18 Terrific TV Comedies from 2017
7. Speechless
The DiMeos aren’t the best of people, but they’re not exactly the worst of them either. They are a family that loves one another and will do whatever it takes to help JJ lead a normal life, even if it means road tripping across the country to make sure JJ gets his first kiss.
This is what makes Speechless such a joy to watch. It’s a perfect balance of insane family shenanigans and heartfelt family moments.
8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is easily the most underrated comedy of 2017. It consistently provides sharp and witty dialogue while inducing viewers to fall ever more deeply in love with the precinct detectives.
It’s deeply diverse and manages to provide representation in a way no other show is currently accomplishing. Each character is given individualized development that has nothing to do with their underrepresented identity.
Rosa is a bisexual Latina and her experience coming out is based on her character, not her sexuality or ethnicity. Brooklyn Nine-Nine makes it look easy and should be a guide for other shows that are often too heavy-handed or work from stereotypes.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has ships, pop culture jokes, team shenanigans and a ton of heart. If you aren’t already watching, now is the time to add it to your binge list.
9. W1A
It wouldn’t be surprising if few people knew of this BBC gem streaming on Netflix. It’s a follow-up to Twenty Twelve (another hilarious series) about the 2012 London Olympics.
W1A aired its third and final series in 2017. It’s a mockumentary about a team at the BBC who oversees defining the BBC’s values and figuring out how the BBC will continue to thrive in the future. It’s everything that you would expect from a British comedy—lots of wit, tons of cringe-worthy moments, and people not saying what they mean.
10. Veep
It’s been one year since Selina Meyer lost the White House, so the penultimate season of Veep is on a different course. Selina’s former staffers are working different jobs—Dan is working in TV, Amy is running a campaign in Nevada, and Gary, well, he’s still at Selina’s side.
Although the landscape is unfamiliar, the biting dialogue is still the same. Selina Meyer is somehow even more unbearable than previously, however, it’s impossible not to want her back in the White House—just to see her gloriously fail again.
11. Fresh off the Boat
90s nostalgia has been making a comeback and Fresh Off the Boat captures it perfectly through the eyes of the Huang family. There are plenty of storylines that revolve around events in the 90s (the release of Titanic, Notorious B.I.G getting shot, the death of Princess Diana) but nostalgia aside, Fresh of the Boat is consistently funny.
It also has some amazing guest stars from the era including Heather Locklear, a running joke with Michael Bolton, and Paula Abdul.
The whole cast is incredible, but Constance Wu, who plays Jessica Huang, is a national treasure.
12. Superstore
Superstore is another comedy that can be silly and full of harmless jokes but also have a twisted edge to it. Remember the exposed dead body in Cloud Nine which everyone thought was a Halloween decoration?
Superstore doesn’t shy away from hot-button topics such as immigration and gun control but is still produces solid laughs. It has such a great ensemble cast and three seasons in, we’re getting fuller pictures of who these characters are.
And a special shout out to Tate, the pharmacist, who is one of the shadiest characters on TV.
Nora Williamson
Nora is pop-culture obsessed and has been since she was six years old-- writing stories about going to Hollywood premieres and dating Christian Slater. Her current favorite shows include House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, The Walking Dead and black-ish. She is a sucker for TV shows with forbidden love, bad boys and of course, a Big Bad. Nora may also be the only person on the planet who loves Fear the Walking Dead.