The 10 Best Sketch Comedies Of The 2010s, Ranked (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

7 min readDec 22, 2020

Sketch comedy TV remained as popular as ever during the previous decade, and here are 10 of the best series of the era according to Rotten Tomatoes.

When viewers think of comedy sketch shows, the first thing they often think of is Saturday Night Live, and rightfully so; it’s one of the longest-running programs on network television with a rich comedic history, and one of the most recognized sketch comedies.

However, there’s also an abundance of smaller sketch comedy shows that can be found on both networks and streaming platforms alike. While there were plenty of iconic sitcoms throughout the 2010s, it was also a solid era for sketch comedies. Here are just ten of the many sketch comedy shows that aired throughout the 2010s and earned a high Rotten Tomato score.

10. Inside Amy Schumer (2013) 86%

Inside Amy Schumer ran from 2013 to 2016, earning a Peabody Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. The series mainly revolved around sketches featuring Schumer and other comedians often featured on Comedy Central, but it also included interview segments and clips from Schumer’s stand-up work.

The sketches were fairly well-received by most viewers, but one of the more intriguing parts of the show was the interview segments which included awkward and cheeky man-on-the-street interviews as well as candid sit-down interviews. The sit down-interview segment named “Amy Goes Deep” was particularly interesting, as it would often have marginalized people come on the show and speak about their experiences, or have individuals with unusual and unconventional jobs describe what a typical day is like for them.

9. W/ Bob & David (2015) 89%

Comedian David Cross, known for his stand up work and Arrested Development, costars with Odenkirk in W/Bob & David, a reprise series of 1998’s Mr. Show With Bob & David. Many viewers recognize Bob Odenkirk from Breaking Bad and its spinoff series Better Call Saul, but Odenkirk has long been involved in comedy, starting off as a writer for Saturday Night Live, The Ben Stiller Show, appearing in shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Larry Sanders Show.

W/Bob & David premiered on Netflix where it enjoyed favorable views, although there’s been some share controversy surrounding the show, as well, particularly its third episode. It featured a scene in which Cross wore blackface, and this year Netflix removed the entire episode.

8. Kroll Show (2013) 90%

Nick Kroll created this sketch series to poke fun at internet culture, pop culture, and reality TV. Watching gives the viewer a channel-surfing effect, jumping back and forth between mostly reality-tv-style shows.

Since Kroll Show aired, Kroll has enjoyed a lot of success with his animated Nexflix series Kroll Show had a lot of funny characters with wild and exaggerated personalities, and the voices of these characters still shine through in Big Mouth. For example, you can really hear Kroll’s Liz from the sketch ‘PubLIZity’ coming out through Lola’s voice.

7. Alternatino With Arturo Castro (2019) 93%

Arturo Castro’s character Jaime Castro quickly became a fan favorite. Castro started his career hosting his own show in Guatemala before attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He would eventually meet Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer and be cast as Jaime in their web-series-turned-sitcom. Castro continues to flex his character acting skills in Alternatino, a sketch show based in part on his experiences as a Latino millennial living in the U.S.

Along with its 93% rating, the first season scored a 73% Average Audience Score, and it has since been renewed for a second season on Quibi. Earlier this month, however, former Disney chairman and owner of Quibi Jeffrey Katzenberg pulled the plug on the streaming platform, so, right now, it’s unclear where and when season two will drop.

6. Portlandia (2011) 94%

Musician and comedian Carrie Brownstein and SNL alumnus Fred Armisen seamlessly lampoon Portland Oregon’s hipsterdom with hilarious recurring characters and a dry humor style. This show began as a small internet sketch show called ThunderAnt before it was pitched to IFC.

Dozens of actors and musicians have guest-starred on the show throughout its eight seasons, and the real mayor of Portland was cast as the assistant to the show’s mayor, star Kyle MacLachlan.

5. I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson (2019) 96%

Another recent SNL alumnus Tim Robinson stars in this short but hilariously sweet Netflix sketch comedy series. From parodied commercials and shows to pure absurdist mayhem, I Think You Should Leave features a large roster of former and current SNL cast members as well guest stars who deliver lots of laughs.

While this show has been renewed for a second season on Netflix, it’s one of many productions that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; the season was supposed to air in 2020, but the release date has been pushed back indefinitely.

4. Key & Peele (2012) 97%

Key & Peele is one of the most well-known sketch shows on this list, expertly crafted by seasoned comics Kegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. Both comedians got their start early on and have gone on to even greater success since Key & Peele’s conclusion. Peele has made a name for himself as a horror film director, and Key has expanded his career in voice acting and was invited to the White House Correspondance Dinner in 2015 to perform as President Obama’s anger translator Luther, a character that originated on the show. In its three-year run, Key & Peele won two Prime Time Emmys and a Peabody Award.

3. Sherman’s Showcase (2019) 99%

Created by comedians Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle, this sketch series from IFC takes inspiration from previous shows such as In Living Color and has a music-dance variety show style like that of Soul Train and Midnight Special. Sherman’s Showcase tackles black culture, music, nostalgia, and pop culture.

Sherman’s Showcase released a special on Juneteenth 2020 titled Black History Month Spectacular, following news that it was renewed for a second season to air on two different networks. In an interview with Variety,Salahuddin expressed his excitement: “we’re thrilled to return to the uniquely nerdy, quirky, silkily soulful and musical world of ‘Sherman’s Showcase.’ It’s all our favorite things and now it’s on AMC and IFC. Season 2’s so big, it needs two networks.”

2. The Birthday Boys (2013) 100%

The Birthday Boys is another sketch show featuring Bob Odenkirk, this time following performances by a group of comedians with the titular name. Before producing the IFC television with Odenkirk, The Birthday Boys performed monthly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles, have toured at various festivals and venues around LA and San Fransisco, and have written for several Comedy Central projects and shows like Comedy Bang! Bang!

Odenkirk has been staying busy since he delved into dramatic acting with Breaking Bad and other movies and shows.His latest movie titled has a new release date of February 26th, 2021 after being delayed due to the pandemic.

1. A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019) 100%

Comedic actress Robin Thede created and starred in this HBO series which was nominated for four Primetime Emmys in 2020 and won a TCA Award, and it has since been renewed for a second season. Thede is no stranger to success and has trailblazed her way through the entertainment industry, working as a talk show host and radio personality before becoming the first black woman to be head writer on a late-night talk show in 2015 and launching into improv comedy.

A Black Lady Sketch Show features a regular cast of black women comics as well as rotating guest stars like Angela Bassett and Laverne Cox.

NEXT: 10 Of The Best Chappelle’s Show Skits You Forgot About

Originally published at https://screenrant.com on December 22, 2020.