12 Great Comedy Shows Like Avenue 5 You Should Watch Next
If you're a fan of science fiction, then the idea of an intergalactic cruise ship probably sounds pretty fantastic. But, as NASA's DART mission reminded us in 2022, every calculation for a space voyage has to be precisely planned, and all it takes is a nudge to send an object far off its path. That's exactly what happens to the interplanetary cruise ship Avenue 5. When a freaky space accident leads to a brief loss of gravity, the titular ship is knocked ever so slightly off course, turning a planned eight-week cruise into a years-long journey. And that's just the beginning of their troubles.
To keep everyone alive and sane until they make it back, Captain Ryan Clark (Hugh Laurie) and his team must manage food shortages, a brush with the sun, and even their very own Karen. With an all-star cast that includes Josh Gad, Zach Woods, and Lenora Crichlow, "Avenue 5" is a wickedly funny comedy series from HBO that feels like "Battlestar Galactica" meets "The Love Boat." If you can't get enough of the intergalactic fun the show provides, we've put together a list of 12 more comedy shows to wet your whistle with between seasons.
Space Force
When then-President Donald Trump rolled out a sixth U.S. military branch called Space Force in 2019, the news raised a lot of eyebrows. Chalk it up to bad branding, but rather than emphasizing the importance of U.S. satellites and other space-based defense assets, the program was seen as some kind of retrofuturist throwback. With its logo that looks suspiciously like a rip-off of the Starfleet emblem and the widely ridiculed official song "Semper Supra" that caused Neil DeGrasse Tyson to remark to CNN, "It sounds very 1950s, you know, kinda like what you'd sing when the channels went off the air at midnight," let's just say the rollout was a bumpy one.
Some people were of the opinion that the Space Force was a giant waste of taxpayer dollars. However, what everybody can agree on is that Space Force is the perfect subject for a workplace mockumentary series. And who better to pull it off than two of the masterminds behind the U.S. adaptation of "The Office?" Produced by Greg Daniels and starring Steve Carell, "Space Force" deals with the challenges faced by four-star Air Force general Mark Naird as he navigates the bureaucratic challenges of getting the fledgling branch in order. Like the actual Space Force, the show got off to a bumpy start. The first season didn't go down all that well with the critics, but viewers found a lot to love, and reviews for the second season were far more favorable. It's more Earth-based than "Avenue 5," but if you're after a space-themed show with wacky laughs, you can do a lot worse than "Space Force."
The Orville
Seth MacFarlane's "The Orville" is a love letter and homage to "Star Trek" that feels a whole lot like it's set in the world of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The comedy-drama sci-fi series follows the adventures of Planetary Union ship The Orville under the leadership of Captain Ed Mercer (MacFarlane) and his second-in-command — and ex-wife — Commander Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki). It's got all the laugh out loud moments you would expect from a Seth MacFarlane production, but the show goes far beyond parody, putting a fresh spin on classic sci-fi tropes.
The chemistry of the crew is one of the bright spots of this series. The outstanding cast includes the likes of Scott Grimes, Halston Sage, and "Star Trek" veteran Penny Johnson Jerald, who was a regular on "Deep Space Nine." Like "Star Trek" and many of the other best sci-fi shows ever made, "The Orville" explores challenging contemporary social issues through its storytelling without being overly didactic. After a couple of solid seasons exploring how comedy would fit into the series, the show finds the perfect formula with the Season 3 rebrand "New Horizons," which earned a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If you love "Avenue 5," you'll definitely get a kick out of this hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt series.
Red Dwarf
First airing in 1988, "Red Dwarf" is still going strong decades later and has earned a dedicated cult following over the years. This beloved and influential British show is set on a mining spaceship called Red Dwarf in the wake of a bizarre radiation accident that left everyone but low-level technician and perennial slacker Dave Lister (Craig Charles) dead. As a result, he's stranded millions of years in the future as the only living human in the universe. Things only get worse for Lister when the ship's computer Holly resurrects his frustratingly by-the-book higher-up Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) as a hologram.
The duo are joined by a sentient feline named Cat who evolved from the descendants of Lister's pet cat Frankenstein, who was apparently pregnant at the time of the accident. Like "Firefly" and "Battlestar Galactica," the show uses a unique vocabulary to avoid spicy language, with words like "gimboid" (meaning a foolish person) becoming part of the cult sci-fi vernacular as a result. This quirky comedy has spawned a bunch of additional media, including a handful of novels, stage plays, a video game, and "Red Dwarf – The Roleplaying Game," which RPG.net recommends for "Red Dwarf" fans and "anyone looking for a detailed and comedic sci-fi setting." If you're a fan of "Avenue 5" and haven't checked out "Red Dwarf" yet, you should do so as soon as possible.
