Comedy and drama are a lot like peanut butter and chocolate. They’re perfectly fine by themselves, but put them together, and you’ve got something special.
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The dramedy has come to prominence in the streaming age when audiences want the most bang for their buck. They want shows that will make them laugh and cry, all within one television episode. Therefore, it makes sense that the 2010s, the era that gave us streaming, was chock-full of great dramedies that are still available for you to check out.
‘GLOW’ (2017-2019) — Netflix
GLOWis a show that will inspire you, make you laugh, and break your heart. It has everything great about a dramedy. The show is loosely based on the real pro-wrestling TV show from the 1980s,The Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling, which was cast primarily with actors instead of professional wrestlers.
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The show dramatizes this by focusing on Ruth (Alison Brie), an actress looking to makeGLOWher big break, Sam (Marc Maron), a sleazy B-movie director who takes on GLOW as his next project, and Debbie (Betty Gilpin), a retired soap opera actress who is also Ruth’s scorned former best friend. The show has plenty of laughs, and a ton of heart, always striving to show its many characters as fully formed, flawed people.
‘Orange is the New Black’ (2013-2019) — Netflix
Orange is the New Blackis arguably the definitive dramedy of the 2010s, being the first show to be nominated and win for both comedy and drama awards at the Emmys. It brilliantly walks the line between serious storytelling and light-hearted character work.
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Based on the memoir of the same name byPiper Kerman, the show follows the exploits of the various inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary, a minimum security women’s prison in upstate New York. The show deals with some heavy topics, including sexuality, violence, and the gray areas of morality. The comedy lies in how the show handles these topics with a human understanding and a constant willingness to find the light in the darkness.
‘The End of the F***ing World’ (2017-2019) — Netflix
The End of the F***ing Worldis a show that requires a steady and careful vision to pull off properly. It’s a show that sets out to explore a subject that could be handled in a variety of ways. It’s about a young man, who feels the urge to kill, and the girl who loves him.
You could make a dark crime thriller, a psychological drama, or any number of intense genres out of a concept like that. The show’s brilliance is in the choice to turn it into a coming-of-age dramedy. The show is based on a graphic novel byCharles S. Forsmanand embraces a quirky sensibility that plays off the dark concept in a way that feels entirely fresh and unexpected.
‘Transparent’ (2014 - 2019) — Prime Video
Transparentwas a show that broke a lot of ground and was pretty revolutionary for the time, but due to sexual misconduct allegations surrounding its starJeffrey Tamborandhis untimely exit, the show has been left on the wayside.
The show follows the trials and tribulations of the Pfefferman family after the patriarch comes out of the closet as a trans woman late in her life. With such a revelation comes a lot of drama and laughs as the family celebrates what they have. The trans community has been forced to repress themselves for far too long, andTransparentwas a show that helped bring their experience to light.
‘Better Things’ (2016 - 2022) — Hulu
Having wrapped its fifth and final season on FX this year,Better Thingshas cemented its legacy as one of the most underappreciated shows in the network’s history. Its creator and star,Pamela Adlon, has proven to be a true creative force in the medium, imbuing each episode with laughs and a deep humanity.
The show follows Adlon as Sam Fox, a struggling actor and single mom raising her three daughters in Los Angeles while trying to build a successful career. The work/life balance we all experience in real life is a perfect source for drama and comedy, especially when the job is as precarious as acting. It’s an incredible show that, now that it’s over deserves your attention more than ever.
‘The Marvelous Ms. Maisel’ (2017- ) — Prime Video
The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselis a perfect concept for a dramedy. The show follows 1950s New York housewife, Midge Maisel, brilliantly portrayed byRachel Brosnahan, as she embarks on the empowering journey of becoming a stand-up comedian. The show is filled with sharp writing full of jokes, but the lives of stand-up comedians' can be quite dramatic.
CreatorAmy Sherman-Palladinohad already succeeded at blending comedy and drama with the hit showGilmore Girls, butMrs. Maiselmay be one of the best shows ever made. It has brilliant performances, incredible storytelling, and an absolutely beautiful production design.As it heads into its final season,now is the time to catch up.
‘Forever’ (2018) — Prime Video
Foreveris a show that was a victim of the nature of streaming services. It dropped on Prime Video and then quickly disappeared from the public consciousness, which is a shame because it’s a genuine masterpiece.
The show follows June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen), a longtime couple whose chemistry was beginning to fizzle out as their lives were changed forever by their deaths. Unfortunately, in the afterlife, the two of them are tied to each other forever in a neighborhood occupied by the dead. The show deals with a lot of big ideas, specifically whether we’re truly meant to be with someone forever. That sounds like a bummer, but thanks to the brilliant cast,Foreveris a show that will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry.
‘Kidding’ (2018 - 2020) — Showtime
Jim Carreyis a comedy icon. FromAce VenturatoDumb and Dumber, he has starred in countless comedy classics that will persist in pop culture for generations to come. However, over the past few years, Carrey has been lifting the metaphorical veil a bit on his real-world personality. Comedians are often thought of as their persona, but he’s not his characters. He’s all of them and so much more.
Kiddingis a show that explores this disconnect between persona and reality. Carrey stars as Jeff Pickles, a Mister Rogers-style TV host whose personal tragedies have thrown him into a mental crisis. He helps kids process the complexities of the real world all the time, and now he has to learn how to help himself.Kiddingis an absolutely brilliant show, led by one of Carrey’s best performances, that not only finds the comedy in tragedy but the tragedy in comedy.
‘Fleabag’ (2016-2019) — Prime Video
Created by and starringPhoebe Waller-Bridge,Fleabagis a show that hit its stride in its second season and then went out on top,choosing not to move forward with a third.It’s a show that feels genuine to Waller-Bridge’s voice and strives to feel elevated yet real.
The show follows the titular Fleabag as she tries not to be a bad person, even when the temptation is pretty hard. She has to deal with a cast of incredibly irritating supporting characters, who Fleabag struggles to keep connected to. At the same time, she is constantly dealing with the guilt of her traumatic past, which has made a lasting impact on her. You’ve probably seenFleabag, but no matter; you’re probably due for a rewatch.
‘Barry’ (2018- ) - HBO Max
Barryis a show that gets better every season. So, while it may be reaching new heights in the 2020s, it made an undeniable impression at the end of the 2010s. The show, masterminded by creator/star/producer/directorBill Hader, is a concept so novel and fascinating you’ll be surprised it hasn’t been done before.
Hader stars as the titular Barry, a ruthless hitman who discovers a passion for an acting while on an assignment in Los Angeles. He decides to pursue it no matter what. Unfortunately, the assassination industry proves difficult to quit, constantly pulling Barry back in each time he gets a foot out the door.
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