While the catalogue of comedies isn’t huge on Channel 4, it does have comedy award winners and some of my all time favourites. My top three are Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, The IT Crowd and Stath Lets Flats. I’ve gathered all the comedy series which scored 7 or more on IMDb.
More best lists on Channel 4:
Films On Channel 4 ~ Comedies On Channel 4
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Rick and Morty (2013– ) – Sci-Fi/Animated
For fans of: Futurama, BoJack Horseman, Solar Opposites
This genre-bending Adult Swim hit follows a nihilistic scientist and his anxious grandson through multiverse mayhem. With meta humour and existential dread, it’s a chaotic blend of philosophy and fart jokes.
Peep Show (2003–2015) – Cringe/Sitcom
For fans of: The Office (UK), Stath Lets Flats, Back
David Mitchell and Robert Webb play dysfunctional flatmates whose inner monologues reveal every awkward impulse. The POV camera work and bleak honesty make it one of Britain’s most distinctive sitcoms. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
The Simpsons (1989– ) – Animated/Satire
For fans of: Family Guy, King of the Hill, South Park
Springfield’s yellow-skinned residents have lampooned American life for over three decades. With cultural references, celebrity cameos, and emotional depth, it remains a cornerstone of animated comedy. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
The Venture Bros (2003–2018) – Action/Parody
For fans of: Archer, Metalocalypse, Johnny Quest
This cult animated series deconstructs superhero tropes through the misadventures of two hapless brothers and their bodyguard. It’s rich in lore, satire, and tragicomic storytelling.
Spaced (1999–2001) – Slacker/Surreal
For fans of: Black Books, The IT Crowd, Edgar Wright’s films
Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson play London flatmates navigating adulthood, pop culture, and emotional confusion. Directed by Edgar Wright, it’s fast-cut, genre-savvy, and endlessly quotable.
Brass Eye (1997–2001) – Satire/Mockumentary
For fans of: The Day Today, Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe, Nathan Barley
Chris Morris’s controversial spoof of current affairs tackles media hysteria with surreal interviews and fake campaigns. It’s provocative, absurd, and still referenced in media ethics debates.
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace (2004) – Horror/Parody
For fans of: Toast of London, The Mighty Boosh, Look Around You
A fictional horror writer presents his lost 80s hospital drama, complete with bad acting and budget effects. It’s a deadpan send-up of genre excess and creative ego. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Modern Family (2009–2020) – Ensemble/Sitcom
For fans of: Arrested Development, Schitt’s Creek, The Middle
Three interconnected families navigate parenting, relationships, and generational clashes in this Emmy-winning mockumentary. Its warmth and timing helped redefine American network comedy. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
The IT Crowd (2006–2013) – Workplace/Sitcom
For fans of: Peep Show, Black Books, Silicon Valley
A basement tech team battles clueless executives and broken printers in this Channel 4 favourite. With Richard Ayoade and Chris O’Dowd, it’s full of quotable lines and social ineptitude. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Black Books (2000–2004) – Anti-Social/Sitcom
For fans of: Spaced, Father Ted, Green Wing
Dylan Moran plays a misanthropic bookshop owner who drinks wine, insults customers, and avoids responsibility. The show revels in chaos, sarcasm, and surreal tangents. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Derry Girls (2018–2022) – Coming-of-Age/Sitcom
For fans of: The Young Offenders, Raised by Wolves (UK), My Mad Fat Diary
Set in 90s Northern Ireland, this BAFTA-winning series follows five teens navigating school, family, and political unrest. With razor-sharp dialogue and emotional depth, it balances chaos with compassion. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
The Inbetweeners (2008–2010) – Teen/Cringe
For fans of: Fresh Meat, Ladhood, Big Boys
Four sixth-form lads stumble through adolescence with crude jokes, failed romances, and endless embarrassment. Its legacy includes two feature films and a generation of quotable one-liners. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Big Boys (2022– ) – University/Dramedy
For fans of: Feel Good, Chewing Gum, This Way Up
Jack Rooke’s semi-autobiographical series follows two mismatched freshers bonding over grief, sexuality, and awkward friendship. It’s tender, funny, and full of emotional honesty. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
Green Wing (2004–2006) – Surreal/Workplace
For fans of: Smack the Pony, Black Books, The Mighty Boosh
Set in a hospital with no medical plots, this Channel 4 cult hit blends sketch-style editing with absurd character arcs. The cast includes Tamsin Greig, Mark Heap, and Stephen Mangan at their most unhinged. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Taskmaster (2015– ) – Panel/Challenge
For fans of: Would I Lie to You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI
Greg Davies and Alex Horne host comedians competing in bizarre tasks involving tin foil, watermelons, and interpretive dance. It’s unpredictable, addictive, and endlessly memeable. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007–2010) – Sketch/Surreal
For fans of: The Eric Andre Show, Superjail!, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
This Adult Swim cult series delivers anti-comedy sketches with lo-fi visuals, awkward pacing, and grotesque characters. It’s divisive, experimental, and beloved by absurdist fans.
