It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986)
The groundbreaking meta-comedy that taught sitcoms to laugh at themselves — and talk directly to you.
It's Garry Shandling's Show - Series Information
- Original Title: It's Garry Shandling's Show
- First Air Year: 1986
- Last Air Year: 1990
- Created by: Garry Shandling, Alan Zweibel
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Comedy
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (30 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 4
- Number of Episodes: 72
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Networks: Showtime
- Production Companies: Our Production Company, Showtime Networks
- Production Countries: United States of America
It's Garry Shandling's Show - Plot
Garry Shandling stars as himself, a neurotic, sardonic stand-up comedian who just happens to be aware he is a sitcom character. Garry spends just as much time interacting with the studio audience as he does the regular cast members, performing monologues and show-closing summations of the episode's events. However, everyone knows they're on TV, not just Garry; and the audience (itself a character) is often involved in the storyline.
It's Garry Shandling's Show - Trailer
See the show's signature self-aware comedy in action with this official clip.
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It's Garry Shandling's Show - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Garry Shandling
- Alan Zweibel
Main Cast
- Garry Shandling
- Molly Cheek
- Scott Nemes
- Michael Tucci
- Jessica Harper
- Paul Willson
- Barbara Cason
- Geoffrey Blake
- Peter Barth
- Kate Mulligan
Writers
- Alan Zweibel
- Garry Shandling
- Tom Gammill
- Max Pross
- Ed Solomon
Executive Producers
- Bernie Brillstein
- Brad Grey
- Garry Shandling
It's Garry Shandling's Show - FAQs
Did It's Garry Shandling's Show invent breaking the fourth wall?
While not the absolute first to break the fourth wall, It's Garry Shandling's Show pushed the concept further than almost any sitcom before it. Garry addressed the audience directly, commented on the show's own structure, and even involved the studio crowd in storylines — making meta-comedy a central creative pillar rather than an occasional gag.
What is It's Garry Shandling's Show about?
Garry Shandling plays a fictionalized version of himself — a neurotic, sardonic stand-up comedian who knows he's a sitcom character. He chats with the studio audience, delivers monologues, and wraps each episode with a summary. Crucially, every character on the show shares his awareness that they're all on television.
Where can you watch It's Garry Shandling's Show?
Episodes of It's Garry Shandling's Show are available to purchase on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. There is currently no subscription streaming service carrying the series, so buying individual episodes or full seasons through these digital platforms is your best option.
How did critics and audiences receive It's Garry Shandling's Show?
The show earned strong critical admiration for its daring, self-aware format and Shandling's sharp comedic voice. It was praised as ahead of its time, influencing a generation of comedians and writers. Its meta approach to the sitcom form is now widely recognized as a direct precursor to shows like The Larry Sanders Show and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Who created It's Garry Shandling's Show?
The series was co-created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel, the latter a veteran Saturday Night Live writer. Their collaboration brought together Shandling's stand-up sensibility and Zweibel's sitcom expertise, producing a format that felt genuinely unlike anything else on television at the time.
Did It's Garry Shandling's Show win any awards?
The series received multiple Emmy Award nominations during its run, recognizing its writing and Shandling's performance. It also earned recognition from the Writers Guild of America. Though it didn't accumulate a large trophy haul, its critical standing has only grown over the decades since it ended in 1990.
How many seasons does It's Garry Shandling's Show have?
The series ran for four seasons on Showtime from 1986 to 1990, producing 72 episodes in total. Season 1 had 16 episodes, Season 2 had 17, Season 3 had 20, and Season 4 wrapped the run with 19 episodes — each roughly 30 minutes long.
What shows are similar to It's Garry Shandling's Show?
Fans of the show's meta-comedy style will find a lot to love in The Larry Sanders Show, Shandling's own follow-up masterpiece, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, which shares its improvisational, self-aware energy. Clarissa Explains It All and Saturday Night Live also echo its playful relationship with the audience and the conventions of television.
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