10. Delocated
Channel: Adult Swim
With each episode clocking in at 11 minutes, this show is the shortest on my list. Since, it is 11 minutes, it is the funniest show on a minute per minute basis on the list. It's like Arrested Development if it was crammed down to 11 minutes, and nothing felt shortchanged.
Jon Glaser, head-writer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien during the mid to late '90s,
among many other things, finally gets his own show! Finally, he gets his due! Except, that he's wearing a ski mask the entire time, and has a voice modulator on. That's only a sliver of what makes this show one of the funniest on the air.
The basic premise is that Jon Glaser's character "Jon" (quotation marks theirs) and his family are in the witness protection program, and they are moving to New York City for a reality show. They get to live in a sweet loft with "Jon's" bodyguard Mike (played by the wonderful Kevin Dorff) watching the family at all times. Once the wife and son (the son played by one of the Wonder Showzen kids) find out that the Russian mob is after him and know where they are at all times due to the reality show, the wife leaves "Jon" and it's just "Jon" and Mike living alone.
What I don't describe is how blistering funny this show is. Amazing stand-up comic Eugene Mirman plays the Russian terrorist sent to kill him, and on the side he's a bad stand-up who just tells jokes about vodka in a bad Russian accent. There are tons of quotes in every 11 minute episode, and it's so rewatchable. It's one of the greatest things Adult Swim has ever put out, which is saying a lot.
The second season premieres next year, and they bumped it up to 22 minute episodes (!!). With more time to fill, this show is only going to get better, funnier, and more popular as well. Seek it out immediately.
Best Episode: Bar Mitzvah
09. Party Down
Channel: Starz
AKA, Starz's first legit show.
Party Down has such a wonderful ensemble cast, and it's one of the best on television today. You have the incredible Adam Scott as the lead (longtime friend of co-creator of Party Down, and other smaller things, Paul Rudd), Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr, Jane Lynch, Ryan Hanson, and Ken Marino from The State. STACKED. Not even including the numerous guest stars including J.K. Simmons, Kristen Bell, Rob Corddry, Ed Begley Jr, Steven Weber, Ken Jeong, among many others. Just amazing.
The show is the rare serialized comedy, ala The Office, and it really manages to nail both the comedic and dramatic aspects perfectly. Season 2 starts up next year, but sadly without the wonderful Jane Lynch, who is off working on a small show called Glee. In her place will be Megan Mullally as a brand new character, and while it's hard to fit in Lynch's shoes, Megan will certainly be good. Check the show out, if you haven't.
Best Episode: Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen
08. Community
Channel: NBC
Community has had a really remarkable half-season on NBC so far, but it shouldn't be a surprise. Dan Harmon, co-creator of the legendary Heat Vision and Jack pilot, co-creator of The Sarah Silverman Program, co-creator of Channel 101, is a genius. It feels weird to see one of Harmon's visions on such a mainstream setting, but it has really worked out well. You get the sublime moments, as well as the really nice character moments.
The cast for this is seriously great. Tops, though, is the very welcome return of Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthrone. I've been a Chevy fan for many, many years, and to see him comeback like this makes me so happy. He didn't deserve the reputation that he got in his off-years.
Of all of the 2HOP shows, it is an odd beast. It isn't generally the best thing of the night, but when they really knock one out of the park (Halloween episode, Christmas episode) it's better than the other 3 that night. I hope it can stay at that quality more often, because I really like where this show has gotten so far.
Best Episode: Introduction to Statistics
07. Friday Night Lights
Channel: NBC/DirecTV 101
The best network drama on TV doesn't even air firstrun on the network anymore. That shows what kind of age we're in.
The ending to the third season was a real game-changer, and they have really lived up to that promise in the first few episodes of Season 4. A show that is HBO quality, without being on HBO. If you aren't on board yet, then you really ought to be.
Best Episode: The Son
06. 30 Rock
Channel: NBC
I don't know what else is there to say about 30 Rock that I haven't over the past few years.
Well, I guess there is one thing to say: **** the backlash. This show hasn't lagged at all. Lots of critics, and publications have been saying that 30 Rock is on a downward spiral, and I couldn't disagree more. This is not a show where you get character moments. This is a live action cartoon, and the closest thing to The Simpsons' '90s heyday since then. More quotable lines in a few minutes than other shows' entire runs.
Tina Fey hinted in the Season 3 finale that she only has about 2 seasons left of 30 Rock, and Alec Baldwin has said similar things in interviews. As bummed as I would be, it would be great for the long run. I've seen a lot of shows just drag on and on (coughScrubscough) when they should have ended long ago, that it's refreshing to see a show end on its own terms. But, until that day happens, we've still got plenty to laugh about.
Best Episode: Jackie Jormp-Jomp
05. Curb Your Enthusiasm
Channel: HBO
Curb has always been one of the funniest shows on television, but this past season was unreal. The whole Seinfeld reunion angle brought out so much greatness. It proves how great a show Curb is, though, that the episodes that had nothing at all to do with the Seinfeld reunion were just as wonderful and funny.
Curb did about 5 out-and-out classics this season, and the other 5 were just really, really good. if you ever liked Seinfeld in the past, and for some reason haven't jumped on the Curb bandwagon yet, then make it be with this season. If you don't enjoy it, i'll eat my fusilli Jerry hat.
