Some people turn to sci-fi or fantasy to distract themselves from the real world; others find comfort in reality TV or period dramas. I, however, have always found comedy the most reliable way to switch off after a stressful day. Laughter truly is the best medicine – proven to reduce stress, release endorphins and even protect your heart.

On a normal day, laughing at a silly sitcom or surreal sketch show can help me forget my worries. And, despite being underrepresented in comedy and TV writing in general (just 14% of primetime TV is written by women), some of the funniest shows of all time have brilliant talented women at the helm.

Here are 15 of our favourites to devour over the next couple of months.

We Might Regret This

If you’re in the market for a brand new show to sink your teeth into, one that will make you snort with laughter moments after delivering quite the gut punch, this is it.

Centring around a new relationship, a soon-to-be blended family and an intense female friendship, We Might Regret This follows Freya (Kyla Harris) a 30-something Canadian artist and tetraplegic. Freya is attempting to navigate her new life when her impulsive and chaotic best friend Jo offers to be her personal assistant. I mean, what could go wrong? Well, a whole lot.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Such Brave Girls

Such Brave Girls is not your typical family sitcom. It follows the story of sisters Josie (played by Kat Sadler, who also wrote the series) and Billie, along with their single mother Deb, as they attempt to navigate their lives as a family armed with nothing but debt, poor judgment and a desperate need for love and affection. It’s a refreshing and hilarious exploration of relationships and mental health – particularly focusing on how we cope and talk about our mental health with our loved ones.

If your humour leans on the darker side of the spectrum, this series is definitely one for you.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Starstruck

Rose Matafeo’s charming and witty comedy Starstruck always delivers the goods. Now on its third season, the series follows a struggling millennial woman in east London who becomes romantically involved with a famous film star (played by Nikesh Patel) after a one-night stand. And it truly never fails to bring the belly laughs.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Abbott Elementary

One of the best shows on TV right now, the award-winning Abbott Elementary (created by Quinta Brunson) follows a group of dedicated, passionate teachers thrown together in a Philadelphia public school – which means it’s packed to the brim with sharp commentary on major systemic issues, laugh-out-loud moments and heartwarming life lessons.

Where to watch: Disney+

Big Mood

Written and created by Camilla Whitehill, Big Mood follows the story of two best friends, Maggie and Eddie. As per the official synopsis, Maggie and Eddie have been best friends for well over a decade. Which means, yes, their relationship has survived a lot over the years, including multiple challenging eyebrow trends. Their 20s are behind them, though, and the two women are facing a pivotal point in each of their lives. And so, when Maggie’s bipolar disorder makes an unwelcome return, Eddie is forced to question whether this friendship is really in their best interests. 

Big Mood is not only brilliantly funny but also illustrates the messy reality of mental health and friendships.

Where to watch: All 4

This Country

It may have left our screens for good (sob) a few years ago, but the three series of this mockumentary following the lives of cousins Kerry and Kurtan Mucklowe in a sleepy Cotswolds village is one of the best comedies of recent times – seriously funny but with a big old heart too. Created by Daisy May Cooper (Kerry) with her brother Charlie (Kurtan), This Country perfectly skewers the monotony of living in a small town and the curious characters who live there – from the terrifying Big Mandy and her obsession with Compare The Meerkat to the put-upon-but-still-smiling local vicar.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Fleabag

How could we list the best female-written comedies without mentioning the genius that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge? In two, all too brief series, she managed to flip the comedy world on its head, showing a young woman in all her messy, relatable glory and giving us all a massive crush on Andrew Scott (aka the hot priest). The role propelled Waller-Bridge to global superstardom, winning two Golden Globes and a clutch of other awards in the process, and teaching us how to nail the most withering side-eye.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Smack The Pony

Back in the late 90s, Sally Phillips, Doon MacKichan and Fiona Allen paved the way with Smack The Pony – proving that sketch shows weren’t just a boys’ game. From astutely observed skits about body hair and office politics, to more absurd pastiches, and a popular series of dating videos, it changed the game for female-written comedy and still stands up 20 years later.

Where to watch: All 4

Catastrophe

Sharon Horgan co-wrote this masterpiece of a sitcom with Rob Delaney about a couple who decided to make a go of it after conceiving a baby while American Rob is in London on a business trip. A quick-witted script, relatable storylines and laugh-out-loud silliness – plus actual Carrie Fisher – is balanced by its genuine warmth, and the final episode of the last season was one of the greatest in recent memory.

Where to watch: Netflix 

Derry Girls

The chokers, the scrunch-dried hair, the double denim: ticks off all the 90s key trends, and the soundtrack is perfect inspiration for a nostalgia-fuelled socially distanced party right now. Following teenagers Orla, Clare, Michelle and Erin (as well as The Wee English Fella) navigating school, family and friendship during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, writer Lisa McGee calls on her own experiences of growing up in Derry to give the show its authenticity and humour.

Where to watch: All 4

Broad City

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer (the co-creators and stars of Broad City) are total friendship goals. They pick each other up when they’re down, share endless in-jokes, and always, always have each other’s back. This New York-set comedy puts female friendship, in all its unfiltered glory, front and centre, following stoner best friends Abbi and Ilana as they navigate dead-end jobs, useless boyfriends and irritating flatmates. From humble beginnings as a web series, it was executive produced by Amy Poehler and ran for five series – with Hillary Clinton even making a cameo.

Where to watch: Now TV

Gavin & Stacey

Exactly the sort of soothing TV we need right now, if you didn’t rewatch it all during the lockdowns, now is the time to get reacquainted with the residents of Billericay and Barry Island. Especially as, five years after our last trip to Barry Island, a new Christmas special is due to land on our TV screens later this year.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Chewing Gum 

The hugely talented Michaela Coel won two Baftas for Chewing Gum, which tells the story of 24-year-old Tracey who lives on an estate in East London and undergoes a sexual awakening after growing up in a very religious family (fun fact: Tracey has a picture of Jesus and Beyoncé side by side above her bed). Frank, fearless and seriously funny – it’s a window into a world that is rarely given a platform, and Coel’s is a vital voice in British comedy.

Where to watch: All 4

Absolutely Fabulous

Sweetie darling, how could Ab Fab not feature in this list? Written by comedy legend Jennifer Saunders, the hilarious 90s sitcom about hard-drinking, chain-smoking PR executive Edina Monsoon and her power-suited fashion editor friend Patsy Stone is ridiculous, over-the-top and just brilliant fun. Plus, having a self-restocking fridge full of Bolly is a serious mood right now.

Where to watch: Netflix

Insecure

Ending in 2021, Insecure is the brainchild of Issa Rae, the creator of popular web series Awkward Black Girl. The show follows Issa, a young black woman living in LA in an unfulfilling relationship, dealing with the worries and pressures that dominate our late 20s. Her writing is razor-sharp, original and very, very funny.

Where to watch: Now TV

Images: BBC, Disney+, Channel 4, Netflix, HBO, Getty Images