Sitcoms are so back

A new wave of coming-of-age sitcoms has arrived and it is glorious. Sitcoms have evolved in the 30 years since “Friends” and the 20 years since “The Office.” Of course, those will always be classics and are in many ways timeless, however it’s time to welcome newer, fresher shows that fit the evolution of comedy and cater to diversity and new ideas. 

I’ve always been a sitcom watcher. They’re perfect for an easy laugh while still maintaining a plot you can get invested in. Sitcoms become comfort shows that you can watch and rewatch for years, even after they end. 

In this new era, is it possible to replicate the humor of Schmitt from “New Girl” or the substance of Jim and Pam’s relationship from The Office? Probably not, but these new shows fill me with the same warm feeling the classics do. 

This year alone, multiple new sitcoms have been released that I decided to give a try. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed and officially as invested in them as I have been in the past with older shows. Between the weekly episodes of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and the new season of “Sex Lives of College Girls” returning and ongoing sitcoms are as strong as ever. As for brand new ones, two sitcoms have stood out to me this year. 

“Adults” 

This FX show you can stream on Hulu and Disney+ is one of the best sitcoms I’ve seen in a while. Two episodes in I knew that this was going to be a favorite of mine and I was correct. I found myself laughing aloud at my screen and had to ban myself from watching it outside of my room. Its lightness, while also containing realistic and relatable coming-of-age elements drew me to it. The show revolves around a group of five best friends who live together in their 20s in New York City, the perfect ingredients for a great sitcom. 

What really sealed the deal for me with this show was how easygoing it is. I always left an episode feeling refreshed. I became attached to the characters very quickly and found qualities in myself demonstrated in all five friends. The awkward nature of Samir, the perfectionist elements of Billie, the unhinged behavior of Issa, the magnetism of Anton and the kindness of Paul Baker weren’t the only reasons I fell in love with these characters. “Adults” has queer characters whose personalities don’t revolve around being queer, racial minorities who are more than their racial identities and a fresh and accurate take on Gen Z. I have watched countless shows where I felt as though our generation has been dramatized and shown inaccurately. This is not one of those shows, and it is so refreshing. There is humor, of course, but also drama and romance. It really has potential to be a great sitcom with more seasons to come. It’s safe to say I’m obsessed and craving more. 

“Overcompensating” 

Prime Video’s new hit show about the struggles of coming out definitely caught my attention. In a lot of ways, within queer media, the closeted football player is extremely overdone and boring, however “Overcompensating” puts a new twist on it. The show has heavy satire, dramatizing every aspect of college, high school, sexuality and romance. Frat guys kissing each other on the mouth, college boys singing “G6” at the main character, a Megan Fox poster coming to life and posing sexually to the protagonist, Benny, to see if he’s “really gay.” It’s comedic gold. It’s a humorous and exciting take on coming out while also satirically playing into stereotypes makes the show so special. I finished it in a day and wanted more immediately. Along with the comedic elements, there is also a great amount of angst, romance and conflict. Benny’s struggles of being closeted and outright fear of being who he is causes strain on his relationships and creates drama with everyone in his life. Thank goodness this show was renewed for a season two because there is an amazing cliffhanger that left me going insane. But isn’t that what a good show is? “Overcompensating” is an amazing new-age sitcom that will leave you laughing and strangely emotional. 

New age sitcoms are worth a try.