In the past few years, dark comedy has exploded in popularity. Some media psychology researchers attribute our love for the genre to our constant inundation with tragedy by the rapid-fire news cycle. “Gallows humor” arms our emotional processing mechanisms, so audiences flock to narratives that portray serious issues with ironic levity. These five shows do just that, which makes them funny and compelling.
“American Vandal” (2017 – 2018) is a mockumentary series created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda. It centers Hanover High School student Peter Maldonado (Tyler Alvarez) and his classmate Sam Ecklund (Griffin Gluck), who team up to investigate a vandalism scandal at their school. The crime? Penises spraypainted on 27 teachers’ cars. The (alleged) criminal? Senior slacker Dylan Maxwell (Jimmy Tatro), whose class clown reputation doesn’t help his claims of innocence. The show takes a deadly serious tone, compiling confessional interviews and social media found-footage evidence to parody true crime documentaries like “Making a Murderer.”
The second season takes Peter and Sam to St. Bernadine Catholic High School. Grade-A weirdo Kevin McClain (Travis Tope) is accused of poisoning the cafeteria lemonade with laxatives, leading to a school-wide “brownout.” I’ll spare the stomach-churning details—it’s exactly what it sounds like. Despite (or perhaps because of) the juvenile humor, “American Vandal” is a heartfelt look into high school social culture. Each season shows the suspects at their most vulnerable, proving the detrimental effects of stereotypes, rumors, and bullying. “American Vandal” definitely delivers laughs, but it also exemplifies mature and profound storytelling.
Available on Netflix
“Why Women Kill” (2019 – 2021) is a dramedy anthology. It was developed by Marc Cherry, who also created “Desperate Housewives.” The first season follows three women in different timelines who all live in the same Pasadena mansion. In 1963, Beth Ann Stanton (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a dutiful housewife who is stunned to discover her husband’s infidelity. In 1984, socialite Simone Grove (Lucy Liu) runs into the arms of a younger man after finding out that her third husband is having a scandalous affair of his own. In 2019, driven lawyer Taylor Harding (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and her husband test their open marriage when they start sleeping with the same woman.
The second season takes place in 1949 Los Angeles, where dowdy housewife Alma Filcott (Allison Tolman) is fed up with people only recognizing her as the veterinarian’s wife. She joins the exclusive Elysian Park Garden Club in order to make her mark on the world. The social club soon morphs into a web of sex, lies and murder that brings out the dark side in Alma—and her husband. The soapy dark comedy strives to answer the titular question: What drives a woman to kill?
Available on Paramount+
“Black Monday” (2019 – 2021) is a dark comedy series that was created by Jordan Cahan and David Caspe. It fictionalizes the story behind the real Black Monday, a 1987 stock market crash that sent international markets into a recession. Veteran stockbroker Maurice “Mo” Monroe (Don Cheadle) is already a star in the cocaine-dusted halls of Wall Street, but he plans to make more money than he’s ever dreamed of by forcing a takeover of the Georgina Jeans Company. The key to his plan is hiring Blair Pfaff (Andrew Rannells), a yuppie newcomer whose connections to the Georgina family will get Mo into their good graces. Meanwhile, firecracker Dawn Darcy (Regina Hall) forges her own path as the only female trader at Mo’s firm.
From brick phones to the Lehman Brothers, “Black Monday” spoofs every aspect of the 1980s Reagan era. The outrageous dialogue and plotlines poke fun at American greed. The trading floor is a zero-sum game, and Mo, Blair and Dawn are willing to step on anyone’s toes. Yet, there’s something sentimental about their cutthroat race to the top. They all come from nothing, and it’s easy to understand why the elusive rags-to-riches dream appeals to them. Ultimately, it leads them to find true fulfillment in unexpected places.
Available on Hulu
“The Righteous Gemstones” (2019 – present) is a dark comedy series that was created by Danny McBride. He stars as Jesse Gemstone, the eldest son in a family of South Carolina televangelists. He and his siblings Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam Devine) work for their father, Eli (John Goodman), who is the pastor of the Gemstone Salvation Center. The Gemstones live up to their last name, flaunting private jets, designer clothes, and even an amusement park on their family compound. However, the lap of luxury isn’t all it seems. The family is consumed with tension ever since the death of the matriarch, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles). Flashbacks emphasize her heart of gold, reminding viewers the Gemstones were once truly righteous.
Aimee-Leigh’s genuine kindness and love for God contrast the family’s current debauchery. The show satirizes evangelical Southern Baptist megachurches, which have a reputation for putting fame and fortune before faith. Punchy comedic writing amplifies outlandish storylines full of all seven deadly sins. However, as scandals test their loyalty, it’s clear that they really care about each other. Despite all the drama, the Gemstones prove that blood is thicker than holy water. The third season of “The Righteous Gemstones” is set to air in 2023.
Available on HBOMax
“Beef” (2023) is a psychological tragicomedy created by Lee Sung Jin. It stars Steven Yeun as Danny Cho and Ali Wong as Amy Lau. Danny and Amy are polar opposites—Danny’s a down-and-out contractor who’s living in a motel with his brother ever since their parents’ business went under. Amy’s a married Calabasas mom who owns a plant shop called Kōyōhaus. But under the surface, her picture-perfect marriage is cracking. When Danny and Amy collide in a road rage incident, the ensuing feud consumes both of them.
Danny and Amy are both facing personal and professional pressure. He’s buoying his floundering construction company with odd jobs to support his parents. She’s struggling to fit into her husband’s highbrow art world while also trying to sell her business and stay home with her daughter full-time. Both protagonists are desperate, and it shows in their escalating retaliations. They take increasingly violent jabs at each other, threatening both of their livelihoods in the process. “Beef” shows how family expectations push someone to the brink—and the grimly funny lengths they’ll go to just to have an outlet.
Available on Netflix
