Sitcoms have been around since the very beginning of the TV medium, and they remain a vital part of Hulu’s streaming lineup even today. Dramas tend to get more attention because of their binge-able nature, but a good comedy can be enjoyed no matter how many times you watch it, or regardless of how many episodes you choose to experience at once. Hulu is especially well-equipped in this category with some of the greatest sitcoms ever created, in addition to modern hits and even a few Hulu original series that keep this TV tradition alive. If you’re looking for laughs, you’ve come to the right place. Just check out our additions to the list of the best sitcoms that you can stream on Hulu right now.
Still looking for something cool to watch? Check out our regularly updated roundups of the best movies on Hulu and the best shows on Hulu as well!
Recently added to Hulu
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Party Down2009
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Happy Endings2011
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My Name Is Earl2005
How I Met Your Father (2022) new
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Hilary Duff, Chris Lowell, Francia Raisa
Created by
Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but a parent in the future tells their child a long-winded, multi-season story about how they finally met the other person in their union. In this case, How I Met Your Father follows future Sophie (Kim Cattrall) as she relates the story of young Sophie (Hilary Duff) to her son. In the present of 2021, Sophie is about to give up on finding true love when she meets Jesse Walker (Chris Lowell) and a new circle of friends. Will Jesse be the father? Check back in about five or six seasons to know for sure. At the moment, this How I Met Your Mother spinoff is a snapshot of modern love, for good and for ill.
Party Down (2009) new
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Ken Marino, Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan
Created by
Paul Rudd, John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge
Party Down was a very TV-MA original comedy series on STARZ before finding a streaming home on Hulu. And while STARZ is currently filming a revival season, the first two seasons can be found right here. Adam Scott stars as Henry Pollard, a would-be actor whose downward career trajectory have led him back to working for a catering company called Party Down. Almost every single one of Henry’s co-workers also wants to make their big break in Hollywood. But for now, they will just have to be satisfied with serving the rich and powerful actors and producers in increasingly outlandish and hilarious situations.
Happy Endings (2011) new
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton
Created by
David Caspe
How can a core group of friends maintain their bond after Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) abandons Dave (Zachary Knighton) at the altar? Happy Endings doesn’t meander on that point for too long before repairing Alex and Dave’s relationship enough that they can still hang out with their mutual pals, Penny (Casey Wilson) and Max (Adam Pally). Compared to these four, Alex’s sister, Jane (Eliza Coupe), and her husband, Brad (Damon Wayans, Jr.), are the picture of stability. Yet each of the friends are dysfunctional in their own ways, while still maintaining their charm and comedic wit no matter what happens to them.
My Name Is Earl (2005) new
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Nadine Velázquez
Created by
Greg Garcia
Do you believe in karma? Earl Hickey (Jason Lee) does after finding out the hard way that he’s made the world a worse place through years of criminal and immoral activity. My Name Is Earl is all about Earl’s decision to turn his life around and undo the damage he created after he wins a massive lottery payout. With the help of his brother, Randy Hickey (Ethan Suplee), Earl is willing to do whatever it takes to make things right, even if he has to sacrifice his personal happiness in order to help others. He just wants to be better. Although Earl has some setbacks along the way, his drive gives this show a lot of heart and emotion.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
15 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney
Created by
Rob McElhenney
Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank (Danny Devito) are the co-owners of Paddy’s Pub, a Philadelphia dive with a penchant for rats, skunked booze, and plenty of sitcom gold. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows the core cast through their respective and shared lives as their egos collide and sociopathic tendencies steer many a reckless ship. A long-running TV sitcom, It’s Always Sunny… introduced the world to Dayman, Rickety Cricket, and a number of other offbeat characters.
