The 20 greatest Southern TV comedies

A spin-off of The Cosby Show, A Different World at first focused on Lisa Bonet’s Denise Huxtable, who attends the historically Black college Hillman College in Virginia. After she left the show, however, it pivoted to focus on several other attendees of the fictional college. It frequently proved to be a bit more adventurous than its parent series, and it was willing to engage with some of the most fraught and troubling issues of the 1980s and 1990s.

There’s something enduringly appealing about the fish-out-of-water story, which helps to explain why Hart of Dixie  is so fun to watch. Rachel Bilson stars as Zoe Hart, a doctor who moves from New York to a small town in Alabama. Though the series does sometimes indulge a bit in various cliches, Bilson is undeniably appealing, and the show makes the most out of its premise. When it comes down to it, sometimes it’s enough for a show to have a compelling lead and various fun supporting characters. 

On Becoming a God in Central Florida is one of those shows that was an unfortunate victim of the COVID pandemic, and though it seemed poised for a second season, it ultimately was canceled after just one. Still, it’s worth watching Kirsten Dunst’s performance as Krystal Stubbs, who becomes ever more drawn into a pyramid scheme thanks to her husband. It’s a brilliant satire of the way that multi-level marketing schemes can be tremendously destructive, and Dunst is, always, a genuine pleasure to watch.

Kristen Wiig is in top form in Palm Royale,  in which she plays desperately endearing social climber Maxine Delacorte-Simmons. Set in Palm Beach, Florida, it follows Maxine as she tries to become a member of the exclusive Palm Royale country club, with predictably hilarious results. In addition to Wiig, the cast includes such comedy legends as Carol Burnett, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney. In addition to being beautifully shot and staged — showing the production values for which Apple is famous — it’s a story with a lot of heart.

The Righteous Gemstones is one of those series that seems to delight in being as ridiculous and as vulgar as possible. Set in South Carolina, it focuses on the various outlandish members of the Gemstone family. The show is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to its cast, which includes the likes of John Goodman, Edi Patterson, and, of course, Danny McBride (who also created the show). It’s a sublimely silly show, but it has a heart of gold, too, which makes it an eminently bingeable show.

Donald Glover has repeatedly proved to be one of the most versatile figures in entertainment. Atlanta showed that Glover had what it took to be a showrunner, and the series is a skilled and sometimes strangely surreal blend of comedy, black comedy, and satire. In addition to being quite funny, it’s a series that grapples with some of the weighty issues facing African Americans in the 21st century, ranging from racism to class identity. Small wonder that it managed to accrue many accolades during its run, and it remains popular even after its conclusion. 

Fresh off the Boat broke new ground in the sitcom world when it premiered in 2015, since it was the first time in several decades that American television had a sitcom focusing on an Asian American family. Set in Orlando, it focuses on the Huang family, their efforts to start a fusion restaurant, and their various family issues. It’s one of those rare sitcoms that managed to survive and even thrive through some pretty dramatic storytelling changes, and it remained successful throughout its six seasons

The late Burt Reynolds was a true entertainment icon, having been a success on both the big and small screens. In the 1990s, he lent his star charisma to Evening Shade, in which he portrayed a football player who moved from Pittsburgh to Arkansas in order to take up coaching duties for a high school football team. It’s a show that retains its appeal, in large part because it demonstrates the unique charms and pleasures that come from living in a small town in the South.

The animated sitcom King of the Hill has the honor of being one of those animated series that Hulu has resurrected after a major hiatus. In both its original and present iterations, the show manages to take the conventions, stories, and characters associated with the sitcom form and effortlessly transform them into animated form. Main character Hank Hill is a fundamentally decent guy, and it’s this, as well as the show’s Texas setting, that helps to ensure its place in the canon of great TV sitcoms.

Shows don’t come much more wholesome than The Andy Griffith Show, which starred Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, the benevolent lawman of the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina. While the vision of Southern small-town life that the show presented might not have been particularly realistic, there’s still something charming about its idealistic vision. It’s one of those series that continues to be a balm, and it is a timely reminder that some things about small-town life are worthy of celebration.

