Over the years, Netflix has provided some quality programming for its subscribers, across a range of genres.
While the streaming service has earned critical acclaim and accolades for its captivating dramas like Squid Games, The Crown, From Scratch and Blonde, Netflix has also managed to crank out a number of hilarious comedies that have garnered their fair share of attention. From scripted series to movies, Netflix comedies have placed a smile on plenty of faces.
With that being said, we’ve put together a list of the very best shows and motion pictures that have made us laugh and may do the same for you. So without further ado, check out our list of the best comedies on Netflix.
Netflix series
Big Mouth
Big Mouth may be a cartoon, but it is absolutely made for adults. The series features the Emmy-Award-winning talent of Maya Rudolph and other big stars like Fred Armisen, Jordan Peele, Richard Kind and series creator, Nick Kroll. Together these actors dive into the world of puberty and hormones and tell comedic tales of what it’s like to mature into adulthood. But again, this is far from the Saturday morning animation you may have watched as a kid, as it’s laced with adult content. Big Mouth season 7 debuts in October 2023.
Grace and Frankie
Emmy Award winners Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin took up the mantles of characters Grace and Frankie in a refreshing sitcom that stands apart from its contemporaries. The series focuses on the titular women who, despite knowing one another for years, only became close once their husbands split and married one another. In the ladies' newfound friendship, they explore issues of divorce, aging, sexuality and sisterhood. There are seven seasons of Grace and Frankie.
Arrested Development
When it comes to drier humor, Arrested Development is a great representation of the genre. The comedy focuses on Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) and his dysfunctional family as they navigate the fallout of their corrupt business practices and the overall interesting dynamics at play among the Bluth clan. There are some hilarious moments in the show’s five-season history, especially when it comes to Jessica Walter as Lucille and Will Arnett as Gob. Just to note, the first three seasons were produced by Fox while the final two seasons were developed by Netflix.
Master of None
The first two seasons of Master of None centered around a millennial named Dev (Aziz Ansari) who found it hard to locate the love of his life while struggling to attain fulfillment in his career. He was supported in his journey by his best friend Denise (Lena Waithe). In the show’s third season, Denise’s own path to love takes center stage.
Wednesday
Wednesday took Netflix by storm when it debuted in 2022. Based on the character from the legendary The Addams Family franchise, the series follows Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday as she moves to a boarding school once attended by her parents. As she gets used to her new environment and friends, she realizes there are some "creepy" and "kooky" mysteries that are perfect to occupy her time when she’s not in class. Wednesday season 2 is on the way.
Dead to Me
Dead to Me is a bit of a darker comedy, in that it follows Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy (Linda Cardellini) in their twisted friendship that formed in the wake of Judy killing Jen’s husband in a hit-and-run accident. Somehow their bond is further cemented by family mysteries and deeply hidden secrets that all come to light the more they get to know one another. Dead to Me consists of three seasons.
Beef
Beef is a more recent addition to the Netflix family with only one season, but right away it earned a spot on this list. The uncanny cat-and-mouse dynamic between Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong) was simply captivating to watch. Their incredibly tumultuous interactions throughout the series all originated from a minor traffic accident in a store parking lot.
The Upshaws
Mike Epps and Wanda Sykes by themselves are comedic powerhouses. Together they’ve created an amazing sitcom that actually reminds us of Norman Lear’s legendary run on TV decades ago. The Upshaws centers around a middle-class family in the Midwest attempting to make it through their economic ups and downs. In the midst of doing this, the Upshaw family does its best to get along. The Upshaws season 4 became available in the summer of 2023.
Netflix movies
The Love Birds
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani lead The Love Birds, playing a couple on the brink of separating. However, after a chance encounter with a cyclist and a murderer, the romantic duo find themselves knee-deep in the middle of a homicide investigation. Through the process of clearing their names as murderers, they’re reminded of why they fell in love.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
The standalone sequel to Knives Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery sees Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) back to solving a case. This time, the mystery surrounds tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) and his friends. As Blanc dives deeper into the lives of the people involved, he comedically uncovers some surprising revelations.
Dolemite Is My Name
The biographical comedy stars the legendary Eddie Murphy as comedian and filmmaker, Rudy Ray Moore. In the 70s, Moore rose to success portraying the character of Dolemite, a pimp from "blaxploitation" movies. The character also appeared in a number of audio comedy recordings. Murphy does a good job in the movie and even received a Golden Globe nomination for his work.
Wine Country
Wine Country follows a group of friends as they gather together over glasses of wine to celebrate their dear bestie’s 50th birthday. Unfortunately, the trip takes some messy, yet funny turns. What makes this movie really worth watching is that it stars Saturday Night Live alums Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, Rachel Dratch, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey and Tina Fey.
Someone Great
Someone Great is a funny romantic comedy about a group of friends attempting to help Jenny Young (Gina Rodriguez) get over her breakup with Nate Davis (LaKeith Stanfield), the guy she assumed was the love of her life. Jenny’s journey of trying to bounce back from heartbreak is not only relatable but entertaining to watch. On another note, for many Lizzo fans, the movie marked the first time hearing the hit song, "Truth Hurts."
Nappily Ever After
Another romantic comedy, Nappily Ever After stars Sanaa Lathan as Violet Jones, a perfectionist wildly successful in her career but not in love. After one rough emotionally fueled night, she decides to shave her head, feeling as if she wanted to cut ties to the perfect image she once created. Through her new hair growth journey, she discovers more about herself and what she wants from a romantic partner.
Other Netflix stories
