Best tv shows like On the Air
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
On the Air is an American sitcom created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, and broadcast by ABC. In the United States only three episodes were aired, although seven were filmed. The program follows the antics of the staff of a fictional 1950s television network, as they try to put on a live variety program called "The Lester Guy Show", with disastrous results. It starred Ian Buchanan, Marla Rubinoff, Nancye Ferguson, Miguel Ferrer, Gary Grossman, and Mel Johnson, Jr. Directors included David Lynch, Mark Frost, Jack Fisk, Jonathan Sanger, Lesli Linka Glatter, and Betty Thomas.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: hilarious, offbeat, humorous, realistic, semi serious, experimental, avant garde, sitcom, slapstick comedy
Best tv shows and movies like On the Air (1992):
Similar in 77%
Greg the Bunny (2002)
Plot Summary:
Greg the Bunny is an American television sitcom that originally aired on Fox TV in 2002. It starred Seth Green and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny, originally invented by the team of Sean S. Baker, Spencer Chinoy and Dan Milano. Milano and Chinoy wrote and co-produced the Fox show. The show was spun off from The Greg the Bunny Show, a series of short segments that aired on the Independent Film Channel, which were based on the Public-access television cable TV show Junktape. A show spin-off, called Warren the Ape, premiered on June 14, 2010 on MTV.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, offbeat
Similar in 84%
Pastewka (2005)
Plot Summary:
Pastewka is a German television sitcom that began airing on German TV channel Sat.1 in 2005. The series, currently in its sixth season, is set in Cologne, with German actor Bastian Pastewka starring as a fictionalized version of himself. It has been compared to Seinfeld and Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm. The series was awarded, among others, the Rose d'Or and the German Television Prize. Series was directed by Joseph Orr and Jan Markus Linhof.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: Germany
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: humorous, sitcom, witty, cynical, not serious, offbeat, realistic, talky, semi serious, fun
Similar in 86%
The Comeback (2005)
Plot Summary:
The series initially follows Valerie Cherish (Kudrow), a veteran sitcom actress who has been out of the spotlight for more than a decade, as she attempts in 2005 to return to the industry that made her famous. Valerie lands a role on a new network sitcom, but struggles with the matter of being an aging, non-influential performer in an increasingly-youthful Hollywood, while her every move on and off the set is being documented for a companion reality show. When the cameras catch up with Valerie in 2014, she is cast in an HBO series entitled Seeing Red, which chronicles the career of the sitcom writer/producer who tormented her nine years earlier.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, biting, humorous, not serious, mockumentary, captivating, cult classic, realistic, cynical, suspense
Similar in 79%
Beggars and Choosers (1999)
Plot Summary:
Beggars and Choosers is a comedy-drama series broadcast by Showtime. Developed by Peter Lefcourt and Brandon Tartikoff, the series was a comedic, behind-the-scenes look at network television. Its 42 episodes aired between June 19, 1999 and December 12, 2000.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 254
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious
Similar in 77%
The Larry Sanders Show (1992)
Plot Summary:
Comic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and to show us a convincing slice of behind the camera life.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, parody, clever, humorous, realistic, witty, cynical, not serious, mockumentary, biting
Similar in 78%
The John Larroquette Show (1993)
Plot Summary:
The John Larroquette Show is an American television sitcom that ran on NBC from September 2, 1993 until October 30, 1996. Created by Don Reo, the show was a vehicle for John Larroquette following his run as Dan Fielding on Night Court. The series takes place in a seedy bus terminal in St. Louis, Missouri and originally focused on the somewhat broken people who worked the night shift, and in particular, the lead character's battle with alcoholism. The series was produced by Reo's Impact Zone Productions and Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sincere, clever, offbeat, humorous, tragicomedy, realistic, talky, semi serious
Similar in 84%
Murphy Brown (1988)
Plot Summary:
Murphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television newsmagazine.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, talky, not serious, retro, clever, witty
Similar in 76%
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973)
Plot Summary:
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is a BBC situation comedy, written by Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for three series, ending in 1978. The series follows the accident-prone Frank Spencer and his tolerant, if long-suffering, wife, Betty, through Frank's various attempts to hold down a job, which frequently end in disaster. Noted for its stuntwork, performed by Michael Crawford himself as well as featuring various well-remembered catchphrases, the series was voted #22 in the BBC's poll "Britain's Best Sitcom".
