Hulu’s surreal comedy Woke serves as an amusing analysis of socio-political aspects of modern pop culture along with the realities of racism. Shifting between the protagonist’s “animated” mindspace and the real work, Woke also shines because of its leading man Lamorne Morris.
Because of its multi-genre approach to sensitive issues and its offbeat satire, Woke would impress fans to check out similar unconventional satires such as Atlanta and Insecure. Similarly, the central premise of comic book artist Keef Knight hearing inanimate objects would compel audiences to check out other series that deal with imaginary friends and other-worldly encounters.
Atlanta (2016-) – Stream On Hulu
Created by and starring Donald Glover, Atlanta starts off with the misadventures of a rising rapper and his down-on-luck cousin who strives to be his manager. However, as the show progresses, Atlanta serves as the documentation of the randomly bizarre lives of the titular city’s inhabitants.
Not only would its hallucinatory episodic arcs impress fans of Woke but the episodes of Atlanta are also filled with plenty of satirical jabs at modern-day American racism. From parodies of news coverage to commentary on police brutality and blackface, Atlanta is probably the most surrealist take on racism in modern television.
New Girl (2011-2018) – Stream On Netflix
Woke’s leading man Lamorne Morris might be most popularly known for his supporting act on New Girl. But given how Woke‘s multi-genre style would cater to diverse demographics, the Hulu comedy might have attracted even those who have never watched New Girl before.
If that is the case, Morris’ energetic lead performance would drive viewers to check out the rest of the actor’s filmography. And his stint as the character Winston Bishop in New Girl is the perfect step to start from. He plays one of the neighbors to the series protagonist who moves into an LA apartment to restart her life.
Ramy (2019-) – Stream On Hulu
Ramy is the story of a first-generation American and his relations with his Egyptian-origin friends and family. As he navigates through his ideals of traditional spirituality and modern society, Ramy functions as the perfect tragicomic hero for modern times.
The show makes good use of situational humor and dialogue-driven satire to take shots at Islamophobia and racism. Woke might explore the fallacies of “wokeness” but it also gives considerable time to jokingly address real-world issues pertaining to systemic racism and casual stereotyping.
Wonderfalls (2004) – Stream On Netflix
Despite having run for only 13 episodes, Wonderfalls is one of the most underrated sitcoms from the early 2000s. The general premise is such that an introverted souvenir store worker starts hearing voices from inanimate animal figurines. As these voices force her to interact with people, comedic trouble is evident.
When compared to a show like Woke, Wonderfalls is quite simplistic in its narrative. And yet it is the protagonist’s frustration at listening to such unwanted voices that connect it closely to Woke.
Dear White People (2017-2021) – Stream On Netflix
Based on the Netflix movie of the same name, Dear White People is set in a white-dominated Ivy League College. As the black students form their own unions, these youths explore issues around the good and bad of social activism, student politics, and cultural bias.
The Gen-Z approach towards understanding racism can also include “absurdist” elements that would again go in tandem with the unconventional narrative style in Woke.
Insecure (2016-2022) – Stream On HBO Max
The TV show that skyrocketed the career of Issa Rae, Insecure features an ambitious yet confused event manager who sets out to make a change for her city and her community. Turbulent friendships and romantic affairs add to her insecurities.
While dealing with Issa’s internal struggles, Insecure is also filled with enough scenes of racial satire. Using meta-elements such as Issa talking to her future self, the show points out the double standards and extremities of political correctness. Woke asks similar questions with Keef changing within an ever-transient journey to becoming a “woke” black man.
Happy (2017-2019) – Stream On Netflix
Happy is a fine addition to the ever-growing pantheon of live-action shows based on comics that aren’t Marvel or DC. The basic storyline involves a retired hitman wreaking havoc while befriending his daughter’s imaginary friend, an extremely merry animated blue horse.
The contrast between the hero’s cynicism and the horse’s positive attitude adds to the overall entertainment. And the chaos that ensues in the protagonist’s own headspace is comparable to Woke‘s dreamy animated segments.
Special (2019-2021) – Stream On Netflix
Inspired by showrunner and lead actor Ryan O’Connell’s real life, Special deals with the everyday life of a gay journalist with cerebral palsy. Much of the premise includes the awkward encounters he has at his office and his share of tumultuous romantic relationships.
The workplace scenes in Special are quite interesting in terms of political correctness. The show mocks allies who act all tokenistic in their display of “wokeness”. Special isn’t necessarily a critique of woke culture. Instead, it is a satirical insight to make it better. With even its minor scenes carrying some sense of social impact, the binge-able Netflix comedy series would be the perfect follow-up to the politically-charged Woke.
Hit-Monkey (2021-) – Stream On Hulu
Hulu’s shows like Hit-Monkey are adding a humorous and mature take on the comic book genre. As the title suggests, Hit-Monkey is an animated action-comedy centering upon a monkey and his turbulent missions as an armed contract killer.
An essential part of Hit-Monkey is whenever the animal protagonist talks to Jason Sudeikis’ character Bryce, a ghost who was once a talented hitman when he was alive. This amusing friendship between a murderous ape and a fast-talking hitman’s ghost is what would impress fans of Keef’s imaginary interactions in Woke.
Legion (2017-2019) – Stream On Hulu
When it comes to surreal shows, Legion is arguably a cult favorite among the recent ones. Even though it is based on a comic character’s arcs within the X-Men universe, Legion subverts familiar superhero tropes for a deeper character study.
The visuals and effects are as psychedelic as they can be while the non-linear narrative often shifts across time and dimensions. Much like Keef from Woke, Legion‘s titular mutant also takes time to adjust to the voices that only they can hear. Both of their lives change in different capacities once they finally make their peace with these voices.
