The 25 best comedy series on Max right now

The 25 best comedy series on Max right now
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These 25 must-watch Max shows offer something for everyone, and that something is laughter.

Spring is upon us and the laughs are in full bloom over at Max. Boasting an impressive TV comedy catalogue with titles varying in tone, style, and subject matter, the one thing all the shows on this list have in common is a guaranteed ability to generate laughs. From the seasoned pros who created the Emmy-winning series Barry to the up-and-coming talents featured in Mindy Kaling's The Sex Lives of College Girls, Max is here to tickle the funny bones of comedic tastemakers and traditionalists alike.

Read on for the best comedy shows on Max.

2 Dope Queens (2018–2019)

Mindy Tucker/HBO
Mindy Tucker/HBO

Based on the popular podcast hosted by comedians Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, HBO's 2 Dope Queens isn't so much a traditional television show as it is a series of comedy specials, each boasting a distinct theme. Consisting of four episodes in Season 1 (centered around the topics of black nerdery, hook-ups, hair, and living in New York City), and four episodes in Season 2 (exploring themes of luxury, music, fashion, and nostalgia), 2 Dope Queens invites comedians and celebrities alike to sit with its hysterical hosts and kibitz for each of the show's hour-long episodes. Directed by comedian Tig Notaro, 2 Dope Queens — like the podcast on which the show is based — seeks to explore representation, while still exposing audiences to some of the best established and up-and-coming comics circa the late-2010s. An obvious choice for fans of the podcast — as well as newcomers to Williams' and Robinson's work — 2 Dope Queens is a unique and easily bingeable option for comedy lovers from all walks of life.

Where to watch 2 Dope Queens: Max

Cast: Jessica Williams, Phoebe Robinson

Related content: 2 Dope Queens Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson share their own dope queens

Abbott Elementary (2021—present)

Pamela Littky/ABC The cast of 'Abbott Elementary'
Pamela Littky/ABC The cast of 'Abbott Elementary'

If you're loving our Ted Lasso-era of feel-good comedies, then you need to hop aboard the school bus headed for Abbott Elementary. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, the sitcom returns to the mockumentary format made famous by shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation, but manages to distinguish itself through its impeccable writing, performances, and armory of adorable child actors. Set in an underfunded Philadelphia elementary school, Abbott Elementary chronicles the lives of the school's young, idealistic teachers, its established, burnt-out educators, and the school's self-involved, TikTok-loving principal. A critical and commercial hit from the jump, the first season saw Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph taking home Emmys, and with education becoming an increasing subject of cultural and political discussion, the show's satirical possibilities are infinite.

Where to watch Abbott Elementary: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Chris Perfetti, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Janelle James

Related content: Quinta Brunson just won an Emmy over Jimmy Kimmel's dead body

Barry (2018–2023)

HBO
HBO

Those who like a little action with their comedy need look no further than the Emmy-winning series Barry, created by Bill Hader. The show follows Barry Berkman (Hader), a hitman from Cleveland who travels to Los Angeles on assignment to kill his next victim, but who ends up finding a new career path in the City of Angels: acting. As Barry tries to pursue his new passion onstage in Gene Cousineau's (Henry Winkler) acting class, he must figure out how to cut ties to his criminal past so he can take on more enticing roles. The fourth and final season, which premiered its last episode in May 2023, takes on a bleaker tone while still maintaining the show's brilliance, and continues to interrogate the thematic premise of redemption and whether or not people can really change.

Where to watch Barry: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Cast: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler, Sarah Burns, Robert Wisdom

Related content: Bill Hader says goodbye to Barry

The Comeback (2005, 2014)

John P. Johnson/HBO Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish on 'The Comeback'
John P. Johnson/HBO Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish on 'The Comeback'

Almost exactly a year after Friends went off the air, Lisa Kudrow was back on TV, starring in HBO's The Comeback. Created by Kudrow and Sex and the City's Michael Patrick King, the show is a unique fusion of sitcom and reality show, chronicling the comeback of fictional sitcom star Valerie Cherish (Kudrow) as she returns to TV. Shot using found footage, the show was stylistically ahead of its time which is maybe why — despite developing a cult following — it was canceled after one season. Hindsight is everything, however, and in 2014, the show returned for a second season, this time following Cherish as she attempts to pitch a pilot to Bravo personality and producer Andy Cohen. Smart, satirical, and offering exceptional insights into the television industry, The Comeback is a delight and a necessary reminder for audiences that Kudrow's comedic talents far exceed what she was allowed to showcase on Friends.