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, not serious, humorous, realistic, melancholic, touching, captivating, atmospheric, offbeat, slapstick
Similar in 86%
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
Similar in 83%
Working Stiffs (1979)
Plot Summary:
Working Stiffs is a short-lived 1979 American television series which starred James Belushi and Michael Keaton as brothers Ernie and Mike O'Rourke. The pair were janitors who aspired to work their way up in the field of business. The brothers worked in an office building owned by their Uncle Harry. Ernie and Mike also were roommates in an apartment over a cafe where they befriended the owner Mitch and waitress Nikki. Each episode featured slapstick and physical comedy. Penny Marshall directed the pilot. Includes an early appearance of Paul Reubens as Heimlich the delivery boy at the cafe. The series aired on CBS. It competed against the highly-rated shows NBC's CHiPs and ABC's The Ropers in its timeslot. Nine episodes were produced but after four episodes aired, the series was canceled. After Belushi and Keaton became major film stars in the 1980s, six episodes of the show were released on home video. Reruns have also aired on A&E Network, Comedy Central and TV Land. The syndication package included the previously unaired episodes.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 141
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, slapstick
Similar in 86%
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (2009)
Plot Summary:
Comedy about an inept American placed in charge of sales at his company's London branch. He has no experience with British culture, knows nothing about sales, and has only one employee, Dave. Each episode begins with a scene of Margaret appearing in dire circumstances.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, realistic, feel good, entertaining, light, sincere, captivating, funny
Similar in 81%
Utopia (2014)
Plot Summary:
Set inside the offices of the "Nation Building Authority", a newly created government organisation responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects, Utopia explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide. It's a tribute to those political leaders who have somehow managed to take a long-term vision and use it for short-term gain.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: Australia
Duration: 27 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, semi serious, realistic, mockumentary, hilarious, biting, suspense
Similar in 78%
After Lately (2011)
Plot Summary:
After Lately is an American television comedy. The series depicts, in mockumentary style, the behind the scenes goings-on at the office of the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately. The cast is made up of the actual writers and performers of Chelsea Lately, who play themselves as they suffer the indignities and relish the perks of show business, bicker and argue over trivial and petty matters, compete for show air time and personal approval from Chelsea, and produce a nightly late-night cable comedy show. Celebrity guest stars regularly appear, playing parody versions of themselves, interacting with Chelsea and the cast. The series began airing on E! on March 6, 2011.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 610
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: humorous, light, mockumentary, captivating, entertaining, parody, realistic, witty, not serious, sitcom
Similar in 86%
Almost Perfect (1995)
Plot Summary:
Almost Perfect is an American situation comedy that aired on the CBS television network from September 17, 1995 until October 30, 1996. The series focused on the professional life of the female executive producer of a television cop show, her witty, zany staff which doubled as her family, and initially, how she balanced her high-powered role with that of her newfound romance with a busy assistant D.A. The series was created by Ken Levine, David Isaacs and Robin Schiff, and produced by Levine & Isaacs Productions and Robin Schiff Productions, in association with Paramount Television. Levine and Isaacs were previously known for their work as writers and producers on the long-running Paramount-produced Cheers, as well as on its Paramount stablemate Wings. Like the latter shows, Almost Perfect featured a tight-knit ensemble aspect between the cast, which in this case was formed by the production staff of the fictional cop show. CBS canceled the series just four episodes into its second season. Six leftover episodes aired on Lifetime in December 1997, followed by reruns of the entire series surfacing on USA Network's weekday morning lineup between 1998 and 2001.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 270
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 82%
Watching Ellie (2002)
Plot Summary:
A single woman, Ellie Riggs, tries to navigate her way through the Los Angeles music scene and her own messy personal life.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 360
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 78%
The Comedians (2015)
Plot Summary:
A veteran comedian is reluctantly paired with a younger, edgier comedian for a late-night comedy sketch show.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: humorous, not serious, realistic, sitcom, mockumentary, buddy comedy
Similar in 85%
Starlets (2000)
Plot Summary:
Grosse Pointe is an American television parody series which aired on the WB Network during the 2000–2001 television season. Created by Darren Star, it was a satire depicting the behind-the-scenes drama on the set of a television show, and was inspired in large part by Star's experiences as the creator and producer of the nighttime soap Beverly Hills, 90210.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 782
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, sitcom, humorous, cynical, not serious, offbeat, realistic
Similar in 88%
The CollegeHumor Show (2009)
Plot Summary:
The CollegeHumor Show was an American comedy that premiered on MTV on February 8, 2009 and also aired on MuchMusic. The show is a scripted sitcom with sketch comedy elements. It is written by and stars nine actual CollegeHumor editorial staff members, who play fictionalized versions of themselves. The show is an adaptation of the style of the long-running Hardly Working short film series created for the CollegeHumor site, made more suitable for the longer, televised format. After the conclusion of the six episode season, there has been little to no talk of continuing the series. The series also spawned the spin off show, Pranked hosted by Streeter Seidell and Amir Blumenfeld airing on MTV.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 456
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, semi serious, captivating, sitcom
Similar in 82%
Suddenly Susan (1996)
Plot Summary:
