'Dr. Ken' Fans Will Like These Comedies

Spring just started, but plenty of TV series are already seeing their winter seasons come to an end — like ABC's Friday night comedy block. Will Dr. Ken be return for Season 3 on ABC? The show's first season did well enough to be picked up for another season, despite not netting ratings as high as some ABC series. And, as an added bonus for fans, there have been many cameos peppered throughout the second season from some of star Ken Jeong's days on Community, including former writer and showrunner Dan Harmon and Alison Brie, who will both be in the Season 2 finale. But after a second season that did, slightly, drop in the ratings, Dr. Ken could potentially face cancellation.

However, there is one major reason why Dr. Ken might stick around, and that's the format it was made in. Dr. Ken is a multi-camera sitcom (the kind with a live audience reaction), and it's been a part of ABC's multi-cam Friday night block for the last two years, paired with Last Man Standing. But, so far, the network has picked up a few new multicam pilots that could be on the way for the 2017-2018 season. According to Variety, a Carol Burnett/Amy Poehler project and a series about a single dad were among the multi-cam series that could be coming to the season this fall. If some of those shows do well, I could see Dr. Ken potentially being cut short. But until then, don't lose hope — ABC could easily decide to bring the series back. But while you're waiting to find out about the fate of Dr. Ken, here's a few other comedies that might catch your eye.

Trial & Error And The Good Place

NBC hasn't had a slate of comedies as good as its late 2000s and early 2010s lineup in a few years, but The Good Place and Trial & Error Season 1, both sitcoms from Michael Schur, the creator of Parks & Recreation, give me hope that the network still has the potential to take back its crown. Trial & Error, a spoof on true crime, is airing now, while The Good Place finished its truncated premiere season, so now is a good time to catch up.

Angie Tribeca

The third season of this TBS comedy will be back in early April, and when it comes to joke-per-second density, it truly cannot be beat.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Also on its third season, this show won't be back until May 19, but I can't think of a better comedy to catch up with right now. The first two seasons, are streaming on Netflix, and, while it's on a streaming service, it was originally written for network TV, and I think that makes the show shorter, stronger, and sharper.

Grace & Frankie

Dr. Ken is a family comedy, and it might be unconventional, but I think Grace & Frankie is a really wonderful family show as well. Starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, these two old-school stars are bringing something really special to the show, and it's true TV comfort food to watch them kill it in every episode.

black-ish

If you aren't watching black-ish yet, you should be. Perhaps no show on television does a better job of synthesizing social issues and current events into comedy, and I'm including the hours and hours of prestige dramas that air every week in the time of Peak TV.

The Carmichael Show

And because being a multi-cam show is helping Dr. Ken to stand out, here's a recommendation of what I think is another fantastic example of that style. The Carmichael Show may feature live laughter, but its best quality is the vaguely relaxed, conversational scenes where the characters work through a complicated idea in a wildly funny way. Until the third season premieres on May 31, catch up with the first two seasons.

These shows aren't quite the same as Dr. Ken, but on the off chance that the show comes to an end this year, you should have plenty of options for more upcoming TV comedies.