Michael Showalter has made quite a name for himself over the years thanks to the many hilarious and heartfelt projects he has worked on in the film and television industry. As a writer, producer, actor, and director, Showalter has over 150 various IMDb credits in total. Showalter's many credits span across multiple mediums, so naturally, there are plenty of projects that he has contributed to more than others.
Some of his more minor works include directing episodes of television shows such as Grace and Frankie, or guest starring in shows like Bob's Burgers. However, Showalter often takes on multiple roles in his productions both in front of and behind the camera. Of all his IMDb credits, it is clear which projects he has contributed to the most, as well as which ones are more successful than others, according to the site's users.
The Baxter (6.5) - Stream On AMC+
Written by, directed, and starring Michael Showalter, the 2005 movie The Baxter is one of his many romantic comedies. Inspired directly by classic Howard Hawk films, The Baxter follows a man (Showalter) whose life begins to fall apart right before his wedding when his fiancée's high school sweetheart reappears.
Also starring big names like Michelle Williams, Peter Dinklage, and Justin Theroux, The Baxter is one of Showalter's more moderately rated rom-coms on IMDb, but he is definitely no stranger to the genre. Other Showalter rom-coms include They Came Together with Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, and The Love Birds with Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, but those films fall short compared to The Baxter according to IMDb ratings.
Wet Hot American Summer (6.6) - Rent On DirecTV
2000 film Wet Hot American Summer is a cult classic from Michael Showalter and his frequent collaborator David Wain. The comedic summer camp movie set in 1981 is an incredibly enjoyable viewing experience constantly making fun of itself. It's full of quirky characters, purposeful continuity errors, hilarious adults playing hormonal teenagers, ridiculous gags and bits, all while taking place during one single day.
Even if the film isn't appealing to all audiences, it could be worth a watch simply to spot everyone in the star-studded cast. Tons of well-known actors grace the screen in Wet Hot American Summer, including Bradley Cooper in his first movie role, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, and many more.
Hello, My Name Is Doris (6.6) - Stream On Paramount+
Hello, My Name Is Doris is yet another romantic comedy from Showalter that he directed and co-wrote with Laura Terruso. A story about a woman in her 60s who pursues a much younger co-worker, Hello, My Name Is Doris largely focuses on the social gaps between generations through the use of light-hearted comedy.
The film stars renowned actress Sally Field as the titular Doris, and her charming co-worker is played by Max Greenfield, perhaps best known for his role as Schmidt on New Girl. Sally Field shines in this lively, comedic, slice-of-life role, and it is features tons of other lovable actors throughout as well.
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (6.9) - Stream On Netflix
Due to Wet Hot American Summer's cult success, Netflix ended up ordering spin-off series of the comedy over a decade later. Although it came out in 2017, two years after the first spin-off series in 2015, Ten Years Later is a direct sequel to the 2000 movie, playing off of a joke made in the original film about meeting up ten years in the future.
In both spin-offs, the majority of the main cast reprised their roles even after their careers changed drastically during the decade or so in-between projects. Ten Years Later follows the main characters in their late 20s, played by most of the same actors who were in their late 20s in the original film.
The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (7.2) - Stream On WOW
The Eyes Of Tammy Faye is Showalter's most recent big project released in 2021. He is the director of the biopic about televangelists Jim and Tammy Bakker that stars a-list actors Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield. Both actors had to undergo major makeup transformations in the movie in order to look more like their real life counterparts, and the film has already been in conversations revolving around potential Oscar nominations.
The film does wonders highlighting the dramatics of the Bakkers during their heyday, and it provides a raw look at what was really happening behind the scenes of the Bakker's Christian television programs. Notably, the film is far more dramatic than it is comedic which is not where Showalter typically thrives. However, the two genres are married perfectly in The Eyes Of Tammy Faye thanks to Showalter's expertise with the genre combo.
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp (7.4) - Stream On Netflix
The first Wet Hot American Summer Netflix spin-off was First Day Of Camp, a 2015 prequel to the 2000 film. In the spirit of the original film, the eight episode series First Day Of Camp takes place during just one day as well. Except of course, as the title suggests, it follows the first day of the 1981 summer camp rather than the last.
This prequel was much appreciated by fans as it was an unexpected addition to the adored original. The wacky characters reunited and took to the small screen for even more hilarity, and the series did so well that it warranted yet another spin-off, as mentioned earlier. Notably, First Day Of Camp is the highest-rated overall of all the Wet Hot American Summer installments, and both series are rated higher than their predecessor on IMDb.
The Big Sick (7.5) - Stream On Amazon Prime
Impressively, The Big Sick was the 2018 Oscar Winner for Best Original Screenplay. Written by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon about their real life romantic original story, the film follows the main characters' clashing of cultures during a comedic and emotional rollercoaster of situations. It was directed by Michael Showalter and is one of his only works to get major Oscar buzz so far.
Of all his projects, it's clear by the major jump in IMDb rating that The Big Sick is Showalter's best romantic comedy. The film is a touching slice-of-life and highly enjoyable, though a bit less energetic than Showalter's other upbeat comedies. Even those who are not fans of Showalter's typical style will likely enjoy The Big Sick, a great watch for rom-com lovers.
Search Party (7.7) - Stream On HBO Max
Showalter is the co-creator of the HBO show Search Party, a gripping thriller and comedy that follows a group of friends after a distant college companion goes missing. The series is rated 7.7 overall on IMDb, but many individual episodes are rated 9.0 or higher.
Search Party is still active today and is one of Showalter's current best. The episodes are quick and super engaging, making for a perfectly bingeable series. Those who have seen other Showalter projects will surely be able to see his influence in the show, especially in terms of comedy. He can be found acting in a few various episodes and is a main writer, director, and producer of the series as well.
Stella (7.9) - Stream On Hoopla
Showalter's television origins are in his comedy shows with collaborators David Wain and Michael Ian Black, one of them being the sketch show Stella. Showalter, Wain, and Black had been part of a comedy troupe of the same name for years before turning their shenanigans into a series in 2005. All three of them wrote, produced, and starred in the absurd comedy.
Stella is full of bizarre situations and high energy and even features some star-studded guest stars throughout the episodes. The show's humor is an evident foundation for comedic projects from the same team that came after, including Wet Hot American Summer. Being one of Showalter's highest rated on IMDb, his comedic talent has clearly been the biggest staple of his career.
The State (8.3) - Stream On Paramount+
According to IMDb, one of Michael Showalter's earliest professional television gigs is still one of his best. The State is yet another sketch comedy show that ran from 1993 to 1995. The show was full of variety comedy, so audiences never knew what to expect next from the eclectic series.
The State was created and written by Showalter and his comedic companions David Wain and Michael Ian Black, as well as many others including Joe Lo Truglio, best known for his role as Charles on Brooklyn 99. Members of the comedy troupe also starred in the various sketches, and it's a must-watch for fans of any type of upbeat sketch comedy.