A good plot or a well-written story are all valid enough reasons to get hooked on a new show, obviously, but they’re not the only reasons. Sometimes, the right cast can bring in the viewers, and it doesn’t really matter what kind of story surrounds them. A combination of the two is obviously the most ideal, but not altogether necessary.
Which is why I’ve been so obsessed with ensemble shows lately. Sometimes I just want to turn my brain off, or at least down, and focus on great actors chewing up the scenery. And I’ve found a surprising number of great ensemble pieces that will keep you more than entertained.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu
It just really wouldn’t be an ensemble list without this show featuring somewhere. Just look at that core cast: Charlie Day, Rob Mac, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and the legendary Danny DeVito. That’s not even diving into the guest stars that have popped up throughout this sitcom’s 17-season run. Centered on a group of friends who run a bar in Philadelphia, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia poses the question: “How long can you possibly watch a group of awful people do hilariously messed up things?” The answer? Indefinitely.
Even as the quality has gone slightly down over the last few seasons, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia remains consistently watchable, and that’s only because of its central cast. Even if it’s not necessarily an example of a comedy show that deserves way more attention from the public, I could happily watch it for another 17 seasons and not get bored.
Watch Community on Hulu and Peacock
Sitcoms and dramas seem to make for the best ensemble shows, it seems. Community is yet another example of the former, and while it’s not as crass as something like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it does feature some truly bizarre and arguably hard-to-love-but-easy-to-watch characters. Throughout its run, Community features heavy-hitter actors like Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong, and many more.
Community primarily takes place at Greendale Community College, and focuses on a study group that gets up to increasingly peculiar events at the school while becoming a closer group of friends. It’s six seasons of pure anarchic fun, and there’s supposedly a movie on the way after many years of waiting. Enroll now and binge this immediately if you’ve never taken the leap before. You might not get a 4.0 GPA, but you’ll still have fun.
Lost
Watch Lost on Netflix and Hulu
A large cast of characters all trapped together on a mysterious island, Lost is truly one of the biggest examples of popular dramatic network ensembles in modern history. There aren’t a ton of immediately recognizable A-list actors present here, but every single cast member creates memorable and fascinating characters due to the strength of their performances.
Lost remains a divisive show due to some of its choices in later seasons, and a finale that didn’t exactly satisfy everyone. But even if that does end up being the case for you, you’ll stick around because of the cast and the commitment they bring to each character’s arc. For me, Lost is one of those shows I revisit quite often, especially when I’m burned out.
Game of Thrones
Watch Game of Thrones on HBO Max
Ah, yes, the ultimate epic fantasy ensemble piece that captured the attention and fervor of a massive audience for years. Of course, it didn’t exactly stick the landing with its ending, but it remains one of the biggest fantasy shows of all time. Lots of that had to do with its lively cast of complex characters. Featuring actors like Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Kit Harrington, Charles Dance, and Sean Bean, Game of Thrones and HBO never let you forget you were watching top-of-the-line television.
Thanks to its highly controversial ending, Game of Thrones hasn’t exactly remained a mainstay in everyday pop culture discussions (except, perhaps, as an example of what not to do when it comes to endings). Still, those early seasons hold up extremely well, and even when the story is falling apart, the cast is never anything short of stellar. Game of Thrones is something you need to experience at least once.
Succession
Watch Succession on HBO Max
I’ll be honest: Succession is not a show that really hooked me the first or even second time I tried to watch it. The premise was never all that intriguing to me: a family of obnoxiously wealthy people engage in Shakespearean levels of backstabbing and subterfuge. It’s just not something I would usually gravitate toward. Which is why I can comfortably say that the central ensemble cast for Succession does a major part of the lifting for me when it comes to the enjoyment I got from the series.
From Brian Cox’s brilliant turn as the patriarch of the Roy family to Jeremy Strong’s star-making performance, there isn’t a single weak link in the entire series. I remain emotionally detached from the inner machinations of the plot of the series, but by the end, I cared more about these insufferable characters than I thought I would. And that’s the power that expert actors can bring to the table.
Ensemble casts are the best part of modern TV shows, and I want more
These are just a few of my favorite ensemble pieces, but the beautiful thing about modern television is that they are far more common than they used to be. For anyone who hasn’t watched many shows, however, these are a great place to start. But if you’re looking for an example of things that didn’t work, we covered film-to-TV adaptations that promised a lot, but didn’t exactly live up to those lofty expectations.
