Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best

The high octane comedy thriller is a much maligned genre. At its worst it can be an excuse for the lazy dregs of both formats, but at its best it can be a vehicle for great characters, a propulsive plot, and some laughs to sweeten the deal.

Run wouldn’t necessarily be an example of the comedy thriller at its very best, but this engaging series starring Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson was a surprising treat that could potentially have had life beyond its single season order. The premise is immediately engaging: Ruby and Billy, college sweethearts, made a pact that, if they ever both texted the word “run” to one another, they’d drop everything in their lives and hit the road.

Obviously that’s our inciting incident, and the show works hard to maintain that initial bolt of energy while subverting what we’d expect from our characters from there on out. For the most part, it really works. This is in no small part down to the quality of the leads, who are given flawed and interesting characters to work with.

It perhaps suffers from a few thrilling twists too many, but Run is interesting, distinctive, and engaging throughout.