The Best Comedy Series on Apple TV+ Right Now (May 2023)

Creators: Bill Lawrence, Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly

Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt

Regarded as the most decorated and well-known comedy series on the platform, Ted Lasso is a sports/workplace comedy centered around the titular football coach (Jason Sudeikis) who moves from the US to the UK to coach the soccer team AFC Richmond. Despite having no experience with this other kind of football, his charming optimism brings some inspiring change to the team that even gets to the cynical new team owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham). Even with its simple premise, the series’ popularity skyrocketed during its release in 2020 due to its refreshingly upbeat tone and humor that definitely helped the audience in light of the pandemic. Over the course of its two seasons, it has earned multiple nominations and awards from the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Emmys. It’s the ideal time to catch up on this series with its third and most likely final season reportedly being set for release by the end of this year.

Creators: Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford, Jennifer Hoppe

Cast: Patricia Arquette, Brad Garrett, Bernadette Peters, Weruche Opia, Matt Dillon

Overflowing with award-winning actors, High Desert is an unexpected delight from co-creators Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford, and Jennifer Hoppe. High Desert follows a former addict named Peggy (Patricia Arquette) on a rough journey of self-discovery. Following her beloved mother’s death, Peggy attempts to start over and become a private investigator in her small desert down. Co-starring with Arquette is Brad Garrett, along with Matt Dillon, Christine Taylor, and the brilliant Bernadette Peters, playing Peggy’s late mother. Together, this stellar cast of overwhelming talent builds an ensemble for a sharp dark comedy. – Yael Tygiel

Created by: David West Read

Cast: Chris O’Dowd, Ally Maki, Crystal Fox, Djouliet Amara

Based on the novel by M. O. Walsh, The Big Door Prize asks the question: What would you change about yourself if you truly, objectively knew your life’s potential? Executive producer and writer for Schitt’s Creek David West Read adapts the themes and core of the book into a 10-episode series revolving around a mysterious and magical machine that predicts the destinies of anyone who uses it. Needless to say, this knowledge is enough to throw the residents of the small town it appears in into an existential crisis of life-changing proportions. Watch as these townspeople learn about their true selves and push themselves to reexamine every aspect of their lives with newfound confidence and belief. – Tauri Miller

Creators: Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel

Cast: Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Lukita Maxwell, Luke Tennie

Created by Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence, along with Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother), who also stars, Shrinking is an unexpectedly moving comedy series. Shrinking is about a therapist whose grief leads him to abandon expectations, beginning to bluntly tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Through the first season, Shrinking explores how this new outlook makes not only an impact on his patients but also himself. Featuring Harrison Ford (1923), Jessica Williams (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), Lukita Maxwell, and Luke Tennie, Shrinking adds heart to the humor. – Yael Tygiel

Creators: Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, Rob McElhenney

Cast: Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashley Burch, Danny Pudi, David Hornsby

From the creators of one of the longest-running sitcoms, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, comes the workplace comedy Mythic Quest. Set in an American video game studio, the show revolves around the creative director, Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney), and his employees of the titular online role-playing game. His team including lead engineer Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao) and executive producer David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby) get into amusing shenanigans to maintain the game’s quality to its players’ satisfaction. The series brings a unique focus on gamer culture with a quirky ensemble of characters that has garnered a largely positive reception from the critics and audience. For a fun and geeky series, it’s worth binge-watching Mythic Quest especially when it recently earned a renewal for a third and fourth season.

Created by: Sharon Horgan, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer

Cast: Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson

A sharp and intriguing black comedy, Bad Sisters follows a recent widow named Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), who was treated badly by her deceased husband, John Paul (Claes Bang). Soon after his death, she and her sisters Eva (Sharon Horgan), Bibi (Sarah Greene), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), and Becka (Eve Hewson) find themselves under investigation after a life insurance agent, Thomas (Brian Gleeson), grows suspicious. Mysterious and hilarious in all the darkest ways, Bad Sisters is a hidden gem that’ll have you hooked from the beginning. – Taylor Gates

Creators: Loren Bouchard, Nora Smith, Josh Gad

Cast: Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Tituss Burgess, Stanley Tucci

From the producers of Bob’s Burgers comes another adult animated comedy series, Central Park, that follows the Tillerman-Hunter family who live in Edendale Castle in Central Park. The family includes the patriarch Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.) who is the park manager, his wife Paige (Kathryn Hahn) who is a journalist, and their kids, Molly (Emmy Raver-Lampman) and Cole (Tituss Burgess). The famous park comes under threat from the greedy business entrepreneur Bitsy Brandenham (Stanley Tucci) who wishes to turn the park into condos for her own personal and financial gain. It’s up to the family to work together to save the park and their own home. With such a talented cast filled with quite a few Broadway stars, the animated series also incorporates musical numbers within the episodes to deliver the story. Overall, the series is a delightful romp in musical animation with another season on its way meaning it’s a great opportunity to watch the show in preparation.

