The 2010s were a defining decade in British comedy. While the 1990s and 2000s were decades of innovative and fresh experimental comedy, the 2010s was the final product of the past two decades. Aside from one or two sitcoms, most TV comedies had changed completely, abandoning the laughter track enabled formula of old sitcoms in favor of a more cinematic and surreal style of comedy.
It wasn’t only TV sitcoms that excelled in this decade, TV panel and travel shows had also changed greatly, allowing for more creative freedom for comedians. This article will list the 10 best British comedy shows of the 2010s.
Bad Education
Bad Education was one of Jack Whitehall’s first forays into situational comedy. In the series, Jack Whitehall portrays a teacher who must control and gain the respect of a particularly unruly and wild class of high school students. Bad Education ran for 3 seasons between 2012 and 2014, with the series receiving a movie adaptation in 2015.
While the series wasn’t widely popular among critics, it has received a cult following and the intended audience of the show, the high school student to mid-20s demographic, enjoyed the series.
Fresh Meat
Created by Peep Show masterminds Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, Fresh Meat ran from 2011 to 2016 and followed the lives of six university students who share a house together. The series marked the acting debut of Jack Whitehall and starred Joe Thomas from the Inbetweeners and Kimberly Nixon, among others.
The series received critical acclaim for its accurate and hilarious portrayal of university life, with the show going on to receive several BAFTA and British Comedy Awards nominations.
Fleabag
Created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag follows the titular Fleabag as she navigates through her life in London, showcasing her hilarious encounters along the way. In addition to Waller-Bridge, the show also stars Olivia Colman, Andrew Scott, and Sian Clifford.
The series received critical acclaim upon its release, with critics praising the show for its intelligent script and unique character of the titular Fleabag. In addition to critical praise, the series has also received BAFTA nominations, with Waller-Bridge taking home the BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2017.
Chewing Gum
Chewing Gum is a British sitcom based on Michaela Coel’s play, Chewing Gum Dreams. The series follows a 24 year old woman named Tracey Gordon, a religious virgin who wishes to explore her sexuality and expand her horizons beyond their current boundaries.
The series was received to critical acclaim, with critics praising the series for its intelligent, unique script and the performance of Michaela Coel as Tracey Gordon. In addition to critical praise, Coel also received a BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Program.
Cuckoo
Cuckoo is a British sitcom starring Greg Davies, Taylor Lautner, Andy Samberg, and Andie MacDowell that started airing in 2012. The series is based around the life of a family in Britain and how their lives change considerably after their daughter brings home a new husband from her gap-year.
The series has received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the show for its strong writing and stellar cast performances. Further, the show has been nominated for several awards, both from BAFTA and the British Comedy Awards.
This Time With Alan Partridge
Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge is a legendary figure in British comedy, with the fictional radio and TV presenter entertaining the world since the 1990s. The character returned to our screens in 2019, starring in a fictional current affairs show.
This Time With Alan Partridge was hysterical and has already been confirmed to be returning with a second season. Many critics were describing it as the TV moment of the year due to the importance of Alan Partridge to British comedy.
An Idiot Abroad
An Idiot Abroad was a British travel documentary produced by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The conceit of the series is that Gervais and Merchant send their friend Karl Pilkington to exotic locations knowing full well that Pilkington will not enjoy the experience.
Karl Pilkington is truly one of the funniest men in the world and to see him out of his comfort zone makes Karl even funnier than he normally is. An Idiot Abroad ran for three seasons, with Karl starring in a spin-off of sorts called the Moaning of Life.
Derek
While Derek was not as well-received as his earlier work with Stephen Merchant, Derek still proved to be a sleeper success for Gervais. The series was set in a retirement home and followed Derek Noakes (Gervais), a carer in the home, as he interacted with the residents and staff.
While the series wasn’t as universally well-received as the Office and Extras, the series was still praised for its ability to successfully combine elements of drama and comedy in a manner that has become Gervais’ signature style.
Toast of London
Starring Matt Berry as a struggling and eccentric actor and voice-over artist in London, Toast of London is a surreal and hilarious adventure into the mind of Matt Berry and co-creator Arthur Matthews. While there are currently only three seasons of the show, Channel 4 recently confirmed that it had renewed the series for a fourth season.
The series has received positive reviews from critics, with several praising the show for its wonderfully surreal and absurd comedy. Additionally, the show has several memorable episodes, with the most notable of which featuring a cameo from Jon Hamm.
Taskmaster
Taskmaster is a British panel/game show that debuted on Dave in 2015, though the format itself had been around since 201o, with creator Alex Horne developing the format for the Edinburgh Fringe in 2010. Each season of the show features 5 different comedians competing against one another in various tasks, with points awarded by the Taskmaster (played by Greg Davies). Notable comedians to have starred on the show are James Acaster, Noel Fielding, and Bob Mortimer.
While the show started with a modest viewership, the series has gone from strength to strength, becoming Dave’s most popular original show of all time. However, following the broadcast of season 9, Taskmaster has moved from Dave to Channel 4.
