Now over twenty years old, this animated classic still holds up and is widely popular all these years later. A loose parody of The Great Escape, Chicken Run switches the action from Nazi Germany to Mrs. Tweedy’s chicken farm, where she is planning to transform her egg farm into an automated meat pie factory. The only hope for the chickens is a Mel Gibson voiced rooster who can seemingly fly – will the fleeing fowl be able to fly the nest?

One of the very first animated films from Dreamworks – and the first feature-length project from Aardman – Chicken Run still holds the record for the highest-grossing stop motion animation of all time. Featuring plenty of slapstick action for the children and clever references for the adults, critical acclaim was so unanimous there was an unsuccessful attempt to get the film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar – prompting the introduction of the Best Animated Feature Award. The classic characters will return in the belated Chicken Run sequel, which funnily enough is being made in collaboration with Netflix.  – Daniel Furn

 The Big Lebowski

One of the coolest films of the ’90s, the Coen brothers’ offbeat follow-up to Fargo features one of the most chilled-out detective stories put to film. When slacker Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski has his rug urinated on in a case of mistaken identity, he gathers his bowling buddies together to get compensation from the real target – who happens to be a wealthy millionaire. The Dude then finds himself entwined in a complex kidnap plot that involves missing ransom money, lots of bowling and some truly trippy dream sequences.

With eccentric characters, over-the-top dream sequences and an intentionally overcomplicated plot, The Big Lebowski initially received mixed reviews. However, it has since become the definition of a cult favourite, complete with midnight screenings, cosplayers, the annual Lebowski Fest taking place every year, and even the religion Dudeism.

The Big Lebowski had an impressive ensemble cast – but the movie belongs to Jeff Bridges as iconic lead ‘The Dude’. John Goodman stars as the Dude’s scheming friend Walter, with Julianne Moore as the Dude’s daughter Maude. Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid and Sam Elliott also star, along with John Turturro who directed spin-off The Jesus Rolls. – Daniel Furn

Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House Of Fun

A recent international addition to Netflix, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House Of Fun features Australian comedy group Aunty Donna take us on absurd adventure through their day-to-day lives in this sketch show. Aunty Donna is, confusingly, a group made up of men, namely performers Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly, and Zachary Ruane, director Sam Lingham, filmmaker Max Miller; and composer Tom Armstrong. The group originally formed in 2011 intending to exclusively perform live comedy shows, before expanding into podcasts, a YouTube channel and now TV.

Receiving rave reviews from critics and even comparisons to the legendary Monty Python, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House Of Fun features the group as fictionalised versions of themselves – as well as several other characters – in a heightened version of their daily lives through satire, parody, wordplay, and breakout musical numbers. Look out for the impressive celebrity cameos – including The Office’s Ed Helms (who also produces), singer “Weird Al” Yankovic, Bob’s Burgers’ Kristen Schaal, and Homelander himself Antony Starr.

If you’re into absurdist comedy then this is for you – storylines include the group’s dishwasher becoming sentient, a search for billion year old pirate “booty” and a challenge to win the most medals at the 2000 Olympics. – Daniel Furn

Motherland

Playground politics come into the comedy spotlight in this very British sitcom that will be hugely relatable to mothers, fathers and anyone who has had to regularly do the school run. Middle-class Julia Johnson is forced to take a more hands-on approach to her children’s schooling when her mother decides to stop babysitting, and is soon thrust into the mum-eat-mum world of the school’s “Alpha Mums” and the competitiveness that arises.

The unromantic side of motherhood is on full show here, with any glamorous depictions eschewed in favour of far more realistic scenarios such as the PTA’s reign of terror, being blamed for a nit pandemic and the true chaos that arises from trying to host a children’s party. A consistent critical hit – we gave season three five stars out of five in our Motherland review – it’s not surprising when you consider the talent in the writing room: Catastrophe’s Sharon Horgan and comedian Holly Walsh are among those penning the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood.

Line of Duty‘s Anna Maxwell Martin takes on a very different role as the unorganised Julia newly introduced to the Alpha Mums, while After Life’s Diane Morgan stars as the straight-talking Diane. The Terror‘s Paul Ready is the stay-at-home dad trying – and failing – to integrate into the Alpha Mums, while Hot Fuzz’s Lucy Punch plays the group’s superficially polite leader. – Daniel Furn

Monty Python’s Life of Brian

It might’ve been controversial at the time of its initial release, with some accusing it of blasphemy and some countries, including Ireland and Norway, banning it altogether for decades, but Monty Python’s Life of Brian – which tells the story of Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a Jewish-Romanian man who is born on the same day and in the stable next door to Jesus – is now widely regarded as one of the best comedy films ever made.

The film follows the ill-fated Brian as he becomes infatuated with a woman called Judith (Sue Jones-Davies), with his desire for her, as well as his dislike of the Romans, inspiring him to join independence movement People’s Front of Judea (PFJ) who spend more time fighting each other than the Romans.

More than 40 years on it’s a classic that absolutely lives up to the hype. Rude, crude and brilliant, this is the Pythons at their most unrestrained and firing on all cylinders. The jokes, many of them wonderfully tasteless, come thick and fast, and the one-liners (“He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!” “I’m Brian and so’s my wife.”) have gone down in cinematic history. – Morgan Jeffery

Rick and Morty

Loosely inspired by Doc Brown and Marty McFly from Back to the Future, wacky animated sitcom Rick & Morty delves headfirst into concepts such as alternate realities, microverses and simulations to mine fresh comedy material. The show follows grumpy genius Rick Sanchez as he goes on all sorts of intergalactic adventures with his timid grandson Morty, much to the chagrin of his devoted daughter Beth, her insecure husband Jerry and their teenage daughter Summer. Though the series is mostly episodic in nature, there are some ongoing storylines – with a fan favourite following the Council of Ricks, a group of Ricks from several different dimensions.

