11 Best Sports Dramedy Series, Ranked

Big Shot only lasted two seasons, but not for a lack of charisma from John Stamos. The actor plays a fired college basketball teacher who finds new work at an all-girls private high school. We’ve seen this premise before, but this show still brings the goosebump-raising sports moments, as once again David E. Kelley produces a TV show worth cheering for.

Ted Lasso (detailed below) was a hard act to follow on Apple TV+, but Owen Wilson & Co. take their best shot with this show about a flamed-out golf star finding redemption by mentoring a teenage up-and-comer. We’re happy to report Wilson is winning as ever, and the supporting cast includes Marc Maron (of GLOW, below) and the still-underrated Judy Greer.

What happens when a baseball announcer has a mid-game meltdown and starts offering color commentary on his personal life? That’s the premise of this series, in which Hank Azaria’s character is shunted to the minor leagues after losing his major-league sportscasting job. Now he’s trying to get his legacy back on track, but he keeps getting in his own way, so both comedy and drama abound.

Over its original run, The Game evolved from a football-focused sitcom to a full-on dramedy, and the 2021 sequel series elevates the drama to new levels. As the action moves from San Diego to Las Vegas — and Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez return to reprise their parts — The Game’s characters once find that on-field play is only one part of the formula for pro-football success.

Mindy Kaling is overdue for a substantive return to television, but at least she’s co-creating TV shows like this one, which stars Kate Hudson as a pro basketball team president trying to keep the family business’s lights on after a scandal. It may not be a slam dunk, but it’s a welcome comeback for Hudson, who’s finally back to holding court in a leading role.

Real-life Los Angeles Lakers figures may not have appreciated the show, but Winning Time gives NBA fans a dramatized look at the team’s “Showtime” era, with a dozens-strong roster of actors playing 1980s-era Lakers stars, coaches, and owners. Come for the performances by John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, et al.; stay for the rad, retro production design.

Fans of the Karate Kid film series lucked out when Cobra Kai started streaming. The comedy-drama brings back many Karate Kid characters — including rivals Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), who mentor a new generation of fighters — and became a streaming hit with dozens of episodes. Now the franchise has returned to the big screen, and we have a feeling Cobra Kai is to thank.

Before Josh Charles, Peter Krause, and Felicity Huffman found starring roles in other TV shows, they all starred in this comedy from future West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. Once again, Sorkin takes us behind the scenes of a high-profile operation — this time it’s a SportsCenter-like TV show fighting for its survival — and we’re all too happy to watch every walk-and-talk.

Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson co-created and starred in this update of the 1992 film of the same name, joining Chanté Adams, D’Arcy Carden, and other heavy-hitters in a different take on the formation of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League’s Rockford Peaches. Though it was canceled far too soon, the new League of Their Own has more breathing room than the movie to explore the sexism, racism, and homophobia of 1940s America.

Our pick for the best TV show about wrestling (out of a surprisingly wide field) is also our pick for one of the best TV sports dramedies. Based on the real-life Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling promotion, GLOW follows actresses (and former best friends) finding a surprising second act in the wrestling ring. And in this ’80s-set TV show, the hair is high, the spandex is glittery, the neon is bright, and the humor has us on the ropes.

This endlessly optimistic show debuted in the summer of 2020, when we all needed a little hope and human connection. A story of an American football coach becoming an English Premier League football coach is, of course, a culture clash ripe for comedy. But add a cast full of endearing characters — all with dreams, ambitions, and gooooooooals — and you have TV at most heartwarming.