20 shows to watch on Hulu and Netflix now if you need a good laugh

parks and recreation coworkers

The cast of "Parks and Recreation."
NBC
  • "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and "Superstore" are ridiculous workplace sitcoms.
  • "Drunk History" and "Nathan For You" contain elements of reality elevated to wildly funny extremes.
  • "New Girl," "Broad City," and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" are centered on hilarious, heartwarming friendships.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you've already tried baking your own bread and whipping up Dalgona coffee, Hulu and Netflix offer plenty of lighthearted shows to keep you entertained while staying home.

Here are 20 funny shows that can make even the dullest of days a little better.

"Community" follows a group of students at an absurd community college as they take classes like "Can I Fry That?" and "Grifting 101."

The cast of "Community."
NBC

"Community" is a hilarious show full of self-referential parodies and side-splitting gags, but it also has a lot of heart. Each member of the ensemble cast is a comedic genius.

Where to watch: Hulu

"The Office" remains a classic.

Jim and Michael in "The Office."
NBC

The ultimate bingeable show, "The Office" stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the well-meaning but dim-witted regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. There's a reason this show lives on in memes years after it ended.

Where to watch: Netflix until 2021, when the show moves to NBC's own streaming service.

"Parks and Recreation" is an optimistic show with lovably quirky characters.

The cast of "Parks and Recreation."
NBC

Structured as a mockumentary about the parks and recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, "Parks and Rec" will make you giggle, cry happy tears, and root for its cast of charming misfits. Look out for hilarious cameos from some of America's biggest names in politics.

Where to watch: Netflix and Hulu

Fans of "The Office" and "Parks and Rec" will probably also enjoy "The Good Place," a comedy about what it means to be a good person.

The cast of "The Good Place."
Colleen Hayes/NBC

Eleanor Shellstrop, played by Kristen Bell, wakes up to find that she has died and gone to "The Good Place," a non-denominational heaven. The constant plot twists will keep you guessing, and the hilarious jabs at human nature will keep you laughing.

Where to watch: Hulu

Another lighthearted show about workplace antics, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" follows police officers in Brooklyn's 99th precinct.

Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."
Fox

When Fox canceled "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in 2018, celebrities like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Hamill rallied support to save the show, which was then picked up by NBC.

Where to watch: Hulu

"Superstore" is a comedic look into what working in retail is really like.

The cast of "Superstore."
NBC

"Superstore" stars America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, and Colton Dunn as employees at a big box store called Cloud 9. As anyone who has worked in retail knows, customers provide plenty of comedic material.

Where to watch: Hulu

"Broad City" follows best friends Abbi and Ilana and their wacky adventures around New York City.

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer in "Broad City."
Comedy Central

"Broad City" started as an online sketch show about a duo of stoner best friends and their shenanigans, and grew into a full-fledged sitcom produced by Amy Poehler. Abbi and Ilana's hilarious dynamic is the bedrock of the show.

Where to watch: Netflix

In "Grace and Frankie," two women whose husbands leave them for each other become unlikely friends.

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in "Grace and Frankie."
Netflix

Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie" became the longest-running show on Netflix, with 94 episodes.

Where to watch: Netflix

"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" is a musical dramedy with memorable musical numbers such as "Settle For Me" and "Let's Generalize About Men."

Rachel Bloom in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend."
CW

Rachel Bloom plays Rebecca Bunch, a successful lawyer in New York City who moves to a small suburb in California in pursuit of her old boyfriend from summer camp. Every episode contains clever, showstopping musical numbers you'll want to listen to on repeat.

Where to watch: Netflix

In "Schitt's Creek," a wealthy family loses everything and has to move into a town they bought as a joke.

The cast of "Schitt's Creek."
Pop

The show was co-created by Eugene Levy and his son Dan, who also star in it as father and son.

Where to watch: Netflix

"Key & Peele" stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in endlessly quotable comedy sketches.

Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key in "Key & Peele."
Warner Bros.

Their comedic sketches range in subject matter, from politics and race in America to substitute teachers and aerobic workouts. All of them are gold.

Where to watch: Hulu

In "Drunk History," an increasingly inebriated storyteller struggles to recap a historic event.

Lin-Manuel Miranda discusses Alexander Hamilton on "Drunk History."
Comedy Central

Reenactments of the historic events are also dubbed with the guest's drunk ramblings. Memorable episodes include the life of Alexander Hamilton as told by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Harriet Tubman's legacy reenacted by Octavia Spencer, and Gloria Steinem's undercover Playboy investigation brought to life by Abbi Jacobson.

Where to watch: Hulu

"What We Do in the Shadows" is a mockumentary about vampires in Staten Island.

"What We Do in the Shadows."
FX

The series is based on the movie of the same name by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.

Where to watch: Hulu

Starring Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl" follows a heartbroken Jess as she moves into an apartment with three single men.

Zooey Deschanel in "New Girl."
20th Century Fox Television

The characters all have their distinct quirks and flaws, but their dysfunctional, adorable family unit provides plenty of laughs.

Where to watch: Netflix

"Santa Clarita Diet" is a horror-comedy in which suburban mom Sheila, played by Drew Barrymore, becomes a zombie.

Drew Barrymore in "Santa Clarita Diet."
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Even as Sheila develops a taste for human flesh, she and her husband Joel, played by Timothy Olyphant, try to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Where to watch: Netflix

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

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