The best comedy on demand

This week's best comedy shows on demand.

You're The Worst

This is a strong, grown-up US sitcom, which Channel 5 bought – and the chose to screen on its obscure digital station 5 Star in the middle of the night, so no doubt you've never seen it. Perhaps because it's hard to pigeonhole… it sounds like a romcom, but the couple are so self-destructive the rom is decidedly rocky. And the whip-smart writers never quite goes where the cliches would have you believe.

For example, in the latest episode, the boyfriend is introduced to his potential in-laws and gives an emotional speech how she might not be the perfect goody-goody they imagine, but she's smart, funny, creative and he loves her. In most scripts that'd be a emotional resolution… here the parent, and his girlfriend, freeze him out more.

Starring Brit Chris Geere, previously best known for, erm, Waterloo Road, it's worth seeking out on catch-up here. Or tune in for the next episode – at 2.40am on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Channel 5's on series one, but the third has just launched on FXX in the States:

If you like Catastrophe, you'll probably like this.

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves

While BBC One's We Love Sitcom celebration showed us, predictably, Del Boy falling through the bar and 'Don't tell him Pike,' from Dad's Army, tucked away on BBC Four was this more insightful look at the history of sitcom and how it reflected social changes, illustrated with some lesser-seen clips.

That included showing Love Thy Neighbour, Spike Milligan browned up in Curry And Chips and Desmonds to show attitude to race (though sadly the line of black sitcoms seems to pretty much start and end there); or the Maureen Lipman sitcom Agony, which had the first gay (and non-camp) couple.

You might take issue with some of the pronouncements, but it's fascinating stuff a notch above the usual talking-heads clipfest. Watch

Panelbeaters

This new panel show from Mock The Week regular Gary Delaney and BFF Caimh McDonnell has started touring some of the UK's established comedy clubs and featuring top circuit names.

It's not very slick and sometimes a bit self-indulgent – showing that formatting and editing panel shows isn't quite as easy as it looks – but the minds involved create some funny moments. And the concept of having Death as a comedy sidekick is a good one.

Panelbeaters is probably best experienced live to get the most of some of the in-the-room jokes, but it's also available as a podcast . here The latest episode was recorded at the Comedy Store in Manchester and features Justin Moorhouse, Mick Ferry and Rob Mulholland, as always, as the Grim Reaper.

Louis C.K.: Hilarious

The comic's 2010 special – based on his tour of a year or so previously – gets an outing on Netflix. It was a show that helped cement CK's reputation as an outstanding comic voice; the CD won a Grammy and this video was screened at Sundance, to great acclaim. 'One of the strongest stand-up comedy performances in the history of the art,' said Punchline magazine - and it's hard to get stronger praise than that. Watch it here.

Published: 17 Sep 2016