Best tv shows like MADtv
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad, and contained animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts as well as images of Alfred E. Neuman. Its first TV broadcast was on October 14, 1995. The one-hour show aired Saturday nights on Fox, and was in syndication on Comedy Central. In Australia the show screens on satellite and cable TV channel The Comedy Channel and in late-night timeslots on free-to-air broadcaster the Nine Network and its affiliates.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, not serious, realistic, spoof, light, feel good, cult classic, game show, parody
Best tv shows and movies like MADtv (1995):
Similar in 83%
Chappelle's Show (2003)
Plot Summary:
Chappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedians Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various sketches. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22, 2003, on the American cable television network Comedy Central. The show ran for two complete seasons and a third, truncated season. After numerous delays, production of the third season of the show was abruptly ended when Chappelle left the show. Three episodes were compiled from the completed work and these episodes aired from July 9 to July 23, 2006. Re-runs frequently air on Comedy Central and around the world on MTV in Germany, Comedy Central in Brazil, The Comedy Network in Canada, The Comedy Channel and 7mate in Australia and FX in the United Kingdom. Chappelle's Show was also shown on WGN America and was syndicated to various television stations across the U.S. including MyNetworkTV. TV Guide ranked it #31 on their list of "TV's Top 100 Shows".
IMDB Rating: 8.8
IMDB Votes: 70000
Genere: Comedy, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, witty, not serious, funny, sitcom, dark comedy, epic, skit, realistic
Similar in 85%
The UCB Show (2016)
Plot Summary:
A weekly variety showcase for the best sketch, characters and stand-up homegrown at the UCB Theatres in LA and NYC. Hosted by Upright Citizens Brigade co-founders Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh and filmed with a live audience at UCB Sunset in Hollywood.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 90
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: sketch comedy, parody, spoof, black comedy, slapstick comedy, slapstick, alternative comedy, live comedy
Similar in 84%
In Living Color (1990)
Plot Summary:
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television and was taped before a live studio audience at stage 7 at the Fox Television Center on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. The title of the series was inspired by the NBC announcement of broadcasts being presented "in living color" during the 1950s and 1960s, prior to mainstream color television. It also refers to the fact that most of the show's cast were black, unlike other sketch comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live whose casts are usually mostly white. Other members of the Wayans family—Kim, Shawn and Marlon—had regular roles, while brother Dwayne frequently appeared as an extra. The show also starred the previously unknown actor/comedians Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and David Alan Grier. Additionally, actress Rosie Perez, Dancing with the Stars judge and choreographer Carrie Ann Inaba and dancer Jennifer Lopez were members of the show's dance troupe The Fly Girls. The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series in 1990.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Comedy, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, parody, not serious, witty, sitcom, game show, offbeat, realistic, absurd
Similar in 80%
Super Dave (1987)
Plot Summary:
Super Dave is a Canadian/American variety show starring and hosted by the fictional character Super Dave Osborne. It ran from 1987 to 1991 on Showtime in the US and the Global Television Network in Canada. Super Dave was spun off from the sketch comedy series Bizarre, which featured Bob Einstein in recurring roles, including Super Dave. Super Dave made his first appearance on the 1972 TV series The John Byner Comedy Hour. Einstein then regularly played the character on the short-lived 1976 variety show Van Dyke and Company starring Dick Van Dyke.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 717
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, humorous, realistic, not serious, sitcom, spoof, sketch comedy
Similar in 83%
Atom TV (2008)
Plot Summary:
An ancient monster chains three victims to his dungeon wall and forces them to be his friends.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 62
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: parody, humorous, not serious, stylized, light, feel good, slapstick, spoof, sketch comedy
Similar in 76%
Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday (2008)
Plot Summary:
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday is an American limited-run series broadcast on NBC. It is a political satire news show spin-off from Saturday Night Live, featuring that show's "Weekend Update" segment. It initially ran for three 30-minute episodes in October 2008, during the lead-up to the 2008 United States presidential election.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 960
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: parody, humorous, not serious, clever, witty, talky, realistic, biting, spoof, sketch comedy
Similar in 77%
The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005)
Plot Summary:
The Showbiz Show with David Spade was a weekly television program on Comedy Central that starred comedian David Spade. It is a comedic parody of celebrity news programs such as Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. The show was developed from David Spade's Hollywood Minute segment on Saturday Night Live.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 272
