The Most Underrated TV Shows Of The Last 15 Years

When critics discuss the "Golden Age" of television, we immediately think of shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad. Aside from dramatic shows, comedies like 30 Rock, Veep, and The Office have become legendary in their own right, proving that even though the medium of film has always been viewed as superior, certain television shows have made their mark thanks to excellent performances, superb writing, impeccable direction, and high production values.

Now that television is now more respected than ever, with major movie stars flocking to the small screen in droves, there are almost too many shows on the airwaves. Thanks to all this content, it feels borderline impossible to keep up, and as a result, there are still too many shows that fly under the radar while they're on the air. So if you need a break from the classics and want to find a show that needs a little love, here are a few underrated, unappreciated shows from the last 15 years that are absolutely worth watching.

FX has always taken a chance on difficult concepts, and one perfect example of this approach is their support of You're the Worst, an anti-romantic comedy that tells the story of an incredibly destructive (and ultimately successful) relationship between two horrible people. Playing Jimmy and Gretchen, Chris Geere and Aya Cash give everything to their roles, starring as two total dirtbags who meet at a wedding (Jimmy's ex-girlfriend's wedding, to be specific) and go home together, eventually realizing their particular dysfunctions actually create a pretty solid relationship. With a supporting cast that includes Kether Donohue as Lindsay, Gretchen's big-hearted but vapid best friend, and Desmin Borges as Edgar, Jimmy's unwilling friend who struggles with PTSD, You're the Worst paints a picture of depressed, loyal, drunk, and hilarious friends making their way through life in Los Angeles.

With anchoring performances from the four core cast members — Cash, in particular, plays the ups and downs of clinical depression with pure guts and honesty — and excellent stories by showrunner Stephen Falk, this "mean" comedy with a big heart was constantly overlooked by wider audiences and big awards. Now that it's come to a (perfect) close, hopefully new generations of fans will discover it as the years go on.

NBC has been home to plenty of hit comedies over the years, from Cheers to Friends to The Office. But sometimes, an excellent comedy survives for years on the network without making any major waves. One example of this is Superstore, a single-camera workplace sitcom in the vein of Parks and Recreation (but without the mockumentary format), focusing on a big box superstore and its perpetually disgruntled employees.

With a cast of talented players like Ben Feldman (Mad Men), Mark McKinney (Kids in the Hall), and Emmy winner America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) alongside relative newcomers like Colton Dunn and Nichole Bloom, Superstore lampoons the ins and outs of working at a Walmart-style store while still handling serious issues like maternity leave and undocumented immigrants. For years, it's been one of the least noticed shows on TV, but as it continues, it keeps quietly anchoring NBC's comedy lineup and having plenty of fun to boot. 

At first glance, Happy Endings probably seemed like yet another Friends knockoff, featuring six good-looking thirty-somethings dating in a variety of combinations in Los Angeles rather than New York. But a closer look reveals a snappy, sharp show that utilizes its talented cast perfectly. Featuring an ensemble made up of Eliza Coupe, Damon Wayans Jr., Elisha Cuthbert, Casey Wilson, Adam Pally, and Zach Kingston, Happy Endings was a weird, lovable, and gut-bustingly funny sitcom that let its characters be as outrageous as possible while still remaining relatable (as well as featuring a perfectly written LGBTQ character in the main cast). 

Unfortunately, ABC didn't have much faith in this plucky sitcom. According to Coupe, during the third and ultimately final season, the network basically stopped promoting the show entirely, eventually canceling it as the third season closed out. However, ever since Hulu purchased streaming rights to the show, it's found a new life and new fans, and the last laugh rests with Happy Endings' creative team, considering that two of the show's producers/directors, a pair of brothers by the last name of Russo, went on to helm some of the biggest blockbusters on the planet.

Usually, a comic book adaptation is a pretty surefire bet for a TV series, but some characters just can't carry an entire show on their own. A perfect example is The Tick, which aired on Amazon Studios for two seasons, one of which contained just six episodes. Created by Ben Edlund (who also created the character of the Tick himself and wrote the comic book), the show focused on a blue-suited superhero who teams up with his meek sidekick Arthur to protect their city and defeat a supervillain by the name of "The Terror."

Starring Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Spy) as the titular Tick, Griffin Newman as Arthur, and Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) as "The Terror," the show was well-liked by critics and audiences, and praised for its quick sense of humor and convivial tone. Unfortunately, Amazon declined to renew it for a third season, and Edlund couldn't find a new home for this ambitious series, leaving it officially dead in the water. Still, both seasons are online for future Tick fans to enjoy.

The advent of streaming services has allowed many offbeat shows to find a home, and that's exactly what happened with Hulu's Difficult People. The series stars showrunner Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner as two unsuccessful, exaggerated, and outrageously cruel versions of themselves. As comedians who pretty much hate everyone except each other, Klausner and Eichner spend each episode trading barbs and quips at a breakneck pace, and with a cast that was rounded out by actors like the legendary Andrea Gordon and veteran TV actor James Urbaniak — as well as guest spots from huge stars like Nathan Lane, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tina Fey, Martin Short, and more — this filthy show was heavy on the pop culture references and delightfully mean, but unfortunately, it wasn't long for this world. Despite its strong pedigree (the show's most prominent executive producer was comedy star Amy Poehler) and really good reviews, Hulu axed Difficult People after three short seasons, but anyone with a Hulu login can still start the show from the beginning and bask in just how deranged Julie and Billy can get.

After It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia found some success, its newfound stars embarked on several solo projects. Take Glenn Howerton, for example, who played sociopath Dennis Reynolds on Sunny. Howerton's first solo outing was NBC's irreverent and underrated sitcom A.P. Bio — created by Saturday Night Live alum Mike O'Brien and produced by Seth Meyers — where he plays Jack Griffin, a disgraced Harvard professor who ends up teaching a high school biology class. Hell-bent on revenge, he enlists his class' help to mess with his rival, who ended up getting Jack's dream job.

The show premiered to solid reviews that praised Howerton's performance as well as the supporting cast (which includes Patton Oswalt, Paula Pell, and previously unknown but exceptionally talented younger actors), but NBC canceled it due to low ratings in 2019. It will be revived on NBC's new streaming service, so anyone looking for some comedy gold from an Always Sunny star should start binging now and prepare for the third season of this hilarious TV show.