15 Great Shows About the Film and TV Industry

Who better to write about Hollywood than the people involved in the industry themselves? For many years, movies and shows have poked fun at the industry and offered insights into how grueling the work can be, which especially came to light during the 2023 strikes. 

Whether it’s critiquing the toxic work environments or exploring just how exciting it can be to work on a set for the first time, shows about the film and television industry provide a new perspective on show business. 

With shows like Hacks and The Studio growing in popularity during this TV season, we thought it might be a great time to 

Here’s our list of 15 great shows about the film and TV industry: 

1. 30 Rock

30 Rock is one of the most popular sitcoms and shows about the Hollywood industry. It specifically follows a group of people working a fake live sketch comedy show that parodies Saturday Night Live. 

Not only does the show have a great cast, but many cast members and producers, including Tina Fey, who created the show, are SNL alumni. So, it makes the show all the more hilarious as the witty remarks and ridiculous situations that the characters get themselves in are a mirror of what the actors themselves have been through. 

30 Rock also does a great job of showing how personal feuds and disagreements can often interfere with the workplace environment. At the end of the day, the characters in the show must balance their own wants and overcome their flaws to make sure that the show goes on. 

2. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip is also about characters who work on a Saturday Night Live-esque live sketch comedy show. Unlike 30 Rock, this show is less of a strict comedy but blends the genre with drama. It mainly revolves around characters Danny and Matt, long-time friends who return to late-night sketch comedy after leaving the show years before. 

The show is often known for the fact that writer Aaron Sorkin created it. Additionally, its cast includes lots of star power, including actors like Bradley Whitford, Matthew Perry, and Sarah Paulson. 

Unfortunately, Studio 60 only ran for one season due to low ratings and poor reception from the critics. However, it still remains an essential show to watch for anybody interested in the business of live sketch comedy shows. 

3. Hacks

Speaking of comedy, Hacks continues to prove itself as one of the most hilarious and relevant shows about the Hollywood industry. The show investigates the relationship that Deborah Vance, a comedian seeking to revitalize her career, forms with up-and-coming writer Ava Daniels. 

Not only does the show cover topics like the difficulty of establishing balance between work and personal life, but it also touches on important social subjects such as feminism and queer rights. Deborah’s main roadblock to success is that she’s an aging woman facing expectations about her appearance. Ava’s main goal is to prove her worth and battle misperceptions about her bisexuality. 

The show does a fantastic job of building tension between Deborah and Ava and illustrating how much they need each other. Thus, Hacks helps highlight just how essential people like writers, agents, and managers are for Hollywood talent. 

4. The Studio

A recent entry into the universe of shows about Hollywood is The Studio. Created by and starring Seth Rogen, this show explores a studio executive who tries to balance the need to satisfy the corporate aspect of movies with his own love for the art of filmmaking. 

The Studio has gained a lot of buzz due to its scarily accurate critiques about where the movie industry is heading. The show isn’t afraid to poke fun at how brands like Kool-Aid want to use movies to promote products. It raises important points about the alarming decrease in appreciation for storytelling within the industry. 

Despite what the show reflects about the disappointing realities of Hollywood, The Studio is an amusing watch. No matter how many times Seth Rogen cartoonishly falls over, it will never get old.

5. Party Down

Unlike other shows in this list, Party Down reflects an often unseen part of Hollywood. Rather than focusing on creatives and actors working on shows and movies, this series is about a group of struggling writers and actors who work at an LA catering company.

Their lives are less than glamorous as they work events from a senior singles mixer to a teen birthday party, where they deal with cleaning up messy spills instead of living their life in the limelight. This sitcom has always had a strong cult following because even after it was canceled after two seasons in 2010, it returned for another season in 2021. 

Though Party Down is a much bleaker reflection of Hollywood than most shows, it still shines a light on the often unnoticed population of people who are still trying to make it big in the industry. It mirrors the reality that many face when chasing their dreams of fame, having to still make ends meet before their first big break. 

6. The Franchise

Much like The Studio, The Franchise is a satire that pokes fun at the corporate nature of franchise filmmaking. The show dives into the set of a superhero movie where all the cast and crew want to make a prestigious film but face pushback from executives who are looking to fulfill audience desires and meet box office quota. 

The Franchise is a surprisingly entertaining watch, even for those who know nothing about superhero movies. All the characters have their unique quirks and often butt heads as their creative desires are often at an opposition. 

While many had high hopes for this show, it was canceled only after one season. However, with the constant stream of superhero and blockbuster films slated to hit movie theatres in the upcoming years, this show will always be great to return to when you need a laugh about how desperate the movie industry is getting. 

7. Reboot

Another short-lived but relevant show is Reboot. The show follows the chaotic cast of a sitcom that gets a reboot after a young writer gives it a second life. It featured many stars well-known in the comedy sphere, including Keegan-Michael Key and Johnny Knoxville. 