Best Episode: The Table Read
04. Parks and Recreation
Channel: NBC
Quote:
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Parks/Recreation is the Wu Tang of comedy. an ensemble cast of which all the cast shines.
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- ?uestlove
I want to disspell something quickly: Parks and Recreation has always been funny. Sure, it wasn't
as funny, but no show ever is right away. Especially the way Parks and Recreation happened. Generally, a show gets a greenlit pilot that is shot first that either gets the go-ahead to series or doesn't, and then they shoot the rest of the series starting in July. Parks and Recreation's 6 episode season was shot in 6 weeks all in a row. So, essentially, P&R's S1 was a 3 hour pilot.
Having said that*, Season 2 has been UNREAL. Every single episode is better than the last, and each cast member is now a distinct personality that brings something different to the show. As ?uestlove brilliantly called it: The Wu-Tang of comedy. Louis C.K.'s stint as the policeman Dave showed a whole new side to LCK, and was a great preview for his upcoming FX series Louie, which comes out in March.
Parks and Recreation is a show that every single person should watch, as it's the finest example of pure comedy on television right now
*Larry and Jerry
Best Episode: Hunting Trip
03. Breaking Bad
Channel: AMC
Until the #2 show's finale, Breaking Bad was #2 on this list. But since the #2 show nailed it so hard, I had to bring this show down a spot. The point stands though: AMC is killing it, and the finest examples of dramatic episodic television can be found there.
Breaking Bad is a show that more people should watch, as it is nothing short of amazing. I am brought to amazement watching it. Bryan Cranston gets a lot of deserved kudos for his work, but the rest of the cast, especially Aaron Paul are just as great. If you aren't watching Breaking Bad yet, then you are missing the second best drama on TV today. Get to it.
Best Episode: Phoenix
02. Mad Men
Channel: AMC
Sorry Bart! #1 was just better.
As mentioned during the Breaking Bad writeup, Mad Men was originally #3 until the really amazing finale. Not to say that the rest of the season wasn't up to snuff, as S3 was as great as the show has ever been. Just that the finale for this show was so oddly satisfying from a show that generally is very theme heavy, as opposed to plot heavy. We got more plot in the S3 finale then we did for almost the rest of series so far.
Jon Hamm is the greatest guy there is, and that he's really in touch with the comedy scene makes me like him even more. Get him in a comedy, studios!
If you aren't watching yet, then you really should. But, you know that already.
Best Episode: Shut the Door. Have a Seat.
01. Eastbound & Down
Channel: HBO
So, how did a show that only aired for 6 episodes beat Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Parks and Rec, Curb, 30 Rock, etc? By not being like television. Hear me out!
I realized that the reason why a lot of critics have been ******** on Eastbound & Down is due to the very odd structure of it. TV critics are used to shows that either give you a lot of plot or theme, and nothing else. Eastbound & Down is different because every single person who works on this show comes from a movie background:
- Danny McBride, lead, co-creator
- Jody Hill, co-creator. director of Observe and Report, Foot Fist Way
- Ben Best, co-creator, writer of Foot Fist Way, actor
- Adam McKay, director/writer, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers
- David Gordon Green, director, George Washington, All The Real Girls, Pineapple Express, etc.
Not a single one of those guys knows or cares about the TV structure, and that's what makes this show the best. It is formatted like a 3 hour movie split into 6 parts, with one of the three directors taking the section of the story they are the best at: Jody Hill gets the first and last episode, since he knows how to start and end it. David Gordon Green gets the middle 3, because he's wonderful with getting pathos out of unusual situations. Adam McKay gets the second-to-last episode, because it's the most comedic, and most absurd. A weird Frankenstein version of a movie, that is actually a TV show.
I haven't even talked about the show yet! Danny McBride gives his best performance to date as the multi-layered Kenny Powers, as it's funniest performance as well as his best performed, period. The wonderful Andy Daly plays Principal Cutler, and he's great, as is Ben Best as Clegg, John Hawkes as Dustin Powers, and the entire cast. The real breakthrough is Steve Little as Stevie Janowski, a performance so funny and sad that it should get him cast in every movie coming out. Will Ferrell's (who exec-produces the show) recurring character Ashley Schaffer is also unlike anything Will has played before, as it is half asshole car salesman, and half Ric Flair impersonation. So good.
It is more than just a comedy, though it's the funniest one on the air. it is more than just a drama, though it has wonderfully real situations play out. It says a lot that the people who really have responded with it are people in the movie business, film writers, or people who actually WORK in the TV business. They can't believe that their structure is being broken down by a rag-tag bunch of people from North Carolina. A show that is more like a '70s character study like The Last Detail, Five Easy Pieces (which this show references in its finale), King of Marvin Gardens, than any other show on TV today.
I placed the leaked-pilot of Eastbound & Down as my favorite episode of TV last year, and even I can't believe how great the series turned out. Season 2 will have the exact same structure (think a completely different plotline/setting with the same characters), and will premiere in the summer. If all these paragraphs haven't told you already: You Need To Check This Show Out.
Best Episode: Chapter 5
Next Up? Start of the Top 20 albums.
Thanks for the comments!
Really neat set you have here, Ben. The album I love the most is The Bird and the Bee. I agree with you that the album is definitely delightful. You should listen to their first album, which is even better!
YOU GO BOY!
the whole time, jaws droppppp. 
