It’s Been A Long Week: Time To Turn Off The News and Turn On These New 2024 TV Comedies

Take a deep breath, it’s been a long week.

Whether or not you are happy about the results of the 2024 presidential election, this feels like a time when everyone could use a bit of a palate cleanser. For some, that will come in the form of stepping away from social media to avoid awkward and or contentious encounters with friends and family. Others will decide to reread a book series that feels familiar or throw themselves into hanging out with those they love.

If you are anything like us, however, you probably are reaching for the remote to turn on a show that gives the ultimate sense of comfort (shout out to all the fellow Parks & Recreation watchers out there) or one that will just completely distract you from the goings on in the world. Hey, maybe you’ve got numerous screens turned all the way up and you’re multitasking… no judgment.

Luckily, we are living in the golden age of streaming and TV shows — particularly comedies with the ability to bring levity to our day-to-day lives — are a dime a dozen. Even better, 2024 has been a gold mine for new and returning comedies across streaming services and broadcast television. And, face it, while we all love Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building, sometimes you need to discover something new and unpredictable to get you out of your bubble.

In that case, we have compiled a short list of five new — and one kind of new — TV shows that are sure to make you laugh, smile, and — even if ever so briefly — forget about what’s happening outside your door. Hopefully they bring as much joy as they intend to!

1. Ted (Peacock)

   Why We Love It: Even those who may not have been the biggest fan of the original IP — a.k.a. the Ted movies starring Mark Wahlberg and Amanda Seyfried — may find this show humourous. As a member of that club, myself, I went into Ted with low expectations, only to leave (in mid-January, mind you) thinking I had found one of the funniest new shows of the year. The series acts as a prequel to the Ted films but manages to rely on smarter timing and scenarios than the movies ever did, in my humble opinion. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still raunchy in many ways and stays true to that distinguishable Seth MacFarlane writing and style, but it manages to avoid the pitfalls of a “purely for raunch” comedy that falls flat all around.

   watch ted on peacock

2. Girls5eva (Netflix)

   Why We Love It: This is kind of cheating because it technically isn’t new for 2024. But it was saved by Netflix after Peacock’s cancelation so it does count, we think. Girls5eva follows four members of a popular girl group from the 1990s reuniting and attempting to relaunch their music career, now in their 40s. The premise should be enough to get anyone to at least press play on the pilot but toss in that it comes from executive producer Tina Fey — and feels like a distant cousin to 30 Rock in many ways — and you have a hit. It is nonstop laughs and delivers some of the greatest comedic performances in years. Don’t believe me, check out Paula Pell’s hilarious clip from Season 3 and this supercut of Renée Elise Goldsberry as the group’s diva.

   watch girls5eva on netflix

3. The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh (Prime Video)

   Why We Love It: In Prime Video’s The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, an immigrant family from India comes to terms with life in America and face interrogation from immigration officers — dubbed only “The Suits.” The entire show sees the family of five hilariously attempting to explain their story and lives to the agents and is intercut with scenes from their daily lives. It also serves as a hilarious and touchingly sweet story of immigrants and the lives they lead while trying to assimilate into a new culture without losing sight of their own ways.

   watch the pradeeps of pittsburgh on prime video

4. Fantasmas (Max)

   Why We Love It: Julio Torres, you incredible weirdo. In Fantasmas, the former Saturday Night Live writer stars as, well, himself, but as a version that is on a quest for a golden oyster earring. Torres must jump through hoops and encounter odd and otherworldy characters — we should note that the guest stars are also out of this world — along the way to complete his mission. The show is ecclectic and surrealist (just like all of his other work), but makes for one hilarious, fascinating, and occasionally confusing program.

   watch fantasmas on max

5. Big Mood (Tubi)

   Why We Love It: Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West are comedy dynamite in this SkyTV original series that thankfully made its way to Tubi here in The States. Coughlan and West play childhood bestfriends now in adulthood and experiencing life’s messiness in all its glory. It’s one of the funniest and most down-to-earth comedies of 2024, especially considering that Coughlan’s character, Maggie, has bipolar disorder and struggles throughout the season with what that looks like. The way they tackle the issue feels similar to how Netflix’s One Day At a Time handled depression, which is to say tenderly and with grace.

   watch big mood on tubi

6. English Teacher (Hulu)

   Why We Love It: Nearly every corner of the internet has been infiltrated by Brian Jordan Alvarez lipsynching to the “What do you have to offer my daughter?” audio and telling the audience to “stream English Teacher,” but it appears his seductive dances have not been in vain. In English Teacher, Alvarez stars as Evan Marquez, a gay high school educator facing the highs and lows of teaching in 2024, and in Texas nonetheless. While the show often broaches highly-politicised issues, it does it in such a couth and creative fashion that it never feels preachy or patronizing. In fact, the intra-personal relationships between the teachers and students are really the centerpoint of the show. Plus, Evan’s best friend and coworker, Gwen (Stephanie Koenig), has to be one of the best new characters on TV for all of 2024. You’ll love her.

   watch english teacher on Hulu