This wonderfully inventive series is known for dabbling with scientific theories rarely seen in a comedy, some somewhat realistic (parallel dimensions play a big part) and some completely out there (we’re sure you’ve all heard of Pickle Rick). However, just as clever are some of the narrative twists and character beats – amidst all the cosmic chaos, the series can knock an emotional blow out of nowhere.

Co-creator Justin Roiland does the heavy lifting voicing both Rick and Morty, though he is joined by Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) as Beth, Chris Parnell (30 Rock) as Jerry and Spencer Grammer (Greek) as Summer. – Daniel Furn

Living With Yourself

What’s better than having ageless, amiable star Paul Rudd as the lead of a comedy series? Having two Paul Rudds of course! Rudd pulls double duties in this charming Netflix original, which sees run-down copywriter Miles Elliot undergo a mysterious treatment to become his best self – only to end up cloning himself. With his clone his superior in every way, Miles must learn to, well, live with himself, specifically a more optimistic and driven version of himself.

With a star as likeable as Paul Rudd, it’s a no-brainer to have him in his own sitcom playing dual roles, and the show succeeds largely to the charisma radiating off the two Rudds. While the series is largely light and played for laughs, it raises some ethical dilemmas also – with Miles’s supportive wife Kate understandably feeling a bit conflicted.

UK viewers will be pleasantly surprised to see comedian Aisling Bea in a big role as Kate, Miles’s architect wife who gets the shock of a lifetime. She’s joined in Living With Yourself by Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) as Miles’s sister Maia, Desmin Borges (Utopia) as co-worker Dan, and Karen Pittman (Luke Cage) as Miles’s boss. – Daniel Furn

Community

Loosely based on creator Dan Harmon’s own university experiences, Community follows former lawyer Jeff Winger’s attempt to coast through community college, only to inadvertently form a study group with six other mismatched students. And what students they were – not only did the show bring Donald Glover and Alison Brie to the world’s attention, but Joel McHale (Ted), Gillian Jacobs (Love), Danny Pudi (Mythic Quest), Yvette Nicole Brown (Big Shot) and Ken Jeong (The Hangover).

What started out as the usual run-of-the-mill university comedy, Community soon found its unique identity with its meta plotlines and parodies of other TV shows, films and entire genres – all while remaining faithful to its characters/university setting. The show is famous for its paintball episodes in particular – just see how many action film references you can spot in the 20 minute runtime.

Infamously plagued by behind-the-scenes issues and low ratings while it was on the air, Community has since become a cult hit that received a popularity boost in 2020 when it was added to Netflix worldwide, the cast reunited for a table read and McHale and Jeong started a Community-themed podcast. The show gave us six sterling seasons – we’re more hopeful than ever for the movie. – Daniel Furn

The Office (US)

While the hugely influential UK edition of The Office may have left the streaming service for now, Netflix still boasts The Office US, a rare beast in that it is an American adaptation that is arguably just as good as the original.

Other than moving the awkward antics from Slough to Scranton, the premise remains pretty much the same – a documentary film crew follow the monotonous lives of employees at a paper company in Slough, and the tedium, ego clashes and shenanigans that ensue. What really elevates the show, however, is Steve Carrell’s award-winning turn as Michael Scott, whose inappropriate behaviour, cringe worthy jokes and self-delusions provide much of the comedy for the series.

After a mixed first season attempting to mimic the UK series, the show eventually found its own identity by making Michael into a much more sympathetic and well-meaning character than his David Brent counterpart, finding a winning formula that lasted for a whopping nine seasons and 201 episodes. It didn’t hurt that the sitcom made excellent use of its supporting cast also, with Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Craig Robinson and Ellie Kemper going on to become huge stars.

Nielsen named The Office as the most streamed show in Netflix in the US – no mean feat indeed. – Daniel Furn

Mean Girls

Comedy darling Tina Fey nailed the rather difficult task of writing relatable material for teenagers in this 2004 hit that far transcends most high school dramas. The film follows Cady Heron who befriends the A-List girl clique ‘The Plastics’ after being convinced to sabotage them, only to fall in love with the leader’s ex-boyfriend.

The endlessly quotable film has remained essential viewing for teenage girls the world over, but Tina Fey’s whip-smart dialogue and deconstruction of high school cliques remains an amusing watch at any age. The film’s cult following led to a made-for-television sequel in 2011 and even a Broadway musical in 2018, a good fourteen years after the movie’s debut. The film has since become a pop culture phenomenon – GIFs and memes of the film are ever-present on social media, with October 3^rd unofficially dubbed ‘Mean Girls Day’ after the date was featured in the film.

The film featured Lindsay Lohan at the peak of her teen comedy stardom, as well as Rachel McAdams in a breakout role as ‘plastic’ Regina George. Amanda Seyfried also makes her film debut as airhead Karen Smith, while Tina Fey also has a small role along with long-time collaborator Amy Poehler. – Daniel Furn

Never Have I Ever

Hailing from The Office US writer and star Mindy Kaling, Never Have I Ever explores the day-to-day life of a modern first-generation Indian-American teenager. LA fifteen year old Devi Vishwakuma is hoping to improve her social status at her second year of high school – but a tragic loss sees her instead struggling with grief, school problems, her Indian identity and an increasingly fraught relationship with her mother.

