Sitcoms are the band of television — or sometimes, exactly what viewers are looking for when they want something easy to unwind to. They are easy to watch, relatively lighthearted, and most of the time don’t require much commitment. Most importantly, they know how to make people laugh.

However, in today’s world, it takes more than comedic chops to keep viewers engaged. In the current political and cultural climate, sitcoms must also reflect the modern changes of modern life, all while remaining funny. After all, no medicine is better than laughter. Without further ado, here are 10 modern sitcoms that are a 10/10, no notes.

10

‘Ted Lasso’ (2020–Present)

Image via Apple TV

It’s an American invasion in Ted Lasso. Kansas City football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is recruited by English soccer/football club A.F.C. Richmond as its new coach. The problem is, Ted has no clue about the sport. With his new team underestimating and Richmond’s fan base doubting his abilities, Ted proves otherwise with the power of kindness.

Ted Lasso is the ultimate culture clash. Nothing is more awkward and entertaining than watching Ted’s Southern hospitality collide with the British people’s brutally honest demeanor. On a bigger picture, the show also presents these football players at their most hilarious in their personal lives. Underneath the machismo of the sport, these players are big softies at heart. In a world where it’s easy to be cynical due to the devastating news, Ted Lasso‘s advocacy for utter kindness is wholeheartedly refreshing.

9

‘Kim’s Convenience’ (2016–2021)

Image via Netflix 

Don’t forget to stop by Toronto’s favorite corner shop. Kim’s Convenience follows first-generation Korean immigrants, Mr. Sang-il Kim/Appa (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Mrs. Yong-mi Kim/Umma (Jean Yoon), as they tend to their humble little store. From generational to cultural gaps, the two stumble into delightfully awkward moments with their customers, most notably the “gay discount” schtick.

Thankfully, they have their more culturally assimilated daughter, Janet (Andrea Bang), to rely on whenever they’re stuck in an awkward crisis. As a show about immigrants making it on the other side of the world, Kim’s Convenience may be full of misunderstandings, but these characters also embrace where they come from. Whether it’s Appa breaking into Hapkido in the middle of the store, or old-school superstitions, it’s unapologically Korean. As immigration becomes an increasingly crucial topic within today’s heated political climate, Kim’s Convenience shows how joy itself can be a form of resistance.

8

‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)

Image via FX

Based on the 2014 mockumentary of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows follows four centuries-old vampire roommates who spend their immortality bumbling through modern life on Staten Island. Although being undead has its perks, Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) are stuck in their own silly little existential crises.

With all the time in their hands, these vampires sure know how to make use of it to fill their boredom. What We Do in the Shadows takes viewers from one misadventure to another, stripping away the traditional mysteriousness of these bloodthirsty creatures. Whether it’s doing very human errands like going to the supermarket or discovering Van Helsing blood, these vampires have the best (or worst) of both worlds. Beneath the fangs and centuries-old demons in What We Do in the Shadows, the joke is simply and utterly relatable: having terrible roommates. Whether it’s avoiding chores or refusing to pay the bills, these vampires need to — no pun intended — grow up.

7

‘One Day at a Time’ (2017–2020)

Image via Netflix

Based on the 1975 series of the same name, One Day at a Time follows the Cuban-American Alvarez family living in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Single mother Penélope Alvarez (Justina Machado) is a former United States Army Nurse Corps nurse trying to find her footing in civilian life. With three generations living in one apartment, Penélope is often dragged into family mishaps.

In between raising her outspoken children and clashing with her tradition-loving Cuban mother, there’s never a boring day in the Alvarez household. But when the show isn’t joking around, One Day at a Time knows how to get serious. The series doesn’t shy away from familiar realities — from Penelope’s PTSD to her ex-husband’s alcoholism — showing that life may be hard, but we can alway scope with a bit of laughter along the way. No parent is perfect. Beyond its immigrant story, One Day at a Time validates exhausted mothers who are often messy, overworked, and stretched thin — especially when the family is of little help. Yet no matter how much they nag at each other, they are the ones who stay with you, no matter how dark it gets.

6

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Image via NBC

The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a selfish and self-absorbed sales agent who dies and is mistakenly sent to a heaven-like afterlife called the Good Place. Created by the immortal architect Michael (Ted Danson), it’s meant for virtuous souls who’ve done good in their past lives. Eleanor quickly realizes that she’s not supposed to be here and secretly hides her wrongdoings.

