7.9/1054 votesLoading...#1 - Robin Williams
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 10/17/2023
Robin Williams’ suicide shocked the world. While he was one of the most successful comedians ever, he was struggling privately with crushing health and psychological issues.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10145 votesLoading...#2 - Chris Farley
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 8/16/2022
Struggling with addiction and a dangerously low self-image, Chris Farley’s old friends at Saturday Night Live conspired to help save the falling star.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/1074 votesLoading...#3 - Greg Giraldo
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 9/27/2022
How comedian Greg Giraldo's career, and life, is sabotaged by a toxic mix of addiction and self-loathing.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/1045 votesLoading...#4 - Phil Hartman
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 11/14/2023
Phil Hartman was a beloved SNL and Simpsons cast member, but his squeaky clean image was at odds with a toxic marriage that descended into a tragic murder-suicide.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1097 votesLoading...#5 - Artie Lange
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 9/6/2022
Artie Lange enjoyed mainstream success as a comedian on TV and radio, but his addiction to heroin, coupled with childhood traumas, threatened to thwart his ambition... and his life.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1033 votesLoading...#6 - Tracy Morgan
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 11/21/2023
Tracy Morgan survived drug-dealing, hyper-competitive SNL, and substance abuse. But a brutal car accident and two-week coma made him finally confront his childhood demons.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1029 votesLoading...#7 - Gilda Radner
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 12/19/2023
Gilda Radner was SNL's first female star. But her pioneering success was plagued by trauma, eating disorders, heartbreak and cancer, all of which she turned into comedy material.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1087 votesLoading...#8 - Richard Pryor
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 9/13/2022
Richard Pryor confronted America with brutal honesty like no other comic. But while he fought for a voice on stage, he was losing his own battle to drugs and family trauma.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1043 votesLoading...#9 - Norm MacDonald
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 12/12/2023
On SNL and beyond, Norm MacDonald was legendary for his fearless comedy. But his controversial persona concealed a serious gambling problem and a secret that he took to his grave.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/1075 votesLoading...#10 - Brett Butler
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 10/5/2022
How Brett Butler gained everything, only to lose it all.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1078 votesLoading...#11 - Dustin Diamond
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 9/20/2022
Dustin Diamond found fame as a lovable geek on Saved By The Bell. But when it ended, Dustin was lost, descending into one tragic chapter after another.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/1048 votesLoading...#12 - Joan Rivers
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 10/31/2023
Joan Rivers' insults made her a comedy icon, but the pressures of a male-dominated industry led to eating disorders, self-loathing, and a deadly addiction to plastic surgery.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/1064 votesLoading...#13 - Maria Bamford
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 10/18/2022
How Maria Bamford channels her mental illness into comedy, and encourages others to do the same.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/1055 votesLoading...#14 - Sam Kinison
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 10/24/2023
Sam Kinison revolutionized comedy with a vulgar, sexist act, but his appetite for cocaine and chaos would lead to a dramatic downfall at the height of his massive success.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/1071 votesLoading...#15 - Freddie Prinze
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 10/11/2022
A working class Peurto Rican kid, Freddie Prinze exploded onto the comedy scene but his overnight fame came to an abrupt end.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/1096 votesLoading...#16 - Roseanne Barr
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 8/30/2022
Brash, bold, and hilariously funny, Roseanne Barr made a name speaking her mind. And that very same impulse may have cost her her career.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.3/1043 votesLoading...#17 - Carlos Mencia
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 11/7/2023
Carlos Mencia was one of the biggest comics in America until accusations of joke theft led to one of the most dramatic downfalls in comedy history.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.3/1031 votesLoading...#18 - Ellen DeGeneres
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 12/5/2023
Ellen DeGeneres revolutionized TV with a unique brand of positive humor, but behind the scenes a massive controversy was brewing--one that would tarnish her image forever.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.1/10148 votesLoading...#19 - Andrew Dice Clay
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 8/23/2022
In the late 80s Andrew Dice Clay was one of the biggest comedians on the planet. His controversial brand of comedy found a huge base with white men in America... but at what cost?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
5.9/1039 votesLoading...#20 - Family Matters
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 11/28/2023
Family Matters was one of the most wholesome sitcoms of the 90s, but the success of the show led to issues for many cast members who are still dealing with trauma and addiction.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Dark Side of Comedy
Every episode of Dark Side of Comedy ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Dark Side of Comedy!
Throughout the history of comedy, many comedians have lost themselves to the art’s darker side, through addiction, suicide, depression and self-destruction. Dark Side of Comedy...
Genre:Documentary
Network:Vice TV
Best Episodes Summary
"Robin Williams" is the best rated episode of "Dark Side of Comedy". It scored 7.9/10 based on 54 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 10/17/2023. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Chris Farley".