The WORST episodes of Dark Side of Comedy
Every episode of Dark Side of Comedy ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Dark Side of Comedy!
Explore the intensely personal journeys of the world’s most beloved comics, and the struggles that they encounter behind the mask, through first-person storytelling, incredible archival, and evocative recreations.
#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.
#2 - 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.
#3 - 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.
#4 - 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.
#5 - 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.
#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.
#7 - 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.
#8 - 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.
#9 - 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.
#10 - 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.
#11 - Chris Farley
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/16/2022
Struggling with addiction and a low self-image, Chris Farley's friends at "Saturday Night Live" conspired to help save him.
#12 - Maria Bamford
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/19/2022
How Maria Bamford channels her mental illness into comedy, and encourages others to do the same.
#13 - Freddie Prinze
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/12/2022
A working class Peurto Rican kid, Freddie Prinze exploded onto the comedy scene but his overnight fame came to an abrupt end.
#14 - Brett Butler
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/5/2022
Money. Success. Respect. Brett Butler had it all. Here's how the fiercely original stand-up and sitcom star gained everything... only to lose it all.
#15 - Greg Giraldo
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/27/2022
Roastmaster. Road warrior. Addict. Dad. How beloved comedian Greg Giraldo's career - and life - was sabotaged by a toxic mix of addiction and self-loathing.
#16 - Dustin Diamond
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/20/2022
Dustin Diamond found fame but when it ended, Dustin was lost, descending into one tragic chapter after another.
#17 - Richard Pryor
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/13/2022
Richard Pryor confronts America with brutal honesty, but while he fights for a voice on stage, he is losing his own battle to drugs and family trauma.
#18 - Artie Lange
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/6/2022
Artie Lange enjoys mainstream success as a comedian, but his addiction to heroin, coupled with childhood traumas, threatens to thwart his ambition and life.
#19 - Roseanne Barr
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/30/2022
Roseanne Barr made a name speaking her mind but her impulse may have cost her her career.
#20 - Andrew Dice Clay
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/23/2022
Andrew Dice Clay's controversial brand of comedy found a huge base with white men in America.