Television series

Bored to Death

A deadpan New York comedy about a struggling writer who becomes an unlicensed private detective, mostly to avoid his own problems. Jason Schwartzman's Jonathan stumbles through cases with two unlikely partners—a volatile George and an anxious Ray—in a show that balances genuine melancholy with absurdist humour. It's smart, funny, and utterly uninterested in being likeable.

TVMaze rating3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like shaggy, low-stakes comedy where a self-absorbed writer's bad ideas and loyal friendships are funnier than any plot, with a noir-tinged New York wandering vibe.

Skip it if you need crime stories with real stakes or a brisk plot, since the cases here are a pretext for hanging out and the mood stays loose and ambling.

What it asks of you: Thirty-minute episodes, three seasons, and a patient willingness to let scenes wander and sag before they land; attention can drift without much cost.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Curb Your Enthusiasm2000

Shares the same DNA: a semi-fictional version of the creator, casual moral chaos, and the comedy of a protagonist who makes everything worse by existing. Larry David's refusal to soften his characters rewards close attention.

But The humour is entirely built on secondhand embarrassment. If cringe comedy makes you physically uncomfortable, this will too.

Curb Your Enthusiasm poster

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia2005

Five terrible people in Philadelphia behaving badly, much like Ames and friends in New York. Endlessly inventive, genuinely anarchic, and remarkably consistent across its run without ever becoming mean-spirited.

But It's crude and profane by design. The characters are selfish and stupid, and the show loves them for it—that's not everyone's comedy.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster

Enlisted2014

A short-lived gem about three Army brothers in a small base, mixing genuine warmth with sharp absurdism. The ensemble dynamic feels very close to Jonathan, George, and Ray's chemistry.

But It was cancelled after one season, which means an unresolved ending might frustrate you more than delight you.

Enlisted poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Bored to Death

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Columbo1968

Both are about amateurs playing detective and discovering that incompetence is its own form of genius. Jonathan's unlicensed bumbling mirrors Columbo's practiced doddering—they solve things by refusing to leave.

The anti-detective show. Instead of watching a hero solve crimes brilliantly, you watch Peter Falk's Columbo bumble through a case he's already won, bumbling and apologizing his way to the truth. The genius is in the inevitability of failure.

But It's from the 1970s and moves slowly. If you need pace and action, the leisurely rhythm will feel ancient.

Columbo poster
More like this (8)

NewsRadio1995

The template for workplace comedies built on character chemistry rather than laugh tracks. Andrew Dice Clay and Andy Dick in the same room, which should not work but absolutely does. Witty and warm simultaneously.

But Aired in the 90s, so the production values feel slightly dated. Some cultural references have aged poorly.

NewsRadio poster

Better Off Ted2009

A satire about corporate absurdity with the same dry, intelligent tone. Jay Harrington's Ted navigates impossible moral situations with bewilderment and grace. Criminally underseen.

But Only lasted two seasons before ABC cancelled it. The ending is abrupt and leaves many threads hanging.

Better Off Ted poster

Lodge 492018

Occult mystery wrapped in a comedy about friendship and belonging. Wyatt Russell's drifter stumbles into a fraternal lodge, and the show moves at its own dreamy pace. Genuinely unique.

But The plot meanders intentionally. If you need clear narrative momentum, the elliptical structure will frustrate you.

Lodge 49 poster

Undeclared2001

Judd Apatow's college comedy about misfits and best friends navigating adulthood. Pre-dates the modern comedy era and feels fresher because of it. Warm without being sappy.

But Only one season exists. It ended before the story really began, which feels incomplete.

Undeclared poster

Flowers2016

A British dark comedy about a failed marriage and depression, starring Will Sharpe. It's funny and genuinely moving without announcing itself as such. Quietly devastating.

But It's very dark indeed—about suicide, infidelity, and despair. The humour is very dark, and you're always aware the pain is real.

Flowers poster

The Comeback2005

Lisa Kudrow as a delusional actress documenting her revival, mostly to herself. Mockumentary format, cringe comedy, and a protagonist convinced of her own importance. Ahead of its time.

But Only lasted two seasons total. The mockumentary format is a bit exhausting if you're not in the mood for it.

The Comeback poster

Donnie Darko2001

Ames and Donnie are both men looking for meaning outside the system, sustained by loyal friends who sense something is wrong but can't quite fix it. Both live in the space between depression and absurdity.

A troubled teenager in suburban New Jersey becomes obsessed with a cosmic mystery, supported by friends and mentors who don't quite understand him. It's a portrait of growing up terrified and lonely, shot in glorious colour. One of the great films about male friendship and mental unraveling.

But It's deliberately obtuse. Multiple viewings required, Reddit threads endless, and some people find it pretentious rather than profound.

Donnie Darko poster

In the Loop2009

Same year as Bored to Death, same conviction that the world is run by amateurs with terrible judgment. Both find comedy in watching capable people fail because they're fundamentally unsuited to anything.

Armando Iannucci's film about idiots in government, with Peter Capaldi as a Scottish political operative who destroys everything through sheer profanity and incompetence. Viciously funny and structurally brilliant.

But The profanity is operatic and constant. If casual obscenity in conversation bothers you, this will exhaust you within twenty minutes.

In the Loop poster

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Recommended by

Getting On, Castle, Party Down, Californication, Garfield's Thanksgiving