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, not serious, parody, spoof, sketch comedy
Similar in 85%
The Ben Stiller Show (1992)
Plot Summary:
The Ben Stiller Show is the name of two sketch comedy television shows that aired on MTV from 1990 to 1991, and then on Fox from September 1992 to January 1993. The Fox show stars Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo and Bob Odenkirk. Character actor John F. O'Donohue also appeared in every episode. It featured numerous filmed comedy segments, many of which parodied mid-1980s to early 1990s pop-culture. Despite mostly positive reviews, Fox canceled the series after only 12 episodes, due to low ratings. Unlike most sketch comedy shows, The Ben Stiller Show did not use a studio audience or a laugh track. This was the only Fox sketch comedy program not to use a laugh track. The semi-spinoff, The Andy Dick Show, used the same format. After cancellation, the series won the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Series.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 306 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, parody, spoof, slapstick comedy, alternative comedy, fake documentary, cult film
Similar in 81%
Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979)
Plot Summary:
Attention, comedy fans: NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS is the real thing. This is scathing, no-holds-barred Brit humor at its best. Rapid-fire skits starring Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) are as politically incorrect as they are side-bustingly funny, sparing no one as they take on the British Royal Family, Margaret Thatcher, Scotland Yard, country music, Christianity, devil worship, punk rock and bathroom etiquette. NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS is so irreverent that when the pilot was due to air in April 1979, the BBC cancelled it due to its incendiary political content. When at last it aired, the greatest comedy group to hit England since Monty Python's Flying Circus stormed the airwaves and revolutionized British and American television alike. Discover the show that set the standard for the anarchic cynicism that defined the alternative comedy of the 80's.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, political, sitcom, parody, realistic, witty, not serious, spoof, vintage
Similar in 90%
The Big Gay Sketch Show (2006)
Plot Summary:
A sketch-comedy series featuring a cast of up-and-coming comics performing live skits, musical numbers and political satire.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 458
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: parody, humorous, realistic, witty, not serious, sketch comedy, offbeat, spoof, live comedy, queer cinema
Similar in 82%
Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening (2010)
Plot Summary:
Aziz Ansari presents his highly anticipated debut hour long stand-up special. The critically acclaimed stand-up and actor (Parks and Recreation, Funny People) discusses topics ranging from sheets with fraudulent thread counts to the chubbiness of his young cousin Harris. Also included is a special encore performance from Raaaaaaaandy.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 56 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, witty, talky, not serious, parody, funny, light, feel good, entertaining
Similar in 76%
The Rick Mercer Report (2004)
Plot Summary:
A weekly helping of topical satire, funny takes on the week's top stories and Canada-wide adventures.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 864
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, witty, parody, realistic, talky, semi serious, biting, spoof, sketch comedy, slapstick comedy
Similar in 87%
The State (1993)
Plot Summary:
The State is a half-hour sketch-comedy television show, originally broadcast in the USA on MTV between December 17, 1993, and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to present sketches that won the favor of its target teenaged audience. The cast consisted of 11 twenty-something comedians who created, acted, wrote, directed and edited the show. Several memorable characters were created for the show, and for a short time their catchphrases entered into the vernacular. Often, the cast would appear as themselves and address the audience to promote fake contests or to deliver mock public service announcements. Much like Monty Python, The State's sketches were sometimes linked to each other in some way: a punchline or image that ended one sketch often provided a lead-in to the next. After years of legal issues related to the soundtrack to many of the episodes, the series was released on DVD on July 14, 2009. A State film featuring all of the original troupe members is in the works, but was delayed by the 2007-2008 screenwriters strike, and no release date for the project has been announced.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, slapstick, skit, offbeat, humorous, realistic, surreal, witty, not serious, independent film
Similar in 79%
The Richard Pryor Show (1977)
Plot Summary:
The Richard Pryor Show is an American comedy variety series starring Richard Pryor. It premiered on NBC on Tuesday, September 13, 1977 at 8 p.m. opposite ABC's popular television shows Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days. The show was produced by Rocco Urbisci for Burt Sugarman Productions. It was conceived out of a special that Pryor did for NBC in May 1977. Because the special was a major hit, both critically and commercially, Pryor was given a chance to host and star in his own television show. TV Guide included the series in their 2013 list of 60 shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon".