Where to watch The Comeback: Max

Cast: Lisa Kudrow, Malin Åkerman, Robert Bagnell, Lance Barber, Robert Michael Morris, Laura Silverman, Damian Young

Related Content: Lisa Kudrow recreates The Comeback scene in sweet reunion with costar Dan Bucatinsky

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024)

John P. Johnson/ HBO Larry David on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
John P. Johnson/ HBO Larry David on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

In the sitcom Seinfeld, George Costanza's character serves as a stand-in for show creator Larry David, possessing the best and worst of David's neuroticisms, anxieties, and questionable belief systems. In Curb Your Enthusiasm, David ditches the character and goes straight to the source: himself. Over the course of 12 seasons — which has been airing on and off since 2000, with a six-year gap between seasons 8 and 9, and is concluding its final season in 2024 — David stacks the cast with friends and celebrities, most of whom play fictionalized versions of themselves. The show follows David, a semi-retired comedy writer and producer, as he navigates life in Los Angeles, his relationship with his wife, Cheryl, his manager, Jeff, Jeff's wife, Susie, and his friend, Leon. Poking fun at L.A. culture, the entertainment industry, and most of all, himself, David spends the series reminding us why he's one of the funniest, most prolific, and most self-aware comedy writers of all time.

Where to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm: Max

Cast: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove

Related content: The 25 best episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm

The Flight Attendant (2020–2022)

Lara Solanki/ HBOMax Kaley Cuoco on 'The Flight Attendant'
Lara Solanki/ HBOMax Kaley Cuoco on 'The Flight Attendant'

TV star Kaley Cuoco jumps from strength to strength, leaving her long-running gig on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory in 2019, only to star in the Max Original comedy drama thriller The Flight Attendant a year later. Cassie Bowden (Cuoco) is a flight attendant whose reckless drinking and proclivity for casual sex with passengers lands her a spot as a person of interest in an FBI investigation into the Bangkok murder of one of her former passengers — and sexual partners. Possessing no memory of what took place the night of the murder and haunted by hallucinations, Cassie attempts to clear her name and solve the crime, but finds her efforts compromised by her frequent drinking and self-destructive tendencies. Well-received by critics and audiences alike, Cuoco is a scene stealer, even as her hot mess character is drunkenly causing scenes.

Where to watch The Flight Attendant: Max

Cast: Kayley Cuoco, Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet, T. R. Knight, Michelle Gomez, Colin Woodell, Merle Dandridge, Griffin Matthews, Nolan Gerard Funk, Rosie Perez, Deniz Akdeniz, Mo McRae, Callie Hernandez, J.J. Soria, Cheryl Hines

Related content: Flight Attendant EP Kaley Cuoco says one costar's audition made her 'just start bawling'

Hacks (2021–present)

Karen Ballard/HBO Max
Karen Ballard/HBO Max

An odd couple comedy, Hacks is the story of two women — both on the outs in the entertainment industry — who are forced to work together, only to find that in spite of their generational and personality differences, they have more in common than either would care to admit. Ava (Hannah Einbinder) is a millennial comedy writer who has recently been "canceled," and Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, fresh off back-to-back Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series) is a seasoned Las Vegas stand-up comedian entering the twilight phase of her career, but unwilling to accept it. Since no one else in the industry is willing to work with them, their agent, Jimmy (Paul W. Downs), decides to pair the two together in hopes that they can save each other. An excellent option for those looking to fill the Broad City-sized hole in their hearts, Hacks is a witty, relevant examination of the entertainment industry, the evolution of feminism, and the pros and cons of dating in Las Vegas. Season 3 begins May 2, with the finale airing May 30.

