Television series

Enlisted

Name: Enlisted
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2014
Cast: Geoff Stults, Chris Lowell, Parker Young, Angelique Cabral, Keith David

Buddy comedy
Light-hearted

Enlisted is a military family comedy about three brothers stationed together at a small Florida Army post, navigating the gap between Pete's ambitions and his demotion, Derrick's by-the-book competence, and Randy's unfiltered chaos. It's warm, smartly written, and finds genuine heart in the mess of forced proximity and competing egos. For anyone who loves ensemble comedies grounded in real relationships.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like sitcoms built on warm sibling bickering and an ensemble of lovable screw-ups, where the jokes come from characters who clearly care about each other under all the posturing.

Skip it if you want a sharp, fast comedy with a lot of plot momentum; this one is loose, leisurely and happy to let a scene simmer on a bit of banter.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes, thirteen of them, with a light touch and no heavy seriousness; you settle in for amiable character comedy rather than demanding close attention.

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

If you liked this

Parks and Recreation2009

The same DNA: found family in a dysfunctional institution, characters you'd actually work for, comedy that never punches down. Both get funnier and more touching as they go.

But If you need conflict-driven drama, this runs on affection and goodwill. Some find that too sunny.

MAS*H1972

The obvious ancestor: brothers-in-arms comedy in uniform, the same balance of pratfalls and genuine ache. But Enlisted is faster, warmer, and less interested in preaching.

But M*A*S*H's Vietnam context gives it weight Enlisted doesn't reach for. If you want moral complexity, wrong show.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine2013

Ensemble comedy with the same knack for making you care about people who should annoy you. Fast jokes, slower heart, a workplace that feels like home.

But Brooklyn Nine-Nine is glossier and more polished. Enlisted's rougher edges appeal to different viewers.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Enlisted

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Generation Kill2008

Both are about brothers in uniform learning who they are when rank and forced proximity collide, but Generation Kill asks what the cost is.

The tonal inverse: a seven-episode HBO miniseries about Marines in Iraq that's also fundamentally a story about brothers forced together in a unit. Same DNA, radical difference in register—this is what happens when you remove the laughs and keep only the pressure.

But It's bleak, profane, and sometimes difficult to watch. There's no warmth here, only survival and doubt. Not a comfort watch.

30 Rock2006

Rapid-fire ensemble comedy in a contained setting where everyone's tangled in everyone else's business. Both find comedy in competence colliding with chaos.

But 30 Rock is meaner and colder. Enlisted is kinder, which some read as softer.

Scrubs2001

Similar rhythm: workplace comedy with genuine affection for its people, where a mentor's failure becomes the emotional spine and younger characters orbit him. Balances laugh tracks with real stakes.

But Scrubs leans heavier into sentiment. Enlisted keeps more distance, which can make it feel less consequential.

The Good Guys2010

Colin Hanks and Danny McBride as mismatched partners in a unit that doesn't quite work. Wild energy, real affection between characters, comedy that earns its emotional beats.

But Only lasted one season. If you hate unfinished stories, this one stings.

Workaholics2011

Three guys in an office behaving badly but genuinely caring about each other underneath. Fast, dumb, and weirdly heart-forward for something so anarchic.

But Workaholics is cruder and less grounded. If Enlisted already feels silly to you, this will seem indulgent.

NewsRadio1995

Smart ensemble comedy about people trapped together in a small space who'd never choose each other. Jokes land fast, character stuff lands slow and hard.

But It's 90s TV. If you find that period dated, the style will date it further.

Rules of Engagement2007

Ensemble workplace comedy with similar warmth and a cast that clearly loves playing together. Not as sharp as Enlisted, but the affection is genuine.

But It's broader, sillier, less confident in its own material. Feels a step below.

Severance2022

Both explore what happens when you can't leave your job or your coworkers, and what bonds form when the outside world disappears. One makes it funny; one makes it horrifying.

A workplace drama about people separated from their outside lives, focused entirely on each other and the institution that contains them. Ben Stiller directs, the cinematography is stunning, the premise is terrifying. Same emotional engine as Enlisted—what happens when work becomes your whole world—but inverted into sci-fi dread.

But It's slow, unsettling, and withholds answers. If you want resolution or comfort, this leaves you suspended. Also nothing like a military comedy on the surface.