TV shows that mixscience fictiontales with comedyare entertaining and imaginative, though a handful of great series have failed to gain the love and attention they deserve. The sci-fi and comedy genres have a lot more in common than they might appear on the surface. Both genres transform complex and thought-provoking themes and social critiques into digestible stories. Many ofthe best sci-fi moviesand TV shows explore the trouble that arises from space travel or technological advancements.
Such elements can be overwhelming when presented as a dramatic warning. However, when they’re combined with comedy, as seen in series likeAvenue 5andInside Job, the sharp social commentary is delivered through eccentric characters and absurd plots. Many ofthe best sci-fi comediesalso employ a heavy amount of self-aware humor that playfully pokes fun at the tropes and seriousness associated with the sci-fi genre. Despite being largely overlooked for many years,these sci-fi comedies hold up well against popular series and are just as worthy of love.
Avenue 5
Cast
Created by Armando Iannucci, Avenue 5 is a Sci-Fi and Comedy television show featuring a star-studded cast. Hugh Laurie, Zach Woods, Josh Gad, and Rebecca Front star in this release that sees an interstellar cruise ship stuck off course and follows the crew as they attempt to keep everyone sane.
Director and producer Armando Iannucci is known best for his work in the political satire and sitcom genres and went in an exciting, though somewhat familiar, creative direction forAvenue 5. The sci-fi comedy series was cut short after two seasons but has a well-executed story in its 17 episodes that is still deserving of attention.Avenue 5follows the eponymous interplanetary cruise ship after it veers off course, leaving its crew to find a solution to keep passengers safe.
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Hugh Laurie plays the captain of the series' ship and is supported by talented comedic actors such as Josh Gad, Zach Woods, and Suzy Nakamura. The premise of Iannucci’s show has been explored in plenty of other sci-fi series before, butAvenue 5still manages to stand out thanks to its themesand strong comedic performances.The show aims to poke fun at corporate culture and commercialism. These themes are represented in the luxurious appearance of the cruise ship and the absurd, deeply-flawed passengers on board.Avenue 5is hilariousbut remains widely underrated.
People of Earth
People of Earth is a television series following journalist Ozzie Graham as he investigates a support group for alien abductees. Initially skeptical of their claims, Graham gradually uncovers evidence that not only supports their stories but suggests his own possible connection to extraterrestrial encounters.
Many alien abduction stories appear too eccentric to be true, leaving a majority of people to feel skeptical, includingPeople of Earth’s protagonist, journalist Ozzie Graham (Wyatt Cenac). The TBS sitcom follows Ozzie as he makes his way to Beacon, New York, to interview members of the StarCrossed support group, which is made up ofpeople who claim to be survivors of alien encounters. Ozzie is initially unsure of whether to believe the stories, but he soon realizes they align with a few of his personal experiences.
People of Earth’s setup is unique, and while alien encounters are a key part of the narrative, the series is able to stay grounded due to its lighthearted humor and relatable Beacon residents.
Along with the heavy amount of humor throughout the show, there is also an overarching mystery revolving around Ozzie’s connection to aliens and the purpose the extraterrestrial beings serve on Earth.People of Earth’s setup is unique, and while alien encounters are a key part of the narrative, the series is able to stay grounded due to its lighthearted humor and relatable Beacon residents.
The Middleman
The Middleman is a television series following Wendy Watson, a struggling artist recruited by a secret agency. Under the guidance of a hero known as The Middleman, she tackles extraordinary threats beyond humanity’s readiness.
Based on Javier Grillo-Marxuach’s comic series of the same name,The Middlemanfollows struggling artist Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales) after she’s recruited by a secret agencymade to fight evil forces. Wendy teams up with the titular Middleman (Matt Keeslar), who is a sort of hero that faces various threats, including supernatural beings and violent aliens.The Middlemansees the two training together, whilst Wendy tries her hardest to balance her normal life with her job of saving the world.
The Middlemanhas a 100% rating onRotten Tomatoes.
