Sunny and 9 other shows to stream if you enjoy dark comedies

The dark comedy is something tricky to pull off. Be too sardonic and it can turn off viewers while some shows aren’t as biting as they want to be. South Park is likely the best example on TV today, taking no prisoners and attacking any sacred cow, but there are other shows that can do it well. That includes the new Apple TV+ series Sunny which joins a growing list of such shows.

Fans can debate whether they really are more drama than comedy (see The Bear), yet it’s striking when a show makes you laugh hard even when you know you shouldn’t. The best balance top-notch writing and acting with some crazy situations so if you’re in the mood for some dark comedy, these ten series deserve a good watch. 

Sunny

Apple TV+ has been good at handling a mix of shows that meld various genres. This looks like the latest of the bunch, with Rashida Jones as a woman mourning the loss of her husband and child in a plane crash. She’s given a robot as a coping mechanism but their strange bond leads to the discovery of a conspiracy.

The show looks like a fun mix of comedy, some drama, a bit of sci-fi and conspiracy thriller, and sharpening up as another winner for Apple TV+. It may be a challenging show to enjoy, but that story should be able to carry viewers along. 

Stream Sunny on Apple TV+.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Another show where “Sunny” is a misnomer, FX’s long-running hit is still shocking viewers 16 seasons in. It’s astounding watching the gang at Paddy’s continuing with antics that are borderline sociopaths and somehow escaping serious consequences for it. Nothing is off-limits in this show from terrible dating tales to gross-out humor.

It’s downright criminal this show hasn’t gotten any Emmy love but maybe it’s too much for voters. The cast of Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito give it their all in a show that may be horrifying to watch at times but a riot to watch. 

Stream It's Always Sunny on Hulu.

The White Lotus

HBO’s anthology series is a truly amazing dark comedy backed by a stunning cast. The first season opens like a murder mystery at a resort only to peel things back to showcase some crazy antics of the uber-rich. The cast is amazing with Connie Britton, Alexandra Daddario, Sydney Sweeney, and more. Season 2 amps it up with a new location and another great cast but the same twisted dynamics.

The key to both years is Jennifer Coolidge, who justly won an Emmy for her turn as Tayna, a self-absorbed heiress mixed in with these weirdos. It’s a truly crazy ride to see how having so much money only makes life harder for some folks and the psychodrama is as compelling as the shocking laughs it produces. Who knows how Season 3 will make it even wilder? 

Stream all seasons of The White Lotus on Max.

Shrinking

The “therapist can use some good therapy himself” motif has been done a lot on television. Yet this Apple TV+ show makes it work nicely. Jason Segal plays against type as Jimmy Laird, a therapist grieving his late wife and not handling raising his kids well. This makes his problems with his patients tricky as he bluntly tells them what he really thinks of them. Bizarrely, this breaking of ethics ends up becoming a breakthrough for patients.

Segal is a good lead as Jimmy is on a self-destructive path yet still trying to help others. Harrison Ford tones down his usual star power to be a great balance as an elderly doctor with Parkinson’s. The show can be pretty sardonic while containing a bit of heart which makes it a good showcase for how therapy takes very different forms.

Stream Shrinking on Apple TV+. 

The Curse

Trying to describe this Showtime series is tricky. The bare-bones plotline is about a seemingly happy couple (Emma Stone and Nathan Felder) who host a TV home makeover show and find themselves hit by an apparent curse. That’s just a cover for some very sharp satire of pop culture, various beliefs, modern life, and marriage seen through a twisted lens.

The show mixes in scores of wicked shots at aspects of a well-meaning couple who just cause more problems with their actions. Stone, of course, is magnificent and Felder matches her well. The show gets so much mileage out of the mockery of some beliefs and a reminder of how perceptions can affect someone differently. It may be uncomfortable to watch but also a fun series laced with biting satire. 

Stream The Curse on Showtime. 

The Regime

This HBO series may be a bit rough in the writing, but the reason for watching it can be summed up in two words: Kate Winslet. The Oscar-winning British legend is in fantastic form as Elena Vernham, ruler of a fictional European country whose dedication to the people has transformed into becoming a dictator. As her nation turns on her, Elena makes the mistake of listening to a soldier who has his own agenda. 

The show’s main weakness is that it can come off as too sane compared to real life. It gets a lot of laughs from the political play, the semi-bumbling resistance against Elena, and how being a dictator is a lot more work than it seems. Winslet makes it all gel with her fabulous performance, firing off biting lines while looking stunning, and that alone makes this a must-watch miniseries.

Stream The Regime on Max.

Ted

Any TV show created by Seth McFarlane can count as dark comedy, so it’s no wonder this prequel to his hit movies counts. The idea is a little boy’s wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. This has led them to become minor celebrities, as Ted (voiced by McFarlane) and John (Max Burkholder) now attend high school together.

The series is a delightful skewering of the typical TV teen sitcom as everyone just accepts this talking teddy bear as a normal thing. Burkholder is terrific as John handling this strange friendship and the series does not shy away from toilet humor, political clashes, and moments made crazier by how it’s a talking doll doing it. Even if you have never seen the movies, you can enjoy this twisted take on the family sitcom.

Stream Ted on Peacock. 

Twisted Metal

Video game adaptations are doing much better these days and that includes Peacock’s take on the cult driving action games. In a future where a cyber attack brought down civilization, an amnesiac driver (Anthony Mackie) is tasked with bringing a package across a landscape of marauders, killers and a dark agent who may be worse than the psychotic Sweet Tooth.

Stephanie Beatriz is a terrific presence as Mackie’s unlikely ally as each episode shows some action amid wild antics and is more hilarious than scary. Sweet Tooth alone is a blast as a masked monster with a surprising heart; the flashbacks add to the insanity, and the soundtrack amplifies the madness. Even if you’ve never played a video game, you can enjoy this hilariously dark ride that should be better in the upcoming season 2.

Stream Twisted Metal on Peacock.

Deadloch

It begins like any typical Australian crime drama: A small beach community is jarred when a body is found, leading to a local cop teaming up with a big-city one. That both cops are women is one thing. The other is that the show is the funniest series Australia has produced in years. Kate Box is fun as Dulcie, the local cop, straight-laced and clashing with her male counterparts with some dry humor.

The real laughs come from Madeleine Sami as Eddie, the big-city cop who dresses as loudly as she talks, dropping constant curses, stories of her wild past and her love of drinking. These two are a comedy dream team along with a truly compelling mystery that gets better as it goes. It may get a bit more serious near the end but the final line shows this is a comedy at its heart to be truly entertaining.

Stream Deadloch on Prime Video. 

Beef

While it got good reviews, this Netflix comedy was still off the radar of many until it began racking up major awards. Thus, it’s the perfect time to check it out and marvel at the tale of how a road rage incident between two people (Steven Yeung and Ali Wong) escalates into a feud that gets completely out of control. 

The show can be quite shocking in its situations, with multiple flashbacks and time jumps showing the complex lives of the pair that led them to this. There’s also the strange dynamic they share that redefines a “love-hate relationship.” The show does play on Korean-American struggles but doesn’t fully center on them as the focus is on the chemistry of the leads. It’s no wonder it’s scored so many Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe wins, as it deserves every accolade coming its way.

Stream Beef on Netflix.