The 15 Funniest Sketch Comedy Shows

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When you just don't have the patience for half an hour of storyline, there's nothing better than sketch comedy to keep you on your toes; it's humor without commitment, and far more satisfying than devoting your precious vegging hours to some dude who the people in the laugh track barely find funny.

Sometimes, though, with the plethora of of self-proclaimed funnymen out there vying for your laughs, it can be hard to pick out which shows are worthy of your time. That's where we come in. With MADtv vets Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele's new sketch series Key & Peele (Tuesdays, 10:30 p.m.) poised to become Comedy Central's next big thing, we take a look back at the troupes before them that delivered big. We present to you The 15 Funniest Sketch Comedy Shows.

Written by Lauren Otis (@LaurNado)

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15. MADtv (Fox, 1995-2009)

Stuarts across the world have this long-running comedy show to thank for the never-ending supply of schmoes greeting them with bad Wisconsin accents, their way of paying homage to comedian Michael McDonald's rosy-cheeked, age ambiguous, unforgettably spastic little boy who effectively served as a cautionary tale about ever having children. While viewers never seemed to be able to get enough of Ms. Swan the nail lady, the crowning glory of the show had to be the music video spoofs. There's nothing quite like Aries Spears decked out as Missy Elliot.

14. All That (Nickelodeon, 1994-2005)

All That was just that back in the day. Long before Amanda Bynes was gracing covers of men's mags, Kenan Thompson became a regular on Saturday Night Live, or his partner in crime Kel Mitchell went on to, well, Dance Fu, the trio were among the diverse, energetic cast of old-school Nick's quintessential '90s sketch show.

In addition to booking some of the best musical acts of the day, from Aaliyah to Craig Mack to Soul for Real(!), the show served as an SNL for the younger set, one you'd rehash with your crew at school after the weekend, but with humor that never felt dumbed down (at least at the time). After the show's initial airing, jumping on a trampoline in slow-mo never looked cooler.

13. Robot Chicken (Adult Swim, 2005-present)

Seth Green and Matthew Senreich's delivery of fragmented comedy is anything but routine on this series, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Rather than actors taking the stage, a cast of toys, claymation figures, and more are put front and center to endure the twisted, minute-long plotlines of the Robot Chicken creative team.

The show's late-night time slot couldn't have provided a more perfect home. Despite the series' funniness on its own, we wonder if we're the only ones who notice the increase in hilarity correlated to sleep deprivation.

12. Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (Adult Swim, 2007-2010)

One needn't be a stoner to appreciate Tim and Eric's awkward brand of humor (though it certainly doesn't hurt). United by weirdness, each of the duo's sketches is more bizarre than the last, some of them so ridiculously random that you can't help but wonder how they'd ever been conceived—and ultimately admire the makers for it.

While putting Zach Galifianakis in a pair of booty shorts and turning him into a hero that runs around snuggling with people might've been a more obvious choice, we still can't put our finger on why a group of small children singing about poisonous foods or an oversexed old woman's karaoke-style video go straight to our funny bone, but they do. They just do. With Tim and Eric, we've learned that sometimes you've just got to go with it.

11. Upright Citizens Brigade (Comedy Central, 1998-2000)

Those too low on funds to catch one of the beloved improv and sketch comedy troupe's shows in New York were fortunately able to get a taste of their comic chops gratis on Comedy Central as of 1998, where Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh would appear and represent for half an hour each week. The foursome's quirky underground society served as a connector between their collection of awesomely random skits, one of which might scar you for life when it comes to pennies.

10. Funny Or Die Presents (HBO, 2010-present)

It was only a matter of time before Funny or Die, known for conceiving and posting some of most hilarious, inventive, and viral videos on the Internet, would find a way to expand its already large audience tenfold. TV meets web in HBO's series which features an ample supply of celebrities and comedians appearing in some of the last roles you'd ever see coming (like the award-winning Don Cheadle as Frederick Douglass). If only classes at school could've been more like Drunk History.

9. Portlandia (IFC, 2011-present)

SNL vet Fred Armisen and Sleater-Kinney and Wild Flag guitarist/vocalist Carrie Brownstein couldn't do a finer job of capturing the crunch of Portland on their awesome series, which has gained an impressive following in a little over a year. Even a surprising number of Oregonians will self-effacingly own up to the show's sketches of the northwestern city as being embarrassingly accurate.

In a typical episode, one can catch obsessions with the local food movement and Battlestar Galactica getting taken to scary new heights, a mayor being outed as a member of a roots reggae band, or a manic designing couple with a signature trademark that'll help you understand why "PUT A BIRD ON IT!" was probably one of the most exclaimed expressions of 2011.

8. Human Giant (MTV, 2007-2008)

While Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer, and Rob Huebel's series regrettably only aired for two seasons, it proved to be one of the best reasons to tune into MTV in years. The trio's fast-paced, in-your-face, and infectious brand of comedy served as a reminder that sometimes the network does get it right, no matter how much of their airtime appears to be devoted to those grimy Real World-Road Rules challenges.

