13 Best Movies to Watch From Universal Television

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1. As We See It, 2022

As We See It centers on the perspectives of its three leads: Jack, Violet, and Harrison, twenty-something roommates who happen to be on the autism spectrum. Along with their caretaker Mandy and a small but loving group of friends and family, they embark on a journey of self-improvement that is sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, but always funny and kind.

Despite zeroing in on a very specific disorder, the struggles and accomplishments of As We See It's characters feel universal and wholly relatable. The nuanced and refreshingly humane characterizations, along with an impressive balance of comedy and drama, are what make As We See It truly special. It is an underrated, enjoyable gem of a show, and quite digestible too since it only runs for eight episodes.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Albert Rutecki, Angela Fornero, Chris Pang, David Futernick, Jennifer Lyons, Joe Mantegna, Naomi Rubin, Rick Glassman, Sosie Bacon, Sue Ann Pien, Tal Anderson

Rating: 16

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2. Little America, 2022

Based on Epic magazine’s column of the same name, Little America is an anthology series based on real-life immigrant stories. The episodes vary in plot, topic, and even era—they’re as diverse as the characters themselves—but they are all connected by one thing: the hope of achieving the American Dream. In one episode, an Iranian father sets out to build his family’s dream home in a bid to prevent his son from moving out. In another, a second-generation Korean-American struggles to find his calling, much to the dismay of his war-survivor parents (“What do you know about suffering?” the mother, played by Parasite’s Lee Jung-eun asks when her son complains about med school).

Co-created by Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, and Emily Gordon (The Big Sick) and directed by Sian Heder (CODA), Little America is a heartwarming collection of stories, as moving as it is urgent. It’s easy to miss this over splashier shows on TV, but trust that this one’s worth tuning into.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rating: TV-14

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3. Hacks, 2024

The initial charm of Hacks is in watching sparks fly between its sharp-tongued leads. Neither the elderly Deborah nor the young Ava holds back the digs, both of them cutting to the core of their insecurities. Part of what makes their tension so watchable is that they’re stand-ins for different generations. Deborah represents the all-hustle culture of the boomers, while Ava represents burned-out millennials. Lock them in a scene together and you get endless (and endlessly funny) observations about the modern world.
Eventually, however, their relationship deepens into something more meaningful than that. As Deb and Ava bond over their shared hopes and flaws, the show transforms into a clever and tender two-hander about their prickly but profound relationship. They’re two sides of the same coin, and even though no one can bring them down like the other can, the opposite is also true: no one else can lift them and push them to new heights like the other can.Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hannah Einbinder, Jean Smart, Mark Indelicato, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs
Rating: TV-MA

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4. Never Have I Ever, 2022

This comedy is about a girl whose family moves to the U.S. on September 2001. She grows up to excel academically but, as she asks from the shrine in her room on her first day of sophomore year, she has yet to be cool. “I want to be invited to a party with hard drugs,” she prays, “not to do them, but just to say: no cocaine for me, thanks. I’m good.”

The show is narrated by tennis legend John McEnroe who was known for his explosive temper (played recently by Shia Laboeuf in Borg vs McEnroe). It’s a genius arc because Devi is a “hothead”, exactly like McEnroe. Instead of recoiling, Devi keeps boiling over, making for a fresh and original high-school comedy.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Adam Shapiro, Cocoa Brown, Darren Barnet, Eddie Liu, Jaren Lewison, John McEnroe, Lang Fisher, Lee Rodriguez, Lily D. Moore, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Mindy Kaling, Niecy Nash, Poorna Jagannathan, Ramona Young, Richa Moorjani, Richa Shukla Moorjani, Sendhil Ramamurthy

Rating: TV-14

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5. Girls5Eva, 2022

What can you expect from a series about a former girl group that comes together for a second chance at pop success? At the hands of co-executive producer Tina Fey (30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), it can only be razor-sharp and absurdly funny.

Girls5Eva, both the show and the group it names, are rife with nostalgia and comic observations about the middle-age condition. Throwbacks to the early aughts, when Girls5Eva first found fame, highlight the silliness of the era, while commentaries about their 40-something lives give the show a realistic edge. The series also has a lot to say about the sexism that continues to haunt female pop stardom.

Has the music industry learned from its mistakes and is it now better primed for Girls5Eva's more honest and mature work? That's the question the show tries to answer throughout its run, and it does so in endlessly entertaining and thoughtful ways.

Genre: Comedy, Music

Actor: Busy Philipps, Paula Pell, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sara Bareilles

Rating: TV-MA

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6. Harlem, 2023

Harlem follows four 30-something friends trying to live their best lives in their New York neighborhood. It sounds cliché—another group of women navigating work, love, and personal growth in NYC?—but thanks to the deft direction of Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip) and the dynamic performances of the show’s leads, Harlem is a blast to watch. The women are at once prickly and sparkly as they dive headfirst into romantic escapades, sexual explorations, and career ambitions. Their chemistry with each other is a scene-stealer, and you almost wish you can just sit with them all episode as they spill the beans over cocktails and brunch. Raunchy, ridiculous, and relatable, Harlem is delightful through and through.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, Meagan Good, Shoniqua Shandai, Tyler Lepley

Rating: TV-MA

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7. The Magicians, 2020

Despite a particularly rocky and self-serious freshman season (not to mention a less-than-optimal finale), The Magicians overcame the budget constraints typical of a series on Syfy and found a heart and a sense of humor that only grew across its five seasons. So even if its story can get convoluted and its adventures a little corny, it anchors itself on a core cast of likable characters whom the show isn't afraid to separate, hurt, or throw into impossible situations. And once you get used to its tone, its themes become easier to appreciate—of magic being a finite resource that ultimately hurts more people than it helps.Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Arjun Gupta, Hale Appleman, Jade Tailor, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil
Rating: TV-14

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8. The Bold Type, 2021

Given that The Bold Type is largely set in the office of a women's magazine a la Cosmopolitan and Teen Vogue, it's easy to be blinded by its flashiness at first. Cliches aren't hard to miss either, seeing as it is a show that follows three 20-something girlfriends making it big in New York City.

