Entertainment
10 Greatest Absurdist TV Shows, Ranked
The theater of the absurd is no stranger to those who enjoy their narratives a bit unusual. These stories love to highlight the conflict between humanity’s search for purpose and a universe that is indifferent, borrowing heavily from existential thinkers like Albert Camus. Here, characters often stumble through futile situations, reminding us just how gloriously absurd life can be.
It’s no wonder why these tales are so captivating — they dare to ask the questions that many of us avoid, serving up memorable and surreal visuals that you won’t forget, and characters that are as bizarre as they are oddly relatable. To celebrate the wonderfully weird, we look back at some of the best absurdist television shows perfect for anyone who’s ever nodded along to life’s strange humor.
10
‘The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret’ (2009 – 2016)
If the title alone doesn’t already tip you off to the chaos, the plot removes all doubt: The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret follows an American (David Cross, who also created it) who moves to London to run an energy drink sales team, armed with zero sales experience and one deeply unfortunate employee who somehow seems to make things worse.
Todd Margaret frequently crosses the line from uncomfortable to cartoonish, with cringey humor and a logic-defying narrative. This, however, is where the show’s charm lives: in its sheer commitment to letting the storm unfold in the most awkward way possible. Cross‘s series is not exactly everyone’s cup of tea — especially given its strong emphasis on “cringe.” Still, Todd Margaret can be a great pick for those who are keen on bizarre comedies with a chaotically uncomfortable, absurdist tone.
9
‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’ (2016 – 2017)
Leaning into surreal randomness, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency delivers an entertaining mash-up of detective noir, horror, sci-fi, and pure screwball comedy. The result is a constant and refreshing sense of surprise. At the narrative’s center are lead titular character, played by Samuel Barnett, and his reluctant assistant, Todd, brought to life by Elijah Wood, as they untangle bizarre and interconnected cases, including murder, time travel, and body swapping.
The 2016 series is the kind that thrives on events that make little sense, whether that’s people turning into dogs, time loops, or assassins who can feel where their victims are. If you love an intentionally chaotic plot with multiple factions, running gags, and connected coincidences, this might be a great pick. With its over-the-top humor, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency treats a chaotic and illogical universe as the norm.
8
‘I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson’ (2019 – 2023)
A sketch comedy show from former SNL writer Tim Robinson, the 2019 comedy series — with Robinson himself at the center of most sketches — almost operates as a stress test; each segment sees the writer and his guests driving someone to the point of needing or wanting to leave.
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson thrives in a specific kind of absurdism born out of tiny social misteps that eventually spiral into a full-blown public catastrophe. Whether it is a missed cue or an overreaction, suddenly you’re watching a meltdown that feels both surreal and plausible. No doubt, the show can be polarizing: it’s uncomfortable, goofy, and certainly won’t charm just anyone. That being said, if your sense of humor thrives on surreal and illogical premises and you don’t mind a little cringe and discomfort, Robinson and Zach Kanin‘s absurdist series is a standout.
7
‘Search Party’ (2016 – 2022)
This dark comedy mystery, centering on four self-absorbed youngsters (Alia Shawkat, John Reynolds, John Early, and Meredith Hagner) in their twenties, illustrates the characters’ entanglement in an ominous mystery when a former college acquaintance suddenly disappears.
Through its blend of elements of the thriller, mystery, and neo-noir genre, Search Party became one of the most interesting series in recent years. Beneath its clever plotting and suspense, it flirts with the absurd (and even the nihilistic). Despite initially unfolding as a whodunit, the series captivates with a surreal and existential meditation and is unafraid to defy any genre labels. At its core, though, Search Party is an engaging commentary on narcissism and the obsession with self-image and social media in a seemingly meaningless world that is constantly seeking purpose.
6
‘Russian Doll’ (2019 – 2022)
Fans of the beloved Bill Murray-led film Groundhog Day will likely want to check out Russian Doll if they haven’t already. Praised for its existentialist take on the time-loop genre, the Natasha Lyonne-led series follows a cynical software engineer stuck in a time loop, dying repeatedly on her 36th birthday in New York City. In the meantime, she must confront her past and resolve her long-buried trauma to break the cycle.
There is a strong case to be made that Nadia is a perfect example of the absurd hero. Much like Sisyphus in Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus, Nadia is condemned to an absurd, repetitive cycle that forces her to confront the meaninglessness of her existence. Each reset becomes a chance to confront herself and inch toward self-understanding. Russian Doll is at once hilarious, surreal, and philosophical, suggesting that even in a world that often feels chaotic and indifferent, the act of meaning-making, of choosing how to live despite the absurd, is itself a form of rebellion.