DAVE (2020)
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Dave Burd, Taylor Misiak, Andrew Santino
Created by
Jeff Schaffer, Lil Dicky
A comedic riffing on the real-life rap career of Dave Burd (stage name Lil Dicky), DAVE presents a fictionalized version of the late-20s personality and his claim to fame that he can be one of rap’s best. Convinced he’ll be a star, Dave’s neurotic tendencies and constant assertions of stardom are what both rally and rile up his social circle. Featuring a myriad of cameos from leading rap artists of today, DAVE is sure to have you in stitches.
Mr. Mayor (2021)
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Ted Danson, Holly Hunter, Vella Lovell
Created by
Tina Fey, Robert Carlock
Mr. Mayor stars Ted Danson as Neil Bremer, a Los Angeles businessman who runs for mayor and wins the position. Bringing an enthusiastic attitude to the office, Neil comes to learn that not every good idea can be carried out by one man. For that, Mr. Bremer must lean on the strengths and encouragement of his dedicated and offbeat staff, family, and close confidantes. Created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, you can catch both seasons of Mr. Mayor on Hulu right now.
Frasier (1993)
11 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves
Created by
Peter Casey, David Angell
Spinoffs are hard to pull off, especially when the original show is an all-time classic. Fortunately for fans of Cheers, Frasier is also one of the greatest sitcoms ever made. Kelsey Grammer reprised his role as Frasier Crane, as the good doctor reinvented himself as a radio psychologist in his hometown of Seattle. Frasier reunited with his father, Martin (John Mahoney), as well as his brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce). The misadventures of the Crane brothers and their father would have been entertaining enough. But there’s also a charming love story between Niles and Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) that spans several seasons and pulls at our heartstrings. There is talk of a Frasier revival in the near future, even though the original has already earned its place in TV history.
The Golden Girls (1985) new
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan
Created by
Susan Harris
The world was saddened recently with the death of the inimitable Betty White, whose 99 years on Earth (which somehow still feels too soon) were nothing short of remarkable. And even though Betty is gone, The Golden Girls will live on forever. It seems silly in retrospect, but it was a risk at the time to center a sitcom around a group of older women figuring out the next steps of their lives. The women cast in the show, like White, Bea Arthur, and Rue McClanahan, however, helped the show surpass the wildest of expectations. The show was filled with the warmth of friendship between the ladies, but they were never afraid to tell each other how they really felt about the others’ attitudes and actions. It’s a shame there aren’t more shows that follow the blueprint left by The Golden Girls, but by the end of this binge, you’ll be thanking the series for being a friend.
Arrested Development (2003) new
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett
Created by
Mitchell Hurwitz
You may have heard that Netflix revived Arrested Development for two additional seasons. That’s why you can’t watch seasons 4 or 5 on Hulu. But you will find the three original seasons that made the show such a classic. Jason Bateman leads a stellar cast as Michael Bluth, the put-upon sibling who does everything he can to hold his wildly dysfunctional family together. Michael’s father, George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), begins the series in prison for “light treason,” while Michael’s siblings, George Oscar Bluth II (Will Arnett), Lindsay Bluth (Portia de Rossi), and Byron “Buster” Bluth (Tony Hale), all have issues of their own. The late Jessica Walter also stars as Michael’s sharp-tongued mother, Lucille Bluth. These unforgettable characters created some of the best comedic moments of the last 20 years.
Blossom (1990)
5 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Family
Cast
Mayim Bialik, Joey Lawrence, Michael Stoyanov
Created by
Don Reo
Before she was one of the top contenders to host Jeopardy or a star on The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik headlined Blossom, an early ‘90s sitcom that stood out from the crowd. This show allowed Blossom Russo (Bialik) to look and act like an actual teenage girl, with problems that were all too real. After their mother abandons the family, Blossom and her brothers, Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Tony (Michael Stoyanov), rebuild their lives alongside their father, Nick (Ted Wass). Blossom also navigated school and dating alongside her best friend, Six Lemeure (Jenna von Oÿ). This was a show that was ahead of its time, while also being very much of its time.
