Right now you can watch The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in Australia on Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, and in the US on Crunchyroll — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A compact run that never overstays its welcome. 302 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Tomokazu Sugita is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on Crunchyroll Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is worth clearing space for. The jokes in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. I thought that when I entered high school, my days of believing in aliens, time travelers and ESPers were going to be over. That is, until she introduced herself. Claiming to be interested in only aliens, time travelers, and ESPers, Haruhi Suzumiya was the strangest girl I've met in a long time... The chemistry Tomokazu Sugita and Aya Hirano bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It first aired in 2006–2009. What keeps The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya respects your intelligence. Mieruko-chan is the obvious comparison, but The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya earns its own place alongside it. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Tomokazu Sugita is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya wrapped up in 2009 — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.