The afterlife can be a touchy subject, but The Good Place knows how to have fun with it without getting too personal. Trying to hide her true identity, Eleanor often causes chaos in this “heaven-like” realm, from setting off a fire alarm to disrupting a neighborhood potluck. But if heaven’s willing, maybe Eleanor can learn a thing or two about redemption in this “life.” The Good Place shows what it actually means to shed your ego in exchange for accountability. There are missteps along the way, yet the most meaningful moral growth comes from making and learning from your mistakes.

5

‘Adults’ (2025–Present)

Image via FX

When you put five reluctant twenty-somethings in one building, you get Adults. Issa (Amita Rao), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Samir (Malik Elassal), Anton (Owen Thiele), and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) are roomies and de facto best friends crammed into a New York City house. Fumbling their way through adulthood, their co-dependent friendship brings out the best and worst in each other.

From now knowing how social security works, to blowing a one-shot job promotion, Adults is just as amusing as it is accurate. Nobody truly gets the anxiety of collapsing into unemployment, or having your boiler break down in cold weather. No matter how outrageous the situation, what’s most important is having people who show up through the highs and lows. Most audiences understand the pains of adulting. While becoming a full-fledged adult is often difficult, Adults shows that the best remedy is the people who help you survive your quarter-life crisis — with a little laughter along the way.

4

‘St. Denis Medical’ (2024–Present)

Image via NBC

No better and more inappropriate place to joke around the job than a hospital. St. Denis Medical follows the overworked healthcare workers of a poorly financed hospital as they provide the best care possible to patients. Overseen by oncology surgeon Joyce (McLendon-Covey), she’s in charge of making sure hospital operations run smoothly — without staff sacrificing their own sanity.

Hospitals can be some of the scariest places for people. In a high-stakes environment like this, it’s easy for health workers to lose their cool. But just like patients, the staff are human too. In a place where death could be around any corner, St. Denis Medical shows how difficult it is to remain empathetic without being consumed by the grim reality of a hospital. The staff may not always come across as the heroes they imagine themselves to be. However, given the amount of care and compassion they’re expected to show every single day, the show gives these employees their flowers.

3

‘Shrinking’ (2023–Present)

Image via Apple TV

The world’s worst therapist is ready to psychoanalyze you in Shrinking. Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) has spent the past year grieving the death of his wife, and work hasn’t been easy. With patients rambling about their problems without making progress, Jimmy finally snaps and gives them the cold, hard truth — which, in a surprising turn of events, actually works.

Part workplace comedy, part family sitcom, Jimmy’s scientifically and ethically questionable methods often land him in hilarious situations with his patients. From getting his patient beat up to forcing another to talk to his barista, these small, chaotic interactions are pieces of the bigger picture: figuring out how to find meaning in life after mourning. Grief isn’t a one-way street, and it’s definitely not linear. There will be peaks worth celebrating and dips worth crying over, much like the ones in Shrinking. There’s no simple step-by-step guide to mourning; it’s about getting through each day with whatever capacity we can conjure up.

2

‘Ghosts’ (2021–Present)

Image via Paramount+

Ghosts follows cheerful journalist Samantha (Rose McIver) and her partner Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), an aspiring city chef, who inherit a rundown country mansion and decide to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. Little do they know, their charming, humble abode is a hotbed for a lively, eclectic group of ghosts. But with all their money spent on renovations, it’ll be a waste to throw the entire project away.

These ghosts are nothing like the vengeful demons often seen in horror. They’re more like your annoying neighbors. From a sassy Prohibition-era lounge singer to a 1700s militiaman and a 1960s hallucinogen-loving hippie, these housemates are more hilarious than horrifying. When Samantha actually starts seeing these spirits, things get a lot more comedically complicated. Just like the spirits in Ghosts, human audiences can learn a thing or two about moving on. Sometimes our problems freeze us in a state of “purgatory” — much like the mansion. It’s easy to feel trapped in our worst habits. The only way forward is by confronting these demons head-on.

1

‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–Present)

Image via ABC

These teachers have no time for a break. Abbott Elementary follows a group of dedicated, passionate teachers, and their slightly tone-deaf principal in a Philadelphia public school. Despite being underfunded and outnumbered, they are determined to help their students succeed and make a positive impact on their lives. Of course, that is if the difficult school district doesn’t breathe down their necks.

