7 Shows to Stream If You Can’t Get Enough of ‘Barb and Star’
In Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (now available On Demand) , starring and written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, two middle-age and single best friends, after being unceremoniously fired from their jobs, decide to be spontaneous for once in their lives, and take a trip to Florida. What follows is an absurdist romp that puts its charismatic protagonists through a deluge of antics involving a mysterious man, a super villain mass murder plot, and a lot of drinking. It’s a wild ride — and if you want more just like it, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re looking for zany premises (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), strong friendships (Broad City), or even just more Wiig (Saturday Night Live), we’ve gathered some streaming choices for you below.
Crazy Ex Girlfriend
The musical comedy about an uptight lawyer (Rachel Bloom) moving across the country for love earned a cult following over its four seasons. Stream it on Netflix for hilarious original songs that rival Jamie Dornan’s show-stopping performance as a love-struck Edgar serenading Vista Del Mar’s seagulls.
Broad City
Amid all of its craziness, the force that holds Barb and Star together is the bond between the two titular characters. Barb and Star seem to have little else in the world except for each other, and the amorous, co-dependent relationship they share is reminiscent of Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana’s (Ilana Glazer) dynamic in Broad City. For a comedy duo that resembles the film’s ladies in their youth, binge all five seasons of Broad City on Hulu.
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Some of the most surprising and delightful moments from Barb and Star are the songs that seem to come out of nowhere – for example, the show-stopping number at the hotel, which transformed the Vista Del Mar Hotel into a bona fide Broadway experience. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist has many such over-the-top moments. Tune into episodes of the musical dramedy about a San Francisco coder (Jane Levy) who hears people’s inner thoughts through song on NBC.
Bridesmaids
OK, this isn’t a TV show, but it would be sacrilegious to gloss over the film that established Mumolo and Wiig as writing duo royalty. As screenwriters for the 2011 blockbuster comedy, they showcased the same humor that underlies Barb and Star’s boozy, sexual, mid-life-rebellion antics. It’s streaming on Netflix now, and it merits a rewatch.
I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson
Although Netflix’s hidden gem I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson is a sketch comedy show, its absurd, out-of-the-box sense of humor makes it the perfect follow-up binge to Barb and Star.
PEN15
There’s something endearing about the earnest relationship between Barb and Star — together, they are a pair of oddballs united against the world. The two awkward tweens anchoring PEN15, Maya (Maya Erskine) and Anna (Anna Konkle), capture this tender dynamic. And their cringey middle school misadventures seem to echo Barb and Star’s approach to romance, too.
Saturday Night Live
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the show that catapulted Wiig to comedy glory. On SNL, she showed off her knack for bringing zany, overzealous middle-aged-woman characters to life (including Target Lady, Penelope, and Sue). Stream episodes from her tenure (Seasons 31-37) on Peacock for a taste of the craziness that makes Star so fun to watch.
