TV comedy can often conform to the same set of conventions, so it’s refreshing to see shows which shake things up with surreal humor and strange storylines. These absurd comedies might not necessarily appeal to everyone, but they can be just as funny as other show on TV.
Absurd comedy often works by questioning the basics of storytelling and society that people often take for granted. Some TV comedies have the scope to interrogate anything and everything, using absurd characters and plot to throw a spotlight on the weird nature of real life.
Scrubstakes place in a hospital, and its setting means that it can go to some incredibly dark places. J.D.’s way of dealing with this is often to retreat into his vivid imagination, and his absurd daydreams sometimes resemble surreal skits from a parallel universe.
His absurd daydreams sometimes resemble surreal skits from a parallel universe.
Scrubsalso lets some of its bizarre humor leak into the show’s reality.J.D.’s real world can be as strange as his imagination at times, especially since he’s locked in an ongoing feud with the hospital’s unnamed janitor, and a steady stream of eccentric patients can present bizarre medical mysteries. TheupcomingScrubsrevivalwill have to recapture this original streak if the show is to make up for a dismal season 9.
There are definitely some unique quirks inAtlanta’s first season, but nothing quite like what comes later. Donald Glover’s irreverent comedy starts off as a surprisingly dramatic story about two cousins struggling to make an impact in the music industry.It ends as one of the most unpredictable shows on TV, with several episodes that tell anthology stories without any of the main cast.
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As Earn and his cousin get a foothold in the industry, season 1’s concerns about money and status quickly fall away. This is whenAtlantatranscends its setting and delves into surreal comedy, as if the fabric of reality begins to tear. Thebest episodes ofAtlantaare often darkly hilarious stories about the absurdity of modern American society.
There isn’t much aboutRegular Showthat could be described as regular, and its surreal comedy means that it appeals to people of all ages. The set-up is immediately eye-catching, as the characters include a living gumball machine, a gorilla who skips everywhere and several anthropomorphic animals.
What’s most intriguing aboutRegular Showis thatit often gets even weirder than its premise might suggest. There’s no way of anticipating what strange adventure Mordecai and Rigby will be thrown into, or what bizarre enemies they might face.Regular Show’s surprising revivalpromises more of the same.
The funniest absurd comedians of the 21st century - the likes of Eric Andre, Tim Robinson and the Daniels - all owe a great debt to Monty Python. The British sketch troop is the gold standard for absurd and surreal comedy, andMonty Python’s Flying Circusshows how they developed before their movies.The show breaks down the silliness of political and social bureaucracy, urging their audience to question every assumption they have.
Monty Python’s Flying Circuscould be even weirder than their movies, although the show does contain the essence of some ideas that would later come up inLife of Brian, Holy GrailandThe Meaning of Life.And Now For Something Completely Differentis essentially a greatest hits catalogue, but there are countless gems to discover in Monty Python’s glorious cavalcade of nonsense.
Very much disciples of Monty Python, The Mighty Boosh started performing together on stage, but their self-titled TV show is what they’re most known for. Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding’s madcap comedy spends season 1 in a zoo before moving to a curiosity shop in London. The setting doesn’t really matter, since both places are just springboards for bizarre adventures.
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The Mighty Booshis famous for its strange characters, from the half-fish-half-human Old Gregg to the Crack Fox. Many of these characters are played by Barratt and Fielding themselves, as their funny-man and straight-man routine is pushed to the extreme. To add another dose of weirdness,The Mighty Booshhas some unforgettable songs.
Inspired by the movie of the same name,What We Do in the Shadowsis a mockumentary sitcom that follows a group of vampires living in New York City. Although there are a few dark journeys into the realm of horror,What We Do in the Shadowsmore often resembles an apartment-share sitcom.
Just like the movie, or perhaps even more so,What We Do in the Shadowsgets a lot of comedic mileage from exploring the occult. Some of the show’s best episodes explore different paranormal and mythological concepts.The ensemble cast excel at deadpan humor, which works brilliantly when supernatural beings and bizarre events become commonplace.
Also known for their internet videos and stage shows, Aunty Donna brought their unique brand of absurd humor to Netflix for one explosive season of sketch comedy.Aunty Donna’s Big Ol' House of Funsees the sketch trio letting their imagination run wild, coming up with heightened characters and impossible scenarios galore.
Aunty Donna followedBig Ol' House of Funwith a similarly absurd sitcom,Aunty Donna’s Coffee Cafe.
Everything Aunty Donna do deconstructs the tropes and the artifice of narrative storytellingthat audiences implicitly let slide. Antagonists might simply walk away, a sketch might end for no apparent reason, and the story of each episode might end with a completely unearned moral that makes no sense. Just to prove a point, Aunty Donna occasionally prove that they can do more traditional comedy just as well as anybody else. Their style isn’t for everyone, but those who click withBig Ol' House of Funcould become fans for life.
Not content with revolutionizing American absurdist comedy withNathan For You,Nathan Fielder has continued to innovate within his particular niche.The Rehearsalis a kind of reality show, just likeNathan For You,in which Fielder tries to break reality for his own comedic devices.
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Building from his awkward comedic persona,The Rehearsalsees Fielder trying to bend the world around him to the format of television. The result is a unique blend of fact and fiction, and it’s never quite clear how much of his true self Fielder puts into his work. WithThe Rehearsalseason 2 coming soon, it’s best to expect the unexpected.
When it first premiered,American Dadwas seen as an odd successor toFamily Guy,but it soon developed its own unique identity. WhileFamily Guyand other animated sitcoms use their form to deliver an endless stream of creative gags,few shows make this inventive absurdity as important to their appeal asAmerican Dad.
OnceAmerican Dadshook some of its political commentary out of its system, it evolved into an absurd sitcom, often propelled by Roger’s countless personas and Stan’s access to top-secret government sci-fi technology. This off-the-wall approach is what helpsAmerican Dad’s rare moments of relatability really stand out. It’s gotten better with time, meaning that many ofAmerican Dad’s best episodescome later.
Whether he’s playing a minor role in shows likeThe Mighty Booshor starring in shows likeWhat We Do in the Shadows,Matt Berry can often be found in the strangest and funniest comedies on TV.Toast of Londonput Berry in the spotlight, and it’s suitably bizarre.
The final season sees Toast traveling to Los Angeles, where Fred Armisen and Rashida Jones fit into the surreal comedy.
Toast of Londonfollows a pompous actor on his escapades through a version of London that’s scarcely recognizable. The names of the characters - such as Steven Toast, Rusty Halloween and Clem Fandango - give some indication of the show’s zany humor. The final season sees Toast traveling to Los Angeles, where Fred Armisen and Rashida Jones fit into the surreal comedy.