With only 12 episodes to its name, it’s no wonderThe Middlemanhasn’t received much love over the years. The lack of attention towards the ABC Family series is unfortunate because there’s a ton of potential in its one season.The Middlemanreceived positive remarks regarding its pop culture references, dialogue, and sense of humor. Grillo-Marxuach’s show is aware of the seriousness associated with typical superhero and sci-fi stories and uses humor to pivot away from this.
Inside Job
Netflix’s Inside Job is a sci-fi adult animated comedy series that is set in a conspiracy-laden government agency known as Cognito Inc., one of six major ruling bodies that control the world. The show follows two partners who manage the organization and wade through several major events in history, exploring the various conspiracy theories that float around via various information circles.
Conspiracy theories have always been fascinating, with people continuing to go back and forth on whether these theories have any truth to them. The animated sci-fi comedyInside Jobexplains that the events such theories are based on were orchestrated by Cognito, Inc., a shadow government organization. Reagan Ridley (Lizzy Caplan), an employer of Cognito Inc., acts as the series' protagonist and is characterized by her poor social skills and her desire to make the world a better place.
Inside Jobis tasked with entertaining audiences with the presented conspiracy theories, which include the Moon landing and the flat Earth belief, while also ensuring they are invested in Reagan and her co-workers. Such a combination is better executed thanks to the series' clever writing. The jokes throughout the show are witty and get a well-earned laugh from audiences. However,Inside Jobalso aims to critique capitalism and politics in the workplace. Despite its promising future,Inside Jobwas canceledand never received a proper ending.
Eureka
In the fictional town of Eureka, Oregon, sheriff Jack Carter is an ordinary guy in a town full of geniuses. Whenever there’s a technological accident or a science experiment gone wrong, Sheriff Carter and the town’s scientists step in to solve the mystery and save the day.
Though the fictional world ofEurekamay not be as complex as those in other sci-fi series, there is still plenty to love about it. The show follows Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), a U.S. Marshal turned town sheriff, as he stumbles across the fictional titular town in Oregon.Residents of Eureka are scientific geniuses who are constantly experimentingand contributing to major scientific and technological breakthroughs. Jack initially feels out of place because he’s not nearly as informed as Eureka’s residents.
However, the outsider perspective Jack brings rounds out the town’s dynamic, and he’s often the one preventing faulty experiments from producing chaos.Eurekaran for five seasons, and though the response from critics was often mixed,the sci-fi comedy was a hit with audiences. While there’s rarely a dull moment throughout the show thanks to the town’s fun experiments, the chaos is still grounded by smart commentary on the limits of intelligence and unchecked scientific and technological work.
Final Space
Final Space is an animated science fiction series created by Olan Rogers. The show follows Gary Goodspeed, a space adventurer, who teams up with an alien named Mooncake to prevent the destruction of the universe by a powerful entity known as the Lord Commander. The series combines elements of comedy, drama, and action, exploring themes of friendship and redemption as Gary and his crew navigate the vast expanse of space.
Olan Rogers leadsFinal Space, lending his voice to the series' two main characters, astronaut Gary Goodspeed and an alien named Mooncake.The adult animated series follows the two on their adventures in space, mainly as they attempt to save the universe. Gary and Mooncake are on the run from the villainous Lord Commander (David Tennant) and come across robots and a variety of shipmates during their adventures who are willing to help them out.
The series' humor isn’t the sharpest and has often been a target of criticism, with a few critics commenting on its juvenile approach. Still,Final Spacehas entertaining and lovable characters making up for it, as well as eye-catching animation. Though the series is deserving of more love and attention from audiences, this is made difficult following its cancellation after three seasons. Unfortunately,Final Spacewas canceled in 2021 and was subsequently removed from HBO Max and Adult Swim’s website, making it hard to watch the series in its entirety.
Red Dwarf
Set in the distant future aboard the mining spaceship Red Dwarf, this British sci-fi sitcom follows the misadventures of Dave Lister, the last known human survivor, and his companions: a hologram of his dead bunkmate, a creature that evolved from his cat, and a neurotic android. Isolated in deep space, they encounter bizarre phenomena and alien creatures as they traverse the galaxy.