The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) – Sitcom/Geek
For fans of: Young Sheldon, Friends, How I Met Your Mother
Four socially awkward scientists and their neighbour Penny navigate relationships, pop culture, and academic rivalry. With catchphrases and mainstream success, it became one of TV’s biggest sitcoms.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK/US, 1988– ) – Improv/Panel
For fans of: Mock the Week, Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo
Comedians perform improvised scenes, songs, and games based on audience prompts. Whether hosted by Clive Anderson or Aisha Tyler, it’s a masterclass in quick wit and comic timing. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Frasier (1993–2004) – Sophisticated/Sitcom
For fans of: Cheers, The Good Place, Modern Family
Kelsey Grammer plays a radio psychiatrist navigating family, dating, and highbrow pretension in Seattle. With David Hyde Pierce as his neurotic brother, the show mixes farce with emotional intelligence. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Robot Chicken (2005– ) – Animated/Sketch
For fans of: Family Guy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Rick and Morty
Stop-motion toys reenact pop culture parodies, twisted fairy tales, and celebrity takedowns. It’s fast-paced, irreverent, and packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gags.
Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005) – Family/Sitcom
For fans of: Frasier, The King of Queens, Modern Family
Ray Romano plays a sportswriter caught between his wife, kids, and intrusive parents across the street. With passive-aggressive banter and domestic chaos, the show mines humour from everyday dysfunction. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006) – Family/Coming-of-Age
For fans of: The Simpsons, Raising Hope, Young Sheldon
Frankie Muniz stars as a gifted middle child in a working-class household full of eccentric siblings and unpredictable parents. The single-camera style and fourth-wall breaks give it a kinetic, rebellious energy. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Moral Orel (2005–2008) – Animated/Satire
For fans of: BoJack Horseman, South Park, Rick and Morty
This stop-motion series follows a devout boy in a deeply flawed town, exploring faith, hypocrisy, and repression. It begins as parody and evolves into a surprisingly dark character study.
Raised by Wolves (UK, 2015–2016) – Family/Regional
For fans of: Derry Girls, My Mad Fat Diary, Big Boys
Caitlin Moran’s Wolverhampton-set comedy follows six siblings raised by a free-spirited single mum. With feminist wit and working-class grit, it celebrates chaos, curiosity, and unconventional parenting.
Drop the Dead Donkey (1990–1998) – Workplace/Satire
For fans of: Twenty Twelve, W1A, The Thick of It
Set in a fictional newsroom, this Channel 4 sitcom incorporated real headlines into its scripts. The result was a fast-paced, topical blend of media cynicism and office politics.
Metalocalypse (2006–2013) – Animated/Music
For fans of: The Venture Bros, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Smiling Friends
A death metal band causes global destruction while remaining oblivious to their impact. With brutal animation and absurd lore, the show satirises fame, fandom, and sonic excess.
Young Sheldon (2017– ) – Family/Prequel
For fans of: The Big Bang Theory, Malcolm in the Middle, Speechless
This spin-off follows Sheldon Cooper’s childhood in Texas, where intellect clashes with religion, family, and small-town life. It softens the original’s sarcasm with warmth and nostalgia.
Stath Lets Flats (2018–2021) – Workplace/Cringe
For fans of: Peep Show, The Office (UK), This Country
Jamie Demetriou plays an incompetent letting agent whose attempts to impress his family business spiral into surreal awkwardness. With deadpan delivery and physical comedy, it’s a cult favourite. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Absolutely (1989–1993) – Sketch/Surreal
For fans of: The Comic Strip Presents, The Fast Show, Monty Python
This Scottish sketch show featured characters like Denzil and Gwynedd, combining regional humour with absurdist flourishes. Its influence can be felt across British comedy’s weirder corners.