Having a shitty day? We've got your Rx right here in the form of Aziz Ansari in his Illusionators 'outfit. You just try not to bust out laughing at your screen as he and Scheer start interpretive dancing in the middle of that field.

7. The State (MTV, 1993-1995)

On second thought, better make that two reasons to tune into MTV. Then again, no one really needs to make a case for MTV back in the early '90s, when the channel was in its prime and played music. The State was a perfect contrast to all those angsty, flannel-clad videos, delivering belly laughs with its energetic and sarcastic skits that were written, acted, directed, and edited for the show by its own squad of comedians in their 20s, who initially acted as their own crew and staff.

Sometimes, while lingering on those VH1 countdown lists, we still like to imagine Michael Ian Black grooving beside his $240 worth of pudding. "Awwwww yeahhh. Cook and chill."

6. Mr. Show (HBO, 1995-1998)

Anyone who's seen Bob Odenkirk do his thing on Mr. Show, which had him stepping into the spotlight after years as a writer for SNL and other programs, knows that a better man couldn't have been chosen to bring the comic relief to the otherwise characteristically bleak Breaking Bad.

Odenkirk's co-creator and co-star, David Cross, also shined in the series, which nabbed a devoted cult following thanks to its refusal to shy away from darker, edgier skits. Before Chappelle introduced the world to a gay KKK, Cross and Odenkirk poked fun with a modernized, hate-free version (complete with fishing, badminton, and a catchy theme song).

5. In Living Color (Fox, 1990-1994)

Once upon a time, before J. Lo was one of the most successful woman in Hollywood, she was providing some of the country's most appreciated backup as a Fly Girl on In Living Color. In addition to fostering the talent of one of America's most wanted, the show also broke ground by employing a predominantly black cast, a huge contrast from other sketch comedies where the color quota was met with one token dude.

Also, it was hilarious as hell. Golden Globe, Oscar, and Emmy awards aside, some of Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and Keenan Ivory Wayans' greatest work was taped before ILC's live studio audiences. (Carl "The Tooth" Williams, anyone?) Now to see how the new cast fares in the 2012 revival.

4. Kids In The Hall (CBS/HBO, 1989-1995)

People couldn't help but reevaluate their prejudices against Canada once this much-loved troupe of northern comedians hit TV screens in the late '80s. While other sketch comedies often satirized various celebrities and other prominent figures in pop culture, Kids in the Hall's focus was on regular people. Well, maybe regular isn't the right word. If we ever found ourselves coming face to face with the Chicken Lady or Headcrusher, we'd probably cross the street STAT. 

3. Saturday Night Live (NBC, 1975-present)

Synonymous with sketch comedy, Lorne Michael's NBC series has been bringing the laughs for close to 40 years, and served as a launching pad for more comedy legends than one can count. (On the flip side, it's also notoriously unraveled the careers of musicians that just couldn't hack it live, though Ashlee Simpson's uncomfortable post-lip-sync jig was as funny as any of the segments.) 

That said, there's nothing like an on point episode of SNL to make a Saturday night in feel justified. Yeah, friends might give you a hard time about missing out on the weekend's biggest party night, but when your crew's venting the next day about shelling out for bottle service to gain admission into a club that turns out to be a dud, you'll be the one with braggers' rights of having been warm, cozy, and among the first to catch the next "I'm On a Boat"—before the hype. Now who's laughing.

2. Monty Python's Flying Circus (BBC, 1969-1974)

This renowned show's reign was one of the most influential, imitated, and treasured of all. Equally intelligent and trippy, with cartoonish transitions that were just as captivating as the sketches, it wasn't uncommon to witness The Spanish Inquisition randomly bursting onto the scene for no particular reason, hear a lumberjack sing a ballad about his dreams of trannyhood, or watch a shop manager famously try to convince a patron that his dead parrot is actually asleep, a segment your parents were no doubt chuckling about to themselves during those childhood trips to Petland.

Now that we're old enough to be in on the joke, we couldn't be more glad to let the bizarre British comedy squad into our homes (via DVD).

1. Chappelle's Show (Comedy Central, 2003-2006)

Chappelle's Show went off the airwaves back in 2006, but to this day people still quote the comic's series like it was just on last week. (To be fair, for many it probably was: People wear the shit out of those DVDs, which were some of the best-selling ever of a series-to-DVD set.)

Regardless of where you are or what your background might be, it's a rare occasion for a month or even a weekend to pass without hearing Chappelle's much-loved sketches being referenced at least once, whether a put-upon friend finds themself in need of a Wrap It Up Box or a victorious adversary just can't resist unleashing a "Game...Blouses" to rub a little extra salt in the wound after a match.

SNL and Monty Python are natural classics, but when it comes to consistent hilarity and biting social commentary, this show can't be beat. Just about every sketch was pure gold, bringing grown men to tears and eliciting the kinds of laughs that make you feel like you've just done a P90X ab session. Wherever you are, Dave, we'll always be grateful for those three years. R.I.P. Chappelle's Show.