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 446
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, exciting, humorous, realistic, witty, not serious, biting, parody, spoof, black comedy
Similar in 87%
A Bit of Fry and Laurie (1987)
Plot Summary:
A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series and totalled 26 episodes, including a 35 minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples of its material. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert into their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. In addition, the show was punctuated with non-sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements, heavily based on wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and a wide variety of other instruments and singing comical numbers.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, sketch comedy, clever, witty, funny, multicultural, hilarious, mind blowing, realistic, not serious
Similar in 86%
Saturday Night Live (1975)
Plot Summary:
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 52000
Genere: Comedy, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, parody, not serious, witty, talky, sitcom, skit, hilarious, epic
Similar in 90%
Exit 57 (1995)
Plot Summary:
Exit 57 was a 30-minute sketch comedy series that aired on the American television channel Comedy Central from 1995 to 1996; its cast was composed of comedians Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Jodi Lennon, and Mitch Rouse, all of whom had previously studied improv at The Second City in Chicago. In 1999 Sedaris, Dinello, Colbert and Rouse would also create the Comedy Central show "Strangers with Candy". Humorist David Sedaris also served as an additional writer for the series, sharing a single onscreen credit with his sister as "The Talent Family". The show's producer, Joe Forristal, had also served as executive producer for The Kids in the Hall. All of the sketches in the series are implied to take place in the fictional suburban setting of the Quad Cities. During the show's memorably cryptic opening sequence, the cast members are seen standing next to a broken down car on the highway. Soon they are picked up by a passing driver, who changes the radio station at the mention of a serial killer, and takes Polaroid pictures of his increasingly uncomfortable passengers. Growing suspicious, the cast demands to be let out. The car is then seen pulling off the highway at Exit 57.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 249
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, parody, spoof, slapstick comedy, slapstick, alternative comedy
Similar in 75%
Mind of Mencia (2005)
Plot Summary:
Mind of Mencia was an American television comedy series on the cable channel Comedy Central. Hosted by Carlos Mencia, it aired from 2005 to 2008.
IMDB Rating: 3.1
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, realistic, witty, not serious, parody, funny, humorous, sitcom, spoof, hispanic
Similar in 79%
The Kids in the Hall (1988)
Plot Summary:
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States. The theme song for the show was the instrumental "Having an Average Weekend" by the Canadian band Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. The troupe made one movie, Brain Candy, which was released in 1996. The troupe reformed for various tours and comedy festivals in 2000. They released an eight-part miniseries, Death Comes to Town in January, 2010. The name of the group came from Sid Caesar, who, if a joke didn't go over, or played worse than expected, would attribute it to "the kids in the hall", referring to a group of young writers hanging around the studio.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, not serious, surreal, witty, funny, clever, offbeat, realistic, biting
Similar in 77%
Tosh.0 (2009)
Plot Summary:
A weekly topical series hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh that delves into all aspects of the Internet, from the ingenious to the absurd to the medically inadvisable.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: humorous, not serious, realistic, funny, game show, absurd, black comedy, sketch comedy, slapstick comedy, slapstick
Similar in 88%
The Whitest Kids U' Know (2007)
Plot Summary:
The Whitest Kids U' Know is an American sketch comedy troupe and television program of the same name. The group consists of Trevor Moore, Zach Cregger, Sam Brown, Timmy Williams and Darren Trumeter, though other actors occasionally appear in their sketches. They were accepted into the HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 2006 and won the award for Best Sketch Group.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 15 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, not serious, parody, feel good, light, entertaining, mysterious, surreal, sitcom
Similar in 83%
Second City Television (1976)
Plot Summary:
Second City Television is a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from Toronto's Second City troupe that ran between 1976 and 1984.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, parody, retro, humorous, cult classic, absurd, spoof, black comedy, fun
Similar in 81%
Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)
Plot Summary:
Mr. Show with Bob and David is an American sketch comedy series starring and hosted by Saturday Night Live writer/actor Bob Odenkirk and stand up comedian/actor David Cross. It aired on HBO from November 3, 1995 to December 28, 1998. Cross and Odenkirk introduced most episodes as heightened versions of themselves, before transitioning to a mixture of live sketches and pre-taped segments. The show featured a number of alternative comedians as both cast members and writers, including Sarah Silverman, Paul F. Tompkins, Jack Black, Tom Kenny, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Brian Posehn, Jerry Minor, Scott Aukerman, and Dino Stamatopoulos. It was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as a Golden Satellite Award.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 27 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, surreal, funny, absurd, cult classic, parody, offbeat, humorous, witty
Similar in 82%
The Birthday Boys (2013)
Plot Summary:
"The Birthday Boys" is a scripted original sketch comedy, executive produced by Bob Odenkirk ("Breaking Bad", "Mr. Show") and Ben Stiller ("The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", "Zoolander"). The series features the Los Angeles comedy group of the same name (UCB Theatre Los Angeles, Just for Laughs Festival) along with Odenkirk and is in the classic vein of absurd/silly/smart/funny variety shows ("Mr. Show", Monty Python), featuring sketches that twist real-life moments and cultural touchstones.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, realistic, surreal, not serious, dark comedy, skit, offbeat, independent film, slapstick comedy
Similar in 76%
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007)
Plot Summary:
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010. The program features surrealistic and often satirical humor, public-access television–style musical acts, bizarre faux-commercials, and editing and special effects chosen to make the show appear camp. The program featured a wide range of actors, spanning from stars such as Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Will Forte and Zach Galifianakis, to alternative comedians like Neil Hamburger, to television actors like Alan Thicke, celebrity look-alikes and impressionists. The creators of the show have described it as "the nightmare version of television.".
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Comedy, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 11 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, surreal, parody, not serious, witty, spoof, psychedelic, absurd, dark comedy
Similar in 79%
Kroll Show (2013)
Plot Summary:
Kroll Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by and starring comedian Nick Kroll. Kroll, John Levenstein, and Jonathan Krisel serve as the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 16, 2013, on the American cable television network Comedy Central.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, parody, feel good, light, captivating, skit, offbeat, realistic, not serious
Similar in 87%
Nick Swardson's Pretend Time (2010)
Plot Summary:
Nick Swardson's Pretend Time was a TV sketch comedy show created by and starring comedian and actor Nick Swardson. The show premiered on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, at 10 p.m. EST on Comedy Central and ran for two seasons, with the final first-run episode airing November 16, 2011.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 905
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, not serious, parody, light, feel good, sketch comedy, offbeat, independent film, alternative comedy
Similar in 88%
Human Giant (2007)
Plot Summary:
Human Giant is a sketch comedy show on MTV, starring writer/performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer and directed primarily by Jason Woliner. The show ran for two seasons. In interviews, the group has mentioned that they were offered a third season by MTV but were unable to complete it due to Ansari's commitments to the hit NBC show Parks and Recreation. However, the group has stated that MTV has left the door open for the group to complete a third season at a later date or to produce a special for the network. In 2010, Ansari, Huebel and Scheer reunited to do a skit for the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. In November 2008, The Hollywood Reporter noted the group is currently developing a feature film with Red Hour Productions, the production company run by Ben Stiller and producer Stuart Cornfeld.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, surreal, not serious, parody, funny, offbeat, independent film, fast, spoof
Similar in 79%
Chocolate News (2008)
Plot Summary:
Chocolate News is a satirical news show hosted and head written by David Alan Grier with an emphasis on African American culture. The show aired on Wednesday nights at 10:30 PM on Comedy Central as a lead-in to their other news satire programs, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. The show also aired in Canada on The Comedy Network. On March 10, 2009 a Comedy Central representative confirmed that Chocolate News would not be renewed for a second season.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 549
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, humorous, cynical, not serious, captivating, realistic, biting, spoof, black comedy, sketch comedy
Similar in 90%
CollegeHumor Originals (2006)
Plot Summary:
Funny sketches with crude, adult, and undeniably hilarious comedy.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: not serious, humorous, realistic, parody, light, feel good, sketch comedy, offbeat, independent film, spoof