Crashing (UK, 2016) – Ensemble/Sitcom
For fans of: Fleabag, Fresh Meat, Lovesick
Phoebe Waller-Bridge leads a group of property guardians living in a disused hospital, navigating sex, secrets, and emotional mess. It’s sharp, chaotic, and full of unresolved tension.
Black Dynamite (2011–2015) – Animated/Parody
For fans of: Boondocks, Frisky Dingo, Archer
This blaxploitation spoof follows a kung fu master and his crew battling absurd villains and conspiracies. With stylised animation and sharp satire, it riffs on 70s tropes with swagger and bite.
The Comic Strip Presents… (1982–2012012) – Anthology/Satire
For fans of: Absolutely, Brass Eye, The Young Ones
A pioneering sketch anthology featuring Rik Mayall, Dawn French, and Alexei Sayle, blending surrealism, politics, and genre parody. Each episode reinvents itself, from spoof westerns to rockumentaries.
Friday Night Dinner (2011–2020) – Family/Sitcom
For fans of: The Royle Family, Here We Go, Not Going Out
Two adult sons return home for weekly dinners with their eccentric parents and chaotic neighbour. With catchphrases and escalating farce, it became a cult favourite for its blend of warmth and absurdity.
Frisky Dingo (2006–2008) – Animated/Absurd
For fans of: Archer, Sealab 2021, Metalocalypse
A supervillain and his nemesis bicker through failed schemes, corporate takeovers, and surreal detours. The show thrives on deadpan delivery and narrative chaos.
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (2000–2007) – Animated/Satire
For fans of: Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Classic Hanna-Barbera characters face legal trouble in this courtroom parody led by superhero-turned-lawyer Harvey Birdman. It’s fast, irreverent, and packed with nostalgic cameos.
Joe Pera Talks With You (2016–2021) – Gentle/Comedy
For fans of: Big Boys, Detectorists, Nathan for You (but wholesome)
Joe Pera delivers quiet monologues about breakfast, minerals, and choir practice in this meditative Adult Swim series. It’s tender, slow-paced, and unexpectedly profound. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Superjail! (2007–2014) – Animated/Surreal
For fans of: Tim and Eric, Smiling Friends, Mr. Pickles
Inside a psychedelic prison, inmates and staff engage in ultraviolent chaos and surreal transformations. The animation style is frenetic, grotesque, and visually overwhelming.
The Adam and Joe Show (1996–2001) – Sketch/DIY
For fans of: Trigger Happy TV, The Fast Show, Look Around You
Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish spoof pop culture using homemade props, toy parodies, and lo-fi sketches. Their blend of silliness and satire helped define late-90s Channel 4 comedy.
Trigger Happy TV (2000–2003) – Prank/Sketch
For fans of: Balls of Steel, The Revolution Will Be Televised, Dom Joly’s work
Dom Joly’s hidden-camera show features surreal public stunts, oversized mobile phones, and melancholic music. It’s more absurdist than confrontational, turning pranks into performance art.
Year of the Rabbit (2019) – Historical/Sitcom
For fans of: Blackadder, The Witchfinder, Upstart Crow
Matt Berry plays a Victorian detective solving crimes with incompetence and bravado. With slapstick violence and period parody, it’s a bawdy romp through foggy London streets.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000–2015) – Animated/Surreal
For fans of: Robot Chicken, Superjail!, Smiling Friends
A talking milkshake, fries, and meatball solve mysteries and annoy their neighbour in this Adult Swim cult hit. The show thrives on non-sequiturs, lo-fi chaos, and fast-food absurdity.
Back (2017–2021) – Dark/Sitcom
For fans of: Peep Show, Stath Lets Flats, The Cleaner
David Mitchell plays a man whose life unravels when a charismatic foster brother returns after their father’s death. With dry wit and creeping paranoia, it’s a slow-burn comedy of identity and resentment.
China, IL (2011–2015) – Animated/Academic
For fans of: Rick and Morty, Metalocalypse, The Venture Bros
Set in the “worst college in America,” this animated series follows lazy professors and chaotic students. It’s cynical, surreal, and packed with pop culture detours.
Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared (2022– ) – Horror/Surreal
For fans of: Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Salad Fingers, Sesame Street (if cursed)
This puppet-led series begins as educational TV and descends into existential horror. With musical numbers and psychological dread, it’s a genre-defying cult phenomenon.