The Goldbergs (2013)
9 Seasons
Genre
Family, Comedy
Cast
Jeff Garlin, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Hayley Orrantia
Created by
Adam F. Goldberg
The Goldbergs is quite literally a throwback to an early era of sitcoms. Series creator Adam F. Goldberg loosely based the show on his life and family, but it plays fast and loose with the actual events of the ‘80s. Sean Giambrone stars as Adam Frederick Goldberg, while Patton Oswalt voices Adam’s adult counterpart in the present. Adam is the youngest of three siblings, behind Barry Norman (Troy Gentile) and Erica Dorothy Goldberg (Hayley Orrantia). Their parents, Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and Murray Christian Goldberg (Jeff Garlin), have their own eccentricities, but the show’s blend of pop culture references and family comedy make it a winner.
black-ish (2014)
8 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marcus Scribner
Created by
Kenya Barris
Black-ish is one of the rare comedies that is about something more than just its premise. The show stars Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, with Tracee Ellis Ross as his wife, Rainbow. Together, Dre and Rainbow are successfully raising their children, Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi), Andre Johnson, Jr. (Marcus Scribner), Jack Johnson (Miles Brown), and Diane Johnson (Marsai Martin). However, their upper-middle-class standing doesn’t protect them from issues of race, class, and bigotry. Real-world topics are an integral part of this sitcom’s DNA, and it doesn’t shy from harder topics or lose sight of the fact that it’s a comedy first.
Community (2009)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi
Created by
Dan Harmon
Before he co-created Rick and Morty, Dan Harmon gained a fan following with Community, a quirky and very silly comedy series about the students of Greendale Community College. Disgraced ex-lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) only came to Greendale for a quick and easy degree. While wooing Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), Jeff invents a study group on the spot that includes Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), Annie Edison (Alison Brie), Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase), and Troy Barnes (Donald Glover). Much to Jeff’s surprise, he forms an emotional bond with his fellow students. Their wild misadventures have a lot of heart while also joyfully skewering pop culture, movies, and TV shows.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod
Created by
James L. Brooks, Allan Burns
In the show that shares her name, Mary Tyler Moore really can turn the world on with her smile. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a sensation in the ‘70s. It gave Moore a chance to headline her own series as Mary Richards, a 30-year-old woman who reinvents herself as an associate producer for a local news program. She also gets close to her new boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), as well as Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod), Ted Baxter (Ted Knight), Sue Ann Nivens (Betty White), and more. This series was very much a show of its time, but it also pushed the conventions of comedy with weightier topics as well as a cast that remains one of TV’s best ensembles.
M*A*S*H (1972)
11 Seasons
Genre
War & Politics, Drama, Comedy
Cast
Alan Alda, Mike Farrell, Loretta Swit
Created by
H. Richard Hornberger, Larry Gelbart
War is hell, but it can be the setting of a great comedy. In M*A*S*H, the laughs are charged by moments of drama and tragedy. While it’s loosely based on Richard Hooker’s novel and the M*A*S*H feature film, the TV show soon developed its own voice while following with the doctors and staff of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. Alan Alda headlined the cast as Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, with Loretta Swit as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, Gary Burghoff as Corporal Walter Eugene “Radar” O’Reilly, and many more. For its era, this was one of the best comedies on TV. Four decades after it went off the air, M*A*S*H remains a masterpiece that should be viewed for generations to come.
I Love Lucy (1951)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance
Created by
Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Pugh, Jess Oppenheimer
I Love Lucy wasn’t the first sitcom, but it is a titan in the genre. It’s ironic that Lucille Ball’s Lucy Ricardo wanted to be in show business so bad considering that she was clearly the star of this series. Ball’s real-life husband, Desi Arnaz, played Lucy’s husband, Ricky Ricardo, a bandleader at a prestigious nightclub. Veteran actors William Frawley and Vivian Vance co-starred as Fred and Ethel Mertz, the best friends of the Ricardos. This series had such a powerhouse cast that it remains a perennial favorite. And no matter what crazy schemes that Lucy came up with, I Love Lucy always delivered a good time. All six seasons are available to stream.
