This Trending Netflix Series Is Proof That We Should Have Gotten A Lisa Kudrow Dark Comedy Much Sooner

Lisa Kudrow’s new trending show on Netflix, No Good Deed, proves she should’ve starred in a dark comedy series a long time ago. Kudrow has been a screen legend since starring as Phoebe Buffay in the cast of Friends. Like her five co-stars, Kudrow was launched to superstardom by her 10 seasons on the show. But she’s also had a great career outside her time on Friends. She starred in the cult classic Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion with Mira Sorvino and gave scene-stealing turns in movies like Neighbors, Booksmart, and Hotel for Dogs.

No Good Deed is the latest show from Dead to Me creator Liz Feldman. Feldman acted as showrunner and executive producer, and even directed a couple of episodes. Netflix dropped all eight episodes of No Good Deed on December 12, and it’s quickly become a big hit with audiences. Much like Dead to Me, No Good Deed has a delightfully dark sense of humor that encourages viewers to laugh at things they normally wouldn’t be allowed to laugh at. There’s no word yet on No Good Deed season 2, but season 1 is well worth a watch.

Lisa Kudrow's No Good Deed Is Called A "Dark Comedy" - What The Show Is About

Kudrow & Ray Romano Play A Married Couple Harboring Dark Secrets

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In the reviews for No Good Deed, the series is being described as a dark comedy. Kudrow stars alongside Ray Romano as Lydia and Paul, a married couple in dire financial straits who are desperately trying to sell their house to get out of trouble. Matters get even more complicated when Paul’s estranged brother Mikey, played by Denis Leary, is released from prison and demands a large sum of money in exchange for his silence. As it turns out, Lydia and Paul are harboring some very dark secrets that could ruin their lives.

No Good Deed was executive-produced by Will Ferrell through his Gloria Sanchez Productions banner.

Kudrow and Romano aren’t the only big stars in the No Good Deed cast. Lydia and Paul’s for-sale sign invites three different families into their lives, all vying for the property. O-T Fagbenle plays author Dennis Sampson alongside Teyonah Parris as his pregnant wife, architect Carla Owens; Abbi Jacobson plays prosecutor Leslie Fisher alongside Poppy Liu as her wife, Dr. Sarah Webber; and Luke Wilson plays out-of-work soap actor J.D. Campbell alongside Linda Cardellini as his vain wife, Margo Starling. The involvement of these great actors alone makes No Good Deed worth checking out.

No Good Deed Is The Latest In A Dark Comedy Boom

Dark Comedy Is Enjoying A Moment Right Now

Dark comedy is having a moment right now. A few years ago, there was an uptick in feel-good comedy shows that combated the bleakness and cynicism of the real world. Ted Lasso was the poster child of this feel-good TV renaissance, but this change could be seen all over the airwaves. Mythic Quest was the anti-Always Sunny, Schitt’s Creek was the optimistic inversion of Arrested Development, and Bob’s Burgers subverted the dysfunction of The Simpsons and Family Guy with a touching portrayal of happy, healthy family life. Now, the pendulum is swinging back the other way.

Feldman’s last show, Dead to Me, was a great dark comedy that invited viewers to laugh at horrible things.

No Good Deed is the latest in a succession of shamelessly dark TV comedies. Beef took a feud between two frustrated people to its hilarious extreme. Barry oddly humanized a cold-blooded killer who wanted to switch careers from hitman to actor. Succession and The White Lotus have been unrelenting in their satirical skewering of the ruling class. Even Feldman’s last show, Dead to Me, was a great dark comedy that invited viewers to laugh at horrible things. No Good Deed is a wonderful new addition to this TV trend.

Lisa Kudrow's Phoebe Buffay Was Always The Dark Comedy Member Of The Friends Cast

Phoebe's Grim Backstory Was Often Played For Dark Laughs

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Friends might not have indulged in as much dark humor as fellow sitcoms like Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but it still had plenty of pitch-black comedy. This darker sensibility was mostly facilitated by Kudrow’s character, Phoebe Buffay. Phoebe had a really grim backstory involving abandonment and homelessness, but it was always played for dark laughs because she had a casual attitude toward her troubled history and mostly remembered it fondly. Kudrow always did a great job with those darker gags, despite their tonal departure from the rest of the show.

Related Friends: 20 Best Phoebe Buffay Quotes Phoebe Buffay is the quirkiest and most unpredictable of the Friends gang. These hilarious Phoebe quotes perfectly demonstrate her free-spirited ways.

Kudrow has done a lot of dark comedy throughout her career. She appeared alongside Christina Ricci in the dark romantic comedy The Opposite of Sex; she appeared alongside Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro in the dark buddy comedy Analyze This. Kudrow’s criminally underrated mockumentary series The Comeback utilized shockingly dark comedy and agonizing cringe comedy to get uncomfortable laughs from its audience. Kudrow has always been a master of pitch-black comedy, and No Good Deed is the latest in a long line of darkly comedic projects by her.