We Are Lady Parts (2021– ) – Music/Sitcom
For fans of: Chewing Gum, Dreaming Whilst Black, This Way Up
An all-female Muslim punk band navigates gigs, identity, and friendship in this BAFTA-winning Channel 4 comedy. It’s bold, vibrant, and refreshingly loud.
Dead Pixels (2019–2021) – Gaming/Sitcom
For fans of: The IT Crowd, Peep Show, Mythic Quest
Three friends obsess over an online fantasy game while struggling with real-world responsibilities. With in-game animation and social awkwardness, it’s a niche gem for gamers and misfits.
Feel Good (2020–2021) – Romantic/Dramedy
For fans of: Big Boys, Fleabag, Catastrophe
Mae Martin stars as a stand-up comic navigating addiction, relationships, and emotional baggage. The show blends raw vulnerability with sharp humour and queer intimacy.
Hullraisers (2022– ) – Regional/Sitcom
For fans of: Two Doors Down, Alma’s Not Normal, Raised by Wolves (UK)
Three women juggle motherhood, ambition, and friendship in Hull, with working-class wit and chaotic charm. It’s grounded, fast-paced, and full of northern energy.
Milton Jones’s House of Rooms (2012) – Surreal/Sitcom
For fans of: The Mighty Boosh, Vic Reeves Big Night Out, Look Around You
Milton Jones plays a landlord in a house full of odd tenants and stranger logic. With pun-heavy dialogue and cartoonish setups, it’s a one-off oddity with cult appeal.
Smiling Friends (2020– ) – Animated/Absurd
For fans of: Superjail!, Tim and Eric, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Two employees of a happiness company help depressed clients in surreal, often disturbing ways. The animation is grotesque, the pacing manic, and the tone gleefully unpredictable.
The Curse (2022– ) – Crime/Comedy
For fans of: Brassic, Top Boy (comedy bits), Inside No. 9
A gang of small-time crooks stumble into a major heist in 1980s London, triggering paranoia, betrayal, and escalating chaos. With period detail and deadpan delivery, it’s a stylish blend of tension and farce.
Tuca & Bertie (2019–2022) – Animated/Friendship
For fans of: BoJack Horseman, Broad City, We Are Lady Parts
Two bird-women navigate adulthood, trauma, and friendship in this surreal, emotionally rich animated series. It’s bold, colourful, and unafraid to tackle serious themes with humour and heart.
Chewing Gum (2015–2017) – Coming-of-Age/Sitcom
For fans of: Feel Good, Dreaming Whilst Black, Fleabag
Michaela Coel stars as Tracey, a religious virgin desperate to explore sex and independence. With fourth-wall breaks and chaotic energy, the show is fearless, filthy, and fiercely original.
Smack the Pony (1999–2003) – Sketch/Feminist
For fans of: Absolutely, French and Saunders, Ellie & Natasia
This female-led sketch show blends surrealism, musical parody, and everyday absurdity. With recurring characters and sharp timing, it helped redefine British sketch comedy for the 2000s.
The Book Group (2002–2003) – Ensemble/Dramedy
For fans of: Crashing (UK), Green Wing, The Office (UK)
A lonely American starts a book club in Glasgow, attracting a mix of misfits, footballers’ wives, and existential crises. It’s awkward, literary, and quietly subversive.
The King of Queens (1998–2007) – Domestic/Sitcom
For fans of: Everybody Loves Raymond, Modern Family, Kevin Can Wait
Kevin James plays a delivery driver whose home life is complicated by his wife and live-in father-in-law. With broad humour and working-class charm, it became a staple of American network comedy.
Vic Reeves Big Night Out (1990–1991) – Surreal/Variety
For fans of: The Mighty Boosh, The Comic Strip Presents, Shooting Stars
Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer deliver sketches, songs, and audience chaos in this anarchic variety show. It’s surreal, unpredictable, and foundational to British alt-comedy.
Wasted (2016) – Slacker/Sitcom
For fans of: Spaced, The Inbetweeners, Ladhood
Four friends waste their twenties in a West Country village, guided by the imaginary spirit of Sean Bean. With stoner humour and fantasy detours, it’s a cult gem with a surreal twist.
Teenage Euthanasia (2021– ) – Animated/Dark
For fans of: Smiling Friends, Moral Orel, Rick and Morty
Set in a funeral home, this Adult Swim series follows a reanimated mother and her teenage daughter navigating death, dysfunction, and supernatural chaos. It’s grotesque, fast-paced, and emotionally twisted.
