Many shows have been made about comedy and what it means to be a comedian, but they often seem like pretentious ploys from Hollywood to have us applaud them once again (and so they can applaud themselves at awards shows later on). This can be said for a lot of shows exceptHacks. The series follows Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young comedy writer who has just been canceled over a bad tweet. At her wit’s end, she decides to take a job with the aging comedienne Deborah Vance (Jean Smart). Together, the two learn to accept themselves and their generational differences. It is a hilarious and realistic look at what it means to be young and old, rich or poor, and talented or not. For those who simply cannot wait for season 2 to premiere on HBO Max on May 12, here’s a list of great shows about women, comedy, and accepting yourself!
Related:‘Hacks’ Season 2 Trailer Sees Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder Hitting the Road
Designing Women
BeforeJean Smartwas the respected veteran she is today, she starred in one of the most successful sitcoms of the 1980s.Designing Womencenters on the lives of four women and one man working together at an interior designing firm in 1980s Atlanta, Georgia, called Sugarbaker & Associates. Often seen as the Southern counterpart toMurphy Brown, the show was part of a new wave of series that focused on the lives of working women. Smart plays Charlene Frazier-Stillfield, the office manager of Sugarbaker’s. Unlike Deborah Vance, Charlene is a naive and sweet-hearted woman whose ditziness can be annoying for her co-workers. If you want to see a classic show that displays a different side of Smart’s wide-ranging talent check out this star-studded program!
BeforeLucia AnielloandPaul W. DownscreatedHacks, they both directed and wrote for one of Comedy Central’s most successful shows,Broad City. The show followed the relationship between Abbi and Ilana, two twenty-somethings in New York who struggle to make ends meet, follow their dreams, and live out theirSex and the Cityinspiredfantasies. One of the most hilarious shows of all time, these girls show us all why we simultaneously love and hate being young, living in a big city, andhaving your best friend attached at the hip. If you love the fun that Ava and Deborah have but can’t stand the tension and distance between them, watchBroad City.
Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best
Even for people who were only passing fans ofJoan Rivers, it’s clear to see that the inspiration behind Deborah Vance could have only been this woman. Though most people are familiar with some of her most famous work, she has been largely overlooked by younger generations as an old-school insult comic with nothing much to offer. As someone who paved the way for women in comedy as well as pushed boundaries of what could be talked about on stage, this assumption could not be further from the truth. If you want to know more about Joan as well as her relationship with her daughter,Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Bestis the best place to start. For four years up until Joan’s untimely death, the series showed us how these women navigated business, life, and love all with great one-liners!
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
While many have rightfully claimed that theAmy Sherman-PalladinoshowGilmore Girlsis an underrated classic, the same cannot be said for her current showThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiselwhich has been given its deserved critical acclaim since its first episode aired. The show follows Midge Maisel, a 1950s Jewish housewife whose world is rocked when her husband abruptly leaves her. In a moment of drunken hysteria, she tries her hand at stand-up comedy and discovers she has a gift. TheMarvelous Mrs. Maiseltakes us on a journey of self-discovery through the New York stand-up scene and shows us what it has always meant to be a working woman. No matter how hard Deborah Vance had to work to pave the way for women like Ava Daniels, the women of Midge’s generation had to fight ten times harder. With great writing and an incredible supporting cast including the likes ofAlex BorsteinandTony Shalhoub, there’s no way you won’t fall in love withThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
While musical comedies used to be one of the most popular mediums for comediennes, it has fallen out of favor for what some believe to be their superficial reach and not so smooth transitions from normal scenes to song.Crazy Ex-Girlfriendshowed everyone that musical comedies could still be relevant and that they could even pierce deeper than a normal show. The series tells the story of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), an overworked New York lawyer, who upon running into Josh, a man she briefly dated as a teenager, decides to move to West Covina, California, where he lives. The show toys with the very common trope of the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and gives her much more depth, understanding, and intrigue. Bloom is one of the more interesting comedy writers and performers working today, and you may be sure that Deborah and Ava would both be applauding her.
Pretend It’s A City
If you loved Deborah Vance’s old school and biting humor, then you’ll lovePretend It’s A City. ThisMartin Scorsese-directed miniseries follows the accomplished essayist and public speaker,Fran Lebowitz, as she delights us with her critique of contemporary society. Topics range from idiotic tourists, to the writing process, and New York in the 70s. It’s exactly what you would expect a miniseries about the great and hilarious cynic Fran Lebowitz would be. Just like Deborah Vance, Lebowitz might be someone younger generations of writers and comedians aren’t familiar with, but this series demonstrates just how relevant she is and just how important her voice is.
Related:‘Hacks’ Season 2: Showrunners Reveal What’s Next for Deborah Vance and How That Cliffhanger Will Resolve
Any list of shows about the writing process and comedy would be incomplete without this classic of 90s television.Seinfeld, created by none other thanJerry SeinfeldandLarry David, tells the story of a fictionalized version of Seinfeld as he deals with nosy neighbors, romantic troubles, and the craziness of New York City. Before we experienced the Golden Age of TV,Seinfeldwas one of the few sitcoms that pushed boundaries for network television, constructed interesting characters, and dared to ask the question “what if there was a show about nothing?” With great performances fromJulia Louis DreyfusandJason Alexander, this show will make you laugh until your sides hurt.
