Television series
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
- Dip in and out
A five-minute talk show where Zach Galifianakis sits between two ferns and systematically insults celebrity guests. It's anarchic, awkward, and deeply funny—the guests are in on the joke but never quite comfortable. For anyone who loves comedians who refuse to play nice or follow the rules.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy deadpan awkwardness where the host's sincere cluelessness is the joke, and you like celebrity cameos that go sideways instead of polished publicity chat.
Skip it if you want guests to be treated with warmth or want a host who wins the room; the mean-spirited, uncomfortable edge can feel more like sitting through a bad dinner party than laughing.
What it asks of you: Each episode runs only a few minutes, so you can dip in and out. It stays in one awkward setting, with close framing and long pauses that you have to sit through.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson2019
Sketch comedy that lives in the space between funny and unbearable. Robinson creates characters in social situations that make you wince and laugh simultaneously, much like Zach's fern interviews.
But Very hit-or-miss; some sketches are brilliant, others just feel prolonged and pointless. Comedy that makes you uncomfortable isn't for everyone.
The Eric Andre Show2012
Talk show that's completely unmoored from reality. Andre demolishes the form itself—guests never know what's happening, the set falls apart, nothing makes sense. Chaotic energy that rewards watching someone just destroy conventions.
But Deliberately obtuse and hard to follow. If you want coherence or traditional jokes, this will frustrate you deeply.
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee2012
Jerry Seinfeld talks to other comedians in a deceptively simple format. The constraint creates space for real conversation and genuine insight into how funny people think.
But Very leisurely pacing. If you want rapid-fire laughs, this is conversational and reflective instead.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Fyre2019
Both use the interview form to expose people's discomfort and absurdity. In Between Two Ferns it's staged; in Fyre it's accidentally real, but the mechanism—making people reveal themselves—is identical.
A documentary that functions as comedy—watching human delusion and incompetence unfold through interviews with people who were there. The interviewees often become the joke without realizing it, similar to how Zach's guests become the comedy.
But You're watching real people's failures and humiliation. The comedy comes from someone's genuine suffering and loss of money. That's uncomfortable in a way that feels less playful.
More like this (3)
Comedy Bang! Bang!2012
Scott Aukerman's absurdist talk show where the guest and host spin increasingly ridiculous scenarios. It's silly in the way Between Two Ferns is—committed to the bit, escalating chaos, real guests confused by what's happening.
But Relies heavily on running jokes and recurring characters. You need to invest time to get the payoff; casual viewing leaves you lost.
Late Night with Seth Meyers2014
Political and cultural comedy delivered with genuine warmth. Seth builds rapport with guests while still letting loose with sharp writing. Talk show format done exceptionally well.
But More traditional late-night format. If you want rule-breaking chaos, this is fundamentally about maintaining a show's structure.
Alpha House2013
Both use awkwardness and social dysfunction as the primary comedy engine. Where Between Two Ferns stages confrontation, Alpha House stages the fallout of terrible people in close quarters.
A mockumentary comedy about congressmen sharing a house in Washington. It has the same DNA as Zach's approach—absurdist, character-driven, finding humor in people's refusal to behave appropriately.
But Only lasted two seasons. It was cancelled before finding its full audience, so it feels incomplete and occasionally unfocused in tone.
People
Cast
Recommended by
The Eric Andre Show, The Rundown with Robin Thede, Hot Ones, The Joe Rogan Experience