Key Takeaways

• “The Vince Staples Show” premiered on Netflix in 2024.
• It follows in the footsteps of other shows starring and created by rappers, like “Atlanta” and “Dave.”
• From “Rap Sh!t” to “I May Destroy You,” each pick offers a unique lens on identity, absurdity, and modern life.

Seeing your favorite show come to an end — even if it's just the season — is always a little tough. That’s exactly how many of us felt when “The Vince Staples Show” aired its first season in 2024. Across its initial six episodes, the “Norf Norf” rapper went from saying hilarious things in interviews to acting them out on Netflix.

The thing is, no one fully understands what Staples is thinking at any given moment, but he’s genuinely great at acting. That, along with his dry humor, explains why “The Vince Staples Show” works as well as it does.

That being said, there are still many other great shows with similar plots, strong characters, and plenty of laughs. If you’ve already watched (or rewatched) “The Vince Staples Show,” here are nine other series worth taking a look at next.

1. “Atlanta”

In many ways, you could argue that “Atlanta” walked so that “The Vince Staples Show” could run. If you somehow haven’t seen the Donald Glover-starring series, it follows a beloved music figure — well, technically, Glover plays Earn, cousin and manager to Paper Boi — packed with humor and great cameos (Soulja Boy, Katt Williams, Migos, and so on).

The series wrapped after a bittersweet four seasons, which, to be fair, is two more than Glover originally planned. Over that span, it offered a surreal look at the Black experience loosely centered around its namesake city. Unsurprisingly, “Atlanta” was also one of the shows Staples “really” liked around the time his Netflix comedy first aired, alongside another dark comedy, “Barry,” which we’ll get to soon.

2. “Dave”

Drake called “Dave,” Lil Dicky’s brainchild, one of the “most important shows of our generation,” for whatever that’s worth. Much like “The Vince Staples Show,” it’s a semi-autobiographical take on a star dealing with the absurd and unimaginable. It’s not nearly as deep, but watching the “Freaky Friday” artist poke fun at himself and pull back the curtain on what goes on in a rapper’s life clearly resonated, as evidenced by its three-season run.

For example, at the end of Season 1, there’s a moment when he appears on “The Breakfast Club” — something he's done in real life, too. That, combined with cameos from Jack Harlow, Kendall Jenner, Justin Bieber, and more, makes for highly entertaining TV. And while Dicky’s presence as a white rapper in Hip Hop has its fair share of critics, his willingness to embrace awkwardness in “Dave” is pretty spectacular.

3. “Rap Sh!t”

In “Rap Sh!t,” Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) are former high school friends who reconnect years later to form a rap duo. Taking place in Miami, we watch as they hustle their way through an industry that hasn’t always been very welcoming to women. On top of the obvious rap drama, there’s a long-distance relationship, an OnlyFans subplot, and quite a few sex scenes, so it certainly won’t be for everyone.

That said, it's entertaining to watch the two cross paths with real-life stars like Brent Faiyaz, Guapdad 4000, and Pardison Fontaine. All in all, “Rap Sh!t” is an entertaining effort from Issa Rae, who brought the City Girls on as executive producers.

4. “Bust Down”

For anyone looking for a shorter watch, “Bust Down” premiered its first season with six undeniably hilarious episodes. We wouldn’t expect anything less from a show starring four comedians playing people stuck in dead-end jobs at a casino. Beyond the Diamondback Casino, there are plenty of funny moments, like Sam hilariously attempting to console a church crowd and “SNL’s” Chris Redd trying his hand at preaching. Of course, the series wouldn’t be what it is without Jak Knight, who sadly passed away just months after it debuted.

5. “Barry”

“Barry” is another Staples-approved pick packed with dark comedy. It has a little — or rather, a lot — more action, with Bill Hader starring as a former Marine turned hitman. Each season grows darker as the body count rises, and while Barry is eventually brought to justice, nothing quite prepares you for what comes after.

6. “Insecure”

After mentioning “Atlanta” and “Rap Sh!t,” you probably expected “Insecure” to make an appearance here. Practically everything Issa Rae touches turns to gold, and to no surprise, the series she both created and starred in is one of her most celebrated.

Perhaps “Insecure’s” greatest contribution is how it reminds viewers that Black people aren’t a monolith, whether they’re working at a nonprofit like Rae’s character or practicing law like Yvonne Orji’s Molly Carter. Many people, including us, would’ve loved for the show to run longer than its initial stint on HBO.

7. “Random Acts of Flyness”

As its title suggests, “Random Acts of Flyness” is full of, well, random acts. The Terence Nance-created series “delivers a unique and subversively funny look at American life,” according to its description on HBO. It has surreal bits, total weirdness, and comedy — though those elements sometimes take a backseat to the show’s stranger segments, like “Everybody Dies!” or the talking vegetables in “Brolic the Broccoli.” Believe it or not, this all comes from a show with episode titles such as “What Are Your Thoughts on Raising Free Black Children?” and “Two Piece and a Biscuit.”

8. “I May Destroy You”

We were pleasantly surprised by what our friends across the pond delivered with “I May Destroy You.” The show follows writer Arabella Essiedu (played by Michaela Coel) as she tries to piece her life back together after a sexual assault. At first glance, many would assume there’s no room for comedy here. However, Arabella finds moments of humor even in the darkest times.

9. “I’m a Virgo”

What’s it like being “a 13-foot-tall Black man” in America? Amazon Prime explored that question — one most of us probably never thought to ask — in “I’m a Virgo,” a satirical comedy starring Jharrel Jerome as Cootie, a 19-year-old who reasonably feels out of place just about everywhere he goes. Luckily, he’s got Mike Epps (Martisse) as an uncle, and the girl he likes, Flora, happens to be a speedster who also feels like an outsider. Who would’ve guessed that Boots Riley could write such an intriguing coming-of-age comedy?