This year’s picks for best comedy series run the gamut of what is possible in this genre. With some of the best comic performers working today, these shows showcase fantastical satire, musical comedy wit and just outlandish-ness.

Here are our picks for the Best Comedy Series of 2023.

5. Schmigadoon!: Season 2

After a promising debut season, Schmigadoon! returns but now sees our protagonists trapped in the town of Schmicago, having to deal with a revenge-seeking butcher, a controlling business man, a bunch of hippies and a narrator who really isn’t interested in helping them out. Each episode has at least one standout song that had me humming it in my head all week. The best comedic songs from this season are “Bells and Whistles”, where Jane Krakowski‘s lawyer characters explains how to win over a courtroom, and “Good Enough to Eat” which sees Alan Cummings and Kristen Chenoweth‘s characters singing a pun-laden song about killing children and making them into meats, something we can all get behind. A fantastic show doing something totally different to anything else out there.

– Ashley

4. Ted Lasso: Season 3

One of the most beloved shows of the last few years has come to its natural conclusion, despite the pleas of fans around the world. Season 3 of Ted Lasso saw more opportunities for the ensemble cast to shine with storylines involving Toheeb Jimoh, Kola Bokinni and Billy Harris giving them greater screen time than they’ve had before while the addition of independent journalist Trent Crimm as a regular figure around Richmond was a masterstroke. While admittedly, this season was flawed and was a times a bit preachy with its messaging, there were plenty of heartfelt moments, hysterical jokes and onfield success to make this season a fitting conclusion to the story of Ted Lasso.

– Ashley

3. Mrs. Davis

Wild in conception. Wild in execution. Wild in conclusion. Mrs. Davis is one of the most out there pitches I’ve seen actually eventuate and turn out brilliantly. This show about a nun, who sees and has married Jesus in her visions, who is fighting to destroy a universally beloved AI by recovering the Holy Grail always seems to go in the most surprising and exciting directions. Everyone is fully on board for this craziness and makes it a completely fulfilling experience.

– Ashley

2. The White Lotus: Season 2

White Lotus is more of a dark comedy, but when it’s trying to be funny, it’s very funny. Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Tanya, returning from the first season, is defiantly the lead of the laughs, but Aubrey Plaza delivers some dead-pan zingers, and although I don’t know if I was supposed to find what she said funny, Haley Lu Richardson as Portia is one of the last years characters most likely to make you laugh so you don’t get more angry at her. 

– Dylan

1. Shrinking: Season 1

Two people (Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence) from Ted Lasso and Jason Segel teamed up to create this year’s new wholesome, hilarious hit for Apple TV+. A therapist who needs therapy to deal with the loss of his wife takes to new forms of treatment and plans to try and help his parents, and chaos ensues. Segel is great, but some of the funniest scenes come from Harrison Ford, the head therapist at the clinic, and Christa Miller, paired with Ted McGinley, playing Segel’s neighbours. 

– Dylan