Where to watch Hacks: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Paul W. Downs, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, Megan Stalter

Related content: Hacks gets a season 3 after fears the series had taken its final bow

High Maintenance (2016–2020)

David Russell/HBO/Courtesy Everett Collection
David Russell/HBO/Courtesy Everett Collection

One of the most unique comedies on this list, High Maintenance had an unconventional path to broadcast. A former Vimeo web series, the show follows a New York City-based weed dealer — known to his many customers as "the Guy" — as he bikes around the boroughs delivering weed and interacting with his eccentric clients. Debuting in 2012 as short episodes clocking in between five and 20 minutes, the show made the leap to HBO in 2016 where it expanded its content to a consistent half-hour format. An intimate anthology series that feels specific to the 2010s, the show features different clients each week and uses their specific points of view and living situations as jumping-off points to explore and parody themes like loneliness, connection, politics, and so much more. Featuring some of the most thoughtful, funny, and insightful character studies on TV, the episodes unfold like one-act plays, with the Guy serving as the narrative thread that holds it all together.

Where to watch High Maintenance: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Ben Sinclair

Related content: How High Maintenance season 2 saved its creators from themselves

Insecure (2016–2021)

HBO Yvonne Orji and Issa Rae on HBO's 'Insecure'
HBO Yvonne Orji and Issa Rae on HBO's 'Insecure'

Two years after Broad City made the leap from web series to Comedy Central, HBO responded with its own digital-to-broadcast success story. Partially based on Issa Rae's hit YouTube show The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, Insecure was codeveloped by Rae and comedian Larry Wilmore, and stars Rae opposite Yvonne Orji as Issa and Molly, two college best friends trying to navigate the real world as adults living in South Los Angeles. Simple in its premise but refined and hysterical in its execution, the show examines the relatable issues that plague every generation of twentysomethings: uninspired relationships, complicated friendships, career difficulties, and the journey to independence and self-acceptance. A show that created a cult-like fan base and launched Rae into stardom, Insecure is, as EW's critic writes, "smart, funny, and unfailingly real."

Where to watch Insecure: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Lisa Joyce, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales

Related content: From Insecure to Rap Sh!t, Amy Aniobi is rooting for — and lifting up — Black creatives

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (2014–present)

Paula Lobo/HBO
Paula Lobo/HBO

The Daily Show took a hit when Senior British Correspondent John Oliver departed after a seven-year run to host his own late-night series on HBO. A weekly, half-hour talk show that explores topical events through monologues, short satirical segments, and one targeted deep dive per episode, the series instantly charmed viewers and critics while simultaneously evoking ire from many politicians and big businesses who were on the receiving end of its coverage.

One of the few television series whose content has contributed to real legislative and cultural change, the show has no problem biting the hand that feeds it, inviting more than a few enemies and at least one defamation lawsuit (which ended poorly for the plaintiff). Educational, subversive, silly, and consistently funny, there's a reason that Last Week Tonight With John Oliver has received eight consecutive Emmy wins for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.

Where to watch Last Week Tonight With John Oliver: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: John Oliver

Related content: Why the Last Week Tonight With John Oliver writing team dedicated their Emmy win to Adam Driver

Los Espookys (2019–2022)

HBO
HBO

A Spanish-language comedy series created by and starring Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, and Fred Armisen, Los Espookys follows a group of friends — and one of their uncles, an esteemed parking attendant, played by Armisen — who form a business aimed at designing and executing fake horror experiences. From faux exorcisms for competitive priests to creating sea monsters and faking abductions, the staff at Los Espookys is happy to serve as the local purveyors of made-up terror. A perfect balance of scary and silly, the first season offers six bingeable episodes (the seventh was delayed by COVID-19), but as an EW critic warns, "If you're not comfortable laughing out loud to yourself at unpredictable intervals, Los Espookys may not be the show for you." Another devastating casualty of the pandemic, Los Espookys quickly gained traction when it premiered in 2019, but production delays caused the second season to be pushed back until 2022, and HBO canceled the show soon after. But even as we mourn the loss of another show gone too soon, we have to give credit to Los Espookys, one of the few series capable of scaring you with how funny it is.