Suddenly Susan is an American television sitcom. Shields plays Susan Keane, a glamorous San Francisco magazine writer who begins to adjust to being single, and who learns to be independent-minded, after being taken care of all her life.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, offbeat, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 76%
Good God (2012)
Plot Summary:
Good God is a Canadian television comedy-drama series which premiered in April 2012 on HBO Canada. The show follows the life of character George Findlay, a role that Ken Finkleman reprised from The Newsroom and subsequent television projects. The series was originally slated to be the second season of Finkleman's previous HBO Canada project Good Dog, but was retitled in accordance with a change in the show's setting. The show was described in early media coverage as having been inspired in part by the launch of Sun News Network. In the show's first episode, for example, Findlay is forced to respond to allegations that his new venture is aspiring to be "Fox News North", an epithet which the real Sun News Network also faced both before and after its launch. The series was nominated for several awards at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Comedy Series, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Jason Weinberg and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nods for both Samantha Bee and Jud Tylor.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 293
Genere: Comedy
Country: Canada
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, not serious, cynical, biting
Similar in 90%
Blunt Talk (2015)
Plot Summary:
A British newscaster moves to Los Angeles with his alcoholic manservant and the baggage of several failed marriages to host a sanctimonious talk show.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: not serious, humorous, realistic, witty, cynical, independent film, biting, suspense
Similar in 83%
Goodnight Burbank (2011)
Plot Summary:
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IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 88
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, realistic, sitcom, suspense, biting
Similar in 80%
That Girl (1966)
Plot Summary:
That Girl is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who moves from her hometown of Brewster, New York to try to make it big in New York City. Ann has to take a number of offbeat "temp" jobs to support herself in between her various auditions and bit parts. Ted Bessell played her boyfriend Donald Hollinger, a writer for Newsview Magazine; Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp played Lew Marie and Helen Marie, her concerned parents. Bernie Kopell, Ruth Buzzi and Reva Rose played Ann and Donald's friends. That Girl was developed by writers Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, who had served as head writers on The Dick Van Dyke Show earlier in the 1960s.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, retro, independent film
Similar in 78%
Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge (2010)
Plot Summary:
Famous DJ Alan Partridge gives us an insight into what happens behind the microphone at North Norfolk digital radio.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: clever, humorous, not serious, realistic, witty, talky, sitcom, offbeat, cynical
Similar in 76%
W1A (2014)
Plot Summary:
The follow-up to 'Twenty Twelve' as Ian Fletcher takes up the position of 'Head of Values' at the BBC. His task is to clarify, define, or re-define the core purpose of the BBC across all its functions and to position it confidently for the future, in particular for Licence Fee Renegotiation and Charter Renewal in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, mockumentary, humorous, semi serious, light, feel good, realistic, talky
Similar in 90%
LateLine (1998)
Plot Summary:
LateLine is an American TV sitcom that ran on NBC from March 17, 1998, through March 16, 1999. Due to an abrupt cancellation, there were seven unaired episodes. Created by John Markus and Al Franken, LateLine depicted the behind-the-scenes goings-on of a fictitious late-night television news broadcast, patterned in part after the long-running ABC program Nightline. Many plotlines in the series were satirical, dealing with topics like Deep Throat and the Watergate break-in, and the episodes often had cameos by famous politicians. On August 17, 2004, Paramount released a DVD set containing all nineteen episodes on three discs.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 176
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, clever, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, cynical, semi serious, biting, suspense
Similar in 75%
Less Than Perfect (2002)
Plot Summary:
Claude Casey moved up in the secretarial world of television news, from temp to the anchor's desk. After her boss hires her full time, Claude realizes she may be in over her head in this world of assistants fighting to get ahead. But Claude is determined to prove that though she may not be perfect, she's not going down without a fight.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, hilarious, clever, biting, black comedy, suspense
Similar in 76%
Telenovela (2015)
Plot Summary:
If you think the steamy sex, sensational scandals and heart wrenching heartbreak on Latino soap operas are a little extreme, just wait until you see what happens behind the scenes! Eva Longoria stars in this new comedy about Ana Sofia, a sizzling TV superstar, and her lively family of cast and crew all competing to steal the spotlight. When the cameras turn off, the drama turns up as Ana battles pesky network execs, drunken scriptwriters, narcissistic co-stars and an unfortunately familiar new on-screen love interest.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, semi serious, light, captivating, entertaining, hilarious, realistic, telenovela
Similar in 89%
Benched (2014)
Plot Summary:
Nina is a dedicated, career driven corporate attorney who has a very public nervous breakdown after getting passed up for an expected promotion and now finds herself working as a public defender. Her personal and professional worlds are turned upside down when she joins the ranks of the legal world’s underdogs and very quickly realizes that the law isn't quite as fair as she once thought.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: humorous, sitcom, semi serious, feel good, captivating, light, hilarious, realistic
Similar in 80%
Good Morning, Miami (2002)
Plot Summary:
A talented young TV producer arrives in Miami to revamp the lowest-rated morning show in the country. Jake Silver risks taking the job when he sets eyes on the show's beautiful, down-to-earth hair stylist Dylan, who wows him like nobody before – and presents a romantic challenge.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 726
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, funny, feel good, captivating, entertaining, satirical