Five Superior Sitcoms That Outshine The Big Bang Theory

Over the years, viewers have noticed a growing number of questionable aspects of “The Big Bang Theory.” As society progresses, this list seems to expand. For instance, the character of Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco, often draws criticism. Many argue that her character is a result of being crafted predominantly by male writers, which is evident in how every major female character in the show serves as a love interest for one of the four main male protagonists, all of whom happen to be mostly white and heterosexual. The show is criticized for perpetuating what Pop Culture Detective refers to as “Adorkable Misogyny,” a misguided notion that when a nerdy man behaves disrespectfully towards women, it is humorous and charming rather than problematic and sexist.

Throughout its 12-season run, “The Big Bang Theory” was primarily driven by a male-dominated creative team. Few women received significant recognition during its duration. The introduction of characters like Amy, played by Mayim Bialik, and Bernadette, portrayed by Melissa Rauch, primarily served to solidify romantic subplots for three of the main male characters, effectively deflecting criticism of their characters’ predatory actions towards women they desired. Fortunately, numerous other sitcoms explore similar themes without compromising the intricacy of their female characters or resorting to cringe-inducing humor, which “The Big Bang Theory” unabashedly employed for years.

The realm of nerd culture, long overlooked in media, was brought to the forefront by the British sitcom “The IT Crowd.” The British often pioneer unique comedic approaches, and this show is a prime example. It centers around the IT department at Reynholm Industries, a vast corporation set in London. The team consists of Jen Barber (Katherine Parkinson), the head, whose strengths lie in social skills rather than technical know-how, Maurice Moss (Richard Ayoade), a brilliant software engineer, Roy Trenneman (Chris O’Dowd), an underachieving jokester, and part-time tech Richmond Avenal (Noel Fielding), who intriguingly shares traits with a vampire.

“The IT Crowd” masterfully blends humor with workplace realities in the tech industry, depicting the quirks of life in IT. Ayoade’s portrayal of Moss offers a wealth of standalone comedic moments, making for some of the show’s funniest sequences. The series employs subversive humor without malice, appealing to a devoted fanbase in both the U.K. and the U.S. Though it spanned only four seasons — quite the accomplishment for British TV yet modest compared to series like “The Big Bang Theory” — it left a lasting impression, celebrated for its clever humor and authenticity.

For viewers seeking comedy that occasionally dips into sexism, “How I Met Your Mother” provides an alternative without the overwhelming presence of objectionable behavior seen in 12 seasons of “The Big Bang Theory.” With a cast that includes only a couple of objectionable characters, who frequently encounter their just desserts, the series offers a refreshing take on the sitcom formula. Following in the footsteps of “Friends,” which defined a generation, “How I Met Your Mother” assembled a charismatic group of New Yorkers, enhanced by a compelling mystery — how did the main character, Ted, eventually meet the mother of his children, a story narrated by Bob Saget as an older version of Ted?

It ran for nine network seasons (remember when TV shows were made of 22-episode-long seasons?), so “How I Met Your Mother” offers many episodes full of comedy and intrigue. While Neil Patrick Harris was definitely the show’s rising star, each of its main cast members brings confidence and individuality to their performances, and they have genuine chemistry as an ensemble. The show’s inside jokes are top-tier; for example, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) has to wear a funny-looking tie with ducks on it for a good chunk of episodes in Season 7 because of a lost bet with Marshall (Jason Segel). 

A workplace comedy with heart and substance, “St. Denis Medical” is a spiritual successor to  “Superstore,” Justin Spitzer’s earlier series. “St. Denis” follows the staff of a small hospital in a fictional Oregon town. David Alan Grier has found something really special as the show’s elder statesman, and it’s a joy to see Wendi McLendon-Covey finally appreciated as the leading comedic talent she’s always been. Alex, the charge nurse at St. Denis, is the series’ — and the hospital’s — anchor, and manages to be endearing even at her most neurotic moments.  

More importantly, there is something essential in the act of finding humor in a place like a hospital. In the same way that “Abbott Elementary” raises awareness about issues in America’s education system as well as conveys the many unique joys that come with being a teacher or a student, “St. Denis Medical” gives an accurate picture of healthcare in today’s United States and shows that there are a lot of hardworking, well-meaning people working in emergency medicine. “St. Denis Medical” just wrapped up its stellar sophomore season and will be back with a third in the fall.

There are many facets of what many people call “nerd culture,” and within those facets, even more variability, so it’s impossible to capture all of it in one fell swoop. Better, then, to zoom in on particular parts when seeking a window into something a little cool and a little geeky. “Mythic Quest” follows the developers of a fictional, wildly popular MMO RPG in the same vein as “World of Warcraft.” It’s also a great window into the video game industry, not just its draining, disheartening downsides like increased monetization and rampant misogyny, but also its good sides. People who love video games are often imaginative and open-minded, and video games have become a proper art form in their own right. They’re still relatively new to the world, and yet so much a part of entertainment and popular culture.

To be clear, “Mythic Quest” is not particularly uplifting most of the time. Most of the time, its flawed characters will disappoint, consistently making the wrong choices and ignoring the right people. But the cast is lousy with comedic talent, including Danny Pudi as Brad, the brilliant, soulless head of monetization. Jessie Ennis’s Jo could easily stand in the company of other iconic, workplace weirdos like “The Office’s” Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) or “Parks and Recreation’s” April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza). It’s not a perfect show — the plot occasionally dwindles, and Rob McElhenney will never easily read as sincere on screen thanks to his many years of playing Mac on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” — but the laughs are top-notch, and there is an earnestness in its love for video games that somewhat counters the general awfulness of the industry as depicted onscreen.

Some of the comedies on this list relate to “The Big Bang Theory” through its many elements, offering an alternative avenue for enjoying them. “What We Do in the Shadows” is on this list just because it’s really, really good and criminally underrated. The series follows a group of vampire roommates who share a big, creaking house together on Staten Island. Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) is the eldest, while Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Laszlo (Matt Berry) are a wedded couple from the Europe of centuries past. The most interesting residents of the house aren’t traditional vampires, but rather Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) — the show’s fantastic interpretation of a paranormal “energy vampire” (he drains energy as the coworker you never want to get stuck talking to at the office) — and Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nandor’s devoted familiar.

The cast of “What We Do in the Shadows” was never in it for the Emmys, but it’s a shame the series didn’t receive more praise while it was airing new seasons. The cast has fantastic chemistry as an ensemble, but more importantly, it works to utilize every possible combination of characters throughout its six seasons on FX. In every venture into paranormal lore, with the introduction of things like werewolves and ghosts, the series offers clever framing and context that buffs the humor. It’s already pretty funny to see an ancient vampire becoming best friends with his obnoxious, Staten Island neighbor in mockumentary format, but the joke writing on the show — the bit writing on the show, so many great bits — is immaculate.