Where to watch Los Espookys: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Bernardo Velasco, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, Fred Armisen

Related content: Los Espookys creators on Isabella Rossellini's foul-mouthed finale cameo

Mr. Show With Bob and David (1995–1998)

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment/Everett
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment/Everett

The best sketch series from the late '90s that nobody knew about was Mr. Show With Bob and David. Broadcast on HBO between 1995 and 1998, the show amassed a cult-like following of writers, comedians, and in-the-know comedy fans who saw it as the heir apparent to smart, absurdist variety series like Monty Python, SCTV, and Kids in the Hall. Boasting a slew of celebrity admirers — among them Conan O'Brien, Janeane Garofalo, Jordan Peele, and Keegan-Michael KeyMr. Show was created, written, and executive produced by David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, who somehow also found time to star in the series. Although it never received the network support it needed or found the following it deserved during its four-season cable run, Mr. Show remains must-see TV for comedy lovers and fans of irreverent, satirical humor.

Where to watch Mr. Show: Max

Cast: Bob Odenkirk, David Cross

Related content: David Cross on his jump from Mr. Show to prime time

The Other Two (2019–2023)

HBO MAX Molly Shannon on 'The Other Two'
HBO MAX Molly Shannon on 'The Other Two'

For every prepubescent YouTube singer that makes it big, there are two adult siblings failing at life. Or at least that's the case in The Other Two, a comedy following the less successful older brother and sister of 13-year-old Chase Dubeck (Case Walker) as the family deals with his overnight success. Chase's viral acclaim comes as something of a shock to Cary Dubeck (Drew Tarver), a gay actor looking to make it big by any means necessary, and his sister, Brooke (Heléne Yorke), a former professional dancer who is now working as a real estate agent, and squatting in the beautiful New York City apartments she shows. While Brooke and Cary struggle to find their way out of Chase's shadow, their mother Pat Dubeck (Molly Shannon) discovers she was made for Hollywood, and easily acclimates to the family's new lifestyle of the rich and the famous. Created by two former co-head writers of Saturday Night Live, The Other Two puts the family through absurd situations on their journey through fame, but every now and then, they get a win.

Where to watch The Other Two: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Heléne Yorke, Drew Tarver, Case Walker, Ken Marino, Molly Shannon, Brandon Scott Jones, Josh Segarra

Related content: The Other Two is finally coming back — and it's got a stacked lineup of season 3 guest stars

Our Flag Means Death (2022–2023)

Aaron Epstein/HBO Max
Aaron Epstein/HBO Max

Travel back in time to the 1700s with Our Flag Means Death, Max's pirate rom-com that has captured viewers' attention thanks to its hilarious characters and significant LGBTQ+ representation. The energetic comedy is loosely based on the real life of Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) who left his lavish home in Barbados to prove himself as a pirate aboard a ship named Revenge. A cheeky farce featuring Taika Waititi as Blackbeard and Joel Fry as Frenchie, Our Flag Means Death also offers a softer side, and doesn't shy away from creating heartfelt queer romantic arcs for its leading characters. The series has also received praise for including a nonbinary pirate, played by Vico Ortiz, who tells EW that part of what made their character — and the show's queer story lines — so authentic was that the writers' room reflected the diversity shown on screen.

