Television series
The Carmichael Show
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
A sitcom about a multigenerational Black family navigating modern life, relationships, and identity with warmth and bracing honesty. Built around real conversations rather than broad gags, it treats its characters' contradictions seriously while finding genuine humour in everyday friction. Smart, funny, and surprisingly moving.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy family sitcoms where the laughs come from relatives who argue constantly and refuse to back down, delivered with a sharp, talky, affectionate edge.
Skip it if you want a tidy, fast-moving plot or gags that land every few seconds; this one lets conversations run long, so the rhythm can feel loose.
What it asks of you: Roughly half an hour an episode over three seasons, with comedy built from long, overlapping exchanges between characters talking over one another, so you need to keep listening.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
black-ish2014
Another family sitcom that balances comedy with genuine substance, exploring identity and generational tension through a similar lens. Deon Cole and Tracee Ellis Ross anchor a genuinely sharp ensemble.
But Can lean heavy-handed when tackling social issues, and the formula occasionally feels overstuffed trying to do both comedy and sermon.
Insecure2016
Issa Rae's comedy-drama about friendship, ambition, and self-deception hits the same sweet spot of character-driven warmth with real stakes. Finds profound truth in small moments and messy relationships.
But More drama than comedy, and it requires patience for characters who make infuriating choices. Can be uncomfortable in ways that don't land as funny.
mixed-ish2019
Tiffany Haddish (who anchors The Carmichael Show) stars in this prequel exploring identity and family in the 1980s. Captures that same intergenerational warmth while having genuine fun with its period setting.
But Exists partly in the black-ish universe, so some continuity matters. Lighter than its parent show, which works against it when it tries for weight.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Carmichael Show
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Transparent2014
Both are built around a family unit that loves each other while disagreeing fundamentally about who they are. Both trust the audience to sit with discomfort and complexity.
A family drama that uses similar rhythms to The Carmichael Show—ensemble scenes, overlapping conversations, arguments that circle back to love. Explores identity through accumulated detail rather than exposition. Shattering and funny in ways that sneak up on you.
But Much darker and more serious in register. Deals with grief, trauma, and gender identity without the comedy cushion. Emotionally exhausting.
More like this (6)
Everybody Hates Chris2005
A similarly smart comedy about family dynamics and growing up, with a narrator's voice that gives it personality. Combines observational humour with real affection for its characters and their flaws.
But Very 2000s in its aesthetic and rhythms. Some jokes land harder than others, and it can feel slightly dated in its approach.
Superior Donuts2017
Jermain Fowler and Katey Sagal in a workplace sitcom with real heart. It finds comedy in community and connection rather than cruelty, with a generational friendship at its centre.
But The show struggles with uneven episodes and doesn't always know what it is. Cancelled after two seasons, so it ends on a note that feels unresolved.
Kim's Convenience2016
A Canadian gem about a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store. Character-driven, warm without being saccharine, genuinely funny about identity and the small frictions of living together.
But Limited run and the ending was controversial among fans. The humour is gentler, which some find too soft for comedy.
Living Single1993
A largely ensemble show about friendship and urban life, with a joy and specificity that influenced everything after it. Genuinely funny, with characters who feel real rather than assembled from jokes.
But The early '90s production values and some cultural references have aged. The pacing is slower than contemporary comedy, which can feel draggy.
Reba2001
Reba McEntire anchors a family sitcom with surprising emotional depth and a willingness to let characters struggle. It's broad comedy but with real people at the centre.
But Leans heavily on star power and can feel formulaic. The humour is often broader than The Carmichael Show's approach, which some find dated.
Master of None2015
Both centre on the unspoken negotiations between generations, and both understand that the deepest family comedy comes from real love and real disagreement, not zingers.
Aziz Ansari's love letter to character-driven storytelling and family bonds. Episodes range from comedy-focused to almost documentary in their observation. A single episode about his parents' marriage contains more wisdom about love than most entire series.
But Deeply personal and sometimes indulgent; not every episode lands. The later seasons become more preachy about social issues in ways that feel prescriptive.
