Best tv shows like Parks and Recreation
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Hilarious ensemble comedy that follows Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, and her tireless efforts to make her quintessentially American town just a little bit more fun.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 281000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: mockumentary, sitcom, humorous, funny, talky, not serious, realistic, clever, hilarious, political
Best tv shows and movies like Parks and Recreation (2009):
Similar in 87%
That's My Bush! (2001)
Plot Summary:
That's My Bush! is an American comedy television series that aired on Comedy Central from April 4 to May 23, 2001. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known for also creating South Park, the series centers on the fictitious personal life of President George W. Bush, as played by Timothy Bottoms. Carrie Quinn Dolin played Laura Bush, and Kurt Fuller played Karl Rove. Despite the political overtones, the show itself was actually a broad lampoon of American sitcoms, including lame jokes, a laugh track, and stock characters such as klutzy bimbo secretary Princess, know-it-all maid Maggie, and supposedly helpful "wacky" next-door neighbor Larry. The series was conceived in the wake of the 2000 presidential election between Bush and Al Gore. Parker and Stone were sure that Gore would win the election, and tentatively titled the show Everybody Loves Al. Thanks to the controversy regarding the election's outcome, the series was pushed back. Instead, the show was then plotted around Bush at the workplace. The show received positive reviews, with The New York Times commenting, "That's My Bush! is a satire of hero worship itself; it is the anti-West Wing and the first true post-Clinton comedy. [...] This politically astute criticism is embedded in so much hysterical humor that the series never seems weighty.".
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, parody, humorous, not serious, realistic, political, hilarious, offbeat, spoof, campy
Similar in 87%
Yes Minister (1980)
Plot Summary:
Set principally in the private office of a British Cabinet minister in the Department of Administrative Affairs in Whitehall, Yes Minister follows the ministerial career of The Rt Hon Jim Hacker MP, played by Paul Eddington. His various struggles to formulate and enact legislation or effect departmental changes are opposed by the British Civil Service, in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby, played by Nigel Hawthorne. His Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, played by Derek Fowlds, is usually caught between the two. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, continued with the same cast and followed the events of the premiership of Jim Hacker after his unexpected elevation to Number 10 upon the resignation of the previous PM.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, political, clever, humorous, realistic, witty, political thriller, satirical, parody, talky
Similar in 81%
Veep (2012)
Plot Summary:
A look into American politics, revolving around former Senator Selina Meyer who finds being Vice President of the United States is nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned her about.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 62000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 28 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, political, clever, witty, not serious, cynical, hilarious, parody, funny
Similar in 75%
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 88%
The Thick of It (2005)
Plot Summary:
Set in the corridors of power and spin, the Minister for Social Affairs is continually harassed by Number 10's policy enforcer and dependent on his not-so-reliable team of civil servants.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 29 min
Plot tags: sitcom, political, humorous, semi serious, mockumentary, entertaining, satirical, clever, realistic, talky
Similar in 85%
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 90%
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 80%
Scrubs: Interns (2009)
Plot Summary:
A web series following four interns in their first year at Sacred Heart Hospital—Katie Collins, Denise "Jo" Mahoney, Howie Gelder and Sonja "Sunny" Dey, who "directs" the series as a video diary project.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: humorous, talky, semi serious, sincere, realistic, mockumentary, sitcom
Similar in 87%
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)
Plot Summary:
Rebecca Bunch is a successful, driven, and possibly crazy young woman who impulsively gives up everything - her partnership at a prestigious law firm and her upscale apartment in Manhattan - in a desperate attempt to find love and happiness in that exotic hotbed of romance and adventure: suburban West Covina, California.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Comedy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: light, sitcom, entertaining, humorous, talky, witty, hilarious, deep, light hearted, therapeutic
Similar in 76%
Review (2014)
Plot Summary:
The series uses “mockumentary” techniques to depict the fictional, reality television-style adventures of enthusiastic professional critic Forrest MacNeil, who hosts a TV show called "Review" in which he engages in any life experience his viewers ask him to, to find out if that life experience “is any good”. Afterward, Forrest formally rates each life experience in-studio, on a one-to-five-star scale. However, Forrest's compulsive curiosity and uncompromising commitment to the show unexpectedly backfire in ways that increasingly destroy his life as he is requested to review 'stealing', 'drug addiction', 'being a racist', 'getting divorced', 'getting revenge', and 'running from the law.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, not serious, spoof, sitcom, mockumentary, psychological, feel good, captivating, funny, dark comedy
Similar in 87%
Broad City (2014)
