Television series
Rob & Big
- Buddy comedy
- Light-hearted
- Relentless
- Dip in and out
Rob & Big is a joyfully aimless reality comedy where professional skater Rob Dyrdek and his imposing best friend Big Black Boykin simply live together in the Hollywood Hills, inventing pranks and absurd challenges. It's loose, warm, and genuinely funny—built on the chemistry between two people who actually like each other. For anyone who wants comedy that doesn't try so hard.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like loose, sitcom-paced reality TV where the comedy comes from two close friends being silly in a big house, rather than from scripted setups.
Skip it if you tire of constant stunts and horseplay, or need a story with real stakes rather than a hangout that drifts from gag to gag.
What it asks of you: Thirty-minute episodes, 31 across three seasons, make for easy sittings; it stays loose and unhurried, letting scenes run as long as the banter does.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Jackass2000
The spiritual ancestor of everything Rob & Big does: young men doing ridiculous things on camera for laughs, but with real friendship beneath the chaos. Nastier and more anarchic, but the DNA is identical.
But Significantly more graphic and painful. If you're watching for the banter rather than broken bones, this skews harder into pure stunt spectacle.
Workaholics2011
Three genuinely close friends riffing off each other in an absurdist workplace setting. The improvisational ease and the sense that these people actually want to hang out together is exactly Rob & Big's magic.
But More plot-driven and character-based than Rob & Big. If you're after pure unstructured goofing, this has an actual arc.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia2005
A tight group of friends creating chaos together, episode after episode. The ensemble dynamic—who plays off whom, what makes each person funny—mirrors Rob & Big's relational comedy.
But Much darker and meaner. These characters don't actually like each other; they're terrible people. The warmth is completely different.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Rob & Big
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Senna2010
Both work by letting compelling people simply be themselves on camera, trusting that authenticity and specificity create the story.
A documentary about Ayrton Senna that prioritizes raw footage and personality over narration. Like Rob & Big, it trusts the subject's charisma and lets moments speak—but applies that approach to genuine stakes and consequence.
But Formula 1 might not interest you. It's also deadly serious, exploring obsession and mortality in a way that's the opposite of comedy.
More like this (7)
The Eric Andre Show2012
Absurdist comedy that prioritizes weirdness and spontaneous humor over narrative logic. Same commitment to 'what if we just did this?' as an organizing principle.
But Far more avant-garde and deliberately alienating. This is for people who think Dadaism is funny; Rob & Big has traditional comedy bones.
Impractical Jokers2011
Four friends competing in public humiliation challenges. The core appeal is watching people you like genuinely react to each other in real situations—the same hook as Rob & Big.
But Heavily produced with a competition structure. It's engineered for comedy, whereas Rob & Big feels like you're just hanging out with them.
Tosh.02009
Irreverent comedy riffing on internet culture and viral moments. Fast-paced, not worried about being polished, built on personality rather than setup-punchline structure.
But Daniel Tosh's voice is inescapable. If you don't find him funny, there's no refuge; he's the entire show.
Punk'd2003
Ashton Kutcher pranking celebrities in real-world situations. The appeal is real reactions from real people, same DNA as Rob & Big's commitment to unscripted moment capture.
But Becomes repetitive quickly. The prank format constrains what happens in a way Rob & Big, with infinite possibilities, doesn't.
Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory2009
Rob Dyrdek's direct successor to Rob & Big, building a full compound for ridiculous challenges. If you specifically loved Rob, this is the obvious next step with more structure and bigger budget.
But Slicker and more produced. Some of what made Rob & Big special—the scrappiness, the spontaneity—gets polished away here.
Help!1965
Both celebrate the friendship itself as the entire entertainment. Plot is irrelevant; the relationship IS the show.
The Beatles having absurdist adventures in color, playing characters who are essentially themselves, with no plot to speak of. Pure chaos and friendship captured on film, set to music. Closer to comedy than you'd expect.
But Low plot density might exhaust you. It's essentially feature-length footage of people you like having a good time—which is either exactly what you want or actively boring.
The Toys That Made Us2017
Both capture that rare documentary quality of wanting to spend time with people who are genuinely enthusiastic about their specific thing, however obscure or silly.
A four-part docuseries about He-Man that spends time with the creators, the obsessives, the cultural moment. Surprisingly moving examination of why certain things lodged in us—and built partly on people just talking about things they love.
But If you don't care about 1980s action figures, the specifics won't land. Also, it's sincere and nostalgic rather than comedic, which is tonal whiplash from Rob & Big.
