We're living in an age where women are finally coming to the forefront and becoming the hilarious badasses they are and always have been. In 2019, there are so many options to choose from, but they're all so different from each other. There's a little bit of something for everybody and it's all "dude friendly." Really, guys. It's okay to watch women be funny. The 2011 breakthrough film, Bridesmaids, really set the tone and showed the world that women are fully capable of delivering brilliant comedy, especially in the form of toilet humor. A few years later, Inside Amy Schumer and Broad City debuted on Comedy Central and Orange is the New Black was released on Netflix. All of which changed the game significantly.
Cut to today and female-led comedies are inescapable in TV and in film. I'm totally here for all of it. There's so much to pick and choose from and to consume, but I'm doing my best to take it all in. A lot of streaming services are cashing in on these women, and so far, it's been nothing but hits.
PEN15
Hulu | Now Streaming
Starring Maya Erskine & Anna Konkle
If you're looking for very uncomfortable and awkward humor, look no further than Hulu's PEN15. Executive produced by The Lonely Island, the show follows two seventh grade BFFs in the year 2000. So if you're a Millennial, then this show is just for you. It's full of nostalgia and a soundtrack that'll make you say, "Oh, shit! I remember this song!" What's most humorous about the show is that the two leads and co-creators (Erskine and Konkle) are real-life, thirty-somethings attempting to play twelve year-olds, but they somehow pull it off. Rolly backpacks and all. What they're also successful with is that they touch on sensitive themes that really dig deep and remind you of what it was really like to be in middle school. It adds a new layer to the show that seems very necessary. ★★★★
Tuca & Bertie
Netflix | Now Streaming
Starring Tiffany Haddish & Ali Wong
Tuca & Bertie is a straight-up cartoon stoner comedy about former roommates just trying to make it in the world. One is trying to follow her dreams, the other is just trying to make ends meet. When the news got out that two of the biggest and funniest female comedians were coming together to lend their voices for an outrageous animated series, I had to see what it was all about. The show is so random and weird, but that's not at all a bad thing. And much like PEN15, it also explores non-comedic topics, such as ones morals and sexual harassment. The balance between Tuca and Bertie's personalities is something that we haven't seen before, but it's still really funny to see it all play out. ★★★½
Dead to Me
Netflix | Now Streaming
Starring Christina Applegate & Linda Cardellini
The Will Ferrell and Adam McKay executive produced Dead to Me is categorized as a dark comedy. Super heavy on the dark, but a comedy nonetheless. The show follows two Orange County women that are experiencing grief in their own ways. One has a husband who was violently murdered and the other has had multiple miscarriages in the past few years. They befriend each other quickly, but how their friendship form is a twist in itself. That's what this show is. Twist after insane twist and that's what keeps it compelling throughout each episode. The best part about the show are the performances by both Applegate and Cardellini. They make playing a bitchy, vengeful mother and a nutty stalker with a deep, dark secret seem effortless. You know, the key ingredients to a funny TV show. ★★★★½
Wine Country
Netflix | Now Streaming
Directed by Amy Poehler
Starring Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey & Tina Fey
Seven SNL alums came together to put together a film that's loosely based on a couple of group trips these ladies have actually been through. Can I relate to these middle-aged, mostly white women taking a wine tour? Not exactly, but you can bet your ass that I laughed a lot. The witty screenwriting kept it fresh and is actually something completely different than Bridesmaids (except for Maya Rudolph), so stop comparing the two! At 56 years old, Paula Pell is the breakout star of the film. The former head writer of SNL stands out as the best character of the movie and is responsible for some of the biggest laughs in it. The whole ensemble is great and it's very apparent that they have a close friendship off screen, but that's what I found to be the most charming part of Wine Country. ★★★
★★★★★ Classic | ★★★★ Excellent | ★★★ Good | ★★ Fair | ★ Poor
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