The Four Best Sketch Comedy Shows For a Quick Hit of Dopamine (Beyond ‘SNL’)

While I love a great show that makes me think about big ideas and/or is full of back-stabbing drama, nothing quite hits like a sketch comedy show. Shows like Saturday Night Live and Robot Chicken have great moments, but the best sketch shows can be watched with limited context. Unless you’re caught up on all the popular shows, news, and online moments, shows that utilize satire can be limiting if you just want to flip something on and kick back. With that in mind, if you do need something to decompress and a pillow isn’t around to scream into, try checking out an episode (or binging) one of these short, hilarious sketch shows.

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix)

I can’t even reference a few episodes of this show without my partner losing his breath laughing. If you like absurd humor and enjoy torturing yourself with scripted awkward moments this is your show. Created by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, many of the main sketches (not including faux commercials) involve someone (oftentimes Robinson) doing something uncomfortable, rude, or flat out wrong and refusing to acknowledge it (let alone apologize). His character is the epitome of the internet in some ways, except many people are more respectful and accommodating in real life.

If you’re a fan of Lonely Island (Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone), or Patti Harrison (Shrill) at all this is a must. They all serve as executive producers and/or have writing credits on most of the episodes. Alice Mathias, Schaffer, and Kanin direct the first two seasons of this Netflix original.

Key & Peele

Because of Jordan Peele’s success as a horror director, the eerie Monkeypaw Productions clip has been associated with those film ventures. However, back in 2012, Monkeypaw Productions was founded specifically for the production of Peele and Michael Key’s ambitious sketch-comedy Key & Peele. A decade later, many of the sketches feel like they could’ve aired yesterday.

While I wish that this show was as radical as other projects they’ve had a hand in, it’s definitely got that Obama-era veneer of optimism that makes some episodes hard to watch (similar to Parks & Recreation for me) and limited opportunities (and representation) afforded to Black woman. However, all in all, it’s a great show that gave us Black geeks who love wizards, vampires, and aliens top-tier moments. That is unless your name is Aaron.

Drunk History

Unless you struggle with alcohol (in which case, proceed with care), this show is a must for those who love comedy and history. With few expectations, each episode of the six-season show features creator/host Derek Waters with an inebriated guest as they retell an event or abbreviated biography of someone from history. Despite the goofy dialogue given by the guest (usually a writer or comedian), the show is pretty historically accurate in all other aspects.

Another great element of this show is that, like RuPaul’s Drag Race, this is an international show! You can watch Drunk History U.K., Mexico, and more! While the United Kingdom edition of the show doesn’t feature a main host, Mexico’s Drunk History: El lado borroso de la historia is hosted by Eugenio González Derbez (CODA). Though harder to stream, there is a Hungarian, Brazilian, Argentina, and Polish version of the show, too.

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO Max)

With so many of the founding members getting opportunities since the show’s launch and the network’s lack of promotion, this show may not be around for much longer so we need to appreciate it and support it while it’s still around. (Which will be at least four seasons!) Created by Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis, and Quinta Brunson, A Black Lady Sketch Show highlights the humor and struggles of living as a Black woman.

Despite me saying “a Black woman,” the show really highlights the representation of different types of Black women and femmes across regions within the United States, class, sexuality, gender expression, and more. I’m 100% aware that I very recently included this show to watch if you love Abbott Elementary (to which there are a bunch of people involved in both shows), but good advice bears repeating.

(featured image: Netflix)

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