No teacher is perfect at Abbott, but at least they’re trying their best. Second-grade teacher Janine (Quinta Brunson) is eagerly enthusiastic about making positive changes at the school, which often throws the staff into unwanted situations. Still, they see the good intentions in Janine, and together, they band together to ensure their students receive the best learning experience possible despite the limitations. All too often, students take for granted the effort teachers put in. No blame to them — it’s because these teachers make it look so easy. Abbott Elementary highlights the real work involved in teaching kids not just their ABCs, but also how to grow into good human beings.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is turning to a controversial football figure for advice ahead of the upcoming NFL Draft.

The polarizing quarterback revealed that he is connecting with former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel — who’s had his own run-ins with controversy — for advice and mentorship as the draft inches closer.

“He’s giving me what to look out for, what it’s like, how to stay in the process,” Pavia told reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, February 28. “And, you know, he’s given me some good advice, for sure.”

He continued, “And he always reaches out, too, checks up on me, makes sure I’m good, and he just, like, he’s just a friend to me, you know? And so he’s giving me some mentorship. He’s been around me, he’s been around my family. He’s just a great person for those that really don’t know him.”

Related: Diego Pavia Family Guide: Meet the Vanderbilt QB Ahead of Heisman Ceremony

Vanderbilt’s standout quarterback Diego Pavia put together an impressive college football season, which earned him a spot as a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist. He finished the regular season with 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, with only eight interceptions. Pavia also ran for 826 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, leading the Commodores to […]

Pavia finished second in this year’s Heisman Trophy voting — behind Indiana quarterback and national champion Fernando Mendoza — after putting up impressive numbers in his final year at Vanderbilt. Pavia led the Commodores to a 10-2 season with 3,192 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He added 826 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.

Similar to Manziel’s story, Pavia’s career has been rife with controversy, boiling over at the Heisman Trophy ceremony when Pavia posted disparaging messages to Heisman voters and the Indiana football team on his social media. He later apologized for the posts.

Pavia said on Friday that NFL teams have not asked him about those eye-opening social media posts.

“Nope, they haven’t,” Pavia told reporters. “I just think, not that they don’t care or whatever, but they kind of know the situation already.”

He continued, “One thing about me is I don’t care what people think about me. God has a plan for me regardless. But the way the media is, they’re supposed to put out clickbait and things like that. That’s how people get views, and that’s how people make money. I understand that. And so people will twist a story and try to put out bad media to get clicks, good media to get clicks. That’s just today’s world that we live in. So I’m just adjusting to the new world.”

Manziel had his own string of trouble throughout his college career and into his brief NFL career.

His time at Texas A&M was marred with controversy leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, where he fell all the way to the No. 22 pick by the Cleveland Browns after he was projected to be selected in the top five.

He played just 14 games in the NFL — all with the Browns — and was cut by the team after two seasons due to personal issues, including substance abuse.

Manziel has been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse, speaking on the topic in the 2023 Netflix documentary, Untold: Johnny Football.

“When I had gotten everything I’d ever wanted, I think I was the most empty that I ever felt inside,” he said. “I think I was trying to suppress how I felt and get out of being Johnny Football. [I] had bought a gun that I knew I was going to use. I had planned to do everything that I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I possibly could, and then my plan was to take my own life.”

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 9 seconds ago

Did you know that one of the most celebrated film genres of the ‘80s and ‘90s has quietly died? The genre in question is the R-rated comedy, one typified by vintage classics such as Porky’s and American Pie. These movies won over audiences through a simple combination of raunchy jokes and scantily clad stars.

These days, the R-rated comedy has been retired in favor of streamer-friendly slop, and it’s nearly impossible to find films featuring this potent combination of dirty jokes and exposed flesh. But over two decades ago, we got a criminally underappreciated sex comedy with a twist: instead of focusing on men, it focuses on women proving just how much they love to get nasty when the boys aren’t around. That film is The Sweetest Thing (2002), and you can now stream this star-studded classic for free on Tubi!

Treat Yourself To Some Pleasure

The premise of The Sweetest Thing is that Cameron Diaz plays a woman with a reputation for loving and leaving men so that she can keep enjoying the single life. However, she runs into a man who pushes back against her take-charge attitude, getting under her skin like no man ever had before. After getting an invite to a wedding the man is attending, she embarks on a raunchy road trip with her best friends, proving once and for all that the fairer sex can be just as rude, crude, and hilariously nasty as any man.