Married... with Children (1987)
11 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, David Faustino
Created by
Michael G. Moye, Ron Leavitt
Fox’s Married … with Children intentionally upended the traditional sitcom tropes by featuring a couple, Al Bundy (Ed O’Neill) and Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal), whose relationship was extremely contentious. Their children, Bud (David Faustino) and Kelly (Christina Applegate), also gave Al fits, but not as many as their next-door neighbor, Marcy (Amanda Bearse). This was one of the few series that didn’t try to be heartfelt or emotionally endearing. Al hated his life and his dead-end job as a women’s shoe salesman. The show was often crass, but almost always hilarious.
Malcolm in the Middle (2000)
7 Seasons
Genre
Family, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston
Created by
Linwood Boomer
Malcolm in the Middle helped rewrite the rules of modern sitcoms by breaking the fourth wall and shooting on film like a traditional drama. Frankie Muniz headlined the series as Malcolm, a genius in a family of dimwits, control freaks, and unstable personalities. Malcolm’s dad, Hal (Bryan Cranston), is a lovable goof, but Hal’s wife, Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), never missed a chance to exert her will over the family. With Hal and Lois’ teenage delinquent son, Francis (Christopher Kennedy Masterson), shipped off to military school, Malcolm finds himself as the normal middle child between his older brother (and frequent bully), Reese (Justin Berfield), and their oddball younger brother, Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan). This show wasn’t afraid to be zany or daring, and that’s why it belongs among the best sitcoms two decades after its debut.
30 Rock (2006)
7 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan
Created by
Tina Fey
Tina Fey is probably best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, but 30 Rock may ultimately be her biggest legacy. A central part of NBC’s now-legendary comedy block, 30 Rock hit the meta approach hard, detailing the zany comings and goings of a sketch comedy show, just like the one that made Fey famous. The show is a straight satire, its best moments coming when viewers get to see behind the larger-than-life personalities of Jenna (Jane Krakowski) and Tracy (Tracy Morgan) and into the hectic writer’s room. As time goes on, 30 Rock continues to feel more alive, even if some of the jokes have aged poorly enough for episodes to be removed from streaming services. There are still some solid satires being made today, but the hilarity of 30 Rock promises to give it renewed longevity for years to come.
The Wonder Years (1988)
6 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Family
Cast
Fred Savage, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills
Created by
Carol Black, Neal Marlens
While The Wonder Years was a sitcom, it was also so much more. It was a comedy with heart, partly a drama that depicted a slice of life in the world of Kevin Arnold as he grew up. One couldn’t help but root for Kevin, played expertly and innocently by Fred Savage, as he navigated the troubles of his young, middle-class life. The show was novel in how it really tried to put viewers in the eyes of the child rather than the adults shaping his life. There are many lessons to be learned by Kevin, and good or bad, the viewer is along for the ride. Airing for six seasons (all available to stream), the Emmy-winning show was a nostalgic look back to a simpler time in the ’60s and ’70s, but it did take some criticism back then for its lack of racial diversity. But Savage is ready to try and correct that, serving as an executive producer for a forthcoming reboot of the show that will center on a Black middle-class family.
Cheers (1982)
11 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman
Created by
Glen Charles, Les Charles, James Burrows
Ted Danson is the greatest sitcom actor of all time. He starred in Becker. He starred as himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm. He just finished starring in one of the more revered recent sitcoms, The Good Place. But to many, he’ll always be Sam Malone from Cheers. While Malone was often the focal point of the show, the ensemble cast often stood tall on its own, including a stuff doctor named Frasier Crane who would go on to have a successful show of his own. The chemistry between the characters and cast is real, and it truly feels like the audience is stopping in at the local bar, where — yes — everybody knows your name. Many of the jokes hold up, and there was true character development over the decade that the show was on the air. Cheers is often considered by pundits to be one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms of all time, and there’s no reason to see that changing anytime soon. Eleven seasons of Cheers are available to stream on Hulu.
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