Spring is a time of year when we all should embrace sunny days, blooming flowers and some of the best scripted comedies of the year. Many networks have a variety of shows lined up for the warmer months each year, and the 2017 slate looks more promising than ever. From the return of “Veep” to the newest Hulu premieres, these shows will make a strong argument for staying indoors no matter how nice the weather may be.
“Veep” has been one of the strongest comedies on cable for the past five years, and its new season looks to be just as funny as ever. Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns with her band of political misfits for season six of this HBO original series. This show was there for me when election season was wreaking havoc on the country. It let me forget, in 30-minute increments, about the current political climate and focus on the superb dialogue and delivery that this quick-witted show has to offer. “Veep” returns April 16 on HBO.
“Silicon Valley,” HBO’s resident nerd-fest, comes back in full swing a week later, just as the show’s central plot-line gets switched up. In the upcoming season, Thomas Middleditch’s uber-intelligent but business-incompetent character Richard will quit his job at Pied Piper, the company he started with his coder friends. The show, which takes cues from real life tech talk, is always fresh and inventive, giving the haphazard geek genre a whole new name. In the trailer for Season 4, Richard has the idea of making a “new internet,” and if the idea of that isn’t enough incentive to tune in, I don’t know what is.
Hulu and Amazon are also returning with hilariously realistic comedies later this spring. “Catastrophe,” from writers and creators Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, returns April 28 to American screens and is already out in the U.K. The often awkward, always hilarious series follows Sharon and Rob as they navigate a tumultuous relationship in London. In the same vein as “Catastrophe,” hyper-realistic comedy “Casual” returns to Hulu in May.
If you can’t wait for some of these April premieres, fill the coming weeks with some of the best new scripted comedies on television. HBO is proving itself a main player in the comedy business with yet another promising new show. In “Crashing,” Pete Holmes plays, well, Pete Holmes. As you guessed, he’s a made-for-television version of himself. Based on Holmes’ own experiences, he’s a budding stand-up comedian who walks in on his wife cheating on him. Through a series of hilarious events, Holmes befriends various real life comedians like Artie Lange and T.J. Miller, and, through crashing on their couches, he learns a lot about life and comedy. I’ve only seen half the season so far, but this show has been one of the most consistently funny programs I’ve seen in awhile. Real but never too dark, “Crashing” makes standup cool again, and Holmes’ simplistic nice-guy attitude makes everything ten times funnier.
HBO may be dominating the scripted comedy scene right now, but Netflix’s “Love” can’t be overlooked. “It’s worth a shot,” the tag line for season two of the unconventional romance comedy, describes main characters Mickey and Gus in a nutshell. The couple is forced to make a decision on whether or not they like, or love, each other enough to ignore the many red flags that stand in the way of their relationship, such as Mickey’s struggles with addiction. Mixing a simple premise with complex characters, the show shines a light on the funniest aspects of everyday relationships.
Whether you prefer binge-watching or pacing yourself, these spring scripted comedies have something for every viewer. So soak up the sun this spring, but don’t be afraid to add a little satire as well. It’s good for the soul.
