Best tv shows like Not Necessarily the News
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Not Necessarily the News is a satirical sketch comedy series that first aired on HBO in September 1982 as a comedy special, and then ran as a series from 1983 to 1990. It featured sketches, parody news items, commercial parodies, and humorous bits made from overdubbing or editing actual news footage. It was based on the British series, Not the Nine O'Clock News. Not Necessarily the News was also the birthplace of Rich Hall's sniglets. It starred: ⁕Anne Bloom, as Frosty Kimelman ⁕Rich Hall, who did a regular feature on "sniglets". ⁕Tommy Koenig ⁕Sam McMurray ⁕Audrie J. Neenan, as Jacqueline Pennell ⁕Danny Breen, as Steve Casper ⁕Mitchell Laurance, as news reporter Pete Kimelman. ⁕Stuart Pankin, as anchorman Bob Charles. ⁕Lucy Webb, as Helen St. Thomas ⁕Jan Hooks ⁕Annabelle Gurwitch ⁕Tom Parks NNTN was Conan O'Brien and Greg Daniels' first professional television writing gig. The show's first theme song was the instrumental bridge of Eric Clapton's cover of "Motherless Children". It was switched to "Hooray For The City" by Jack Mack & The Heart Attack in 1985.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 544
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: spoof
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skitHOUSE (2003)
Plot Summary:
skitHOUSE was an Australian sketch comedy television series that ran on Network Ten from 9 February 2003 to 28 July 2004. The series was produced by Roving Enterprises. It featured many well-known Australian comedians, including comedy-band Tripod. Reruns can now be seen on The Comedy Channel on Foxtel. In the UK, it is shown on the channel Paramount Comedy 2 and Trouble. The title name itself is a pun on the colloquial word: "shithouse". The series only ran for two seasons, before being cancelled due to a combination of dwindling ratings and the withdrawal of the cable network Foxtel as co-financier of the program's production.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 174
Genere: Comedy
Country: Australia
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags:
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Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle (2016)
Plot Summary:
Comics compete onstage while adhering to the Roast Battle rules: original material only, no physical contact, and every battle ends with a hug.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 659
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags:
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Newstopia (2007)
Plot Summary:
Newstopia is an Australian half-hour satirical comedy programme hosted by Shaun Micallef. The first series premiered at 10:00 pm on SBS TV on 10 October 2007 and concluded on 3 December 2007. A second season began on 27 February 2008 and concluded on 30 April 2008. A third season of the show screened from 1 October to 3 December 2008. The show was developed by Micallef, Gary McCaffrie, Michael Ward and Jason Stephens, with McCaffrie and Ward working as writers on the programme. A fourth series in 2009 was planned, but cancelled due to production clashes with Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation. The show's contributors include Matt Cameron, Doug MacLeod, Dave O'Neil, Tony Moclair and Richard Marsland.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 196
Genere: Comedy
Country: Australia
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags:
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Party Over Here (2016)
Plot Summary:
A late-night half-hour sketch comedy series skewering everything from pop culture to politics.
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 212
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, skit
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House of Buggin' (1995)
Plot Summary:
House of Buggin' is a short-lived Latino-themed sketch comedy television show, which aired on Sunday night at 8:30 pm est in 1995, starring John Leguizamo and Luis Guzmán. It was aired on the FOX Network, but removed from broadcasting schedules before the completion of the first season.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 170
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, spoof, sketch comedy, hispanic
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The Chad Ridgely Show (2010)
Plot Summary:
A sketch-comedy variety show.