Based upon Kaling’s own childhood, this Indian-American focused high school drama has been praised for its representation of South Asians in Hollywood and breaking stereotypes of Asian characters in teen television. The show is also happy to lean on emotional themes as Devi processes grief and learns to balance her two cultures, while also providing the mandatory laughs that come with a teen comedy.

Newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan was picked to play Devi by Mindy Kaling after an open casting call that received 15,000 responses, despite only being 17 and having no professional acting experience. Poorna Jagannathan (The Night Of) plays Devi’s dermatologist mother, while Darren Barnet (Agents of SHIELD) plays love interest Paxton Hall-Yoshida. Tennis player John McEnroe is a left-field choice as the show’s narrator, with a guest narration from Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andy Samberg. – Daniel Furn 

Derry Girls

Breakout Irish hit Derry Girls has taken the world by storm since it premiered on Channel 4 in 2018, and is going from strength to strength. This unique sitcom follows a gaggle of sixteen-year-old girls at a Derry secondary school during The Troubles, as they deal with growing pains and teenage angst in the world of armed police and British Army checkpoints.

Channel 4’s biggest comedy launch since 2004, Derry Girls has been swamped with critical praise with season one earning an impressive 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. The show is based on events in writer Lisa McGee’s own childhood, including writing a letter to Bill Clinton’s daughter, and has been praised for juxtaposing normal teenage life with the violence of the Troubles. It’s been a big hit in Northern Ireland in particular – it has become the most watched show since modern records began in the region, and a large mural of the cast has been painted in the titular city.

The cast are all rising stars now – theatre actress Saoirse-Monica Jackson plays the lead role of Erin Quinn, but is joined by an ensemble including Louisa Harland (The Deceived) as her meddling cousin Louisa McCool and Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as the sensible Claire Devlin. Look out for the cameo from Father Ted’s  Ardal O’Hanlon. – Daniel Furn

Step Brothers

Will Ferrell is at his immature best in this goofball comedy, which sees one of his many team ups with the equally hilarious John C. Reilly. The plot is perfect comedy fodder: two middle-aged man-children are forced to live with each other as step brothers when their respective single parents marry, prompting tantrums, over-the-top sibling spats and some surprisingly catchy songs.

Step Brothers came during the peak of Ferrell’s film career, and is one of the many hits he made with director long-term writing partner Adam McKay following Anchorman and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Ferrell is no stranger to playing a man-child and this film gives him the perfect partner in Reilly, with the two engaging bouncing increasingly ridiculous ideas and insults off each other before ultimately forming a brotherly friendship. The film also has several unlikely music segments – with Will Ferrell using his own singing voice and John C. Reilly really doing his own drumming.

After adopting him in Elf, Mary Steenburgen plays Will Ferrell’s mother yet again in Step Brothers, with The Shape of Water’s Richard Jenkins as the single father she marries. Parks and Recreation’s Adam Scott portrays Ferrell’s successful biological brother, with WandaVision’s Kathryn Hahn as his wife Alice. – Daniel Furn

Ghostbusters (1984)

Who ya gonna call? While WhatsAapp message or Zoom call may be a more common way to contact the spirit swatters these days, the film itself holds up perfectly well these days. We’re sure Ray Parker Jr.’s catchy song has taught you the premise by now – but for the uninitiated, the original Ghostbusters follows a group of former scientists who form a new business catching ghosts in New York City. However when a shape shifting demigod possesses one of their clients, they’ll have a lot more than just ghosts to deal with if they open a dimensional gate…

One of the most iconic films of all time and one of the biggest comedies of the 1980s, Ghostbusters has gone on to become a cultural phenomenon with two follow-up films, several animated series and multiple videogames – with sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife due out in 2021. It’s not hard to see why – Bill Murray’s deadpan performance has been routinely praised, while the film’s unique mix of comedy, science fiction and action laid the groundwork for the blockbusters we have today.

Comedy legend Bill Murray stars as Peter Venkman, alongside an impressive ‘80s ensemble cast including Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), Sigourney Weaver (Alien), Harold Ramis (Stripes), Rick Moranis (Spaceballs) and Ernie Hudson (The Crow). – Daniel Furn

Clueless

Struggling to get your teenage child to read Emma? Well here’s quite the fun solution: much like 10 Things I Hate About You’s take on The Taming of the Shrew, Clueless is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous novel – just set in a Beverly Hills high school. Much like the book, Clueless sees the heroine – reworked as Alicia Silverstone’s iconic Cher – attempt to play matchmaker with new student Tai, only to fall for someone herself.

Director Amy Heckerling sat in some real Beverly Hills high school classes to see how 1990s students talked and inserted them into the film, with Cher’s catchphrase “As If!” and other quotes from the movie soon becoming synonymous with 1990s teenagers. This mix of current slang and literary references helped make the film an enduring hit – it has since spawned a spin-off sitcom, books, an upcoming remake and was the inspiration for Iggy Azeala’s music video for breakout hit Fancy.

Alicia Silverstone has been synonymous with the role of spoiled Cher Horowitz ever since the movie released, with much of her character’s wardrobe – especially that yellow plaid skirt and blazer – having a strong influence on fashion and still worn today. She is joined by Stacey Dash as best friend Dionne, the late Brittany Murphy as new girl Tai and a young Paul Rudd as Cher’s former stepbrother and love interest Josh. – Daniel Furn 

Archer

After 11 seasons and 12 years on air, Archer is approaching Simpsons-esque levels of episode numbers and outrageous scenarios – and shows no signs of stopping. The self-referential adult animation follows narcissistic spy Sterling Archer and his colleagues at a dysfunctional intelligence agency, including his snarky mother and boss Malory and professional field agent and love interest Lana Kane.

