Television series
Dead Pixels
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
Dead Pixels is a gleeful hybrid of live-action comedy and animation that follows three obsessive gamers orbiting the fantasy MMO Kingdom Scrolls. When a newbie joins their guild, real life keeps rudely interrupting their virtual escapism. It's affectionate about gaming culture without being condescending, funny about friendship and ambition, and genuinely inventive about how to blend mediums. For anyone who's ever lost a weekend to a game, or loved someone who has.
If you liked this
The IT Crowd2006
Cult Irish comedy about tech-world misfits who are competent at their jobs but utterly lost in social situations. Sharp writing, deadpan humour, and characters you'll recognize from your own friend group.
But Heavily dated references and a laugh track that occasionally drags the pacing. Some episodes are stronger than others across its run.

Community2009
A study group bonded by shared obsessions with pop culture, genre, and each other. Wildly inventive episode structures, lovable ensemble cast, and genuine affection for nerd culture without ever winking at the camera.
But Gets increasingly experimental and uneven after season three. Requires patience with some genuinely odd tonal shifts.

Mythic Quest2020
Behind-the-scenes at a video game studio where the chaos is both hilarious and oddly touching. Great ensemble cast, genuinely good at capturing workplace dynamics and creative ambition.
But Workplace comedy formula can feel familiar. Some episodes prioritize heart over laughs, which won't suit everyone.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Dead Pixels
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Arcane: League of Legends2021
Both honor gaming and fantasy as worthy subjects for serious storytelling and craftsmanship. Where Dead Pixels is comedy *about* gaming culture, Arcane is high drama that operates with gaming logic—faction loyalty, character builds, narrative structure shaped by role-playing systems.
Animated series about rival magic users in a fantasy world where animation is treated as a full storytelling medium, not a budget constraint. Visually stunning, genuinely moving, and invents its own mythology rather than riffing on established games. The show breathes.
But Animated, so a barrier for some viewers. Dense lore and mythology that demands attention rather than background watching. Only two seasons released so far.

More like this (8)
Kim's Convenience2016
Warm ensemble comedy about a Korean-Canadian family running a corner store. Impeccably written, genuinely funny, and finds comedy in character and specificity rather than forcing it.
But The show's ease and gentleness might feel slow if you're after high-concept comedy. Wholesome isn't everyone's speed.

What We Do in the Shadows2014
Mockumentary about flatmate vampires trying to exist in modern Wellington. Hilarious, inventive, endlessly rewatchable, and proves you can be both silly and clever without contradiction.
But The humour is very specific and deadpan. If you need broad laughs or explanations, this will frustrate rather than delight.

Silicon Valley2014
Savage satire of tech startup culture and ambition. Brilliant ensemble cast, genuinely inventive plotting, and captures the specific anxiety of trying to make it in a world that doesn't want you.
But The second half loses momentum and retreats into repetition. Some characters become cartoonish rather than deepening.

Halt and Catch Fire2014
High drama about the early personal computer era. Visually stunning, morally complex characters, and surprisingly moving about ambition, friendship, and the cost of obsession.
But Slow-burn period drama, not comedy. Heavy and sometimes bleak, with romantic arcs that overshadow the technical storytelling.

The Good Place2016
Philosophical comedy about the afterlife that somehow juggles ethics, genre pastiche, and genuine affection for flawed people. Endlessly clever without becoming exhausting.
But Gets increasingly high-concept and abstract. If you want straightforward comedy, the existential philosophy will feel like work.

Fleabag2016
Character-driven comedy about a chaotic woman navigating family and relationships. Sharp, inventive, frequently hilarious, and occasionally devastating. Breaks the fourth wall with real purpose.
But Second season shifts toward melodrama and away from pure comedy. Some viewers find the narrator's voice arch or precious.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters2007
Both love the people *in* gaming culture more than the games themselves. Dead Pixels finds comedy and humanity in gamers; Kong finds tragedy and nobility in them. Same subject, completely different emotional register.
Documentary about the world championship of Donkey Kong and the obsessive, complicated men fighting for high scores. Genuinely gripping, unexpectedly moving, and a perfect portrait of competitive obsession and friendship.
But It's a documentary about arcade gaming, which sounds niche. If you're not interested in the specifics of competitive gaming culture, the stakes might feel invented.

Nobody2021
Both are interested in the gap between the person you are in your obsession and the person you are in the real world. Dead Pixels finds that gap comic and touching; Nobody finds it tragic and violent. Two perspectives on the same fundamental anxiety—that your true self isn't compatible with an ordinary life.
Bob Odenkirk action thriller about a man who traded violence for suburban domesticity and gets pulled back in. Inventive action sequences, genuinely funny, and interested in the price of giving up your identity. Understated and clever.
But R-rated action violence that's quite graphic. If you're here purely for gentle comedy, the brutality will jar. Not as funny as Dead Pixels; the comedy serves the action rather than leading it.

People
Cast
Writing
- Jon BrownCreator
Production
- Jesse ArmstrongExecutive Producer
- Jon BrownExecutive Producer
- Phil ClarkeExecutive Producer
- Sam BainExecutive Producer
- Matthew MulotProducer