Hyperdrive
Set in the mid-22nd century, the British sci-fi comedy series "Hyperdrive" follows the crew of the spacefaring HMS Camden Lock, who sail the galaxy in support of British trade diplomacy under the command of Space Commander Mike Henderson (Nick Frost) and First Officer Eduardo Pauline York (Kevin Eldon). During the course of their mission, the Camden Lock crew encounters a number of alien races, including the slobbery Glish, the self-righteous Bulaagh, the feudal Queppu society, the sticky-fingered Scrane, a race of pure energy beings called the Engulfers, the childlike Lallakkis, and the Borg-like Red Shiny Robots of Vortis.
We know what you're thinking, but aside from being a British space-based comedy, this show actually has little in common with "Red Dwarf," other than being absolutely hilarious at times. IMDb reviewers have compared the show to "The Office" and "Star Trek" while praising Nick Frost's performance, with user chris-2515 calling it a "rewarding comedy" about "the everyday working class gone forth, not so much boldly, but just... there." If you're a fan of Frost's work with Simon Pegg, "Hypderdrive" will be right up your street, and "Avenue 5" viewers are bound to love it, too.
Other Space
"Other Space" is a sci-fi comedy series created by Paul Feig, the director behind films such as "Bridesmaids," "The Heat," and "Spy." Set just after the turn of the 22nd century, this Yahoo! Screen show follows the crew of the UMP (Universal Mapping Project) Cruiser, an old ship that was once the set of a reality TV show. People don't care about the UMP now that it's being used for actual space exploration, which is why the powers that be give command to a young, idealistic captain named Stewart Lipinski (Karan Soni of "Deadpool" fame). Their goal is to reignite public interest in their work, but things go awry when the ship goes through a wormhole and ends up in a faraway and unfamiliar galaxy.
While there, the crew encounters a number of bizarre space problems including outer space electrical storms, an alien that only quotes Matthew McConaughey, and various robot shenanigans. The lighthearted series has drawn comparisons to "Mystery Science Theater 3000," "Hyperdrive," and "Red Dwarf" on account of its setting and its goofy workplace comedy approach. The stripped-down production style only adds to the sense of camp that makes this quirky space comedy so much fun to watch. Unfortunately, the series went under with Yahoo! Screen, but the existing episodes are now available to watch on DUST.
Upload
Amazon's "Upload" is a sci-fi comedy series set in a future where people can choose to be uploaded into an electronic afterlife when they die. Created by Greg Daniels of "The Office," the series follows the afterlife of Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell), who dies under mysterious circumstances while working on a project that will make uploading more accessible to everyone. As Nathan investigates his own death with the help of living tech support "angel" Nora Antony (Andy Allo) and his afterlife buddy Luke (Kevin Bigley), he must navigate threats from the digital realm and the real world while dodging his controlling and still-living girlfriend Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards), who is bankrolling his pricey afterlife.
With a surprisingly complex backstory and some pretty impressive worldbuilding, not to mention plenty of eerie parallels to contemporary digital ethics issues, "Upload" is one of those shows that should be on every sci-fi fan's watchlist. It has a "Black Mirror" vibe to it, but instead of leaving you questioning humanity and the path we're on, it makes you laugh out loud. Viewers love it, and the critics are all on board — the second season of the show has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Season 2 premiered in 2022 and a third season is in the pipeline, according to Daniels.
The Middleman
The ABC Family series "The Middleman" might have been a short-lived one (it ran for a single season back in 2008), but it received acclaim at the time and has developed something of a cult following in the years since. It has drawn comparisons to the likes of "Men in Black," with critics on both coasts falling for its charm. "This is good summer entertainment, like a Saturday afternoon B-movie matinee transposed to Monday night TV," said the Los Angeles Times, while The New York Times quipped: "Saving the world is easy; making a world as complex and funny as this one is the real feat of '[The] Middleman.'"
Based on the Viper Comics series of the same name, this quirky dramedy follows the adventures of up-and-coming artist Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales). Wendy's life is turned upside down when she gets recruited to become a Middleman, a freelancer tasked with fighting bizarre monsters, aliens, and various other "exotic problems" plaguing the planet. The series is loaded with fun pop culture references and features solid performances that make it surprisingly engrossing for such a whimsical show. It's a perfect watch (no, really, it has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) for fans of sci-fi who enjoy a fantastic female protagonist. If you love the vibe of "Avenue 5," we bet you'll enjoy this lighthearted noughties hit.
Moonbase 8
A Showtime comedy starring Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, John C. Reilly, and Jonathan Krisel, "Moonbase 8" is a workplace series that fans of "Avenue 5" will no doubt adore. One of the highlights of the series is its music, with Steven Drozd of "The Flaming Lips" developing the score. The series follows three astronauts (Heidecker, Reilly, and Armisen) as they train on a NASA moon base in the Arizona desert in the hope of qualifying for a lunar mission. The crew faces various real-world challenges including a water shortage, illness, homesickness, and an encounter with Elon Musk.
