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Fri, July 3, 2026 at 3:01 PM UTC
2 min read
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- TV shows with seemingly ridiculous premises, like aliens posing as a human family in “3rd Rock From the Sun,” can become classics with brilliant writing and casting.
- “The Good Place” managed to tackle deep moral philosophy in a hilarious and intellectually stimulating way, defying expectations of network TV.
- Despite odd concepts like a depressed hitman in Hollywood acting classes in “Barry,” shows like these can surprise viewers with their depth and quality.
Sometimes the worst elevator pitchesresult in the best television. In a thread on r/television, fans discuss the shows that sounded ridiculous on paper, like a sitcom about moral philosophy or an action thriller about talking turtles, but managed to become classics thanks to brilliant writing and casting
1. 3rd Rock From the Sun (1996)
A sitcom about aliens posing as a human family to study Earth sounds like a sketch that would wear thin fast, but the incredible cast turned it into comedy gold
2. The Good Place (2016)
Network TV isn’t known for tackling deep moral philosophy, but this comedy about the afterlife managed to be both hilarious and intellectually stimulating
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3. Barry (2018)
The idea of a depressed hitman trying to make it in Hollywood acting classes sounds like a one-note joke, but Bill Hader elevated it into a tense psychological drama
4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)
With an off-putting title and a plot revolving around stalking, this musical dramedy surprised viewers by delivering a nuanced look at mental health
5. Ghosts (2021)
A sitcom about a woman who hits her head and starts chatting with the spirits on her property doesn’t scream “hit series,” but the ensemble chemistry makes it work
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6. Red Dwarf (1988)
Three million years in space with a hologram roommate and a humanoid cat is a bizarre setup, yet this British sci-fi comedy became a cult classic
7. Santa Clarita Diet (2017)
Drew Barrymore playing a suburban realtor who transforms into a flesh-eating zombie was a wild swing that resulted in a charming, if gory, family comedy
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8. Lucifer (2016)
The actual devil moving to Los Angeles to help the police solve homicides sounds like a parody of police procedurals, yet it ran for six entertaining seasons
9. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)
A sitcom about a woman rescued from a doomsday cult bunker is an incredibly dark starting point for a show that ended up being bright, cheerful, and hilarious
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10. Dead Like Me (2003)
The premise of a college dropout killed by a falling toilet seat who then becomes a grim reaper is odd, specific, and totally brilliant
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
Sometimes the sheer absurdity of a concept is its greatest strength — like mutated turtles who learn martial arts and eat pizza
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Clearly, you can’t judge a series by its logline. Whether it’s aliens, devils, or talking turtles, the execution is what keeps us watching
Which “dumb” show is your favorite? Read the full opinions in r/television, and find more conversations like this in r/sitcoms, r/FanTheories, and r/NetflixBestOf
This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us atupvoted@reddit.com