Creator: Alena Smith

Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Adrian Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, Jane Krakowski, Ella Hunt

This 19th-century era comedy-drama takes on a surreal and anachronistic tone in telling the story of the famous American poet, Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld). Instead of being a strictly historically accurate series, the show incorporates an invigorating twist of modern language and soundtracks. The unconventional casting of certain historical figures, including a majority of comedic actors such as John Mulaney as Henry David Thoreau, brings a refreshing interpretation of these people. The show even includes the historically theorized lesbian relationship between Emily and Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt), which presented great LGBTQ+ representation that is rarely seen in period pieces. The themes within the series include the ubiquitous struggles of women with regard to gender, family, and society that still carry over from Dickinson’s periodic setting to modern times. This bold series received critical acclaim and a large audience following for the unique execution of its periodic subject. It even won a Peabody Award for its notable originality and audacious writing as a series. Needless to say, this surprising show is deserving of being watched from its noble start to its sweet end.

Creators: Ken Daurio, Cinco Paul

Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Fred Armisen, Kristen Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit

With a title like Schmigadoon!, it matches the show’s wild premise of a couple, Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong), who go on a backpacking trip only to get lost and discover the titular magical town where all of its residents are trapped in a 1940s Golden-Age style musical. Despite initially going on this backpacking trip to restore their relationship, the couple soon learns that their only way to leave the town is to find “true love”. The musical comedy serves as a parody and homage to the great musicals from the 1940s with a stunning cast of Broadway talent including Kristen Chenoweth as Mildred Layton and Aaron Tveit as Danny Bailey. If you’re a fan of vibrant musicals, this show is definitely up your alley, especially with a second season being confirmed.

Creator: Christopher Miller

Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Dave Franco, Ben Schwartz

This series combines comedy and murder mystery together when Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) has to investigate the death of Xavier (Dave Franco) at a high school reunion afterparty. All the former classmates become suspects and unravel potential motives and connections as each episode follows a different character’s account of the party. The ensemble is already packed with some major comedic actors to deliver hilarious quips despite the grave situation. The show also takes a genre-bending approach with each episode to correlate with the character’s various perspectives like Yasper’s (Ben Schwartz) musically styled account or Chelsea’s (Ilana Grazer) explanation being shown like a psychological thriller. For an intriguing whodunit, this series should be checked out especially since it has already been renewed for a second season. Haddish is set to return to solve a new murder at a wedding with a new group of actors that have already been cast including Elizabeth Perkins (Sharp Objects), Ken Jeong (Community), and John Cho (Harold and Kumar).

Creator: Georgia Pritchett

Cast: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, Cornell Womack

Based on real events and the 2019 podcast series of the same title by Joe Nocera, this dark comedy and psychological drama centers on the relationship between Marty Markowitz (Will Ferrell) and his psychiatrist, Dr. Ike Hershkopf (Paul Rudd). What starts off as a helpful connection for Marty to deal with his anxiety and grief turns into an exploitive manipulation led by Ike. Marty’s sister, Phyllis Shapiro (Kathryn Hahn), grows concerned for her brother’s wellbeing as his new shrink pulls him into a destructive direction over the course of 30 years that threatens Marty’s finances and relationship with the family. With huge leading stars like Ferrell and Rudd, it’s already a drawing card that will interest audiences. However, unlike their previous collaborations on Anchorman, the two portray a darker and more disturbing tone, especially when it comes to the abusive professional relationship between Marty and Ike. This limited series carries twists and turns at every corner along with notable performances from Ferrell, Rudd, and Hahn.

Creator: Andy Wolton

Cast: Rafe Spall, Esther Smith, Oliver Chris, Sian Brooke

Moving to a UK setting, Trying focuses on the story of a couple, Jason (Rafe Spall) and Nikki (Esther Smith), who wish to have a child. Due to fertility issues, they instead look into the option of adopting a child which calls on the support of their friends and families to navigate the challenges that come with the adoption process. This romantic comedy treats an otherwise touchy topic of infertility with care and respect while finding humor in the absurdities of the adoption process. Similar to Ted Lasso, Trying strives to hold a cheerful tone through the misadventures that Jason and Nikki go through while also presenting the emotional beats that come with this kind of real-life dilemma. For a heartfelt slice-of-life comedy, this show is perfect.

Creator: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Arturo Castro, Debra Winger, Juno Temple

The recent return of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer) to film and television included his own created series on Apple TV+ titled Mr. Corman. The comedy-drama follows the titular protagonist, Josh Corman (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who was an aspiring musician but now lives as a fifth-grade public school teacher in the San Fernando Valley. The series tackles the relatable themes of millennial existential angst from failed dreams to romance and dating struggles, especially following Josh’s split from his ex-fiance, Megan (Juno Temple). At least Josh has his high school best friend and roommate, Victor Morales (Arturo Castro), to help him navigate the difficulties of anxiety and loneliness, and make the most of his life. Gordon-Levitt takes an impressive amount of responsibilities having directed a majority of the episodes and even writing a few of them. Unfortunately, the show was canceled by Apple TV+ in October 2021, but it’s worth checking out this unsung limited series.