Where to watch Our Flag Means Death: Max

Cast: Rhys Darby, Ewen Bremner, Joel Fry, Samson Kayo, Con O'Neill, Nathan Foad, Vico Ortiz, Kristian Nairn, Matthew Maher, Guz Khan, David Fane, Samba Schutte, Rory Kinnear, Nat Faxon, Taika Waititi

Related content: The Our Flag Means Death crew breaks down the finale's tender, swashbuckling romance

PAUSE With Sam Jay (2021–2022)

Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO

Stand-up comedian and SNL writer Sam Jay brings a unique talk show experience to the network with her series PAUSE With Sam Jay. The show, co-created by the comedian, turns late night into a party — literally. Every week, Sam cohosts a soiree at her apartment and invites her guests to delve into cultural issues ranging from race relations and politics to sexual identity and celebrity. Also featuring interviews, sketches, and animation, PAUSE takes late night out of the studio and into the real world, creating an authenticity and ease that is not generally associated with the genre. With party guests that include some of comedy's most established and up-and-coming talents, PAUSE is a talk show for comedy fans, cultural critics, and anyone who is down for some good conversation. Season 2 wrapped in July of 2022, and Jay confirmed in February of 2023 that there will be no season 3. There are only 14 half-hour episodes available between the series' two seasons, which makes PAUSE the ideal show for a weekend binge.

Where to watch PAUSE With Sam Jay: Max

Cast: Sam Jay

Related content: Teddy Ray, Pause With Sam Jay comedian and Messyness cohost, dies at 32

Pushing Daisies (2007–2009)

ADAM TAYLOR/ABC Anna Friel and Lee Pace on 'Pushing Daisies'
ADAM TAYLOR/ABC Anna Friel and Lee Pace on 'Pushing Daisies'

The 2007/2008 Writers Guild strike was responsible for many television deaths, but one of the saddest was the cancellation of Pushing Daisies, an hour-long comedy-drama that aired on ABC for only two seasons, in spite of its seven Emmy wins. The show follows professional pie maker Ned (Lee Pace), who possesses a supernatural, albeit slightly inconvenient, gift: He can bring anyone back to life with just one touch, but if he touches the person more than once, they'll die again. This proves to be something of a catch-22 when Ned brings his childhood crush Chuck (Anna Friel) back to life, only to realize that a physical relationship with her is now out of the question. Also starring Kristin Chenoweth and narrated by Jim Dale (whose comforting British accent and timbre you might recognize from the Harry Potter audiobooks), Pushing Daisies offers a whimsical plot and the kind of beautiful production design that would have inspired many a Pinterest board — if Pinterest had been around back in 2007.

Where to watch Pushing Daisies: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Field Cate, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Kristin Chenoweth

Related content: Pushing Daisies: Do you still wish ABC would wake it from the dead?

Rap Sh!t (2022–2023)

Alicia Vera/HBO Max
Alicia Vera/HBO Max

When Mia Knight (KaMillion) reaches out to her old high school friend Shawna (Aida Osman), all she's looking for is a babysitter. What she gets instead is a rap group and a viral single. Based on the real-life rap duo City Girls (both of whom are co-executive producers on this series), Rap Sh!t isn't just a show about music — it's a show about friendship, motherhood, and chasing a dream. Mia and Shawna are both musicians, but they have different artistic sensibilities and priorities. Shawna, a college dropout, wants to use her music to advocate for social issues, while Mia believes true female empowerment in music is being able to rap about whatever you want (with an emphasis on sex and partying). Representing Issa Rae's second project with Max after her celebrated hit Insecure, the series launched two seasons before being canceled in January 2024.

Where to watch Rap Sh!t: Max

Cast: Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, RJ Cyler

Related content: Inside the making of Rap Sh!t's bops

The Rehearsal (2022–present)

HBO
HBO

Comedian Nathan Fielder has elevated cringe comedy to an art form, and nowhere is this illustrated more clearly than on The Rehearsal, a docu-comedy series created, written, directed by, and starring Fielder. The show's premise is simple: What if you could make all of life's difficult moments easier by rehearsing for them first? The show's execution (and budget), however, are out of this world, taking each rehearsal and heightening it to the extreme through the use of sets, costuming, casting, and — in a few cases — questionable ethics. The production value is impressive, but it's Fielder's singular logic, deadpan style of delivery, and willingness to turn the camera on himself and examine his own life that takes the series from high-concept sketch comedy to emotionally investing performance art. In less deft hands, the show could veer dangerously into Punk'd territory, but Fielder's willingness to take accountability for the moments in this social experiment that go sideways helps ground the series in reality. One of the most creative and meta shows on television today (or perhaps ever), the less you know about The Rehearsal going into it, the more you'll enjoy the series.