Plot Summary:
Broad City follows two women throughout their daily lives in New York City, making the smallest and mundane events hysterical and disturbing to watch all at the same time.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, not serious, talky, buddy comedy, humorous, funny, realistic, light, dark comedy, hilarious
Similar in 75%
Stromberg (2004)
Plot Summary:
Stromberg is a German television series which is produced by Brainpool and broadcast on the commercial television channel ProSieben. The series was proclaimed as a copy of the BBC series The Office, although initially the producers claimed it was based on a character from a past ProSieben comedy, in spite of many elements resembling the The Office. An "inspired by" credit was given to the creators of The Office, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, after the BBC threatened ProSieben with legal action. The first season, which appeared in 2004, was made up of eight episodes. A second season of ten episodes, although not initially planned, was launched on 11 September 2005. A third season of eight episodes was launched on 5 March 2007. A fourth season was launched on 3 November 2009, with the entire season being available on DVD on 6 November. All four seasons can be watched online for free, courtesy of Brainpool.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Comedy
Country: Germany
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: humorous, mockumentary, realistic, semi serious, not serious, intellectual, sitcom, hilarious
Similar in 79%
Spin City (1996)
Plot Summary:
Spin City is a smart, sophisticated sitcom about the behind-the-scenes workings of City Hall in the biggest city in America. Workaholic Mike Flaherty is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's key strategist and much-needed handler. Mike runs the city with the help of his oddball staff: an anxious and insecure press secretary; a sexist, boorish chief of staff; an impeccably groomed gay activist running minority affairs; a sharp and efficient, man-crazy accountant; and an idealistic young speechwriter. Like Mike, they are all professionally capable but personally challenged.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 30000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, political, entertaining, light, feel good, captivating, parody, hilarious, clever
Similar in 87%
Arrested Development (2003)
Plot Summary:
The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 320000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: humorous, sitcom, witty, funny, surreal, mockumentary, black comedy, hilarious, dark comedy, clever
Similar in 81%
Mr. Sunshine (2011)
Plot Summary:
Ben Donovan is a self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday. Working alongside him is his boss and arena owner, Crystal--attractive, powerful and highly erratic; Alice--the cute, tomboyish marketing director and Ben's friend with benefits; Alonzo--a former basketball player, handsome and unbelievably happy; Ben's assistant, Heather--pretty, sweet, but terrifying because she once lit a boyfriend on fire; Crystal's son, Roman--sweet-faced, clueless and Ben's newest employee; and a hapless operations crew whom Ben refers to collectively as the "Steves.".
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 293 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, hilarious, realistic
Similar in 76%
The IT Crowd (2006)
Plot Summary:
UK Comedy series about two I.T. nerds and their clueless female manager, who work in the basement of a very successful company. When they are called on for help, they are never treated with any respect at all.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 162000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, witty, not serious, realistic, funny, controversial, dark comedy, hilarious, clever
Similar in 84%
The Office (2001)
Plot Summary:
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious Wernham Hogg Paper Company. Gervais also stars in the series, playing the central character, David Brent. Although fictional and scripted, the programme takes the form of a documentary, with the presence of the camera often acknowledged. Two six-episode series were made, along with a pair of 45-minute Christmas specials. When it was first shown on BBC Two, it was nearly cancelled due to low ratings, but has since become one of the most successful of all British comedy exports. As well as being shown internationally on BBC Worldwide, channels such as BBC Prime, BBC America and BBC Canada, the series has been sold to broadcasters in over 80 countries, including ABC1 in Australia, The Comedy Network in Canada, TVNZ in New Zealand and the pan-Asian satellite channel STAR World, based in Hong Kong. The show began airing in The United States on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim on 18 September 2009 until 2012.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 121000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, mockumentary, sitcom, feel good, realistic, funny, dark comedy, hilarious, offbeat, atmospheric
Similar in 86%
Superstore (2015)
Plot Summary:
A hilarious workplace comedy about a unique family of employees at a super-sized mega store. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and the in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 66000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, funny, humorous, feel good, absurd, light, thought provoking, epic, sad, fun
Similar in 88%
Ground Floor (2013)
Plot Summary:
Brody, a young hot-shot banker at Whitestone Trust, thought he was just having a one-night stand with Jennifer, a beautiful woman he met at a bar. But when he discovers that she works in maintenance for the building where he works, their worlds begin to collide in the most unexpected way. Facing Brody’s critical boss, Mr. Mansfield, as well as annoyed colleagues, the pair must find a way to deal with their growing feelings for each other in this modern take on Romeo & Juliet.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, realistic, humorous, semi serious, funny, offbeat