IMDB Rating:
IMDB Votes:
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: spoof, sketch comedy, slapstick comedy, slapstick, parody
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That Was The Week That Was (1963)
Plot Summary:
Topical political satire program that poked fun at the events of the week. A series of musical numbers, skits, and irreverent humor. It prided itself on being controversial.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 114
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: political, sketch comedy
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The Sketch Show (2001)
Plot Summary:
The Sketch Show is a British television sketch comedy programme, featuring many leading British comedians. It aired on ITV between 2001 and 2004. Despite the first series winning a BAFTA award, the second series was cancelled due to poor viewing figures. Lee Mack states in his autobrography "Mack The Life" that the final two episodes have never been broadcast. A short-lived spinoff of the same title was produced in the United States. Similarly to the UK version, the final two episodes were never broadcast.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 642
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy
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The Dick Emery Show (1963)
Plot Summary:
Comedy skits featuring the talents of Mr Dick Emery.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 208
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, spoof, sketch comedy
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Not Only... But Also (1965)
Plot Summary:
Not Only... But Also was a popular 1960s BBC British television series starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 216
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, surreal, parody, spoof
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Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987)
Plot Summary:
BBC sitcom starring former The Young Ones stars Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as its three title characters respectively. It was written by Ben Elton with additional material credited to Mayall. One series of six half-hour episodes was produced (although the notion of a second series is played upon in the final episode, and the continuity announcer on the last installment says "...and Filthy, Rich and Catflap will return next year." They didn't.).
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 204 min
Plot tags: sitcom, cult classic, surreal, dark comedy, alternative comedy
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D.C. Follies (1987)
Plot Summary:
D.C. Follies is a syndicated sitcom which aired from 1987–1989 and was set in a Washington, D.C. bar, where bartender Fred Willard would welcome puppet caricatures of that day's politicians and celebrities. The humor tended to be on the satirical side, often taking potshots at politicians and the political process. Although Willard was the only live actor appearing regularly, each episode brought a celebrity guest into the bar, such as Martin Mull, Robin Leach, Bob Uecker, and Betty White. In one episode, Robert Englund showed up as his Freddie Kruger character, and in a special Christmas episode an un-billed actor played Santa Claus. Another episode had Mike Tyson confront his own puppet character. The show was believed to be inspired by the British series Spitting Image. It was syndicated in many markets, although it often aired at odd hours, making it difficult for the show to build a following. It was produced by Sid and Marty Krofft.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 150
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, spoof, parody
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Royal Canadian Air Farce (1993)
Plot Summary:
A comedy sketch show focusing on Canadian events and affairs.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 730
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, parody, spoof, sketch comedy, live comedy
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Smack the Pony (1999)
Plot Summary:
Smack the Pony is a British sketch comedy show that ran from 1999 until 2003 on Channel 4. The main performers on the show were Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan, and Sally Phillips. There were also regular appearances from Sarah Alexander, Darren Boyd, and Cavan Clerkin. The show's popular theme tune was Dusty Springfield's song In the Middle of Nowhere, sung by Jackie Clune. As well as the three principal cast members, the show was written by a large number of writers, the core of which went on to write Green Wing and Campus. In Germany, the first transmission of the show aired on ProSieben, where the theme tune was changed to Texas' 2001 version of I Don't Want a Lover, and featured a different title sequence. Among the show's regular themes were unsuccessful relationships, competition in the workplace and latent lesbianism, but sketches would also dip into the surreal; such as two women jumping from their car as they neared a parking space, and brushing in front of the path of their car to help it move further forward, as in curling. Two regular strands involved a series of different women making dating agency videos about their general likes and dislikes, and a musical parody that would close the show.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, atmospheric, hilarious, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, cynical, not serious, fun
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Tracey Ullman's Show (2016)
Plot Summary:
Tracey Ullman returns with her unique take on some of the extraordinary characters who make up the global hub that is the UK.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 695
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy
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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
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Tracey Takes On... (1996)
Plot Summary:
Tracey Takes On... is a sketch comedy series starring comedienne Tracey Ullman. The show ran for four seasons on HBO and was commissioned after the success of the 1993 comedy special "Tracey Ullman Takes on New York." Each episode focuses on specific subject in which Ullman and her cast characters comment on or experience through a series of sketches and monologues.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 649
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, clever, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, not serious
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Brass Eye (1997)
Plot Summary:
Controversial spoof of current-affairs TV and the role of celebrity in the UK.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: parody, controversial, humorous, sitcom, political, absurd, spoof, sketch comedy, surreal, dark comedy
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Plot Summary:
French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comic duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. It is also the name by which the performers are known on the occasions when they appear elsewhere as a double act.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, parody, mockumentary, clever, humorous, realistic, witty, cynical, not serious
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The Day Today (1994)
Plot Summary:
The Day Today is a surreal British parody of television current affairs programmes, broadcast in 1994, and created by the comedians Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris. It is an adaptation of the radio programme On the Hour, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 1991 and 1992. On the Hour was written by Morris, Iannucci, Steven Wells, Andrew Glover, Stewart Lee, Richard Herring, David Quantick, and the cast. For The Day Today, Peter Baynham joined the writing team, and Lee and Herring were replaced by Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews. The principal cast of On the Hour was retained for The Day Today. The Day Today is composed of six half-hour episodes and a selection of shorter, five-minute slots recorded as promotion trailers for the longer segments. The six half-hour episodes were originally broadcast from 19 January to 23 February 1994 on BBC2. The Day Today has won many awards, including Morris winning the 1994 British Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. All six episodes are available on BBC DVD, having previously been issued on VHS.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, humorous, political, sketch comedy, sitcom, surreal, offbeat, realistic, cynical, not serious
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Spitting Image (1984)
Plot Summary:
Spitting Image is an award winning British satirical puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. The series was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Independent Television over 18 series which aired on the ITV from 1984 to 1996. The series was nominated and won numerous awards during its run including 10 BAFTA Awards, including one for editing in 1989, and even won two Emmy Awards in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category. The series featured puppet caricatures of celebrities famous during the 1980s and 1990s, including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and fellow Tory politicians, American president Ronald Reagan, and the British Royal Family. The Series was the first to caricature the Queen mother.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, humorous, sitcom, political, absurd, controversial, surreal, parody, clever, realistic
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The Comic Strip Presents (1982)
Plot Summary:
The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, who came to prominence in the 1980s. They are known for their television series The Comic Strip Presents... which was labelled as an example of alternative comedy. The core members are Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson, Jennifer Saunders and Alexei Sayle with frequent appearances by Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and others.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: anthology, parody, political, sitcom, surreal, slapstick comedy, game show, alternative comedy
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Dog Bites Man (2006)
Plot Summary:
Dog Bites Man is a partially improvised comedy television show on Comedy Central that aired in summer 2006. It began airing on The Comedy Channel in Australia in June 2007. The series was produced by DreamWorks Television.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: parody, humorous, stylized, not serious, sitcom, spoof, mockumentary, offbeat, realistic, alternative comedy
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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
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Viva Variety (1997)
Plot Summary:
Viva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 343
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, parody, spoof
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MADtv (1995)
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
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Big Train (1998)
Plot Summary:
Big Train is a surreal British television comedy sketch show created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, writers of the successful sitcom Father Ted. The first series was broadcast on BBC Two in 1998, while the second, in which Linehan was not involved, aired in 2002.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, sitcom, surreal, absurd, clever, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, not serious
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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
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Upright Citizens Brigade (1998)
Plot Summary:
The Upright Citizens Brigade is an improvisational comedy and sketch comedy group that emerged from Chicago's ImprovOlympic in 1990. The most recent incarnation consists of Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. The original incarnation of the group consisted of Besser, Ali Farahnakian, Drew Franklin, Adam McKay, Roberts, Rick Roman, and Horatio Sanz. Other early members included Neil Flynn, Armando Diaz, and Rich Fulcher.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sketch comedy, funny, surreal, offbeat, humorous, not serious, independent film, parody, spoof, odd
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Jon Benjamin Has a Van (2011)
Plot Summary:
Jon Benjamin Has a Van is a live-action television comedy series that aired in the summer of 2011 on Comedy Central. The series stars Jon Benjamin as a reporter who tours around in a van to deliver uninteresting news to the viewers and to unsuspecting people while utilizing scripted scenes for narrative reasons. The series' cancellation was announced in April 2012. Special guests include Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Jon Glaser, Eric Wareheim, Tim Heidecker, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, Jay Johnston, Bob Odenkirk, Chloé Dumas, Jerry Minor, Andy Richter, Larry Murphy, Rich Fulcher, Chris Parnell, Brendon Small, and Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, light, feel good, captivating, spoof, offbeat, cynical, not serious, independent film, sketch comedy