Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best

Without The Larry Sanders Show, so many of these programmes, including the one directly previous, wouldn’t have been made, and what’s more, the world of TV would be far less enjoyable. Co-creating with Dennis Klein, Garry Schandling birthed a bevy of the finest sitcom characters ever and established a format for the ages.

The programme centres around the titular talkshow. There’s Larry, the insecure host; his producer, Artie (a fire and brimstone performance from Rip Torn); his sidekick, Hank (Jeffrey Tambour in one of the all time greatest comedy turns), and a bevy of underlings and hangers-on.

Then there are the celebrity guest stars, often playing distorted versions of themselves. Here’s where Sanders really leaves its mark - this notion has been jumped on by comedies good, great, and indifferent, but no one does it better than Sanders.

Its six seasons are all terrific, and as the show becomes more established, the writers (including Judd Apatow) feel free to take episodes in wild directions. Even without its influence it would be an all time great; taking this into account, it’s a shoo in for the top spot.