Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best

The “stand up comedian plays himself in a loosely autobiographical series” genre of TV is a long established one with mixed results, but few have done so with such bold vulnerability as Pete Holmes in Crashing. The good natured, lanky comic has made a career of spilling his guts on stage and on his successful podcast, but his mostly successful series is his highest profile work to date.

Holmes fills the show with his real backstory: growing up devoutly Christian, he married young then had to rebuild his life after his wife had an affair. The show simultaneously depicts the devastation of serious heartbreak and the exciting notion of starting over as a rising comedian in L.A.

Holmes gambles on the notion that we’re interested in the inner workings of the comedy scene, and while he’s a little reliant on chucking in familiar faces (Bill Burr, Sarah Silverman) as guest stars, he pulls it together in his likeable lead role. The genuine sweetness of Crashing sets it apart from the trend of spikier sitcoms - it’s a show about the healing power of laughter, rather than its ability to be used as a weapon.