However, the show has proved itself a master of reinvention, with the later seasons moving away from a spy parody to self-contained anthologies, seeing different versions of the characters in new locations and time periods including a noir-esque 1940s LA, a 1938 tropical island and even space. However, the show’s winning formula has remained the same – heavy amounts of pop culture references, whip-smart dialogue and meta jokes. For those who like zany comedy interspersed with bouts of action, then Archer is for you.

Adult animation veteran H Jon Benjamin (Bob’s Burgers) voices the titular Archer, with the late Jessica Walter as the overbearing Malory and Criminal Minds’ Aisha Tyler as voice of reason Lana. Ant-Man’s Judy Greer features as Malory’s delusional assistant Cheryl Tunt, with Rick and Morty’s Chris Parnell also lending his voice to mild-mannered accountant Cyril Figgis. – Daniel Furn

Adaptation

With one of the most fitting movie titles of all time, this eccentric meta comedy from writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze lives up to the promise of exploring the concept of Adaptation. Nicolas Cage stars as a fictional version of Kaufman as he struggles to adapt non-fiction book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, with the two writers’ lives eventually becoming unpredictably intertwined.

Kaufman based the film on his own real-life experiences of trying to adapt The Orchid Thief, with Adaptation ultimately the end product. The movie is a pastiche on the process of adaptation, mixing Kaufman’s experiences, elements from the book and fictitious elements for a truly original film that won’t have you view writer’s block the same way again. If that wasn’t enough, Cage is on double duties playing both Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother Donald, with Donald also strangely receiving billing as a writer on the film – meaning Charlie shared his Best Adapted Screenplay BAFTA win with the imaginary Donald.

Nicolas Cage, Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze are no strangers to out-there concepts having previously worked on Being John Malkovich together. They’re joined this time by Meryl Streep as a fictionalised version of Susan Orlean, with American Beauty’s Chris Cooper on Oscar-winning form as orchid thief John Laroche. – Daniel Furn

Peep Show

Beloved British sitcom Peep Show may have ended in 2015, but has only gotten more popular as more time passes from the finale. The title, despite what it may suggest, refers to the show’s style of being filmed entirely in first-person, which means we get to hear every regrettable thought of main characters slacker Jeremy and socially awkward Mark. The show follows the day-to-day lives of the two dysfunctional flatmates as they struggle to transition from university to working life, trying and usually failing to advance at work and dating.

While the show could easily have fallen into mismatched flatmate tropes, the show’s central gimmick is actually its greatest strength by bringing the viewer into collaboration with the protagonists. We understand exactly how they are feeling and thinking and can relate and empathise with them through every embarrassing situation, poor decision and terrible behaviour as we know their motivations.

This is, of course, helped by a sterling cast, specifically leads David Mitchell and Robert Webb who have genuinely known each other and collaborated since university. The supporting cast, too, are exceptional: most notably national treasure Olivia Colman in her breakthrough role of Sophie, but also Matt King deserves credit for nearly stealing the show with his fan-favourite character Super Hans. – Daniel Furn

Friends

Fans across the pond may be disappointed that the popular sitcom is no longer on US Netflix – but here in the UK Friends is not going anywhere just yet. We’re sure you know the premise by now – after spoiled Rachel flees her wedding day and moves in with old friend Monica, she soon bonds with eccentric masseuse Phoebe, dim-witted actor Joey, sarcastic IT manager Chandler and insecure paleontologist Ross. We then follow the highs and lows of their Manhattan lives through the group’s twenties and thirties, through comedic career changes and chaotic romantic adventures – but most importantly, we see their friendship throughout.

One of the most popular shows of all time, the show’s many catchphrases (“We were on a break!”) and characters have become staples of pop culture, and the cast – particularly Jennifer Aniston – have all become household names. It’s a testament to the quality of the show that over 15 years on from the record-breaking finale, the series continues to do well on streaming and fans are still hungry for more – so much so that a Friends reunion show was filmed for HBO Max in 2021, and despite being unscripted, drew hype and headlines around the world. – Daniel Furn

Sex Education

A show that surprisingly lives up to its name, Sex Education has become something of a phenomenon for Netflix. The show follows insecure student Otis who inadvertently starts underground sex therapy at his school in order to impress sarcastic social outcast Maeve. However as he begins to solve his classmate’s problems, he starts to realise he should face his own issues with his frank sex therapist mother and his exploration of first love.

What sounds like an easy premise for a cheap sex comedy actually turns out to be so much more, with Otis and his mother’s therapy sessions used to openly discuss a number of sexual issues rarely even referred to on television, with a surprising amount of tenderness and care. Along with a healthy and progressive attitude to sex, the show also explores issues relating to sexuality, sexual assault, contraception and pornography. Being a teen comedy, there is of course the big will they/won’t they romance, as well as a few gross out gags – but it never feels gratuitous or unnecessary.

