The new comedy series Reservation Dogs has garnered quite a lot of praise for its willingness to both cast Native Americans in its central roles and to address life on a reservation. The humor in the series is unique and, at times, understated, but that’s very much in keeping with the tone of Taikia Waititi, who co-created the series with Sterling Harjo.
Though there are, unfortunately, relatively few series out there that tackle the Native American experience directly, there are many that have a similar sense of humor and a distinct style that fans of Reservation Dogs will enjoy.
What We Do In The Shadows (2019 - ) Available On Hoopla & DIRECTV
There’s something uniquely appealing about the mockumentary, the best of which manage to almost blur the line between fiction and reality. What We Do in the Shadows brings together the best of horror, mockumentary, and comedy, focusing as it does on four vampires who sometimes struggle to fit in with the modern world in which they live.
It also has a sense of humor and a certain loveability to the characters that is distinctly its own and will appeal to fans of Waiti’s work.
Wellington Paranormal (2018 - ) Available On HBO Max & FuboTV
The success of What We Do in the Shadows was such that it received its own spinoff, Wellington Paranormal, which focuses on a group of policemen who, as the title suggests, are tasked with investigating supernatural crimes and occurrences in Wellington, New Zealand.
Like its parent series, the show has a very unique sensibility, but there’s no denying that the cast turn in some strong performances. The series also breathes some fresh life into the established sitcom form of the workplace comedy.
Rutherford Falls (2021 - ) Available On Disney+ & Hulu
The streaming service Peacock hit the ground running, with a number of dramas and comedies in its beginning slate. One of these is Rutherford Falls, which focuses on the conflicts that roil a small town when a statue of its founder is damaged. Soon, two friends, one White and one Native American, find themselves on opposite sides of the growing divide.
Though the series addresses some significant issues -- including American history, the rights of Native Americans, and the legacy of colonialism -- it does so with a light touch, and it never asks the audience to dislike any of its major characters.
Letterkenny (2016 - ) Available On Hulu
This is something of a golden age for off-beat comedies, and that is a perfect word to describe the Canadian series, Letterkenny. Set in a small Canadian town, it follows the (mis)adventures of the town’s various residents, including the nearby First Nations village.
Like Reservation Dogs, it uses comedy to explore some of the major issues affecting various communities. What’s more, it shows that small-town people often possess a wit and wisdom that outsiders and those from the big city don’t always appreciate.
Los Espookys (2018 - ) Available On HBO Max & DIRECTV
Like What We Do in the Shadows, Los Espookys takes the established tropes and expectations that audiences have of horror and examines them in a new light.
The series revolves around a group of horror fans who want to take their fandom and make a living out of it. And, like Reservation Dogs, it’s sometimes difficult to put a finger on exactly what makes the comedy work. In fact, it’s precisely this off-beat and pointed approach to humor that makes it such an appealing, and at times challenging, series to watch.
Flight Of The Conchords (2007 - 2009) Available On HBO Max & DIRECTV
Though it was made in the mid-2000s, Flight of the Conchords is one of those shows that seems to only get better with age. It features a real-life comedy duo as fictional versions of themselves as they try to make it in the United States as a folk duo.
Part of the show’s appeal lay in its juxtaposition of the pair’s earnestness about their feelings with a generally low-key atmosphere. It’s just this strange mix that makes it an ideal choice for those who find themselves enjoying Reservation Dogs.
Kim’s Convenience (2016 - 2021) Available On Netflix
Just as Reservoir Dogs focuses on the experiences of Native American youth on a reservation, Kim's Convenience, another Canadian comedy series, focuses on a Korean family and their convenience store in Toronto. And, like the new series from Waitii, it manages to engage with serious issues affecting immigrant communities without falling into being either didactic or lecturing.
The humor, however, often lurks just beneath the surface, and it’s a series that strikes a balance between making the audience laugh and making them think about the world around them.
Derry Girls (2018 - ) Available On Netflix
At first glance, it might not seem like a series set during the Troubles in Northern Island would make for a very funny sitcom, but Derry Girls manages to find the humor even in this dark period of history.
Like Reservation Dogs, the series does not try to avoid the realities of what life was like during the Troubles, particularly for teenagers, and many of its characters endure difficulties. However, it also never loses sight of the fact that its primary job is to make people laugh, and its dark humor is perfectly calibrated.
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (2020 - 2021) Available On Hulu & FuboTV
Some sitcoms succeed because of their writing, and others on the basis of their characters. The series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay succeeds in both areas. The series focuses on the character of Nicholas, who goes to the United States to reconnect with his father and two half-sisters.
Things take a darker turn when he learns that his father is dying, and things get even bleaker when the show actually addresses the COVID-19 pandemic in its storylines. Somehow, though, it still strikes the perfect balance between addressing serious issues and making its audience laugh.
Schitt's Creek (2015 - 2020) Available On Netflix
When it comes to sweetness and humor, no show quite compares to Schitt’s Creek. While it began as a fairly typical fish-out-of-water story about a wealthy family that falls on hard times and must move into a shabby hotel in a small town, it soon showed that it was capable of showing the real humanity and depth of its characters.
By the end of the series, all of the characters had learned a great deal about themselves and about the values of family, small-town life, and simple living.