Every Comedy Fan Needs to Watch These Underrated Sketch Shows (Except You)

✦ Edited and fact-checked by Randy Harward, our Entertainment Editor with 25 years covering entertainment.

13 underrated sketch comedy shows every “SNL” fan needs to stream before “SNL UK”

With “Saturday Night Live UK” officially set to premiere on March 21, 2026, the comedy world is buzzing. With the legendary Tina Fey hosting the inaugural episode—which premieres live on the UK networks on Sky One and and streams on NOW in the UK, Crave in Canada, and Peacock in the US— this expansion marks a massive “Live from London” shift for the Lorne Michaels empire.

While you wait for the Brits to take the stage, it’s time to school yourself on the what to watch list of underrated gems that paved the way for this global takeover.

“Mr. Show with Bob and David”

Long before Bob Odenkirk was a “Better Call Saul” icon and David Cross was the world’s first “analrapist” on “Arrested Development,” they were the architects of the most influential sketch show of the ’90s. “Mr. Show” is the bridge between “Monty Python” and the modern alternative comedy scene. Its signature move—seamlessly segueing from one sketch into the next—creates a fever-dream flow that rewards multiple rewatches. If you want to see where the DNA of every “weird” actor and writer in Hollywood originated, this HBO classic is the source code.

“The State”

Before the cast split off to create “Reno 911!,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” and “Stella,” they were an 11-person powerhouse on MTV that redefined “Gen X” humor. “The State” was built on a DIY, collegiate energy that prioritized absurdity over traditional punchlines. Whether it’s “dipping balls in expensive chocolate” or the existential dread of a “porcupine honkin’,” the show’s legacy is its refusal to explain itself. In 2026, as sketch comedy becomes increasingly fast-paced and fragmented, the ensemble chemistry of “The State” remains the ultimate industry benchmark.

“The Whitest Kids U’ Know”

With the 2024 release of their final film “Mars” following the passing of Trevor Moore—and the horror cinema success of Zach Cregger (“Weapons,” “Barbarian”), there’s been a massive resurgence in “WKUK” appreciation. This IFC staple took the college dorm aesthetic and weaponized it with dark, biting social commentary and high-concept historical spoofs (like the legendary “Abraham Lincoln” sketch). It’s raw, it’s often offensive, and it’s brilliantly paced. For those prepping for “SNL UK,” “The Whitest Kids U’ Know” is a reminder that some of the best comedy comes from a group of friends just trying to make each other laugh in a basement.

“The Birthday Boys”

If you want to understand the “cult absurdity” that fuels modern writers’ rooms, look no further than “The Birthday Boys,” produced by Ben Stiller and Bob Odenkirk. This hidden gem remains a staple for comedy nerds on AMC+ and Philo, offering a masterclass in sketches that spiral into glorious nonsense. It’s the perfect palate cleanser for those who find the standard “Saturday Night Live” format a bit too polished.

“The Dana Carvey Show”

Before they were household names, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert were cutting their teeth on this famously short-lived 1996 experiment led by “SNL” luminary Carvey (“Church Chat,” “Wayne’s World”). Though it only lasted seven episodes, it is now considered an incubator for 21st-century comedy heavyweights. If you’re tracking how “SNL UK” might take risks, studying this daringly weird “failure” is a mandatory prerequisite.

“The Tracey Ullman Show”

Tracey Ullman is a shapeshifting virtuoso who essentially defined the character-driven sketch format for the cable era. This show didn’t just give us “The Simpsons”; it provided a blueprint for the high-concept variety we expect from top-tier streaming today. Ullman’s ability to disappear into a role is exactly the kind of energy we hope to see from the new UK cast.

“Robot Chicken”

As of late 2025, Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s “Robot Chicken” has ditched the standard 20-episode grind for a “South Park” model of quarterly specials. The “20th Anniversary Self-Discovery Special” from July 2025 proves that stop-motion satire is still the tactical go-to for action figure–fueled, high-engagement comedy. “Robot Chicken” remains the king of fast-paced, pop-culture-eviscerating sketch comedy.

“All That”

For the Zillennials in the room, “All That” was the “SNL for kids” that actually delivered legitimate comedic talent—like “SNL” vet Kenan Thompson (“Good Burger”). Its high-energy, brightly colored chaos served as a gateway drug for a whole generation of sketch fans. Revisiting “Good Burger” sketches is more than a nostalgia trip; it’s a look at the foundational DNA of modern variety TV.

“MADTV”

While the “Studio 8H” (“SNL”) crowd was playing it safe, “MADTV” often leaned into the raw and the raucous. Known for its iconic recurring characters (Stuart, the Vancome Lady, Ms. Swan, to name a few) and fearless physical comedy, it served as the grittier alternative to the NBC staple for years. Many fans argue its peak years offered a chaotic energy that the more prestige shows couldn’t match.

“Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”

This 1960s psychedelic whirlwind changed the pace of television forever with its 10-second blackout sketches. It’s the direct ancestor to the fast-cut editing style we see on TikTok and modern variety specials today. If you want to see where the variety renaissance truly began, start with the mod-style madness of “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.”

“The Lawrence Welk Show”

Hear us out: This is the dark horse pick that’s currently taking Reddit by storm. Gen Z has rediscovered “The Lawrence Welk Show” not for the polka, but for its unintentionally terrifying, liminal space energy. In 2026, the cringe-watch is a real trend, and the accidental surrealism of this variety classic is peak uncanny valley humor.

“In Living Color”

After years of licensing limbo, Keenen Ivory Wayans’ groundbreaking FOX sketch series “In Living Color” has finally found a permanent home on the culturally conscious streaming service The Brick TV as of February 2026. This move preserves a vital piece of Black media history that launched the careers of the Wayans family, Jamie Foxx, and Jim Carrey. Its bold, boundary-pushing satire is exactly the raw energy that comedy nerds crave right now.

“The Carol Burnett Show”

You can’t talk about variety excellence without mentioning the woman whose namesake show hauled in 25 Emmys throughout its 11-year run. “The Carol Burnett Show” represents the gold standard of the variety renaissance, blending slapstick with sophisticated character work. It proves that sketch comedy doesn’t need a high-concept gimmick to be timeless—it just needs a world-class ensemble.

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