Where to watch The Rehearsal: Max

Cast: Nathan Fielder

Related content: HBO renews The Rehearsal for season 2, giving Nathan Fielder more time to practice

Search Party (2016–2022)

Macall B. Polay/HBO Max
Macall B. Polay/HBO Max

A fusion of dark comedy, social satire, mystery, and thriller, TBS found themselves with a late-night sleeper hit when they started airing Search Party in the late-2010s. A story of the twentysomething tendency to seek purpose — and the issues that arise when one finds it in the wrong places — the series follows Dory (Alia Shawkat), a Brooklyn resident stuck in a bad relationship and surrounded by self-involved friends, who discovers her college acquaintance Chantal has gone missing. As Dory becomes increasingly obsessed with finding Chantal, her interest propels her into dangerous situations with untrustworthy people, and the more she invests in the girl's life, the more her own falls apart. A story told over five seasons with an arc that no one saw coming, Search Party is a story of misguided Millennials searching for meaning.

Where to watch Search Party: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Alia Shawkat, John Reynolds, John Early, Meredith Hagner

Related content: Kathy Griffin gleefully announces she's 'cancer-free' and 'uncanceled' as she joins Search Party

The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021–present)

HBO Max Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, and Alexia Loannides on 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'
HBO Max Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, and Alexia Loannides on 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'

Every generation deserves its own version of Sex and the City, and for Gen Z, that show arrives in the form of The Sex Lives of College Girls. Produced by The Office's Mindy Kaling — and receiving far more love than her other project, Velma — the series follows four young women from across the United States as they attend a fictional college in Vermont. Representing different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, and possessing different sexual preferences and attitudes towards college hookup culture, the show is fast becoming the sexually liberated, comedic romp that SATC was for Millennials. The Sex Lives of College Girls has a definite target audience in mind, but that doesn't mean the show doesn't appeal to those outside of that demographic — and with two seasons complete and a third on its way, this Max favorite is well worth a look, if only an exploratory one.

Where to watch The Sex Lives of College Girls: Max

Cast: Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Gavin Leatherwood

Related content: The Sex Lives of College Girls star Reneé Rapp would like your attention, please

Silicon Valley (2014–2019)

Ali Paige Goldstein/HBO
Ali Paige Goldstein/HBO

In the 2010s, startup culture demanded to be made fun of — and HBO's Silicon Valley obliged. The six-season comedy series chronicles the story of coder Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) as he attempts to launch his startup Pied Piper and keep the company relevant in the face of competitors, investors with ill intentions, and the general chaos that governs the tech industry. A show written by nerds, for nerds, and about nerds, Silicon Valley offers some of the best satire of Bay Area geek culture that exists today, parodying the cycle of success and failure that powers the startup community, and humanizing the people who keep it running. A quick-witted, joke-heavy, buzzword-utilizing time capsule of what the 2010s were like for a certain subset of entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley is funny regardless of the audience's familiarity with the subject matter — but for those who have lived the tech life, the show ascends to another level.

Where to watch Silicon Valley: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Cast: Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Josh Brener, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Christopher Evan Welch, Amanda Crew, Zach Woods

Related content: Silicon Valley to end after season 6

South Side (2019–2021)

Jean Whiteside/HBO Max 'South Side' stars Nefetari Spencer, Chandra Russell, and Alisha Cowan recreate a famous frame from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.'
Jean Whiteside/HBO Max 'South Side' stars Nefetari Spencer, Chandra Russell, and Alisha Cowan recreate a famous frame from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.'

