The 10 Funniest Shows on Netflix to Stream Right Now

Netflix's main strength has always been its original programming, and while there are plenty of great original films and dramas available on the streaming service, the real standouts in its line-up are its comedies. There are plenty of great Netflix original comedies to choose from, and all of them are hilarious in their own way.

On top of being just as funny (and in many cases, funnier) than anything on network or cable television, these Netflix comedies are also able to dive into thematic material that might be too heavy for more traditional shows. That gives these programs a clear edge and allows the jokes to dive a little deeper than just resting on the surface.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

There are plenty of sitcoms that have been rebooted or remade in one way or another, and yet it's one of the best that has become a sleeper hit for Netflix. One Day at a Time, based on the 1975 sitcom created by Norman Lear, follows the life of a single mother played by Justina Machado raising two kids and living with her mother (played by Rita Moreno).

The show, which is also executive produced by Lear, deals with real issues, including PTSD (Machado's character is a veteran), homophobia, and immigration (the family is Latino). Despite its focus on serious issues, the show is often hilarious and isn't afraid to have fun with its premise.

SANTA CLARITA DIET

When Santa Clarita Diet was first being promoted, very little about its premise was known. All that was clear was that this was a show starring Drew Barrymore as a suburban mother living in California. However, with the show being created by Better Off Ted creator Victor Fresco, viewers should have known there would be more to the story.

And boy was there ever. In the very first episode of the series, Barrymore's character succumbs to a strange illness which leaves her undead and craving human flesh. Her husband, played with hilarious aplomb by Timothy Olyphant does his level best to keep things from getting out of control, with little success. The show is darkly funny, finding humor in both the veneer of suburban life and bloody violence.

AMERICAN VANDAL

With the success of true crime documentaries like Making a Murderer and The Keepers on Netflix, it only made sense for there to be a parody of these kinds of shows. It came in the form of American Vandal, a mockumentary about two students investigating a major crime at their school for which the most likely suspect may have been wrongly accused.

The show was frequently hilarious and did a great job poking fun at some of the tropes found in true crime documentaries. On top of that, the characters were well-developed and it was easy to get attached to them. In the second season, the "filmmakers" investigate a new incident at a Catholic private school.

W/ BOB & DAVID

David Cross Jay Johnston and Bob Odenkirk in With Bob and David

Anyone who loves sketch comedy has probably watched at least a few episodes of Mr. Show, the innovative and truly hilarious HBO series created by David Cross and Bob Odenkirk. The pair returned to sketch comedy once again with their Netflix series, W/ Bob & David.

The series was incredibly similar to Mr. Show, with sketches often transitioning into one another and relying on bizarre premises that also acted as social critiques. The series even had many of the original writers and performers return, including comedians Paul F. Tompkins and Scott Aukerman.

DISENCHANTMENT

Five years after Futurama aired its last episode, Matt Groening returned to the world of animated sitcoms with the Netflix series, Disenchantment. The series stars Abbi Jacobson as Princess Bean, the rebellious teenage daughter of King Zog, who just wants to drink, hang out, and have fun.

The show also stars Nat Faxon and Eric Andre as Elfo (an elf) and Luci (a demon). Together, the three cohorts embark on different quests and try to keep the kingdom from falling into chaos. The show is not only a hilarious take on the fantasy genre, but it also has a compelling story that unfolds gradually over its first ten episodes.

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: FIRST DAY OF CAMP

Anyone who had the pleasure of seeing Wet Hot American Summer when it was just a small-time cult comedy knew that it was special. Not only was the film incredibly hilarious, but it featured a cast of future all-stars including Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper (in his first film role ever!).

In 2015, the entire cast of the film returned for the Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. The premise itself was a joke, as the film, which was released in 2001, was about the last day of camp. The cast, now being 14 years older, all played slightly younger versions of their former characters on the first day of camp.

F IS FOR FAMILY

Bill Burr has made a name for himself by joking about touchy subjects in his stand up. His animated Netflix show, F is for Family similarly does not shy away from observations that might make some people feel uncomfortable, but there is a lot of truth in the show and how it dissects life in the '70s.

Burr plays Frank, a father of three who is also a Korean War veteran. Frank tries his best to deal with all of the various problems that come his way (such as being laid off and trying to understand the changing world) but often falls short. Though the show is rough around the edges, it has a real heart at its center.

BIG MOUTH

There has never been a show quite like Big Mouth. The animated Netflix series created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett is inspired by Kroll's and Goldberg's adolescent years, and the difficulties they faced as they went through puberty.

Even the show can get incredibly raunchy, it really hits the experience of growing up and the subsequent biological changes perfectly. It features plenty of hilarious and imaginative characters, along with storylines that really ring true for anyone who remembers their awkward years.

BOJACK HORSEMAN

If Netflix does one thing right with its original content, it is its collection of outstanding animated programs, led by the incomparable Bojack Horseman. The show revolves around the life of the titular washed-up TV star as he tries to navigate his way back into a viable career.

The show's setting, a world where anthropomorphic animals and humans live in harmony, somehow makes the Hollywood satire even funnier. Yet, for all of the jokes (and there are plenty of jokes), the show can also be heart-wrenchingly sad, demonstrating just how strong the writing is.

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt might be over, but there is never a bad time to dive into this hilarious, joke-filled comedy from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. Ellie Kemper stars as the titular character, a woman who begins her life anew after being freed from a bunker where she was kept for 15 years.

The show might be filled with all kinds of silly moments and wall-to-wall jokes, but unlike the sitcom it most resembles (30 Rock, also created by Fey), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt adds an extra thematic layer to its story by allowing Kimmy to grow from being a victim to being a successful woman who rebuilds her life and never gives up.