For a relatively unknown raunch comedy, The Sweetest Thing has a really star-studded cast, including Christina Applegate (best known for Married…With Children) as a divorce lawyer and BFF who really holds her gal pals together. Selma Blair (best known for Cruel Intentions) plays one of those pals, someone who might just rebound with a confident hunk played by Thomas Jane (best known for Boogie Nights). He has a chauvinistic brother played by Jason Bateman (best known for Arrested Development); however, the performer who anchors the entire thing is Cameron Diaz (best known for Charlie’s Angels), who delivers a dirty-talking, fearlessly raunchy performance that may forever change how you see this cinematic girl-next-door. 

Hated By The Critics

The Sweetest Thing proved to be a modest box office success, earning $68.7 million against a $43 million budget. Sadly, the film didn’t prove to be the same kind of pop culture phenomenon that earlier gross-out movies like There’s Something About Mary were. However, this movie did cement Cameron Diaz (who notably played Mary in the earlier film) as an actress who is never afraid to get down and dirty in order to make the audience laugh.

When The Sweetest Thing came out, critics really hated it: the movie has a 25 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers complaining about the thin plot and the bevy of hit-or-miss gags. However, it’s worth noting that the movie has a 64 percent critical score. This helps prove that this raunchy film is quite the crowd-pleaser, with audiences deeming it “fresh” even as critics declared it downright rotten.

More Than A Few Surprises

So, the critics hated it, and it wasn’t exactly a box office darling. Why, then, should you watch The Sweetest Thing? The short answer is that it is funny in the most transgressive way, and if you have a dirty mind (it’s not just me, right?), you’ll find plenty to love in this raucously funny raunchiest. 

Then and now, part of what makes The Sweetest Thing so entertaining is that it is an unflinchingly gender swapped version of the “boys behaving badly” genre of film. Even if you’ve seen male-led movies like The Hangover a million times, there is something refreshing about seeing women take part in the same kinds of gross-out gags and filthy conversations usually reserved for men. It helps that the central actors embrace the sex jokes with such gusto, and Cameron Diaz’s hypnotic performance is practically an ecstasy of exhibitionism.

Guys are sure to enjoy the film; after all, it’s filled with hot ladies, dirty talk, and nudity, all of which can reliably rev a fellow’s motor. But The Sweetest Thing is designed by and for women, and much of its humor works by making men the butt of some fairly hilarious jokes.

Time To Get Down And Dirty

The scene is funny in and of itself, but the punchline doesn’t come from girls behaving badly; rather, it comes from the fact that guys are so easy to manipulate when it comes to anything and everything naughty. This is just one small example of the film’s surprising emphasis on sex positivity and its emphasis on female agency. It’s the rare raunchy comedy framed from the perspective of the female gaze, but most men will be too busy laughing to realize that male horniness is the butt of each and every surprisingly funny joke.

Will you agree that The Sweetest Thing deserves more love when you watch it on Netflix, or will these gals gross you out before the end of the first scene? The only way to find out is to stream the film and rediscover this overlooked classic for yourself. If nothing else, you’ll never look at Cameron Diaz the same way after these credits roll!

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The entertainment world is still reeling from the news that Paramount has swooped in and purchased Warner Bros. Pictures, effectively ending Netflix’s bid for the legacy studios. Obviously, there are a lot of questions on Hollywood’s mind, including the potential job cuts and contraction that comes with yet another mega-merger. There’s also the question of what the entertainment landscape will look like if this merger goes through, particularly given that HBO Max and Paramount would be under the same umbrella. Similar questions were raised when the Netflix/Warner Bros. merger seemed like a done deal, but HBO Max has a few advantages working in its favor.

For starters,HBO Max has far more subscribers than Paramount+​​.Per IndieWire, HBO Max has 131.6 million global subscribers, while Paramount+ has 79 million. Looking at those numbers, it only makes sense that Paramount would want to keep HBO Max around as its main streaming arm, especially with the massive library that the streamer has at its disposal. Yet there are other avenues that the studio could take, and they’d radically reshape the streaming landscape, not to mention the entertainment business itself.

