5 top black comedy shows to watch after Barry

HBO's very own black comedy crime drama series, Barry, has come to an end. Created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, the show aired its series finale on May 28, 2023.

Barry premiered on HBO in 2018 and aired a total of four seasons over the course of five years. The cast featured creator Bill Hader in the starring role, alongside prominent actors like Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Henry Winkler, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Carrigan, Sarah Burns, and Robert Wisdom in pivotal roles.

The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:

"Barry stars Bill Hader as a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest. Lonely and dissatisfied in his life, he reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an aspiring actor. Barry follows his “mark” into an acting class and ends up finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the LA theater scene. He wants to start a new life as an actor, but his criminal past won’t let him walk away —can he find a way to balance both worlds?"

If you loved the slick dark humor of Barry, and are looking for something new to move on to now that the series has ended, we have just the list for you. In this article, we explore some of the best black comedy shows that you should definitely check out.

Fargo, Get Shorty, and more - 5 of the greatest black comedy series to watch now that Barry has ended

1) Fargo

Fargo is a black comedy anthology drama TV series from the house of FX. Noah Hawley created the show with inspiration from the 1996 cult classic of the same name by the Coen brothers, who also act as executive producers. The series premiered in 2014 and has aired four seasons till date, with the fifth season set to release in 2023.

With a new set of characters in each season, the series features a constantly rotating cast of actors. Some of the most notable actors to have appeared in the series include Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Ewan McGregor, David Thewlis, Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, and others.

Fargo presents a new self-contained story in each season, with a new set of characters in a different setting. However, the stories share a similar theme and sense of black humor. The stories in each season also contain multiple references to the films made by the Coen brothers, establishing a shared universe.

2) Atlanta

Atlanta is another satirical black comedy drama from the house of FX. Created by acclaimed artist Donald Glover, the series premiered in 2016 and ran until 2022, airing four seasons in total.

The cast of the series features Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz in pivotal roles. The series received critical acclaim for its writing and storytelling, along with its sense of humor and social commentary.

Set in and around the city of Atlanta, the series follows Earn and Alfred, two young men who try to break into the rap scene. A Princeton dropout with no money, Earn gets with his cousin Alfred, as he believes him to be on the brink of fame. As the duo navigate the music industry, they come face to face with the truth of the Atlanta hip-hop industry.

3) Vice Principals

Vice Principals is a black comedy TV series from the house of HBO that premiered in 2016. The cast included prominent actors like Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Georgia King, Busy Philips, Shea Whigham, Dale Dickey, and others in pivotal roles alongside cameos from Will Ferrell and Bill Murray.

The series aired for two seasons and received praise for its writing, humor, and performances by the cast, even winning Goggins a Critics' Choice Television Award.

Vice Principals revolves around Neal Gamby and Lee Russell, two ambitious vice principals vying for the top spot of principal at the North Jackson High School. But when the current principal steps down and appoints an outsider, Dr. Belinda Brown as the new principal, the two join hands to try and get her out.

4) Mr Inbetween

Mr Inbetween is an Australian black comedy crime drama series from the house of FX. The series is created by Scott Ryan, who also made the 2005 film, The Magician, which is the basis for the series. The show premiered in 2018 and aired for three seasons before concluding in 2021.

Mr Inbetween stars Scott Ryan in the lead role, alongside Justin Rosniack, Brooke Satchwell, Nicholas Cassim, Chika Yasumura, Damon Herriman, and others in pivotal roles.

Set in Sydney and sharing the same universe as the 2005 film, The Magician, the series follows the life of Ray Shoesmith, a hitman. As a killer by profession, Ray has to intricately balance his domestic lifestyle with his daughter and ex-wife alongside his dangerous job. The series explores the complexities and personal challenges he faces as he navigates life.

5) Get Shorty

Get Shorty is a black comedy-drama series from the house of Epix. Davey Holmes created the series, inspired by Elmore Leonard's 1990 novel of the same name. The cast of the show featured Chris O'Dowd, Ray Romano, Sean Bridgers, Carolyn Dodd, Goya Robles, Lidia Porto, and others in pivotal roles. Critics and fans praised the series for its writing and characters.

Get Shorty tells the story of Miles Daly, a former hitman who joins the Hollywood industry. Hoping to make a change in his life for the sake of his daughter, Miles wants to change his dangerous profession and becomes a movie producer. As he navigates the glamorous world of Hollywood, he realizes it to be cutthroat and unpredictable with eccentric actors, rival producers, and his own past.

These were some of the best black comedy series that you can check out if you loved HBO's black comedy crime drama series, Barry.