Chicago is one of America's most beloved metropolitans, as evidenced by the number of recent TV projects set within its city limits (we're looking at you, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Shameless, Empire, and The Bear). South Side, which aired for one season on Comedy Central before being scooped up by Max, tells the story of two furniture repo men — Simon (Sultan Salahuddin) and K (Kareme Young) — who live and grind in the city's Englewood neighborhood. Intended to serve as a showcase for the area's racial diversity and variety of experiences, the creators once told EW that they saw the show as a "Black Game of Thrones," explaining, "We have so many different characters that start off in the background and they come to the foreground." While the series has received love from both critics and fans, plans for season 4 were unfortunately scrapped by Max in 2023. Luckily for audiences, you can still catch the first three seasons on Max — at least until the streamer decides to repossess them.

Where to watch South Side: Max

Cast: Sultan Salahuddin, Kareme Young, Quincy Young, Chandra Russell, Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle, Lil Rel Howery, Zuri Salahuddin

Related content: Comedy Central's South Side creators explain how their show is like a 'black Game of Thrones'

Tuca & Bertie (2019–2022)

HBO MAX
HBO MAX

Netflix may have canceled Tuca & Bertie in 2019 after the show's first go-round, but the beloved animated comedy found a new home on Adult Swim (and Max) for the next two seasons — before being canceled again in November 2022. From the mind of BoJack Horseman producer and production designer Lisa Hanawalt, this resilient three-season series presents in a similar animated and comedic style, only now the protagonists take on the form of human-sized birds and anthropomorphic plants. Hanawalt tells EW that she wanted to create something like Broad City, but within the realm of animation. While there are animated shows like Steven Universe that have been created by women, because they're targeted at children, the potential for mature themes is more limited. Hanawalt says she wanted to create a show for adults that reflects the honest, yet comedic lives of women, and interrogates the nuances of substance abuse and assault.

Where to watch Tuca & Bertie: Max

Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, John Early, Richard E. Grant, Reggie Watts.

Related content: Bird ladies, besties, and boobs: Tuca & Bertie creator on her new Netflix animated comedy

Veep (2012–2019)

Colleen Hayes/HBO
Colleen Hayes/HBO

Julia Louis-Dreyfus won nine Emmys for her acting and producing work on the political comedy, Veep, and if the show hadn't ended in the spring of 2019, she would probably still be racking up the trophies. Created by Scottish writer Armando Iannucci, the show offers a satirical look at America's political system through the eyes of Vice President Selina Meyer, whose political ambitions far exceed her moral capacities. Surrounded by a team of equally cutthroat D.C. staffers and featuring seven years of some of the best cameo casting comedy has to offer, the show benefited deeply from good timing, airing during the steady polarization of America's political system. (Although, towards the end of the series, it becomes difficult to determine where real-life politics end and the show's heightened, satirical version of them begins.) One of the few comedies to truly stick the landing in its season finale, Veep is a show that will only get better with age — and it was already pretty fantastic to begin with.

Where to watch Veep: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott

Related content: White House Plumbers review: Veep veterans tread familiar political territory

The White Lotus (2021–present)

Fabio Lovino/HBO Meghann Fahy in season 2 of 'The White Lotus'
Fabio Lovino/HBO Meghann Fahy in season 2 of 'The White Lotus'

Now with two seasons under its belt, The White Lotus is a black comedy with a murder problem — but not one severe enough to keep you from daydreaming about booking your own vacation. Set at a fictional chain of luxury resorts called The White Lotus (seasons 1 and 2 have taken viewers to Hawaii and Italy), the series follows the management that keeps the hotels running and the wealthy guests who are lucky enough to score a room there. An anthology with a rotating cast (Jennifer Coolidge and Jon Gries' characters are so far the only ones to appear in multiple seasons), The White Lotus is a fascinating and laugh-out-loud funny look at privilege, class, family, and so much more. Created by Mike White — the comedic mind behind School of Rock (2003), still operating at the top of his game decades later — The White Lotus has already been renewed for season 3, which reportedly takes place in Thailand.

Where to watch The White Lotus: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Cast: Jennifer Coolidge, Jon Gries, Connie Britton, Aubrey Plaza, F. Murray Abraham, Michael Imperioli, Steve Zahn

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