Red Oaks

Red Oaks is genuinely funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. It is currently available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video, so there is no reason to keep putting it off. A 7/10 rating means the audience agrees — and those who disagree tend to be in a clear minority. The production does not waste your time: every episode earns its place in the run, and the pacing is calibrated to keep you watching rather than checking how much time is left. The run length is exactly right for the story being told. Craig Roberts is the anchor, but the depth of the supporting cast is what elevates it. Start it tonight and see for yourself why the ratings are where they are.

Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Red Oaks from the crowd. A coming-of-age comedy set in the "go-go" 80s that is equal parts hijinks and heartfelt about a college student enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end--and the future begins. David Myers, an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey in 1985, is both reeling from his father's heart attack and conflicted about what major to declare in the fall. While there, he meets a colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members including an alluring art student named Skye and her corporate raider father Getty. Craig Roberts and Alexandra Socha lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 3 seasons (2014–2017), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Red Oaks holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-season curiosities.

Ideal for when you want something light without wanting something stupid. Red Oaks respects its audience — rarer than it should be. The writing assumes you can keep up and rewards you when you do, with jokes that have layers and callbacks that make rewatches genuinely worthwhile. The complete run is available and short enough to finish before the weekend is over. The kind of comedy that you recommend to someone who claims they do not really watch much TV, and then check back in a week to find they have finished it.