Chelmsford 123 (1988–1990) – Historical/Sitcom
For fans of: Blackadder, Up Pompeii, Year of the Rabbit
A Roman governor and his British subjects clash in ancient Essex, with Latin puns and low-budget charm. It’s a forgotten gem of historical farce and regional satire.
GameFace (2017–2019) – Romantic/Dramedy
For fans of: Feel Good, Fleabag, This Way Up
Roisin Conaty stars as a chaotic actress navigating therapy, auditions, and romantic misfires. With sharp writing and emotional vulnerability, the show balances slapstick with self-reflection.
Mike Tyson Mysteries (2014–2020) – Animated/Parody
For fans of: Harvey Birdman, Robot Chicken, Frisky Dingo
Mike Tyson solves mysteries with a talking pigeon and a ghost in this surreal spoof of Scooby-Doo and celebrity culture. It’s fast, weird, and gleefully irreverent.
Mr. Pickles (2013–2019) – Animated/Dark
For fans of: Superjail!, Moral Orel, Smiling Friends
A demonic border collie wreaks havoc in a small town while maintaining the facade of a loyal pet. With graphic violence and twisted humour, it’s one of Adult Swim’s most extreme offerings.
Nathan Barley (2005) – Satire/Tech
For fans of: Brass Eye, Black Mirror (comedy bits), The IT Crowd
Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker’s cult series skewers early-2000s hipster culture, media narcissism, and digital absurdity. It’s prescient, uncomfortable, and painfully accurate.
Phoneshop (2010–2013) – Workplace/Sitcom
For fans of: Stath Lets Flats, People Just Do Nothing, The Office (UK)
A group of salesmen hustle phones and banter in a Croydon shop, blending street slang with retail desperation. It’s loud, fast, and full of quotable swagger.
The Goldbergs (2013– ) – Family/Nostalgia
For fans of: Modern Family, Malcolm in the Middle, Young Sheldon
Set in the 1980s, this American sitcom follows a boy documenting his eccentric family with a camcorder. It’s sentimental, colourful, and packed with retro references.
The Windsors (2016–2023) – Satire/Royal
For fans of: Spitting Image, Year of the Rabbit, The Thick of It
This Channel 4 parody reimagines the British royal family as soap opera caricatures. With exaggerated accents and absurd plots, it’s gleefully disrespectful and politically sharp.
Black Jesus (2014–2019) – Satire/Urban
For fans of: Boondocks, Atlanta (comedy bits), South Side
Jesus returns to modern-day Compton, preaching love and tolerance while clashing with bureaucracy and crime. It’s provocative, heartfelt, and full of unexpected warmth.
Everyone Else Burns (2023– ) – Family/Satire
For fans of: Friday Night Dinner, Raised by Wolves (UK), The Curse
A Manchester family belonging to a strict religious sect prepares for the apocalypse while navigating modern life. With deadpan delivery and cultish quirks, it’s a fresh take on faith and dysfunction.
Lazor Wulf (2019–2021) – Animated/Surreal
For fans of: Smiling Friends, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, China, IL
A laser-wielding wolf and his friends hang out, fight crime, and philosophise in a surreal animated world. The show mixes lo-fi visuals with absurdist humour and unexpected depth.
Pete Versus Life (2010–2011) – Sports/Sitcom
For fans of: GameFace, The Inbetweeners, Phoneshop
Rafe Spall plays a sports journalist whose life is narrated like a live broadcast, exposing his every awkward move. It’s a clever twist on cringe comedy and self-sabotage.
Spreadsheet (2021– ) – Romantic/Sitcom
For fans of: Catastrophe, Fleabag, Sex Education
Katherine Parkinson stars as a single mum managing her sex life via a spreadsheet while juggling work and parenting. It’s frank, funny, and refreshingly sex-positive.
The Eric Andre Show (2012– ) – Talk Show/Chaos
For fans of: Tim and Eric, Nathan For You, Da Ali G Show
Eric Andre destroys the talk show format with surreal interviews, pranks, and physical destruction. It’s anarchic, unpredictable, and often terrifying for its guests.
Tom Goes to the Mayor (2004–2006) – Animated/Deadpan
For fans of: Tim and Eric, The Adam and Joe Show, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared
Tom proposes civic improvements to a passive-aggressive mayor in a town where logic breaks down. With washed-out visuals and dry delivery, it’s a cult oddity that rewards patient viewers.
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