Young rising star Asa Butterfield plays unwitting teenage sex therapist Otis Milburn, with X-Files legend Gillian Anderson as his over sharing mother. Emma Mackey plays the rebellious Maeve ahead of her appearance in Death on the Nile, while Ncuti Gawa plays Otis’s openly gay best friend Eric. – Daniel Furn

Dolemite is My Name

Eddie Murphy’s award-winning return to the silver screen, Dolemite Is My Name is a stylish throwback to the 1970s in this biopic of blaxploitation icon Rudy Ray Moore. Comedian and rap pioneer Rudy Ray Moore goes against all the odds to make a success out of his alter ego Dolemite – a hilarious and often obscene kung-fu fighter who becomes an underground sensation. The film chronicles the build-up to iconic 1975 film Dolemite, a watershed moment for Moore and the blaxploitation genre as a whole.

After several years away from major movie roles – and twenty years on from the last R-rated comedy role he’s known best for – Murphy is back at his foul-mouthed and bawdy best. However it’s not just a comedic return to form, as the film is as much a homage to Rudy Ray Moore as it is a comedy, and Murphy has received unanimous critical praise his performance as the larger-than-life filmmaker.

Murphy is joined by a stellar African-American cast, including Keegan Michael-Key (Key & Peele), Mike Epps (The Hangover), Craig Robinson (The Office), Tituss Burgess (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (High Fidelity). The film also features Wesley Snipes in a prominent comeback role, and also sees appearances from Chris Rock and rappers T.I. and Snoop Dogg. – Daniel Furn

Easy A

Much like Clueless, Easy A is yet another high school comedy inspired by a classic historical novel – this time the scandalous The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Much like the novel, Easy A’s protagonist Olive also uses her lies and rumours to advance her social standing, initially fibbing about losing her virginity to cover up her boring weekend. This being high school however, it’s not long before the rumour mill spins these stories out of control, and while Olive initially profits from her tall tales it’s not long before the truth catches up from her.

The first leading role of future Oscar winner Emma Stone, Easy A was the actress’s breakthrough role and earned her nominations for Best Actress at the Golden Globes as well as the BAFTA Rising Star award. Easy A is one of the better high school films of the last decade or so, lightly exploring themes of hypocrisy, conformity, deception and cyber-bullying all within a breezy teen comedy. It’s Clueless for the 21^st Century – a smart and funny adaptation of classic literature, modernised so that it’s fully relevant to the target audiences, complete with webcam vlogs, Tom Cruise jokes and still-pertinent digs at social media also.

Penn Badgley plays a far more charming love interest than his character in You, with Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes as devout Christian classmate Rhiannon. Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci and Malcolm McDowell are the adults overseeing proceedings. – Daniel Furn

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The US Office’s successor as the feel-good comedy of the 2010s, Brooklyn Nine-Nine takes the popular police procedural format and adds a workplace comedy spin to it. The show follows the diverse and dysfunctional employees at the fictional precinct as they wrestle with their personal lives and get up to workplace shenanigans, and even occasionally solve a few crimes.

Despite the show’s focus on crime, the series is infectiously cheery, largely thanks to the quippy comedic stylings of The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, who plays the wisecracking but immature lead character Jake Peralta. However, the show has since found its voice through a smart ensemble cast, featuring the deadpan Captain Holt (Andre Braugher), avid organiser Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), goofy Boyle (Jo Lo Truglio), hardnut Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), doting father Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) and the sardonic Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti).

The show’s quick-fire dialogue and deadpan putdowns soon launched a torrent of catchphrases and internet memes, with a particularly iconic Backstreet Boys gag reaching 22 million views on YouTube. However, the show hasn’t been afraid to tackle serious issues either while still retaining a sense of humour – an episode in which Terry Crews’ character is racially profiled has received particular praise, and the series has won a GLAAD award for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ people. – Daniel Furn

The Dead Don’t Die

Simon Pegg classic Shaun of the Dead may have left Netflix, but the streaming service has added another irreverent zom-com to fill the void. Bill Murray (Ghostbusters), Adam Driver (Star Wars) and Chloë Sevigny (American Horror Story) star as small-town police officers who have to contend with a zombie invasion, with the film adding a dry sense of humour to the end of the world and featuring a particularly deadpan performance from Murray.

However the three leads are far from the only big names in the cast – Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop and Carol Kane are all taking part in silly zombie gags, including an undead Iggy Pop hunting for coffee and Swinton giving the deceased a makeover. The zombie film is close to exhaustion after exploding in popularity a decade ago, but director Jim Jarmusch’s wholly original and offbeat satire proves there’s still life in the genre. – Daniel Furn

Yesterday

What if one day you woke up and the Beatles never existed? That’s the question posed in this high concept rom-com from director Danny Boyle, which sees exactly that happen to struggling musician Jack. As you’d expect, the film sees Jack use the Fab Four’s songs to achieve global stardom for himself, but a few twists along the way ensure the film does not quite end in the way you would expect. The movie also has great fun with the alternate universe premise, with the Beatles not the only icon of pop culture to never exist…

Former EastEnders actor Himesh Patel continues his surprise rise to Hollywood success as Jack, with fellow British star Lily James as love interest Ellie. Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon has a memorable turn as manager Debra – and look out for an an extended cameo from Ed Sheeran as himself, as well as a few more surprise cameos… – Daniel Furn

Superbad

Based on a script Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg started writing when they were only 13(!), it’s perhaps not surprising that Superbad is a rather authentic take on young friendships and school awkwardness. Teenagers and best friends Seth and Evan are hoping to go out with a big party before they head to different universities, but their friendship is tested when their plan to get booze goes seriously awry.

