Netflix’s No Good Deed is a highly unique dark comedy series, but there are a handful of other similar projects audiences may enjoy as well. The 2024 TV show follows a couple of seemingly normal empty nesters as they attempt to put their Los Angeles home on the market. Three different couples emerge from the woodwork, all desperate to have their offers accepted. However, the further they proceed, the more dark secrets are revealed. Something as commonplace as real estate quickly becomes much darker.
Of course, No Good Deed is more than just a mystery thriller. This TV show, created by Liz Feldman, is a dark comedy through and through. So, with every dark secret revealed comes an outrageous circumstance that can only be called laughable. This balance is what pulled audiences in and what those who enjoyed No Good Deed will be looking for in another series. The next watch after this dark comedy thriller must have mystery and intrigue, outrageous comedy, a star-studded cast, and a surprising mix of heartwarming, meaningful moments. Luckily, there are several similar TV shows to pick from.
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You’re The Worst (2014 – 2019)
Created By Stephen Falk
Stephen Falk’s You’re the Worst is an unlikely dark comedy romance series that explores the complex relationship between two wholly incompatible characters. Jimmy is narcissistic and painfully stubborn, while Gretchen is cynical and destructive. Still, they manage to fall in love as their FX romantic comedy with a twist plays out.
Although You’re the Worst lacks the mystery of No Good Deed, both series fall perfectly within the dark comedy genre. Those who enjoy the complicated relationship dynamic between No Good Deed‘s Paul and Lydia may appreciate You’re the Worst, which unabashedly explores the nitty-gritty of depression and general mental health through the lens of heartbreaking comedy.
9
Barry (2018 – 2023)
Created By Bill Hader & Alec Berg
Barry – Season 1
- Release Date
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March 25, 2018 - Network
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HBO
From the minds of Alec Berg and Bill Hader comes Barry, a dark comedy TV series about a burned-out hitman who follows a mark to Los Angeles only to be sucked up in the theatre scene. Barry is completely outrageous, but it comes with several heartwarming and emotional moments as well. Dark, gritty, and hilarious, this dark comedy is the epitome of what this genre represents.
This is also a series for those who love the stacked cast of No Good Deed since Barry features a wide variety of unique performances from some of today’s best comedy performers.
Like No Good Deed, Barry takes inspiration from the thriller genre and mixes the nitty gritty of death and murder with the more profound lessons of life and love. This is also a series for those who love the stacked cast of No Good Deed since Barry features a wide variety of unique performances from some of today’s best comedy performers. Add in the somewhat meta concept, and there’s plenty here to enjoy.
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Bad Sisters (2022 – Present)
Created By Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, Marlin-Sarah Gozin & Sharon Horgan
The Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters, which got its start in 2022, follows the Garvey sisters after the unexpected deaths of their parents. As another dark comedy, this series is gritty and unsettling through and through, with that persistent air that just about everyone is hiding something. Still, there is something touching about Bad Sisters’ themes of sisterhood and resilience.
Bad Sisters is similar to No Good Deed in that it explores the impact of death and mourning on a family while also diving into the sort of secrets and dark mysteries it can inspire. Both series find bizarre and unexpected ways to weave comedy into these situations, all the while exploring serious concepts like abuse and trauma. Of course, as an ongoing series, Bad Sisters manages to take this even further.
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The Flight Attendant (2020 – 2022)
Created By Steve Yockey
Max original series The Flight Attendant is another dark comedy series that leans into the intriguing fun of the mystery drama. It stars Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden, a flight attendant who gets herself into trouble when she drunkenly sleeps with a passenger and finds him dead in his hotel room the next morning.
No Good Deed is a mystery series at its core, and those who enjoyed trying to put the pieces of Jacob’s murder together are sure to enjoy The Flight Attendant. Dark details are revealed between hilarious moments of carefully written comedy and genius performances from Cuoco, as well as Michiel Huisman, T.R. Knight, Michelle Gomez, Merle Dandridge, and mor,e certainly add to the appeal.
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The White Lotus (2021 – Present)
Created By Mike White
HBO’s The White Lotus is an expertly written social satire anthology series with a consistently stacked cast and provocative plot. It follows various characters who are guests or employees at an extravagant and exclusive resort. In addition to being carefully hilarious, The White Lotus effectively explores complex and meaningful concepts from morality, classism, and beyond.
The appeal of both dark comedy series comes down to the surprising truths these connections unveil.