Few series of the 1970s and 1980s were as popular as The Dukes of Hazzard. Bo and Luke Duke are in some ways the very epitome of Southern rascals, and many of the series’ episodes focus on the cousins and their numerous schemes to outsmart Boss Hogg. The show has continued to enjoy popularity. This, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that almost every episode follows the same predictable plot. Sometimes, all it takes to make a popular show is to provide a bit of Southern charm.

Squidbillies is one of those animated series that could only have been produced by Adult Swim. As its title suggests, it focuses on a group of squid hillbillies dwelling in the mountains of Georgia. It has the absurdist humor so typical of Adult Swim animated series, but it’s also sometimes wickedly funny. The animation may not be particularly sophisticated, but this shouldn’t deter potential viewers, for beneath the often crude humor, there’s a sophisticated wit that can’t help but amuse and impress in equal measure.

Given the enormous popularity of The Big Bang Theory — in particular, the character of Sheldon — it was inevitable that the show would be given a spin-off. In this case, the new series focuses on Sheldon’s childhood in Texas, where he faces a number of challenges. While he’s a true prodigy, his own intellect is often at odds with those around him, including his family. It’s a funny and often very sweet show, and it features a very strong cast, including both Iain Armitage as Sheldon and sitcom legend Annie Potts as Meemaw, Sheldon’s grandmother. 

Reba McEntire made a triumphant return to the sitcom with Happy’s Place, in which she portrays Bobbie. Bobbie’s life takes an unexpected turn when her father dies and leaves her his bar, only for her to discover that she also has a half-sister about whom she knows nothing. It’s one of those shows that is warm and inviting, and McEntire shows again that she is a natural when it comes to playing funny women. What’s more, the show also features several guest stars who also appeared in Reba, adding a nice little bit of intertextual reference. 

Reba McEntire brings her megawatt charisma to bear in the show that bears her name, in which she plays a middle-aged woman contending with both marital chaos and her children’s bad choices. The show was very much of its time, with all of the trappings and tropes that one associates with 2000s sitcoms. However, it was also a special show in its own right, due in no small part to the fact that McEntire showed, once again, that there was far more to her than just a successful singing career.

Brett Butler gave one of the most memorable performances of her career in the sitcom Grace Under Fire, in which she portrays the title character, who puts her life back together after leaving her abusive husband. Much like Roseanne, the show explored American life from the perspective of a blue-collar family. Though later seasons of the show would be somewhat overshadowed by Butler’s struggles with addiction, the show is nevertheless a reminder of the diversity of stories that have emerged from the American South.

Though the exact location of Raytown, the setting of Mama’s Family, isn’t revealed, it’s clear that it’s somewhere in the South. There’s a definite Southern flavor to the show, particularly when it comes to the accents of the various main characters. Vicki Lawrence is a particular delight as Thelma “Mama” Harper, complete with her blue rinse and her saucy attitude. Though it was never a huge hit, it has gone on to enjoy a vibrant afterlife, and it occupies a special place in the hearts of many millennial and Gen X viewers.

Few series have enjoyed quite as much popularity as The Golden Girls. In addition to being a ratings hit during most of its original run, it has enjoyed a remarkable afterlife, and it has almost never not been airing on one channel or another. Set in Miami, week after week, it gave viewers the various (mis)adventures of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia, and the show repeatedly showed viewers that life doesn’t have to end just because one has started to age. It was really the extraordinary bond among the four women, though, that will forever guarantee this show’s place in the hearts of millions. 

Designing Women is one of those series that is both very much of its moment and yet also timeless. In addition to being quintessentially Southern — with accents that evoke mint juleps and magnolias — and very funny, it is also a very political show and, much like The Golden Girls, it wasn’t afraid to engage with the issues of the day. There was particularly potent chemistry among the four original leads, but the show maintained its unique Southern charm from the first episode to the last. 

Leanne is one of the most charming comedies to have come out in 2025. Starring beloved comedian Leanne Morgan, it focuses on her character, also named Leanne, whose life is turned upside down when her husband has an affair with a younger woman. With her sister’s help, though, she manages to make it through, and while the series may play it safe when it comes to the laughs, there’s no doubt that it makes for solid comfort viewing, all within the context of Southern comfort.