The film that introduced McLovin to the world, Superbad has made it to the pantheon of modern high school comedy classics. The film has all the bawdy jokes you’d expect from a Seth Rogen high school comedy, but underneath all the smut is a genuinely touching story of male friendship. It was based on a real one after all, with Rogen and Evans basing the film on their experiences at secondary school in Vancouver in the 1990s. Rogen was originally meant to play Seth, but due to his age ended up playing Officer Michaels.

However, in Rogen’s place a young Jonah Hill was cast. His chemistry with Michael Cera’s Evan was particularly praised, and Hill, Cera, Rogen, Goldberg and producer Judd Apatow would go on to collaborate on a string of comedy hits in the late 2000s and 2010s. They weren’t the only breakthrough stars however – Christopher Mintz-Plasse would go on to more teen comedy roles in Kick-Ass and Neighbours, while Emma Stone would go on to become lead in Easy A and eventually Oscar stardom. – Daniel Furn

Booksmart

The directorial debut from actress Olivia Wilde, Booksmart proves to be a fresh and modern take on the high school comedy. When two bookworm best friends realise they missed out on a lot of fun while studying, they try to cram four years of missed opportunities into one night – which just so happens to be the eve of their graduation.

A celebration of female friendship, growing up and the special coming-of-age moments that take place during our school years, Booksmart is in many ways a gender swapped version of Superbad in it focus on youthful camaraderie during one frenetic night at the end of high school – with authenticity too given that the actors themselves were given free rein to change the dialogue. However, Booksmart is also a good deal more progressive than Superbad particularly in its representation of the LGBTQ+ community – lead character Amy is out as a lesbian but her sexuality does not dominate her character, and does not impact her platonic friendship with Molly.

Rising star Kaitlyn Dever, best known for her critically acclaimed turn in Unbelievable, plays bookish Amy Antsler, while LadyBird star Beanie Feldstein – who also happens to be Jonah Hill’s sister – plays equally studious best friend Molly Davidson. Fantastic Beasts actress Jessica Williams plays their favourite teacher Miss Fine, with Friends star Lisa Kudrow as Amy’s mum and Ted Lasso’s Jason Sudeikis as Principal Brown. – Daniel Furn

Coming to America

Paramount Intl Pictures

With the long-belated sequel Coming 2 America finally released, you can see why fans waited decades for a sequel now the excellent original has been added to Netflix. Released in 1988 at the height of Eddie Murphy’s powers, Coming to America sees the comedian play pampered African prince Akeem Joffer, who as the title suggests comes to America to look for a wife. First though, he must blend in as a regular New Yorker – easier said than done…

Eddie Murphy and fellow comedian Arsenio Hall appear in multiple roles in this classic culture-clash comedy, playing the respective roles of Prince Akeem and his friend Semmi as well as several of the charismatic characters they meet along the way. As with many of Murphy’s 80s comedies, Coming to America is occasionally romantic, often crude and always hilarious, with the barbershop scene still Murphy’s most successful attempt at playing multiple characters.

The film was also notable at the time for its mostly black cast, with acting legends such as James Earl Jones (Star Wars), John Amos (The West Wing) and Madge Sinclair (Roots) joining Murphy and Hall as rulers of the fictional realm of Zamunda. – Daniel Furn

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

A comedy film unlike any other, the Coen brothers went down the rare route of making an anthology film in their first movie made for streamer Netflix. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is split into six separate vignettes, and while each is distinct and separate, all share the same Western setting and the underlying theme of death. It certainly doesn’t sound cheery – but the Coen brothers of all people know how to mine comedy from the darkest of storylines.

Presented as a dime western novel, the six tall tales follow the rather violent escapades of a crooning cowboy, an unlucky bank robber, a travelling impresario, a grizzled prospector, a weary wagon train and a possibly supernatural stagecoach journey. Ranging from absurd to profound to ironic in the blink of an eye, it must be noted that not every short film is a straightforward comedy with some dark drama mixed in there too – it’s a real rollercoaster ride. Imagine if Pulp Fiction was a Western made up of separate stories, and you’re close to the unique tone this film has achieved.

Simultaneously both fresh and old-fashioned, every story feels like an authentic Western with sweeping vistas and real grit, even if the stories themselves are anything but conventional. It’s helped by an incredible cast across the six segments – Coen brothers regular Tim Blake Nelson memorably plays the iconic Buster Scruggs, but is joined by the likes of James Franco, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, Harry Melling and Zoe Kazan. – Daniel Furn

Always Be My Maybe

Ed Araquel / Netflix

Netflix has had overwhelming success in making their own rom-coms recently – and Always Be My Maybe is one of their best. Co-written by stars Ali Wong and Randall Park, this rom-com follows two childhood friends Sasha and Marcus whose teenage fling ends badly prompting the two to stop speaking for the next 15 years. When they reconnect as adults the sparks are still there, so despite Sasha’s demanding career and Marcus’s fears, could this maybe just work?

Ali Wong will be well known to Netflix viewers for her stand up specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife and really has known WandaVision’s Randall Park for over 20 years, with the two planning to make their own version of When Harry Met Sally for some time. However, the film is mostly known for its unexpected celebrity cameo, with Keanu Reeves not just appearing as Sasha’s date, but playing an obnoxious hipster version of himself. Arriving in the peak of the Keanussance following the release of John Wick Chapter 3, Reeves very nearly steals the film in his brief scenes, and not only is he in on the joke, but suggested many of them himself – now that’s how you play against type. – Daniel Furn

The Other Guys

Columbia Pictures

The buddy cop action comedy has had a bit of a decline since its ‘80s and ‘90s heyday, but this 2010 effort from funnyman Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay is a starry 21^st century update. Ferrell teams up with Mark Wahlberg as this movie’s mismatched police duo, who seize the opportunity to take down a shady capitalist and become just like the city’s idolised top cops. First, of course, they have to put aside their differences – with hilarious results.