HBO Max & Paramount+ Could Merge Into a Single Streaming Service

Image via Paramount+

The easiest route that Paramount could take with HBO Max and Paramount+ is to merge them into a single streaming service. It’s not unprecedented, as Disney+ and Hulu are looking to merge into a single service by the end of the year. The House of Mouse underwent a mega-merger of its own in 2019 when it purchased 20th Century Fox, and it’s not hard to imagine that Paramount CEO David Ellison would use the same playbook and make Paramount+ a hub on HBO Max’s interface. It would be the most efficient way to push Paramount+’s original movie and TV projects while also tapping into the prestige of the HBO brand.

Another factor in favor of an HBO Max/Paramount+ merger is the sheer number of franchises Paramount wants to utilize. From DC Comics to Harry Potter to Game of Thrones, there’s no shortage of intellectual property under the WB umbrella. Said intellectual property could boost Paramount’s profile, especially since most of its prominent franchises are in flux. TV-wise, Paramount could also use a win that doesn’t come from Star Trek or Taylor Sheridan, and HBO Max’s shows carry the kind of prestige that not only draws in audiences but also wins awards.

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It’s Possible that Paramount Might Ditch Paramount+ For HBO Max

If Paramount doesn’t merge HBO Max and Paramount+, it’s more than likely that one of the cost-cutting measures the new Paramount/Warner Bros. regime will take is to delete one service and keep the other. HBO Max will more than likely win out; between its larger subscriber base and a more appealing library of content, it has everything Paramount wants. Paramount+, on the other hand, has yet to turn a profit, as it lost Paramount nearly $500 million dollars. Northwestern University professor Rick Morris also pointed out the grim reality that Paramount is deep in debt and will be taking immense cost-cutting measures:

“Debt is debt. Debt will stop them from taking new initiatives, from investing in content, and it’ll take a period of time to work off. And many companies fail at working off the debt, and that is part of the reason that Warner Bros. is for sale.”

Paramount might also be looking to use HBO Max as a showcase for its new stable of talent. In the weeks leading up to its acquisition of Warner Bros., the studio signed multi-year deals with Stranger Things creators Ross & Matt Duffer, Jon M. Chu (Wicked: For Good), and Dan Trachtenberg (Predator: Badlands). The timing couldn’t have been better, as Taylor Sheridan is primed to leave Paramount for a more lucrative deal at Universal. Together, these filmmakers not only provide enough talent to fill Sheridan’s absence but will also drive more subscribers to HBO Max.

The Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger Could Affect Other Paramount Assets

Image via Bertrand Calmeau/CBS

Paramount+ isn’t the only streaming service whose future is up in the air. There’s also the matter of Pluto TV, the FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming Television) streaming service under Paramount’s umbrella. While Pluto TV has its own wide-ranging slate of free programming, The Hollywood Reporter writes that it’s facing some struggles, including a potential sale. If Paramount is considering cost-cutting measures, it could shutter Pluto TV, which would be a shame, as the channel could support Warner Bros. TV across its various channels. Pluto absolutely would host a Harry Potter channel or a channel dedicated to DC Comics films and TV shows.

Another Paramount asset that’s up in the air is Showtime. The cable channel was folded into Paramount+, but is there really a need for it when HBO exists? HBO and Showtime were rivals for years, though it’s clear that HBO has had more staying power. This could finally be the excuse Paramount is looking for to shutter the Showtime brand, though most of Showtime’s series would more likely continue as originals under HBO Max or simply transition to another streaming service, like Shameless.

HBO’s Head Honcho Isn’t Sure about the Future of HBO Max

Image via HBO Max

The Paramount/Warner Bros. merger has led to a flood of emotions online, as many in entertainment are unsure about the future. One of them is HBO chief Casey Bloys, who gave THR a hazy response last November when asked about the future of HBO Max:

“It’s kind of a waste of energy, because I don’t know what’s going to happen… I’m obviously very proud of what we’ve done at HBO and HBO Max. I would like to see that continue…We’ve all worked at HBO for a long time. I’m proud of our track record, but you have to go into these processes with an open mind. And a lot of it is out of our hands.”

While the merger has yet to be approved, it’s pretty clear that if it does, the media landscape will be irrevocably changed. HBO Max could potentially survive that change — after all, this isn’t the first time the streamer’s fallen under different ownership. But the question remains: what will it change into?