A significant appeal of Netflix’s No Good Deed is how it bounces from character to character, slowly revealing the secrets they hide between the surface. The White Lotus does something similar, weaving various connections between the strange figures spending their days at the White Lotus. The appeal of both dark comedy series comes down to the surprising truths these connections unveil.
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Search Party (2016 – 2022)
Created By Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, & Michael Showalter
The TBS-turned HBO Max series Search Party follows a group of college pals as they investigate the disappearance of one of their friends, Chantal. The four characters who make up the titular search party are the least likely candidates to solve such a mystery. However, their complicated personalities and relationships lead to all kinds of absurd answers.
Like No Good Deed and many other dark comedies, Search Party uses its satirical premise to poke fun at affluence and wealth. The protagonists are self-absorbed and deeply flawed, but their adventures as they comb through the mystery of their disappeared friend result in a handful of surprisingly heartwarming moments. Once again, the biggest difference between No Good Deed and Search Party is the brand of comedy. The latter series is far more outrageous in how it elicits laughs, so this might not check the right box for those who enjoyed No Good Deed‘s subtle comedy.
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Big Little Lies (2017 – 2019)
Created By David E. Kelly & Liane Moriarty
HBO’s Big Little Lies follows three wealthy women following a terrible murder that turns their lives upside down. Set in a quaint beachfront town in California, the dark comedy series sees the idyllic lives of these housewives come to pieces as their biggest secrets come to light. Big Little Lies is another series with a dream cast, including Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and more.
What’s more, both series follow affluent families dealing with corruption, murder, and, of course, a whole lot of secrets.
Those looking for another dark comedy series with a stacked cast like No Good Deed won’t be disappointed by Big Little Lies. What’s more, both series follow affluent families dealing with corruption, murder, and, of course, a whole lot of secrets. The comedy between No Good Deed and Big Little Lies differs somewhat, but both series check this box as well, featuring that subtly disturbing levity that makes dark comedy so appealing.
3
Fargo (2014 – Present)
Created By Noah Hawley
FX’s Fargo is an anthology series that follows different sets of characters as they deal with harrowing murders at different periods in time. Based on the 1996 film of the same name, Fargo is almost always set in a Midwestern town, but the various murders and the people affected by them differ greatly from season to season. Still, Frago manages to create a fun connection here and there between some of the characters and the crimes they commit.
Audiences who enjoyed the subtle comedy of No Good Deed may find Fargo a fitting alternative. Stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Chris Rock, and more mean that, just as in No Good Deed, there is almost always a familiar face on the screen. There is a significant difference in the tone of Fargo‘s various mysteries, however, since this series takes a thrilling noir approach.
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Killing Eve (2018 – 2022)
Created By Luke Jennings
British spy thriller Killing Eve follows two women during an obsessive hunt for assassin Villanelle. It stars Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh as the leads, whose characters find themselves all the more linked as their hunt for the psychopathic Villanelle continues. Killing Eve is naturally suspenseful, and it boasts excellent character development. Add in that added undertone of clever comedy, and there is a lot to enjoy here.
While the premises of Killing Eve and No Good Deed are significantly different, the way both series approach comedy is deeply similar. There is also something to the contentious relationship between these two shows’ characters that result in a similar feel. Both No Good Deed and Killing Eve depend heavily on the chemistry of their stars, and the result is two dark comedy TV shows that are tonally similar despite their overarching difference.
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Dead To Me (2019 – 2022)
Created By Liz Feldman
Dead to Me, starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, follows two women who meet in a grief support group and click despite their contrasting personalities. One is the widow of a hit-and-run victim dying to find answers, and the other is a boisterous personality hiding a dark secret. Their friendship takes audiences on a bizarre ride through the ins and outs of grief, including the strangely funny bits.
Both series are created by Liz Feldman, and this is evident in the subtle comedy and general style of character development.
There’s nothing more similar to No Good Deed in terms of tone and themes than Dead to Me. Both series are created by Liz Feldman, and this is evident in the subtle comedy and general style of character development. Both No Good Deed and Dead to Me take a similar, unique approach to grief and mourning, exploring how people handle loss differently and the rifts this can create in relationships. What’s more, both these dark comedy TV shows place Cardellini in a prominent role. For those introduced to Feldman’s work through No Good Deed, Dead to Me is the obvious next step.
No Good Deed and Dead to Me are available to stream on Netflix.