Red Dwarfis bothan underrated British comedyand a sci-fi show that began airing in 1988 and has since produced 12 series, with the most recent premiering in 2017. The initial concept ofRed Dwarf, which mainly takes place on the eponymous spaceship, seestechnician Dave Lister (Craig Charles) as the sole survivor of a radiation leakthat killed everyone else on board. Dave is accompanied by a hologram and a unique feline-like creature named Cat.
Since its original run, the series has expanded, introducing more characters and taking them on bigger adventures. However, unlike other sci-fi series,Red Dwarfis more character-drivenand merely uses features of the genre as plot devices. This has allowed the jokes and well-established character relationships to be the main focus of the series, which has earnedRed Dwarfa passionate cult following. Debates about whether earlier seasons are better than more recent entries continue to be a heated debate among the dedicated fan base of the underrated sci-fi sitcom.
Future Man
Future Man is a science fiction comedy focusing on a gaming janitor named Josh Futturman who teams up with time-traveling heroes trying to stop humanity from becoming extinct. Future Man lasted for three seasons and starred Josh Hutcherson as Josh Futturman alongside Eliza Coupe, Derek Wilson, and Haley Joel Osment.
Just a few years after wrapping upThe Hunger Gamesfilm series,Josh Hutcherson took on the role of an ordinary man tasked with saving the worldin the sci-fi comedy seriesFuture Man. Josh Futterman (Hutcherson) is a janitor with little accomplishments to his name, except for being the only person to complete the video gameBiotic Wars. Josh is approached by the game’s main characters in real life and learns he’s being recruited to travel through time with them on a mission to save the world.
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Early episodes of the series have a nostalgic feel to them, as their tone echoes the playful and imaginativeadventures seen in ’80s sci-fi movies. Throughout the series' three seasons, familiar sci-fi tropes are fused with heaps of raunchy and self-aware jokes, which keeps audiences on their toes in between action scenes. Audiences are also immersed in the show through the inept Josh, who is relatable due to his hero’s journey being more ridiculous than profound.
Solar Opposites
Solar Opposites is a Hulu adult animation series that centers on a family of aliens. After moving to America, they bicker about whether the country is better than their home planet. The series was created by Mike McMahan and Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, with characters voiced by Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, and Mary Mack.
Solar Oppositescontinues to be overlooked despite being one ofthe best shows on Huluwith every additional season. The adult animated seriesfollows a family of aliens living on Earth and adapting to human life. As is the case with other sci-fi comedies, the humor inSolar Oppositesstems from the extraterrestrial beings' honest observations of humanity. However, the aliens' predicament also allows for the exploration of themes concerning identity and belonging.
The humor and relationships throughoutSolar Oppositesare reminiscent of shows likeRick and Morty(who shares a co-creator, Justin Roiland, withSolar Opposites) andThe Simpsons.
This adds an unexpected but appreciated emotional depth to the series and balances out the absurd plots and prevalent crude humor. The humor and relationships throughoutSolar Oppositesare reminiscent of shows likeRick and Morty(who shares a co-creator, Justin Roiland, withSolar Opposites) andThe Simpsons. Still, the Hulu series boasts enough originality and improves upon its beloved writing, humor, and animation with every season.
Resident Alien
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
The relatively straightforward mission of an alien on Earth becomes increasingly complicated as he bonds with the residents of a Colorado town.Resident Alienis based on a comic book of the same name and is centered aroundHarry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk), an alien sent to wipe out humanitywho takes on the identity of a local doctor. Harry immerses himself in the day-to-day lives of the town’s residents, making it harder for him to carry out his initial mission.
Like many sci-fi comedies,Resident Alienfinds humor in the eccentricities of the genre, but also the ordinary actions of those around Harry. Seeing Harry get accustomed to normal human activities and behaviors is sure to evoke laughter from audiences. Tudyk delivers a strong comedic performance and manages to bring the necessary emotional weight to the role as his character must decide how to move forward with his mission after connecting with humanity.
