The fish out of water story is one of the most prominent in television, and it almost always takes the form of a comedy. It’s not hard to see why: after all, there’s something intrinsically funny about someone taken out of their expected circumstances and placed into ones that are totally unfamiliar to them.
This is what one gets when one watches a show like Emily in Paris. Fortunately, there are quite a few other series out there that hit some of the same notes and provide many of the same pleasures as this quirky and endearing comedy.
Schitt’s Creek
Schitt’s Creek is one of those shows that started small but soon grew in popularity. It focuses on the Rose family, who unexpectedly find themselves poor and have to take up residence in the small, rustic town of Schitt’s Creek. It’s one of those comedies that somehow manages to be both outrageously funny and yet also touching.
Each season allows the Roses to grow and to find love, and the romance between Patrick and David is truly one for the ages.
Green Acres
Green Acres is, in some ways, the ultimate fish out of water comedy. Starring Eddie Albert and the divine Eva Gabor, it focuses on a pair of New York socialites who move to the country to embrace the bucolic lifestyle.
Though its humor might be a bit dated for some audiences, it still has quite a lot of charm, and there’s undeniable chemistry between Albert and Gabor. The rest of the cast is also excellent, and the humor holds up surprisingly well.
Lilyhammer
Those looking for a fish out of water comedy with a bit of an edge should check out this little comedy, which focuses on a mob boss who flees to Norway after being placed in witness protection.
It’s a truly hilarious comedy, and Steven Van Zandt shows that he has what it takes to not only act in serious dramatic roles but also comedic ones. What’s more, it also has a cameo from none other than Bruce Springsteen (who appears in the final episode).
Hart of Dixie
While the fish out of water sitcom takes many forms, it definitely seems to be dominated by doctors, many of whom have to move from some big city (usually New York) to some more provincial place (but then, everywhere is provincial when compared to New York).
In this case, the doctor is a young woman named Zoe Hart, who ends up in Alabama. The comedy may be a bit predictable, but that can be charming on its own.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
This comedy actually takes the fish out of water formula and inverts it, since it focuses on a young woman who actually escapes from an isolated place (as part of a deranged cult) and tries to take up a normal life in regular society. It’s a very quirky sort of comedy, made all the more so by the fact that it addresses a very serious set of issues.
There’s an undeniable charm to it, however, and that’s as true of the supporting cast as it is of the main character.
Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure is another blast from the past, this time from the late early 90s. Though it later expanded its focus, at first, the series mainly revolved around the main character of Joel, who ends up going to Alaska to practice medicine as a means of paying back his medical school expenses.
It’s a charming little show, full of characters that are as quirky as they are endearing. Though it’s very much a product of its time, there’s much about it that still reads as quite funny to modern audiences.
New Girl
There’s no doubt that Zoey Deschanel is an incredibly charming young actress, as she shows in this show, in which she plays the titular new girl, Jess, who moves in with a group of guys after a terrible breakup with her boyfriend.
It’s one of those shows that’s almost infectiously delightful, due to the undeniable chemistry among the main members of the cast. Gradually, Jess learns to adapt to her new surroundings, and the show is a pleasure from beginning to end.
Futurama
While most fish out of water shows focus on a person taken to a new location and struggling to adapt to a new social milieu, Futurama does something a little different and sends its main character to a new time, rather than just a new place.
The main character, Fry, ends up accidentally frozen on New Year’s Eve and wakes up several centuries later. It’s a truly hilarious show, particularly in its early seasons, and it helps that it has an undeniably excellent voice cast.
Lincoln Heights
Unlike most of the other series on this list, Lincoln Heights is a drama, focusing on a police officer who moves his family back to his home neighborhood, bringing his (rather reluctant) family with him.
In addition to its fish out of water elements, the show also focuses on many issues that were particularly important and topical, mainly involving race, policing, and the particular issues that face communities of color in the city of Los Angeles.
3rd Rock From the Sun
The 1990s was quite an interesting decade for the sitcom, as a series like 3rd Rock from the Sun makes abundantly clear. It was a quirky and endearing little show about three aliens who come to Earth and have to adapt to life as humans.
There’s so much to love about this show, but what really stands out is the cast. John Lithgow proves with this show that he’s an incredibly skilled actor, and as at home in a silly comedy as he is in a high drama.