5
‘Barry’ (2018 – 2023)
Starring Bill Hader as hitman Barry Berkman, who travels to Los Angeles for a job and discovers his passion for acting, the 2018 dark comedy-crime drama co-created by Hader and Alec Berg chronicles the character’s struggles as he attempts to leave his violent life behind. Along the way, Barry juggles acting classes, a romance, and handlers who refuse to let him walk away.
Rather than a straightforward crime or drama story, Barry presents something more interesting: a narrative that thrives on extreme situations, revealing, in the meantime, just how unpredictable and irrational characters’ lives are. Violence is often over-the-top; humor drifts between deadpan and existential; Barry himself is treated like an almost supernatural anti-hero who keeps surviving scenarios that should kill him. Layered atop the blood and dark comedy is a clever satire of LA hustle culture and the world of amateur acting, which ultimately becomes one of the show’s freshest and funniest angles.
4
‘Atlanta’ (2016 – 2022)
Donald Glover‘s Rotten Tomatoes-approved surrealist series follows college dropout and music manager Earn Marks, played by Glover himself, and rapper Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) as they navigate a strange, at times otherworldly Atlanta hip-hop scene. The result? A vibrant watch that throws comedy and drama into the mix as few others dare.
While Atlanta keeps its feet on the ground, it handles surrealism and absurdism exceptionally well, mostly thanks to its incredible writing and great performances. Filled with memorable lines and a handful of moments that teeter on the edge of the bizarre, this often-overlooked gem sends poignant messages about systemic injustice, racism, and prejudice through illogical, magical, and darkly comic scenarios. In doing so, it turns the absurdities of modern life, race, and capitalism into both entertainment and insight.
3
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019 – 2024)
Starring Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou, among other talents, What We Do in the Shadows invites audiences into the lives of four vampires who have lived together on Staten Island for over a century. Jemaine Clement‘s dark fantasy entertains not merely through its depiction of immortality but also, and especially, through its pettier inconveniences — the mundane, at times boring lives of centuries-old vampires.
What We Do in the Shadows essentially finds humor in the gap between who these vampires think they are and who they often turn out to be. It mirrors the absurdity of existence through its memorable central personalities: ancient, all-powerful beings who are somehow still stuck with dealing with the same nonsense as everybody else. With a fun mockumentary style that shapes its irony and grounds the supernatural in awkward everyday life, Clement’s series delivers a unique angle on existential humor. If that kind of offbeat vibe works for you, Our Flag Means Death may be worth a look too (similar energy, but trade the fangs for pirates).
2
‘Fleabag’ (2016–2019)
Despite running for only two seasons, Fleabag has firmly secured its place among the best contemporary comedies on television, especially following the release of the beloved second season. Written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the dark comedy Prime Video original follows the unnamed lead character as she attempts to cope with life in London whilst coming to terms with a recent tragedy.
In addition to its chaotic narrative and humorous approach, the series fascinates in how it navigates the emptiness of contemporary existence and the emotional detachment of modern life. In an increasingly isolating world, Fleabag attempts to find meaning and authentic connection, even as she engages in self-sabotaging behavior. At its heart, the series depicts a protagonist who confronts a chaotic universe with irony: by acknowledging the absurdity of her own life — often literally breaking the fourth wall — Fleabag revolts in a true Camusian sense, finding humor in the face of life’s unpredictability.
1
‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014 – 2020)
This Netflix fan-favorite tragicomedy by Raphael Bob-Waksberg has cemented itself as one of the most beloved animated series of all time, and for good reason. BoJack Horseman takes audiences inside the life of a washed-up 1990s sitcom star — an anthropomorphic horse, no less, voiced by Will Arnett. Bojack lives in Los Angeles, struggling with alcoholism, depression, and self-loathing, all while attempting a comeback.
With razor-sharp humor and unflinching honesty, the streaming platform’s original is heavily rooted in absurdism and existentialism, but it does it in a way that feels fun and entertaining. It marries a cartoonish, surreal world with brutally honest depictions of addiction, depression, and the search for meaning; in doing so, it brings the absurd to life. In the end, BoJack and the people around him are all just striving to find meaning and purpose in a universe that seems to offer none.
BoJack Horseman
- Release Date
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2014 – 2020-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Raphael Bob-Waksberg
- Directors
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Amy Winfrey, JC Gonzalez, Adam Parton, Joel Moser, Martin Cendreda, Peter Merryman, Matt Mariska, Mike Roberts, Mollie Helms, Tim Rauch
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BoJack Horseman / BoBo the Angsty Zebra (voice)
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Todd Chavez / Emperor Fingerface (voice)
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