Sometimes successful comedies have an inherent heart, like Bob’s Burgers, or focus on good people in unexpected situations, like Ted Lasso. Other comedies take the darker, oftentimes funnier route, showcasing the exploits of characters that lack empathy and social mores.
Selfishness and questionable morals allow characters to become entangled in and try to work their way out of the most hilarious of situations, and give shows more leeway to address delicate topics in a humorous way. The most self-serving, cruel, and egotistical characters make for some of the funniest shows on TV.
Seinfeld
The original “show about nothing," Seinfeld could be considered the godfather of shows about terrible people, inspiring shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The sitcom revolves around fictional comedian Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and his friends George, Elaine, and Kramer as they create ridiculous situations out of mundane activities.
The characters’ selfishness and lack of empathy play a big role in innumerable failed relationships, and by the series finale, the characters still fail to acknowledge their faults even while locked in a jail cell together, proving that they deserve each other. Seinfeld's success allowed other sitcoms to have terrible people as the lead characters in a network show rather than the supporting characters or villain roles they were previously relegated to in past shows.
30 Rock
The brainchild of Tina Fey, 30 Rock holds no punches as a comedic send-up of the inner workings of a network show, loosely based on her time at SNL. The characters do have some redeeming qualities, and Kenneth is a sweet ray of sunshine amongst a mass of selfish, hardened New Yorkers. Yet most of the characters such as Jenna Maroney care about nothing but their own careers and typify the showbiz cliche of vain celebrities who are only interested in themselves.
Co-starring Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, and Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock also has an incredible roster of memorable A-list guest stars including Matt Damon as Lemon’s on-again, off-again pilot boyfriend and Steve Buscemi, whose guest role inspired the iconic “How Do You Do, Fellow Kids” meme.
Party Down
Party Down is so good that it is being brought back from the dead by Starz for a limited series featuring most of the original cast, including Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, and Ken Marino. Lasting only two short seasons, the show addresses the trope of everyone in Hollywood, including the hired help, trying to make it in the business.
Selfish to the point of parody, the characters are hilariously self-deprecating and the revolving door of guest stars (like Kevin Hart and Steve Guttenberg) at each catered event opens the door for more ways for the group to not catch a break.
Community
From the twisted genius of Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty), Community follows a group of friends at Greendale Community College with a heavy dose of movie and pop culture references (usually spoken by Abed) and meta-humor. Beyond the facade of wholesome forever friendship, the study group pals are, well, mean (poor Todd).
Individually, they are narcissistic and self-absorbed with questionable morals. Jeff is manipulative, Pierce is a racist with no filter, Shirley barely sees her kids, Troy is childish and clings to his HS football hotshot past, Abed is frequently detached from reality, Annie is a control freak, and Britta likes bag-gels.
Arrested Development
The Bluths, plagued by poor business dealings by patriarch George Senior, are suddenly without their comfortable wealthy lifestyle, moving into a model home while trying to get their father out of prison. The smart comedy has layers upon layers of pun-heavy jokes that delight hardcore Arrested Development fans as they watch the Bluths unravel.
Pretty much every character is an awful person. Matriarch Lucille is cold and uncaring, although she coddles her youngest son Buster to the point of being a man-child. Even the most redeemable of the family, young George Michael, is plagued with the hots for his cousin Maeby.
Strangers With Candy
A riff on the after-school specials that address teen issues, Strangers With Candy is an under-appreciated comedy gem starring Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank, a forty-something morally-bereft ex-drug addict who starts over as a high school freshman.
In true teenage movie-of-the-week style, each episode tackles delicate topics and ends with an important lesson, the point of which Jerri always misses by a mile. Stephen Colbert co-stars as teacher Chuck Noblet, who represses his love affair with art teacher Mr. Jellineck, played by co-writer and fellow Second City alum Paul Dinello.
Archer
Detachment from emotional connections is one of the main themes running through spy stories like James Bond because having something to lose makes it harder to do whatever it takes to complete the job. Spies have to be terrible people in order to complete the mission and save the world.
Archer takes that cold indifference and ramps it up a few notches, assembling a spy agency of dishonest narcissists like the excessively cruel Malory, mad scientist Krieger, and whatever Cheryl is. Even the main character Sterling Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) is more concerned with his next cocktail and his lavish super-spy lifestyle than the people around him, including forever devoted manservant Woodhouse.
Reno 911!
A mockumentary in the same vein of The Office and Parks and Recreation, the now-classic comedy Reno 911! follows the inept sheriff's department of Reno, Nevada, complete with COPS-style bust scenes. The State alums and creators Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon, and Robert Ben Garant are also main cast members of the heavily improved comedy.
The hilarious situations that arise from the squad’s incompetence and ignorance are as funny as Lieutenant Dangle’s shorts are short. The show has a rabid fan base, resulting in numerous revivals including the recently released special Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon on Paramount+.
Childrens Hospital
If ER and Grey’s Anatomy had a baby, and that baby watched IASIP 24/7/365, you might get Childrens Hospital. Created by and starring Rob Cordry, the show takes absurdist humor to the extreme.
Set in a hospital for sick children, this short form comedy revolves around a cast of doctors so caught up in their own drama that they overlook the medically fragile young people in their care. Featuring an incredible all-star comedy cast including Ken Marino, Megan Mullaly, Michael Cera, and Henry Winkler, Childrens Hospital also spawned the Netflix spin-off Medical Police.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Just when viewers think Frank, Dennis, Dee, Mac, and Charlie have done everything possible that should land them in jail, they come up with an even crazier scheme that escalates out of control.
After 15 seasons, it is safe to say that the Gang is the absolute worst. They’re selfish, delusional, and have no capacity for compassion for their fellow humans, which contributes to some of the funniest television moments of all time. IASIP tackles every sensitive topic with equal irreverence, and fans love them for it.