If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Dennis the Menace is available in Australia on Hoopla, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock Premium right now. The 4-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Jay North sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Available now on Hoopla — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Dennis the Menace is worth clearing space for. Dennis the Menace does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. This 1959-1963 television situation comedy series follows the lives of the Mitchell family, Henry, Alice, and their only child Dennis, an energetic, trouble-prone, mischievous, but well-meaning boy, who often tangles with his peace-and-quiet-loving neighbor George Wilson, a retired salesman, or, later, with George's brother John, a writer. Dennis is basically a good, well-intentioned boy who always tries to help people, but who winds up making situations worse – often at Mr. Wilson's expense. The chemistry Jay North and Gloria Henry bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. The series ran for 4 seasons (1959–1963), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. Dennis the Menace earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Dennis the Menace is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. According to Jim is the obvious comparison, but Dennis the Menace earns its own place alongside it. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Jay North sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.

Dennis the Menace wrapped up in 1963 — and 4 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.