Featuring some surprisingly impressive action set pieces for a comedy, The Other Guys perfectly balances Ferrell’s silliness with some clever parodies of cop movie tropes for an underrated movie that is far funnier than you might expect. It’s no surprise that this is one of Will Ferrell’s biggest box office hits – his collaborations with McKay have previously yielded comedy gold such as Anchorman and Step Brothers.

Stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg proved to have surprisingly great chemistry, and the two would later collaborate again on Daddy’s Home and its sequel several years later. Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson are perfect choices as the city’s cocky top detectives, with Eva Mendes as Ferrell’s doctor wife and Michael Keaton as the no-nonsense police captain. Look out for Steve Coogan in a particularly memorable interrogation scene, and cameos from the likes of Tracy Morgan, Brooke Shields and wrestlers Billy Gunn and Brian James. – Daniel Furn

Flowers

Olivia Colman is Hollywood royalty these days, but before her Oscar-winning turn the national treasure was the darling of British comedy. Colman started out in eccentric dark comedy Peep Show and in 2016 fittingly followed up with dark eccentric comedy Flowers, following the titular Flowers family made up of author Maurice (Julian Barratt) and teacher Deborah (Colman) who are barely staving off divorce. Dysfunctional is the word for this family – Maurice struggles with dark secrets while Deborah wrestles with the suspicion that Maurice is having an affair, while their twenty-five-year-old maladjusted twins compete for the affection of a neighbour.

With offbeat humour not dissimilar to Colman’s The Favourite, Flowers does however find a surprising emotional core amongst the pitch-black humour and eccentric jokes. In particular, the show has been praised for its handling of mental illness – dad Maurice is clearly depressed and unable to talk to his family about it in the first series, while daughter Amy is diagnosed with bipolar disorder in series two. The show worked with charity Mind in order for an accurate representation of mental illness, while still a retaining a sense of humour – you’ll be crying with tears and laughter as the show remains deadly serious about its subject matter throughout slapstick jokes, crazy costumes and silly situations. – Daniel Furn

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The CW

The crazy ex-girlfriend has been a popular trope not just in television but in general pop culture for some time – but now the character finally gets some depth in her very own show. As you might expect, the plot follows a young lawyer who gives up her job in New York and moves to California in an attempt to win back her old high school boyfriend.

However the show becomes much more than the standard rom-com you would expect from the premise – the show has been praised for its sensitive exploration of mental illness when the lead character is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, as well as for normalising topics such as female sexuality and the reproductive system.

Much like Community, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend received rave reviews from critics and award shows but failed to attract a large audience, and was one of the lowest-rated shows to ever get renewed to four seasons. It was a move that clearly paid off however – the show has since gained a substantial cult following, with a live tour featuring the cast selling out following the show’s conclusion.

Co-creator Rachel Bloom also stars as the titular character Rebecca, with Vincent Rodriguez II (Insatiable) as the ex-boyfriend she tries to win back. Santino Fontana (Frozen) plays friend Greg who struggles with alcoholism and complicated feelings for Rebecca, while Donna Lyne Champlin (Birdman) as Rebecca’s co-worker and best friend. – Daniel Furn

Knocked Up

Universal Studios

Seth Rogen’s breakout role, Knocked Up was one of the most successful and iconic comedies of the 2000s. A classic mismatched couple comedy, Knocked Up is what you’d expect from the title – when media personality Alison finds herself pregnant after a one night stand with jobless party animal Ben, the two have some big decisions to make.

Much like The 40-Year Old Virgin – also starring Rogen and directed by Judd Apatow – Knocked Up manages to find sweetness among the inevitable raunchy jokes, with Ben learning to take some responsibility and Alison helping her sister fix her unhappy marriage. Katherine Heigl makes for a great choice as Rogen’s opposite, with the two pushing the film beyond an odd couple cliché to a genuine depiction of two different people coming together and growing up for their baby.

Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow are well known for frequently casting their Hollywood pals, and Knocked Up is no different – Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel and Martin Starr all appear, with cameos from Steve Carrell and James Franco. Leslie Mann also stars as Alison’s sister Debbie with Paul Rudd as her distant husband, with the two reprising their roles for spin-off This Is 40. – Daniel Furn

After Life

Ricky Gervais is known for pushing boundaries with his shock humour, and this role as a grieving widow gives him ample opportunity to do so again – though with a surprisingly effective emotional twist. After Life is the smash-hit sitcom created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais, following nice guy Tony who changes after his wife unexpectedly passes away. Determined to punish the world, Tony starts doing and saying whatever he likes despite the consequences, thinking of this as his superpower – but this is undermined when his friends and family continue to try and make him a better person.

Ricky Gervais is well known for making successful sitcoms and After Life is no exception, with Netflix making a multi-project deal with him in 2020 which included a third series of the black comedy-drama. After Life is in many ways similar to Gervais’s previous projects, with the lead character used to deliver withering put-downs and occasionally create cringe-inducing scenarios, but this series hangs upon some genuinely moving videos left for him by his dead wife, leading to a subtle exploration of grief and depression – seen best in quieter scenes where Tony cares for his dementia afflicted father (David Bradley) and regular talks to a fellow widow (Penelope Wilton) at the graveyard. – Daniel Furn

Schitt’s Creek

CBC

The long-underrated Schitt’s Creek spent several years under the radar as a cult favourite, with the series only receiving mainstream interest after being added to Netflix and sweeping all seven major comedy awards at the 2020 Emmys. The Canadian series follows the Rose family, who move to the titular town they once bought as a joke after their business manager embezzles the family funds. There they must learn to live without their pampered privileges, as well as with each other – including former CEO Johnny Rose, wife Moira, and adult children David and Alexis.