Reboot dove particularly deep into exploring the messy drama that comes from egos clashing. Messy break-ups and hook-ups on the set keep the show always teetering on the edge of being destroyed before it can take off again. 

Additionally, Reboot raises the question of how many shows and movies frequently play into audience nostalgia. With constant revivals and spinoffs of shows, there seems to be an oversaturation of content, even of media that people enjoy, so it’s important to bring into question the nature of reboots. 

8. Entourage

Entourage has a more positive outlook on Hollywood than the previous shows. The show is mainly about a group of friends navigating the process of gaining fame and recognition within the industry. 

While the show focuses on some aspects of the film and industry, it’s mainly about the main characters’ friendships. There are also a ton of guest stars that appear as fictional versions of themselves, adding a welcome surprise to many episodes. 

The show ran for eight seasons, ending in 2011, marking it as one of the few shows like 30 Rock to have a longer run. The show is quintessentially early 2000s, both highlighting the luxuries of stardom and the conflicts that arise from quarrels between friends. 

9. Starstruck

Romantic comedy Starstruck puts Hollywood into a new perspective by having someone outside the industry see it firsthand. The main character, Jessie, is a normal person who ends up in an on-and-off-again relationship with famous movie star Tom Kapoor. 

Instead of critiquing the production aspect of Hollywood, Starstruck provides insightful commentary on the stardom and sensationalism of the industry. A key problem for Jessie is constantly having to deal with paparazzi harassing her for information about Tom and balancing keeping her personal life out of Tom’s public life. 

At its core, Starstruck asks the question of whether anyone in Hollywood can truly be authentic on their own terms. 

10. Hollywood

Hollywood is a miniseries created by Ryan Murphy about a group of actors and creatives navigating the Hollywood Golden Age of the late 1940s. 

This series provides an interesting look at the industry’s history while also addressing important social issues such as racism and homophobia. While it isn’t necessarily the most accurate depiction of that time period, it provides a platform to tell stories about an era many modern audiences may not know more about. 

Hollywood heavily plays into the drama of the stories it tells. It brings into the complicated lives of these movie stars who are figuring out where they belong both on and off the silver screen. 

11. UnREAL

UnREAL focuses on the production of shows that everyone loves and watches: reality TV. The series is about Quinn, a pushy executive producer seeking to make the reality TV dating show as successful as possible, and Rachel, a producer pressured to fulfill Quinn’s wishes. 

UnREAL breaks down the walls of reality TV by revealing that these shows don’t actually reflect real life. This show doesn’t shy away from the unethicality of producing this genre, as it shows both Quinn and Rachel going to great lengths to make the show what they want it to be. 

Whether it’s through manipulation or carefully planned interactions, reality TV can often be much more fake than it is real. UnREAL reminds viewers to pay attention not only to who’s on camera but who’s pulling the strings behind the camera. 

12. The Curse

Rather than following prospective bachelors, The Curse concentrates on a couple (played by Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone) who have a house-flipping show on HGTV. However, this dramedy is full of unexpected twists and turns, including the recurring theme of something supernatural brewing. 

While The Curse has some sequences of the couple actually working with a couple on the house, most of the show forces the couple to confront the consequences of their actions. It brings up the question of the couple’s fake activism, as their “eco-friendly” houses are actually driving up the rent in the neighborhood. 

 The Curse has a much darker tone than most series on this list, but it’s a thrilling watch. Both Stone and Fielder deliver performances that leave viewers wanting more. 

13. Episodes

Episodes is a sitcom about a British comedy-writing couple who cross the pond to remake their British show in Hollywood. Their relationship is put to the test as Matt, an actor on the show, begins to cause some trouble. 

The show is an intriguing exploration of how work can put a strain on personal and romantic relationships. Especially when there are expectations to perform and succeed, everyone working on the show can be put on edge. 

Episodes has a great mix of classic American and British humor. And no matter how much the characters fight, at the end of the day, the show must go on. 

14. Telenovela

Telenovela examines the genre of Latin American soap operas. It stars Eva Longoria, who plays an actress who doesn’t speak Spanish. 

As a sitcom, Telenovela delivers plenty of funny moments while also bringing to light what working on this genre of show looks like. There are plenty of storylines that follow the publicity aspect of marketing shows as well as the actual behind the scenes of shooting episodes. 

The show only ran for one season, but since then, there have not been many shows that explore this genre as in-depth as Telenovela did. 

15. The Morning Show

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, The Morning Show has been one of the most popular dramas in recent years. It examines what it’s like working in the morning news, including how toxic the workplace culture can often be. 

The Morning Show covers many political and social topics, as the #MeToo movement is a key plot point of the series. The show faces these difficult subjects head-on while also showing the anchors attempting to keep the Morning Show alive. 

---

That concludes our list! Which of these shows have you watched? Are there any we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow us on X and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!