Creators: Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson

Cast: Brittany O’Grady, Sean Teale, Colton Ryan, Shalini Bathina, Kevin Valdez

Another short-lived series, the comedy-drama Little Voice follows the life of an aspiring musician named Bess King (Brittany O’Grady) living in New York. From the creator of the musical Waitress, the series is another female-led story that explores Bess’s struggles of dating, family, friendship, and making ends meet for her music dream. Sara Bareilles‘ original music is featured as part of the show’s soundtrack to serve as a beautiful backdrop to the experiences and emotions of the characters. It’s a similar show to Mr. Corman, full of sincerity and hope that prompts the audience to root for the underdog protagonist. The simple premise is also rich with soul, given O’Grady’s empathetic performance and her chemistry with the other characters including her fellow bandmate and guitarist Samuel (Colton Ryan), her roommate Prisha (Shalini Bathina), and her love interest Ethan (Sean Teale). As mentioned, the series only ran for one season, but it’s a beautiful show to check out as it fulfills the struggling artist narrative.

Creator: Annie Weisman

Cast: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Diedre Friel, Paul Sparks, Della Saba

This next series will take you back to the 80s with neon spandex and the fitness sensation of aerobics. Physical tells the story of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a housewife living in 80s San Diego whose personal struggles with body image are remedied by her discovery in aerobics exercise. After being introduced to the activity by the class instructor Bunny (Della Saba), Sheila is instantly hooked and goes to twisted lengths to continue her new passion. In conjunction with her husband Danny’s (Rory Scovel) new bid to run for local office after being fired from his job, Sheila works hard to make money and builds a new empire through her idea of home workout videos. The dark comedy-drama builds on such a niche premise that results in unpredictable drama and nostalgia. The series even dares to tackle the issues of eating disorders and body dysmorphia that Sheila suffers from.

Creators: Eduardo Cisneros, Jason Shuman, Austin Winsberg

Cast: Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, Damián Alcázar, Raphael Alejandro, Eugenio Derbez

Inspired by the 2017 comedy film How to Be a Latin Lover, the Spanish/English bilingual series Acapulco focuses on Maximo Gallardo Ramos (Eugenio Derbez,) who is a successful Mexican entrepreneur in Malibu who hosts his nephew Hugo (Raphael Alejandro) for his birthday. The present-day Maximo decides to tell his nephew about his own rags-to-riches story, which started when he first worked at Las Colinas, the most popular resort in Acapulco in 1984. The episodes follow the younger Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) and the challenges he faces while working at the famous establishment. The show is another charming and feel-good comedy with the younger Maximo being an ambitious and well-intentioned protagonist in the colorful 80s setting of the Mexican luxury resort. It maintains a cheerful tone with Maximo’s episodic shenanigans around the resort but also addresses the sobering reality and difference of class privilege between the resort’s workers and rich guests. Altogether, Acapulco is a sweet and smart comedy with a brilliant cast composed of a majority of Hispanic talent.

Creators: Ben Winston, James Corden

Cast: James Corden

Based on the popular segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden, Carpool Karaoke was adapted into a short-form variety series that is available on Apple TV+, after previously premiering on Apple Music. It includes a rotation of celebrity guests that participate in the fun interview format combined with singing along to songs together in the space of a car. Most of the chosen guests fall in line with promoting their recent projects such as The White Lotus cast that included Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria), Alexandra Daddario (Why Women Kill), and Murray Bartlett (Looking). Even then, some combinations of guests can be quite random but strangely enjoyable such as Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele) and American football player Rob Gronkowski. Regardless, the series is an easygoing quick dose of entertainment with plenty of episodes to choose from depending on the guests you’re most interested in seeing.

Creators: Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani

Cast: Mélanie Laurent, Suraj Sharma, Angela Lin, Kemiyondo Coutinho, Conphidance

This feel-good anthology series focuses on characters with different immigrant stories that reveal their experiences of being in America. Based on Epic Magazine’s collection of the same name, each episode is dedicated to a true, untold story of an immigrant. The stories range from poignant ones such as Kabir (Suraj Sharma), an Indian boy who was left to run a hotel after his parents were deported when he was 12 years old, to inspiring tales such as Beatrice (Kemiyondo Coutinho), a Ugandan woman who wishes to follow her passion in baking. The series holds an uplifting tone in portraying the funny anecdotes and human moments in these experiences that can be relatable to the audience no matter our ethnicity, sexuality, or gender. This profound series is ready to stream for some joyful laughs and even some tear-jerking moments.

Creators: Matt Hubbard, Alan Yang

Cast: Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, Adam Scott

One of the more recent comedies on this list, Loot stars Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids) as Molly Novak, a recently-divorced billionaire still reeling from the infidelity of her husband, John (Adam Scott). The betrayal leads Molly into a self-destructive spiral and a sense of aimlessness until one of her charitable organizations reaches out to help her start a new life while putting her $87 billion settlement to good use. Set as a workplace comedy, the series also has a remarkable cast playing the organization’s employees, including Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Pose) as Sofia, Joel Kim Booster (Fire Island) as Nicholas, and Ron Funches (Hoops) as Howard.