Similar in 83%
30 Rock (2006)
Plot Summary:
30 Rock is an American television comedy series that ran on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013, and was created by Tina Fey. The series, which is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live, takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy series depicted as airing on NBC. The series' name refers to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, the address of the GE Building, in which the NBC Studios are located.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 130000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, parody, witty, not serious, hilarious, sketch comedy, funny, spoof, black comedy
Similar in 76%
Twenty Twelve (2011)
Plot Summary:
Twenty Twelve is a BBC television comedy series written and directed by John Morton. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Hynes and Amelia Bullmore, the programme is a spoof on-location documentary following the organisation of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It was first broadcast on UK television station BBC Four in March 2011 to coincide with the 500 day countdown to the opening ceremony. Twenty Twelve gained mainly positive reviews from critics, and a four-part second series was announced on 15 April 2011, which began airing on 30 March 2012 on BBC Two. A further three episodes of series 2 began airing from 10 July 2012. The series' last episode was broadcast on 24 July 2012, three days before the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, mockumentary, humorous, semi serious, realistic, talky, fake documentary
Similar in 86%
Seinfeld (1989)
Plot Summary:
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998. It lasted nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself. Set predominantly in an apartment block in Manhattan's Upper West Side in New York City, the show features a handful of Jerry's friends and acquaintances, particularly best friend George Costanza, former girlfriend Elaine Benes, and neighbor across the hall Cosmo Kramer.
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 343000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, buddy comedy, witty, talky, not serious, funny, hilarious, anime, atmospheric
Similar in 86%
Just Shoot Me! (1997)
Plot Summary:
Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997, to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, not serious, hilarious, funny, witty, cynical, stylized
Similar in 76%
10 Items or Less (2006)
Plot Summary:
10 Items or Less is a partly scripted, partly improvised American comedy series created by Nancy Hower, Robert Hickey and John Lehr. It starred Lehr as a less-than-successful businessman who returned home to run Greens & Grains, the family-owned supermarket, upon the death of his father. The series debuted on TBS on November 27, 2006. During its first season, the program aired Monday nights at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The second and third seasons aired on TBS Tuesday nights at 11 p.m. ET/PT. In November 2009, a blog posting stated the show had been cancelled, and would not be picked up for the fourth season.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, sitcom, light, feel good, captivating, entertaining, dark comedy, offbeat, realistic, witty
Similar in 81%
Community (2009)
Plot Summary:
Follow the lives of a group of students at what is possibly the world’s worst community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 286000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, not serious, witty, funny, humorous, parody, offbeat, light, hilarious, feel good
Similar in 89%
The Mindy Project (2012)
Plot Summary:
Obstetrician/gynecologist Mindy Lahiri tries to balance her personal and professional life, surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small medical practice in New York City.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, sincere, feel good, absurd, realistic, light, medical drama, hilarious
Similar in 75%
2 Broke Girls (2011)
Plot Summary:
Comedy about the unlikely friendship that develops between two very different young women who meet waitressing at a diner in trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and form a bond over one day owning their own successful cupcake business. Only one thing stands in their way – they’re broke.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 103000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, not serious, feel good, humorous, light, witty, funny, entertaining, slapstick, dark comedy
Similar in 89%
Workaholics (2011)
Plot Summary:
Workaholics is an American sitcom that premiered on Comedy Central on April 5, 2011. The series is in its third season, and is predominantly written by its stars Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and co-creator Kyle Newacheck who play, respectively, three recent college dropouts, roommates, and co-workers at a telemarketing company—and their drug dealer, in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 55000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, funny, light, satirical, offbeat, epic, hilarious, not serious
Similar in 83%
The Office (2005)
Plot Summary:
The everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
IMDB Rating: 9.0
IMDB Votes: 682000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, mockumentary, humorous, talky, not serious, realistic, hilarious, witty, funny, feel good
Similar in 83%
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
Plot Summary:
A single-camera ensemble comedy following the lives of an eclectic group of detectives in a New York precinct, including one slacker who is forced to shape up when he gets a new boss.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 349000
Genere: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, funny, detective, hilarious, captivating, light, intellectual, feel good