Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best
3. Eastbound And Down
Danny McBridge’s masterpiece (co-created with Ben Best and Jody Hill) is best remembered for its brash, bawdy humour and McBride’s signature creation Kenny Powers. The baseball sensation turned laughing stock, he’s a force of nature played with gusto and just the right amount of vulnerability, and is truly a character for the ages.
Beyond that, though, Eastbound’s true strength lies in its structure. With the exception of the slightly shaggy third, each season tells an immaculate self-contained story, all part of the Kenny Powers saga but entirely its own thing. Kenny seeks redemption in season one; runs away from his troubles in two; attempts maturity in three; and finally rises back to the top in four.
The storytelling on show here is hugely underrated. It’s perfect binge TV, not just for the jokes but for the airtight plotting and pacing, an antihero’s journey Joseph Cambell would be in awe of.
It’s also properly laugh out loud funny, with McBride ably supported by Steve Little as sidekick Stevie Janowski, one of the most pathetic and deviant characters in TV history. It ended on a high with one of the all time great finales. Abrasive but genius TV.