Top 7 Comedy Murder Mystery TV Shows On Streaming Right Now
Did someone say “Oliver Putnam in the house!?”
Murder… but make it funny. It’s a tough genre, but when done right, comedy murder mystery TV shows are some of the most bingable out there because: 1) you just have to know who did it, and 2) they’re fun worlds to be a part of. And to celebrate the return of one of the best in Season 4 of “Only Murders in the Building” (Episode 1 aired on Aug. 27), we’re here to count down the top seven comedy murder mystery TV shows on streaming right now. Did someone say “Oliver Putnam in the house!?”
Top 7 Comedy Murder Mystery TV Shows On Streaming Right Now:
No. 7: ‘Monk’ (2002) | Peacock
So it turns out debilitating OCD and numerous phobias can actually help you solve murders. At least that’s the case with Adrian Monk in the classic comedy murder mystery TV show “Monk.” While it premiered over 20 years ago in 2002, the show has staying power, with the release of a Monk movie as recently as last year. Even though the episodic “murder of the week” format is a rarity these days, it has proven staying power, having kept viewers coming back week after week for eight seasons. There’s no doubt that the creators of every other show on this list would kill (get it?) for that kind of staying power.
Created by Andy Breckman, “Monk” stars Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, with Bitty Schram and Traylor Howard as his assistants across the series. “Monk” holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Monk
Adrian Monk was once a rising star with the San Francisco Police Department, legendary for using unconventional means to solve the department’s most baffling cases. But after the tragic (and still unsolved) murder of his wife Trudy, he developed an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now working as a private consultant, Monk continues to investigate cases in the most unconventional ways.
No. 6: ‘Poker Face’ (2023) | Peacock
What would you do with the extraordinary ability to detect lies? If you’re Charlie Cale – the hero of “Poker Face,” the answer is simple: solve murder mysteries. The only other show on this list along with “Monk” that features a new mystery each week (along with a serialized background mystery running the length of the season), the show follows Cale - a chain-smoking, vintage-car-driving civilian who stumbles upon various crimes as she drives across the country to escape a checkered past.
Natasha Lyonne is fantastic in the series, which started Season 2 production this summer after changing showrunners from Nora and Lilla Zuckerman to Tony Tost (“Damnation”).
Created by Rian Johnson, Poker Face stars Natasha Lyonne and holds an incredible 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Season 2 is currently filming, aiming for a 2025 release.
Poker Face
This mystery-of-the-week series follows Charlie Cale, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
No. 5: ‘Bad Sisters’ (2022) | Apple TV+
Nothing’s more important than family… and in the case of “Bad Sisters,” sisterhood. The show revolves around the tight-knit Garvey sisters in the aftermath of the death of Grace’s abusive husband, John Paul. Each of the sisters wanted John Paul dead — and each had a plan to kill him. “Bad Sisters” masterfully handles flashbacks to show you why John Paul probably deserved what he go — Claes Bang is absolutely vile (and incredible) in his portrayal of the murdered husband.
And so the show’s central question is simple: which sister killed him? With excellent performances, real and complicated characters, and a stunning ending, “Bad Sisters” is a must-watch for fans of comedy murder mysteries. Best to catch up now before Season 2 drops on Nov. 13.
“Bad Sisters” was created by Sharon Horgan and features a stellar cast including Horgan herself, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, and Eve Hewson. It has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bad Sisters
The tight-knit Garvey sisters have always looked out for one another. But when the toxic brother-in-law they all wanted dead actually dies, it turns their lives upside down and tests their bond like nothing before.
No. 4: ‘Bad Monkey’ (2024) | Apple TV+
This is the TV show Vince Vaughn was built for — sunny skies in the Florida Keys, classic Vaughn shtick, and a well-crafted mystery (based on the book by Carl Hiaasen) that begins with a severed arm on a fishing line (because why not?).
“Bad Monkey” follows Andrew Yancy, a disgraced Miami detective who gets pulled into a web of corruption and danger as he tries to figure out whose arm he’s found, and where the rest of the body is. Vaughn and Natalie Martinez (as a local coroner) have great chemistry, as she reluctantly hops on the Yancy chaos train for what quickly becomes an entertaining ride. The acting is superb, Vaughn’s persona never tires, and the mystery twists and turns in all the ways you want it to in an excellent addition to the genre.
Created by Bill Lawrence and based on the book by Carl Hiaasen, the series stars Vince Vaughn, Natalie Martinez, Rob Delaney, Ronald Peet, and Meredith Hanger, while boasting a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bad Monkey
A detective turned restaurant inspector in Southern Florida is pulled into a world of greed and corruption after a tourist finds a severed arm while fishing. And yes, there’s a monkey.
No. 3: ‘Based on a True Story’ (2023) | Peacock
What happens when you make a deal with a serial killer? About what you’d expect… chaos. With Season 2 just around the corner (all eight episodes will drop on Nov. 21, 2024), now is a great time to check out one of the most underrated comedy murder mysteries of the last year - “Based on a True Story.”
Kaley Cuoco stars and shines in this genre, as proved by her previous entry, “The Flight Attendant” (at least Season 1 is worth watching). “Based on a True Story” follows Cuoco and Chris Messina as a married couple who decide to capitalize on a chance encounter with a serial killer… by starting a podcast featuring the killer himself. The show delivers everything you want from this kind of premise, with Cuoco’s fun, manic energy leading the way.
“Based on a True Story” has a 76% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. It was created by Craig Rosenberg and stars Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, and Tom Bateman.
Based on a True Story
The lives of a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star unexpectedly collide, exposing America’s obsession with true crime, murder and the slow-close toilet seat.
No. 2: ‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021) | Hulu
You may be asking yourself how a show featuring two comedy legends and a multi-talented millennial star to keep them honest isn’t at the top of this list. Well, it’s No. 2 which is still pretty darn good.
And so is “Only Murders in the Building.” Nominated for about every Emmy category it could be, including nominations for Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, the series follows three unlikely true-crime-obsessed friends as they solve “Only Murders in the Building.” With a new murder case each season, and a dazzling list of famous guest and supporting actors and actresses including Paul Rudd, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane (who won an Emmy for his performance), Jane Lynch, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and yes, Meryl Streep, it’s no wonder the series is in the middle of dropping a much-anticipated Season 4.
Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, “Only Murders in the Building” stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez and holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Only Murders in the Building
Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.
No. 1: “The Afterparty” (2022) | Apple TV+
Say what you want about Season 2 (it was canceled shortly after it dropped), but Season 1 of “The Afterparty” is a revelation for the genre. Sure, there’s still a murder, a bunch of potential suspects, and three characters (Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoe Chao) trying to figure out who did it… but each episode is told from a different character’s perspective.
Not only that, but it’s told in a genre based on who that character is. You’ve got a rom-com episode, a found footage episode, a film noir episode, a Wes Anderson episode – even a 1990s erotic thriller episode all in the same season. That kind of fun variation matched with excellent performances, great visual design, and a plot that keeps you guessing is why “The Afterparty” is first on the list.
The series has a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes and was created by Christopher Miller, starring Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoe Chao.
The Afterparty
Nothing is as it seems in this hilarious murder mystery where each suspect’s story is told through a different film genre.