Let’s face it: midterms are depressing. School can be overwhelming and not at all fun, so sometimes it’s important to take a moment to laugh. Unless you have an abundance of hilarious friends who aren’t also busy cramming for tests, taking a laughter break can be challenging. The obvious solution: television. Before you say anything, I know you’ve already watched and re-watched Friends on Netflix, but there are lots of lesser known, newer comedies that deserve a shot at making you chuckle! Below are some of my favorites.
1. Angie Tribeca
This send-up of cop shows starsParks and Rec’s Rashida Jones and includes bombings plotted over someone cutting the coffee line, an abundance of puns and an investigation into the smuggling of pet ferrets (which guest stars Keegan-Michael Key). And that’s just season one! You can stream Angie Tribeca on HULU or tbs.com.
2.The Mindy Project
This cult favorite about an OBGYN looking for love in NYC moved to HULU last year after airing on FOX for three seasons. If you like Nora Ephron movies, clever pop culture references, and great outfits, this is the show for you! You can stream all four seasons on HULU now, and make sure to catch up in time for season five’s October 4th premiere.
3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
This FOX comedy hails from the creator of Parks and Rec, so it often gets overlooked in favor of the aforementioned Amy Poehler-starrer. Nine-Nine follows an ensemble of Brooklyn cops and manages to make the police likeable! Some of its best episodes include a Die Hard Christmas special, a manhunt on a cruise ship, and an undercover mission in the mafia. Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s fourth season premiered on September 20th, but you can catch up on FOX.com or HULU. The series also airs on Tuesdays at 8:00pm.
4. Superstore
This NBC comedy hails from a writer-producer of The Officeand follows the misadventures of employees at a big box store. The series features quirky yet loveable leads, pokes fun at big corporations, and never shies away from issues like unions, maternity leave, and LGBTQ rights. Binge Superstore on HULU or NBC.com or start with season two Thursdays at 8:00pm.
5. The Good Place
The more I read this list, the more I realize it’s basically an advertisement for Mike Schur’s creative genius. I’m not even mad about it. The Good Place stars Frozen's Kristen Bell as a less-than-stellar woman who dies and ends up in “The Good Place” by accident. If you need more incentive than Kristen Bell and the creator of Parks and Rec, then you should know that the pilot features monster-sized lady bugs, people learning to fly, and more than one Ariana Grande reference. This brand-new series airs Thursdays at 8:30pm on NBC, plus you can catch up on the last four episodes at nbc.com or HULU.
