There’s nothing quite like cringe comedy. Cringe comedy is amazing because we get to watch painfully awkward situations unfold from a safe distance. One of the reasons this genre is so funny is because of how relatable it is. We could all pinpoint situations in our lives that have reached the level of awkwardness depicted on these TV shows, yet luckily don’t have to engage in these impossibly cringe-worthy interactions.
Perhaps one of the best examples of cringe comedy comes from Nathan For You, a show that centers around a socially oblivious man named Nathan Fielder who goes around pitching terrible marketing ideas to companies, which usually end up failing miserably. Some of these pitches include “Dumb Starbucks” and “balloon horseback riding for morbidly obese people” just to name a few. As sad as we are that one of the funniest shows of all time is coming to an end, there are still several more shows to watch that master cringe comedy. Check out our list below!
10. THE OFFICE
No matter how many times you binge-watch The Office, it never seems to get any less cringy than it did the first time you watched it. This is all thanks to the king of cringe, Michael Scott, who also happens to be the world’s #1 boss. This show has all sorts of cringe inside its tiny Scranton Pensylvania office at Dunder Mifflin, from Angela’s judgemental remarks to Dwight’s obsession with beet farms, to Kelly’s histrionic personality. It truly is one of the most loveable shows of all time, and the cringe element only adds to the charm.
9. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
When you constantly say what is on your mind you can wind up getting into a whole lot of trouble, especially in today’s day and age. Nobody is as blunt and rash as Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, so needless to say he gets himself into a whole world of trouble whenever he speaks his truth (which is all the time). Perhaps it’s social unawareness, perhaps it’s just the harsh truth.
Quite possibly it’s a mix of both, but all in all, it is plain hilarious to watch. Many people crown Larry David (aka the inventor of Seinfeld) as the king of this genre of comedy, and with good reason. Watch one of the best cringe comedies of all time where Larry says exactly what you’re thinking, but are too polite to ever dare say out loud. It’s pretty pretty pretty good.
8. PARKS AND RECREATION
Parks and Rec has a hilarious cast of characters that all offer their own unique set of cringe to the table. April Ludgate absolutely nails the troll humor, Ron Swanson is so stoic in his ways that it’s just plain genius, and Tom Haverford is constantly coming up with the most awful business ideas that make us want to crawl out of our own skin.
As much as this show makes us shudder in the sheer awkwardness of it all, we wouldn’t dare to have it any other way. Binge on the cringe in Pawnee Indiana! You won’t regret it.
7. INSECURE
Insecure is an HBO series that centers around a woman in her late 20s who is just trying to navigate through all of the awkwardness and uncertainty that comes from being a fully formed adult. Originally founded off of leading lady Issa Rae’s web series titled Awkward Black Girl, Rae excels in this style of self-deprecating humor that we all can’t get enough of. Everything is cringe-worthy from her failed dating experiences to her “wannabe-woke” co-workers to the rapping she spits on a regular basis in front of the mirror. Yet if it wasn’t for all of the total awkwardness that unfolds throughout, it wouldn’t be the hilariously amazing show that we all know it to be.
6. THE COMEBACK
Although we all know Lisa Kudrow as the loveable and quirky Phoebe Buffay from the sitcom Friends, perhaps her most powerful performance comes from HBO’s series The Comeback. It centers around a has-been celebrity (Kudrow) who is trying to make a comeback in ageist Hollywood despite all of the terribly awkward sufferings she must endure in the process. It will make you laugh as hard as it will make you cry and it will certainly give you a newfound love and respect for Kudrow who delivers an incredibly brave performance as the cringy and contrived attention seeker.
5. CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend centers around the socially awkward, desperate-for-love Rebecca Bunch, played spectacularly by comedian Rachel Bloom. The show has been praised for breaking social norms and shedding light to women who suffer from mental health issues. Oh, and have we mentioned it’s a musical comedy?
It is a one-of-a-kind ride with tons of cringe that we can all certainly relate to when it comes to our romantic lives. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s self-deprecating humor makes it a truly memorable experience and it almost seems as though we are looking into a mirror of our own lives while watching all of the awkwardness that unfolds in West Covina, California.
4. HATERS BACK OFF
Haters Back Off is a Netflix original series starring Colleen Ballinger as Miranda, a completely oblivious young woman who thinks she is way bigger of a deal than she actually is. The character was created by Ballinger during the early stages of Youtube where her “Miranda” persona would sing covers of popular songs in front of the camera (and do a horrible job at it). She was basically one of the original Youtube trolls and earned a huge fanbase because of it. One of her most popular phrases as her Miranda character is “Haters back off!” because of all the hate her character receives on the show. It’s all in all the perfect cringe-comedy reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite.
3. GIRLS
HBO’s Girls might win the crown for being one of the cringiest comedies of all time thanks to all of the characters who represent satirical depictions of New York millennials. It highlights the narcissistic and entitled nature of Hannah, Jessa, Marnie, and Shoshana, while the rest of the more sensible characters attempt to comprehend their complete naivety with a wagging finger. Every woman who has ever watched this series is able to point to a moment of which they can relate to, whether it’s the insanely awkward one-night stands, the weirdo boyfriends, or the highly imperfect friendships that tear apart throughout.
2. THE ERIC ANDRE SHOW
The Eric Andre Show has won a name for itself due to it’s trolling humor of cringe perfection. It parodies late night shows and brings in celebrities (along with impersonators) as they must suffer the most awkward interviews of their life with host Eric Andre. It is perhaps the most similar to Nathan For You in the way it puts real-life people in terribly uncomfortable situations. Celeb guests include Seth Rogan, Jeannette McCurdy, and T-Pain. Most episodes can be accessed online if you care to enter cringe city at your own risk.
1. CHEWING GUM
Chewing Gum is a Netflix original series that centers around a young woman in the UK who has the naivety of a six-year-old. Despite her lack of social awareness, she is just like any other woman. She desperately wants to find love, wants to fit in, and wants to find a purpose. This British comedy is filled with heart and a whole lot of cringe along the way. Michaela Coel as the shows writer and leading lady excels in her role and delivers a hilarious performance that is unlike any other we’ve seen before.