The series was conceived by David actor Dan Levy, who developed the series with his father and American Pie star Eugene Levy who was also cast as his on-screen dad Johnny. The show really is a family affair then – which might help explain the critical acclaim the show received over all six seasons. The show is one of the most successful Canadian sitcoms of all time, winning 18 Canadian Screen Awards in its home country but also earning praise worldwide, winning nine Emmys also – with a record-breaking seven of them at the 2020 awards ceremony alone.

Joining the two Levys is Home Alone actress Catherine O’Hara, playing the less forgetful but eccentric mother of the Rose clan, with Annie Murphy (soon to be seen in Russian Doll Season 2) as socialite daughter Moira. – Daniel Furn

Man Like Mobeen

BBC

With season three dropping on the streaming service, now is the perfect time to catch up on the exploits of expressive Brummie Mobeen. Written by and starring rising comedian Guz Khan, Man like Mobeen follows the titular character as he tries to raise his sister Aqsa, follow his Muslim faith and escape his criminal past as a drug dealer. While the show consistently finds humour in sensitive topics, the show has not been afraid to take a serious approach to issues such as knife crime, drugs, racism and religion.

Man Like Mobeen came about after Khan’s YouTube videos went viral, prompting Steve Coogan’s production company Baby Cow to produce a pilot for BBC Three. The show has received acclaim for not only its humour, but for having something to say about the complex reality of being a Pakistani Muslim or a member of the working class in modern-day Britain, and has also been praised for a rare authentic portrayal of Birmingham in the media. Each season may only be four episodes, but there’s more to come – a fourth season is on the way from the BBC. – Daniel Furn

The Lego Batman Movie

SEAC

The Lego Movie could easily have been a soulless feature-length advertisement for the classic construction toys, but instead turned out to be a surprisingly thoughtful, emotional and sightly meta deconstruction of the blockbuster (complete with that catchy song). The sharp yet silly shenanigans continue with The Lego Batman Movie, which continues the pop culture references and self-parodying but now turns its focus to the Dark Knight and his fellow DC characters. When Batman accidentally adopts an orphaned teenage boy, a cooler-than-ever Batman might just need the help of his new sidekick to save Gotham from the Joker – as well as to maybe, just maybe, lighten up a bit.

Before Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Lego Batman Movie was the first film to delve into the Warner Bros. library for cameos from classic characters, with Sauron and Voldermort joining the many DC villains attacking the caped crusader. However these additions never prove distracting, as the focus remains squarely on Batman and his surprisingly emotional discovery of a new family he never knew he needed. Full of bright visuals for the children and clever callbacks for the adults, The Lego Batman Movie is a celebration of Batman in all his forms, embracing the silliness of the character’s ninety-year history. – Daniel Furn 

Happy Gilmore

Universal Studios

The second Gilmore-titled comedy in this list, Happy Gilmore is easily one of the funniest – if not the funniest – movie in Adam Sandler’s divisive filmography. When title character Happy learns his grandmother is going to lose her house, the rejected hockey player adapts his skills for a golf tournament with enough prize money to save the family home.

Adam Sandler’s comedies don’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to critical praise, but Happy Gilmore in particular has fared much better with audiences and is considered a comedy classic these days. The ability hit a golf ball 400 yards makes for some great slapstick comedy and – along with a few mandatory ball jokes – does the impossible by making the rather static game of golf funny. The “Happy Gilmore swing” has been imitated by golf professionals the world over, but the film impacted pop culture in a stranger way by getting more young people to watch The Price Is Right – after the film sees Sandler get into a fistfight with host Bob Barker.

Adam Sandler of course stars as the titular Happy Gilmore, with future Modern Family star Julie Bowen as his love interest Virginia Venit. Christopher McDonald plays yet another 90s family film villain as the arrogant Shooter McGavin, while Blue Velvet’s Frances Bay as the beloved Grandma Gilmore. – Daniel Furn 

People Just Do Nothing

A late entry into the mockumentary craze, People Just Do Nothing adds a pirate radio twist to the long-running format – and lots of youthful enthusiasm. The series follows a group of failed MCs who run a pirate radio station from West London broadcasting UK garage, drum and bass music. The many memorable characters that make up the Kurupt FM crew include self-proclaimed garage legend MC Grindah (Allan Mustafa) as the leader of the group, with DJ Beats (Hugo Chegwin) as second-in-command and Chabuddy G (Asim Chaudhry) as their wheeler-dealer manager.

Initially starting as online shorts created by the college friends, the footage was seen by the producers of The Office, leading to the creation of a pilot for BBC’s Comedy feeds and eventually a full BBC Three series. The show went on for an impressive five series, with the final instalment airing on BBC Two due to the show’s popularity, and a film follow-up due out in 2021. People Just Do Nothing is mostly written by the cast members, whose camaraderie bursts off the screen given that they are all long-term friends in real life – which might help explain the BAFTA and Royal Television Society Awards. – Daniel Furn

Visit our TV Guide to find something to watch tonight, or check out our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix.

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