Television series
Angry Boys
Chris Lilley plays six characters across Australian suburbs, American hip-hop scenes, and Japanese households in this sketch-comedy series. Anarchic and uneven, it swings between cringe humour and genuine heart. For viewers who loved Summer Heights High's fearless commitment to uncomfortable characters, though prepared to weather some missteps.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you relish watching one performer disappear into a whole rogues' gallery of broad, self-absorbed characters, and you find cringe comedy funny when it is unapologetically silly.
Skip it if you want a tidy, grounded story with a clear arc, since this is loud, abrasive and built on characters who are hard to warm to.
What it asks of you: Thirty-minute episodes, twelve of them, that rely on sharp shifts of tone; it wants you to tolerate discomfort and stay patient while jokes build.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Summer Heights High2007
Lilley's breakthrough: three unforgettable characters (a narcissistic teacher, a troubled student, a delusional pageant mum) colliding across an Australian high school. Sharper and more focused than Angry Boys, with comedy that lands harder.
But The humour relies heavily on cringe and mockery. If you find embarrassment-based comedy exhausting rather than funny, this won't convert you.
We Can Be Heroes2020
Lilley returns to the multi-character format with fresh energy: playing a school principal, a motivational speaker, and others. Feels like he learned from past criticism without losing his willingness to commit to uncomfortable sketches.
But Still divisive—some found the character work offensive rather than satirical. The format can feel scattered if you prefer narrative coherence.
Utopia2014
Australian workplace satire where incompetence cascades beautifully. Sharp writing about bureaucratic absurdity with a large ensemble cast. Less reliant on one person's impression work; comedy emerges from situation and dialogue.
But Slower pacing than sketch shows. Requires patience with mundane office settings before the humour clicks.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Angry Boys
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Nathan for You2013
Both use a single performer's shamelessness and commitment to create comedy from discomfort, but Fielding grounds it in real stakes and documentary truth rather than heightened character work.
Nathan Fielding plays a version of himself in real business situations, creating awkward comedy through genuine interaction rather than performance. Like Lilley, he commits entirely to uncomfortable scenarios—but grounded in documentary reality rather than sketches. Moral complexity beneath the cringe.
But The awkwardness is often painful and targets real people, not just characters. Some sequences feel exploitative rather than satirical. Much slower pacing than sketch comedy.
More like this (6)
Arrested Development2003
Ensemble comedy where every character is ridiculous and complicit. Layered jokes reward attention. If you enjoyed Lilley's commitment to deeply flawed characters, this offers the same appeal with sharper writing and better structure.
But The humour is dense and rewards multiple viewings. Casual watching means missing half the gags, which can feel alienating.
Brass Eye1997
British satire that commits completely to uncomfortable scenarios to expose hypocrisy. Like Lilley's best work, it weaponizes bad taste in service of actual critique. Fearless and uncompromising.
But Genuinely disturbing content on serious subjects (child abuse, terrorism). Not shock value for its own sake, but it will make you deeply uncomfortable.
Review2014
One man playing variations on himself across bizarre scenarios. Combines character comedy with genuine emotional stakes. Finds pathos in absurdity without losing the commitment to uncomfortable situations.
But American sensibility and format may feel less anarchic than Australian comedy. Later seasons lose some focus as the character deepens.
The Comeback2005
Lisa Kudrow as a delusional actress documenting her own failure. Single-camera mockumentary about someone with zero self-awareness. Cringe-comedy ancestor to Lilley's approach, equally committed and equally brutal.
But The secondhand embarrassment is relentless. Watching someone humiliate themselves repeatedly exhausts some viewers rather than entertaining them.
Schitt's Creek2015
Ensemble comedy where exaggerated characters gradually reveal humanity beneath the performance. Starts broad, deepens into genuine warmth. Proves character comedy doesn't require cruelty to work.
But Early seasons can feel uneven as the show finds its footing. If you want anarchic sketch energy throughout, the shift toward heart-centred storytelling may disappoint.
In the Loop2009
Both use exaggerated characters to expose institutional failure, but Iannucci weaponizes language rather than impression work. Same moral engine, opposite toolkit.
Armando Iannucci's satirical film about political incompetence. Rapid-fire insult comedy where the writing is so precise and vicious it becomes a form of art. Proves character comedy and linguistic wit aren't mutually exclusive.
But Dense, Scottish, and built on political knowledge. If you don't follow UK politics or prefer visual humour to dialogue, it becomes exhausting rather than funny.
People
Cast
Writing
- Chris LilleyCreator