But this initial underestimation is the point. Right away, the show flips the script on hyper-feminine stories by also engaging in relevant political, racial, and feminist issues. It also takes journalism seriously and dives deep into the industry's complexities. The biggest surprise (and delight) comes in the form of Jacqueline Carlyle (Melora Hardin) the editor-in-chief who despite all looks and appearances isn't actually a Miranda Priestly-type but an actual mentor who is as tough and wise as she is compassionate and understanding. The series is subversive in this way, but it also manages to be entertaining and light on its feet—an impressive feat all on its own.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Aisha Dee, Katie Stevens, Meghann Fahy, Melora Hardin

Rating: TV-14

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9. Killing It, 2023

From the creators of the beloved sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine comes Killing It, an offbeat but endearing show starring Craig Robinson. Down on his luck and out of viable financial options, the show’s lead (also named Craig) turns to python hunting in Florida to earn some extra income.
It's an absurd premise that gives way to fun and hijinks, but for all its silliness, Killing It touches on important topics such as class and race. It walks a tightrope between comedy and criticism and gracefully succeeds, all while having something of value to say.Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Actor: Claudia O'Doherty, Craig Robinson, Rell Battle, Scott MacArthur, Stephanie Nogueras
Rating: TV-MA

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10. The Gilded Age, 2022

From the creators of Downton Abbey comes another period drama about social climbers and too-big homes. The Gilded Age, set in 1880s New York, follows Marian Brook as she arrives in the big city from a small town in Pennsylvania. Here, in her new home, she navigates her place among the old and new rich, as well as the upper and lower classes.

It's not the most exciting thing on TV, but its pleasant pace, witty dialogue, and relatively low stakes make it a soothing but still stimulating watch. The grand costume and production design also make The Gilded Age a visual delight; all in all, a good period drama to lose yourself into.

Genre: Drama, History

Actor: Blake Ritson, Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Denée Benton, Harry Richardson, Jack Gilpin, Louisa Jacobson, Morgan Spector, Simon Jones, Taissa Farmiga, Thomas Cocquerel

Rating: TV-MA

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11. Schmigadoon!, 2023

When long-term couple Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) sign up for a backpacking retreat to save their failing relationship, they find themselves instead in the magical town of Schmigadoon, where life is a vibrant, zany, 1940s musical and everyone—from the mayor to the carnie—sings their heart out. It's all fun and games until Melissa and Josh learn they cannot leave Schmigadoon until they find true love. Shocked to know that they aren't each other's one true pair, they then journey to find the people they're meant to be with before it's too late.

From its borrowed Broadway casting (present are Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana DeBose) down to its perfectly choreographed performances, Schmigadoon! is a clear ode to musical theater, and its unabashed appreciation for the genre is truly hard to resist. Even the most musically averse will find something to love in the show. If the theatrics and eye-popping visuals don't do it for you, then stay for the breezy six-episode run, the great lead chemistry, and the wry, exacting humor.

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Music, Romance

Actor: Aaron Tveit, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Ariana DeBose, Cecily Strong, Dove Cameron, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, Keegan-Michael Key, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Patrick Page, Tituss Burgess

Rating: TV-14

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12. Primo, 2023

Compared to all the meaty and daring shows coming out right now, Primo is relatively lighthearted fare. Its easygoing, PG humor hews closer to network rather than cable television, but the series isn’t without its merits.

Primo is candid and charming as it tackles the realities of school, family, and work. It takes a somewhat progressive approach as it centers on a Latino family, occasionally and importantly bringing up issues of class and race, but it also feels comfortingly familiar. It follows the classic sitcom formula of everyone getting along before the credits roll all while adding its own modern and multicultural twist to it.

If you ever longed for an old-school sitcom that keeps up with the times, then this just might be what you're looking for.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Christina Vidal, Efrain Villa, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Johnny Rey Diaz, Jonathan Medina

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13. Bupkis, 2023

It's ironic that Pete Davidson is the least interesting part of Bupkis, an autobiographical series about the ins and outs of Davidson's life. The half-hour comedy takes on the same raunchy, stoner, and self-deprecating humor Davidson is known for, so if you've seen some of his stand-up specials, SNL segments, and the film The King of Staten Island (a much better outing, in this writer's opinion), you'll know what to expect in Bupkis: a lot of Davidson revisiting his childhood trauma and poking fun at himself for being the internet's reluctant star.

That's all fine and funny enough, but what really makes Bupkis much better than your standard sitcom is the people around Davidson. If you can appreciate anything about Davidson, it's his appreciation for the people most others would usually forget after fame. Hometown locals, childhood friends, extended families—they're all here and they all shine much brighter than the series' star. Brilliantly, Joe Pesci plays Davidson's grandfather, Edie Falco his mother, and Bobby Cannavale his uncle. They're fully fleshed and superbly acted, bringing much-needed tenderness and humbleness to the picture. It's a pleasant surprise to see them in a series that is teetering on the verge of self-indulgence. So with Bupkis, you can come out of curiosity, but you will stay for the supporting characters, who truly live up to their role and hold this show up with mighty skill.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Edie Falco, Joe Pesci, Pete Davidson

Rating: TV-MA

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