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Cringe comedy usually has its heroes stand against the rest of the world that doesn’t understand them — and they don’t get the world in return. This seemingly simple recipe can lead to a lot of excellent outcomes and shows taking place in different settings, such as a movie set, a big company, or school.
5 Fleabag
British sitcoms often have the type of cringe, biting humor that their American counterparts seem to lack. One possible explanation is that British shows don’t shy away from portraying more sensitive topics. In this case, Fleabag focuses on a life of a young woman who doesn’t quite know what to do with herself. She moves to London but continues to keep her distance from people, no matter what it takes.
The series is sad at times but dark and hilarious at others, especially when the main heroine confronts her lifestyle with other people. Other than Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the leading role, Fleabag stars other talented actors, such as Olivia Colman, or Andrew Scott. What makes it even more impressive is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge not only plays the leading part but also created the show and wrote the scripts for it!
4 Haters Back Off
Haters Back Off won’t be everyone’s cup of tea since the main heroine, Miranda, is the walking, talking definition of cringe. Miranda lacks talent in singing, yet she believes she’s destined to be famous. And no matter how many people tell her she’s no good, she keeps pushing through. The viewers might be horrified by Miranda’s lack of clear judgment, that’s even more encouraged by her family (other than her younger sister, the wiser member of the family), but at the same time, they will laugh many times at Miranda’s effort to finally make it.
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Haters Back Off even has an interesting backstory since it’s based on the show’s creator Colleen Ballinger’s real life. Ballinger has a YouTube channel where she used to post terrible covers of known songs - something that her character Miranda is doing, even though unlike Colleen Ballinger, Miranda takes everything seriously!
3 The IT Crowd
Work is difficult. That’s something many people would agree with. Jen, Moss and Roy work for an IT department of a big company, despite the fact that Moss and Roy have no idea how to deal with other people, and Jen knows nothing about computers. Putting together three very different characters and having them interact every day is a good basis for success, especially if the show has strong scripts that make the audience laugh.
The IT Crowd managed it, so it ran for five seasons between 2006 and 2013. Not all of its jokes aged well, but the show works even today, and offers a lot of funny moments which will be relatable to everyone who’s ever struggled with talking to others, or just handling the so-called normal life.
2 The Office
Inspired by its British counterpart, the American mockumentary sitcom The Office took some time to find its footing. As a result, the first season is weaker than the subsequent ones. However, once the show stopped copying its predecessor, that’s when it became truly great. The show focuses on capturing the lives of the workers of the Dunder Mifflin paper company, as filmed by documentary filmmakers.
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That allows the heroes to reflect their everyday existence, which is in many ways absurd, thanks to their boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell became famous thanks to this role), and the fact that some employees either don’t understand their job or are too busy playing pranks on each other. The Office ran for nine seasons, created many fan-favorites (such as the couple Jim and Pam), and to this day, it’s a good reminder that an American remake of a British show doesn’t have to be worse than the original - quite the opposite!
1 Sex Education
One of the latest comedies that offers many cringe-worthy moments is streaming on Netflix. Asa Butterfield stars as Otis, a shy guy who decides to help his schoolmates and coach them in intimacy, even though he has no personal experience. But thanks to his mom who works in this area, he should be able to manage it.
Except for the fact that things are never as simple, and Otis comes across many problems in his life as a self-appointed sex counselor, as well as a student. The awkwardness of Otis’s life will be well familiar to everyone who was once a teenager and also faced many cringe conversations and confrontations. Sex Education already has three seasons which provides a lot of episodes for the audience to watch and enjoy.
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