The lives of the trainees are surprisingly dull when you consider what they are preparing for. However, that's where Armisen, Heidecker, Reilly, and Krisel (who created the show on top of starring in it) mine most of the comedy from, playing on the fact that astronauts are just ordinary people at the end of the day. With only six episodes, it's a short but rewarding watch that's perfect for tiding viewers over while waiting for new episodes of "Avenue 5," and it's a great way to get inspired for the upcoming Artemis mission, which is set to put boots back on the moon in 2025.
Futurama
From the mind of "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, "Futurama" is an adult animated series set about a thousand years in the future. The story follows the adventures of perpetual underachiever and pizza delivery guy Philip J. Fry (Billy West), who accidentally locks himself in a cryogenics chamber on New Year's Eve 2000 only to wake up 999 years later and realize he's trapped in the future. There, he encounters all sorts of strange and interesting new technologies, including pneumatic tubes for commuting humans and sentient robots.
After befriending a foul-mouthed, booze-loving robot named Bender (John DiMaggio), he takes a job as a space cargo delivery guy working under his distant nephew Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth (also played by West), who owns Planet Express. Farnsworth founded the delivery service with the intention of using the profits to fund his research. The comedy (which debuted on Fox and has been revived elsewhere twice, once by Comedy Central and more recently by Hulu) also stars Katey Sagal as Fry's romantic interest, the one-eyed, purple-haired ship's captain Turanga Leela. With plenty of dark comedy and surreal humor, "Futurama" is still one of the best sci-fi comedies ever made more than two decades after it first aired.
Firefly
A space Western sci-fi drama with a huge amount of heart, "Firefly" stars Nathan Fillion as 26th-century space cowboy Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds. The show is set in a future in which Earth has been "used up" and hundreds of new planets have been terraformed. A group of central planets formed an organization called the Alliance and decided that all outlying planets had to bow to their rule, which didn't go down well with everybody. After fighting on the losing side of the war that followed, Mal and his rag-tag crew fly around on the renegade Firefly-class space vessel "Serenity," surviving on the outer fringes of the Alliance.
Although the Joss Whedon series was canceled after only one season, it gained a huge cult following, leading to its revival in the form of the film "Serenity." The show's ensemble cast includes Alan Tudyk as pilot Wash, Gina Torres as his wife and Mal's second-in-command Zoe, and Jewel Staite as Kaylee, the ship's mechanic. Mark Sheppard of "Supernatural" and "Battlestar Galactica" plays a smuggler named Badger, and Christina Hendricks of "Mad Men" and "Good Girls" plays a con artist. Watch a few episodes and you'll know why fans say canceling "Firefly" is the worst decision Fox executives have ever made.
Creamerie
If you haven't been watching New Zealand's comedy offerings, you've been missing out. Shows like "Wellington Paranormal," "Flight of the Conchords," and "Good Grief" are some of the funniest TV shows out there, even if they're not getting the buzz of some of their American counterparts. "Creamerie" deals with a world reeling from the sudden death of all men, who perished eight years prior to the start of the series. When a group of friends living on a dairy farm encounter a surviving man (Jay Ryan), they soon stumble onto a conspiracy with disturbing ramifications.
It's incredibly dark and cynical at times, but the comedy writing is brilliant, filled with the deadpan humor New Zealanders do so well. Fans of the series have hailed it as original, clever, and one of the most bingeworthy comedies on television today, with IMDb reviewers comparing the show to "Orphan Black," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "Black Mirror." It's a hit at home, and the show has proven popular in neighboring Australia, too. "Pacy and economical, 'Creamerie' balances out-there sci-fi drama with pitch-black gags," The Age said in its five-star review.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
"Star Trek: Lower Decks" is an animated series for adults set in the "Star Trek" universe. The show revolves around the intergalactic adventures of a bunch of Lower Deckers — low-level workers who don't spend much time on the bridge — aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos, a Starfleet ship that doesn't have the prestige of the Federation flagship the Enterprise. The story revolves around four ensigns and best friends: Orion medical bay worker D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), captain's daughter Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), aspiring Starfleet captain Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), and engineering genius Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero).
"Lower Decks" is full of "Star Trek" references and Easter eggs. Some of them are pretty obvious, while others are a lot more subtle and show that the writers really did their homework. That being said, you don't need to be a Trekkie or even a huge fan of science fiction to enjoy this wonderfully animated and delightfully witty show. If you enjoy "Avenue 5," then chances are you're going to fall in love with "Star Trek: Lower Decks," just like the critics have — the second and third seasons of the show both have perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes.