Portlandia

Portlandia has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the US on Netflix and Philo. Every one of its 8 seasons holds up. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Fred Armisen sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Portlandia arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Portlandia does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Satirical sketch comedy set and filmed in Portland, Oregon that explores the eccentric misfits who embody the foibles of modern culture. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein lead a cast with the timing to make it work. 8 seasons (2011–2018) gave the story room most shows never get. What keeps Portlandia from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Portlandia is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. Viewers who responded to Monty Python's Flying Circus will find a lot to like here too. 8 seasons gives the story real room to develop. Fred Armisen is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.

Portlandia wrapped up in 2018, created by Jonathan Krisel, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein — and 8 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.