The best comedy shows like Fleabag to watch right now

It’s kind of screwed that in our TV-saturated landscape, there are still so few shows that allow the main characters who aren’t cis men to be as freely screwed up and dissatisfied as many of us are. in our own lives. An exception is Flea bagthe classic instant comedy-drama about heartbreak and sex that didn’t shy away from showing the more humiliating sides of the titular character’s wants and needs.

But as much as fans beg and plead, there’s a good chance the busy Phoebe Waller-Bridge won’t give in and make a third season of Flea bag finally arrives – she is writing and starring in blockbusters, from James Bond to Indiana Jones. It’s a miracle that the second season even happened; famous, she was plans to keep the first season as a standalone adaptation of his hit one-woman play, until she was suddenly inspired by a storyline about Fleabag falling in love with a priest. It led to a television season that was in some ways even more iconic and legendary than the first round, and ensured that Flea bag came out on a high.

Flea bag was rightly praised for showing all of its protagonist’s flaws and weaknesses, from her erotic fixation on Obama to her complicated relationship with her sister. She may have been one of a kind, but we could all find something to relate to in Fleabag’s ongoing quest for love and understanding, and the many mistakes she makes along the way. Plus, iconic and hilarious minor characters like the over-eager Bus Rodent, neurotic ex-boyfriend Harry, and dastardly sugary stepmother made the show unforgettable.

With no sequel to the show, if you’re looking for something to watch that will hit some of the same buttons as Flea bag, check out one of these five awesome shows with female or non-binary protags. Each has a main character that is sure to appeal to any of us who don’t have it as together as we’d like.

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Extraordinary

Photo: Natalie Seery/Disney Plus

Flea bag meets: misfits

misfits ruled our world in the early 2010s. Airing on UK channel E4, the series depicts a group of young adult ne’er-do-wells who are all given superpowers during a freak storm that affects their entire town. Starring Robert Sheehan as the immortal Nathan and Iwan Rheon as the time-traveling Simon, misfitsThe plots were often very ridiculous and very moving at the same time.

If you’re looking for a larger-than-life genre TV show that combines wacky superpowers with a Flea bag-esque MC, look no further than Extraordinary on Hulu. Starring newcomer Máiréad Tyers as the chronically unlucky Jen, who stands out as a rare powerless person in a world where everyone gets empowered at 18, the series is funny and unafraid of explore the flaws of his characters. Jen’s relationships with her best friend Carrie (who can channel the dead) and her roommate Jizzlord (who was a cat) take center stage. Jen makes lots of mistakes pursuing what she wants and is often unsympathetic, but in a world of one-night stands and super-strong snobby sisters, she and her friends are a joy to watch as they get together. attack all the problems of young adulthood. .

Extraordinary is available to watch on Hulu.

This way until

Image: Channel 4

Flea bag meets: Disaster

On Disaster, Sharon Horgan stars as a single teacher who accidentally becomes pregnant and plunges straight into a relationship with an American businessman (Rob Delaney). With an unwavering attitude towards parenthood and all the chaos that comes with it, DisasterThere’s a lot of levity and hilarity to the unsentimental yet compelling approach to big life issues like death and addiction, and it’s enhanced by its excellent cast.

Fans of Horgan’s endearing brand of Irish comedy will find much to love in his role in the Channel 4 series This way untilbut the real attraction is star Aisling Bea, whose Flea bagProtagonist Áine deals with mental health, family and romance as a teacher in London.

The series, created by Bea, is perhaps a little more cozy and more discreet than Flea bag, but it’s wonderful how seriously he takes Áine’s problems while allowing him to mess up and experience the ups and downs of life in the big city. The appearances of Tobias Menzies as his shy and mysterious love interest and Horgan as his patient sister – whose unexpected encounter with a female love interest is one of the show’s high points – make This way untilIt is two seasons a relatable and enjoyable watch.

This way until is available to watch on Hulu.

Poker face

Photo: Evans Vestal Ward/Peacock

Flea bag meets: Russian doll/Colombo

Russian doll made Natasha Lyonne a star for a whole new audience when she brought the Nadia time loop to life. If you enjoyed the irreverent attitude of the Netflix mystery and how Nadia had to come to terms with her past if she wanted to escape the loop and finally move on to the future, Lyonne’s darkish new collaboration with Rian Johnson, Poker face, is just the show for you.

Both Flea bagthe seasons are more or less autonomous, and Poker face takes that independence to a new level with an anthology-style season, with each episode revolving around a different crime that Lyonne’s protagonist, Charlie, must solve. As in Colombo, the crime itself is depicted at the start of each episode, and the rest of the runtime is taken up with twists and turns discovered by Charlie as she drinks, smokes, and fights her way through an assortment of weird and eccentric guest stars. . Charlie’s own weaknesses tend to trip her up, and she’s certainly no saint, but her triumphs over criminal adversity are thrilling every time and feel like a triumph to the viewer, too.

Poker face is available to watch on Peacock.

Feel good

Photo: Luke Varley/Netflix

Flea bag meets: crackle

On crackle (the American show, not the British one of the same name with Waller-Bridge herself), comedian Pete Holmes plays a fictionalized version of himself, struggling in the comedy industry after his marriage collapses left him homeless. The show features plenty of real-life comedians, like Sarah Silverman and Bill Burr, and makes no compromises when it comes to themes like religion, narcissism, and codependency.

The two seasons of Feel good star Canadian comedian Mae Martin in a semi-autobiographical role similar to that of a non-binary Canadian comedian named Mae who is trying to make it big. Mae falls head over heels in love with George, played by Charlotte Ritchie, who is equally brilliantly drawn, exploring his sexuality as Mae tries to fend off drug addiction and come to terms with their complicated relationship with their mother. The second season, like the second season of Flea bag, complicates the premise with a change of circumstances as Mae goes to rehab, spends time away from George, and tries to revamp their comedy act. The show can be sad, heartwarming, and ridiculous as the characters find themselves in situations that expose all of their best and worst tendencies.

Feel good is available to watch on Netflix.

I hate Suzie

Picture: HBO Max

Flea bag meets: black mirror

by Charlie Brooker black mirror The anthology series is an imaginative and exciting look at how modern technology affects people, relationships and the media we consume. As the legend says, “And if the phones but too?» Iconic episodes like « USS Callister » and “Dive of the nose” are unshakeable glimpses of worlds like our own where the trappings of the enthusiastic embrace of digital characters drop into terrifying situations.

Co-created by star Billie Piper and Succession writer and playwright Lucy Prebble, I hate SuzieThe first season kicks off with an inciting incident that Brooker would approve of: the leaking of nude photos of Suzie, causing immediate chaos in her marriage and career and launching her into a downward spiral that unfolds majestically as a critique of pop culture and of the celebrity system. inability to accept complexity in the women she raises.

Suzie is a fascinating character, played incredibly by Piper, whose own backstory as a teenage pop star and later breakout icon on a sci-fi show informs her portrayal of the nervous and impulsive Suzie, who debates and frequently fails to adjust the course. of his uncontrollable life. Supporting characters include her husband, son, and intense agent; his phone, social media, and the terrifying nature of the entertainment industry are ubiquitous antagonists.

Despite many networks turning down the show because, like Prebble claimsthey already have [their] woman-having-a-breakdown show” (possibly referring to Flea bag), I hate Suzie triumphed and was acclaimed by all. Its sequel, the recently released second season I hate Suzie too, ups the ante and makes the case for Piper as a one-of-a-kind featured artist.

I hate Susie is available to watch on HBO Max.