Apple TV’s Best Comedy Has Quietly Outperformed 'Ted Lasso' for 5 Seasons

When Ted Lasso was first released on Apple TV on August 14, 2020, the comedy series made history on the platform. By following an American coach as he travels across the pond to manage a British soccer team, the series perfectly balanced humor, heart, and quirkiness, and became a fan-favorite streaming hit. But while Ted Lasso, with a 90% overall Rotten Tomatoes score, will always be one of the platform's most recognizable hits with a long-awaited fourth season coming on August 5, 2026, another Apple TV comedy has been steadily winning over fans since its premiere in 2020 and delivers the same heartfelt, feel-good feels.

Just a few months before Ted Lasso, Apple TV released Trying, a five-season comedy series about a young couple, Nikki Newman (Esther Smith) and Jason Ross (Rafe Spall), who, in the first season, have been trying to have a child when they're told they wouldn't be able to. What follows is the couple's journey coming to terms with the news, opening themselves up to the possibility of adoption, and dealing with the ups and downs of the adoption system, their ever-changing relationship, and parenthood. Over the years, Trying has made a strong case for being the streamer’s most consistently excellent comedy, maintaining its warmth, emotional clarity, and critical quality across five seasons without losing sight of what made it special.

'Trying' Is Apple TV's Best and Most Consistent Comedy

Since 2020, Trying has not only followed a consistent release schedule, but has continued to entertain viewers and critics alike with an unwavering quality. Its latest season, which dropped last week on July 8, 2026, only continued that trend, proving the series has sustained its quality more reliably than most long-running streaming comedies on TV. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has received an impressive 97% average from critics, including flawless 100% scores for seasons 1, 4, and 5. "Trying remains one of television’s most compassionate comedies – and one of its most overlooked," wrote a review for the newly released Season 5.

With that, it's clear that while Nikki and Jason's life has seen them going through vastly different moments and life transitions, the series has depicted their journey without the creative dips, tonal shifts, or diminishing returns that often affect shows as they continue. That's especially the case when considering the six-year time jump that took place between Season 3 and Season 4. Albeit a risk for the creative team, Trying jumped through time and quickly justified the choice by pushing the story forward without losing its humorous edge.

Jason and Nikki Are the Backbone of 'Trying'

Much like Ted Lasso, Trying gets its charm from its endearing characters. Rather than chasing bigger stakes or increasingly elaborate storylines, the series has kept its story focused over the years, each time deepening Jason and Nikki’s relationship, allowing the comedy and emotion to grow naturally while preserving the intimate charm that first made the series work. For five seasons now, Trying has made viewers fall in love with the central couple, proving that character growth over reinvention is not only their priority, but is ultimately the secret to their success.

"Since the start, Smith and Spall have had the most charming, enigmatic rapport that makes you root for their on-screen counterparts," Tania Hussain wrote in her Season 5 review of the series for Collider. "This deeply authentic connection enhances Nikki and Jason's believability as a couple and offers genuine balance to the show. Whereas Smith’s Nikki is warm and optimistic with the occasional quirk, Spall’s Jason is more reserved, pragmatic, and occasionally neurotic. It’s this contrast that effectively allows the actors to play off each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities for performances that bring out an admired sophistication." With such authentic performances at the center, viewers are more invested than in a usual TV comedy to see how their story turns out, no matter how many parenting pitfalls they encounter along the way.

With that said, while Ted Lasso may forever be Apple TV's most well-known and recognizable comedy, Trying has been quietly outperforming it for five seasons now. With a stellar cast and production team, the series has established itself as a reliable, consistent TV series that hasn't fizzled or lost itself over time. Instead, as fans of the show tune into Season 5, the series continues to prove itself as one of the best comedies on TV, with critics and viewers alike in resounding agreement.