential jokes and running gags, and a record-high jokes-per-minute rate.

A.P. Bio

Jack eating an apple instead of teaching in A.P. Bio

The comedic appeal and charm of Peacock's A.P. Bio primarily stems from the selfish and often vindictive nature of its central character (Glenn Howerton). After losing his dream job to his rival Miles Leonard, Harvard philosophy professor Jack Griffin must move home to Toledo, Ohio, where he secures a job at a high school teaching advanced placement biology. Hell-bent on exacting revenge on his rival, Jack finds he can utilize the intellect of his students to his own benefit – all while neglecting to teach the class any biology. While this series and The Righteous Gemstones feature abrasive main characters, both still leave room for genuinely heartfelt moments.

BoJack Horseman

BoJack looking sad in rain in BoJack Horseman.

As another series with an obnoxious yet complicated main character, it's difficult to view BoJack Horseman through the lens of a conventional cartoon series, simply because its impact and depiction of social issues make this show arguably much more than that label. The titular character (Will Arnett), is a washed-up former star who aims for a resurgence in his celebrity career. Aside from The Righteous Gemstones being raucous and silly on the surface, the depiction of its characters' inner demons is analogous to BoJack Horseman. That being said, it is an adult animated comedy at heart with clever writing and smart wordplay, and references that can possess moments of true realism in how it tackles taboo and sometimes controversial subjects.

The White Lotus

Characters from The White Lotus walking together

A new addition to the HBO library, the comedy-drama anthology series The White Lotus premiered this past summer as a prime example of effectively balancing humorous satire with a dark and slow-boiling tension. The ensemble cast of idiosyncratic characters find themselves vacationing at a tropical resort in Hawaii, where their respective dilemmas unfolding within this supposed paradise accentuate the lead-up to a foreshadowed climax.

Related: The Worst Thing Each Main Character Did In The White Lotus

While originally intended to be a miniseries, critical acclaim and largely positive feedback from audiences led to the production of an upcoming second season featuring a change in location and a new cast of characters. Fans of The Righteous Gemstones may find a sense of familiarity in the series' approach to satire (in this case, related to class structures) and how it effectively sets the tone with oddball vacationers.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

The cast of It's Always Sunny wearing yellow outfits and smiling

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered its fifteenth season on FXX at the beginning of last month and the result consistently hits the mark. The central group of characters, often referred to as "The Gang," own and run the fictional Irish Bar Paddy's Pub in South Philadelphia. The bar, however, is a largely unsuccessful business and members of "The Gang" frequently spend their time planning ridiculous antics and schemes. An aggressively rude and self-serving tone amongst the characters and their distasteful actions draw many similarities to The Righteous Gemstones; the sociopathic and codependent members of "The Gang" are frequently tossing one another to the curb if the end result is personal gain, which also explains the many comparisons between this show and Seinfeld that critics and viewers have drawn.

Kevin Can F**k Himself

Allison sitting at a table outside, looking upset with her hands on her face.

Another balancing act of snarky satire and subversive drama in the form of a glaring social statement, AMC's Kevin Can F**k Himself utilizes a strategic blend of television genres and an ironic deployment of common tropes. Unhappy in her marriage, Allison McRoberts (Annie Murphy) assumes the role of the stereotypical wife to a boorish yet likable husband Kevin, à la traditional laugh track sitcoms such as The King of Queens.

Related: 10 Most Rewatchable Sitcoms Of All Time

While sequences between the husband and wife are shown in a multi-camera format embellished with canned studio laughter, a contrasting perspective filmed in a single-camera format reminiscent of television dramas displays Allison's drastic attempt to take control of her own life. Despite being more hard-hitting as a drama, the show is as much a satire as The Righteous Gemstones is with their clear influence from famous televangelists like Tammy Faye Bakker.

Big Time in Hollywood, FL

Jon looking confused in Big Time in Hollywood, FL

Relatively unknown to most audiences and lasting for only a single season on Comedy Central back in 2015, Big Time in Hollywood, FL is a hidden gem that is outrageously funny with the pedal to the floor throughout the entirety of its 10-episode run. Siblings Jack Dolfe (Alex Anfanger) and Ben Dolfe (Lenny Jacobson) are aspiring filmmakers who are told they have two weeks to move out of their parents' home and find "real" jobs. In an effort to scam their parents out of $20,000 to support their ambitions, including a plan involving a dangerous "drug dealer," a sequence of events is ignited that results in a wildly entertaining snowball effect. The action sequences, like The Righteous Gemstones, pack quite a punch in this fast-paced narrative while remaining grounded in the comedy of the unfortunate situation the characters find themselves in.

Next: The 10 Funniest Quotes In The Righteous Gemstones