10 Best TV Shows Like The Hawk

Especially considering his past work starring in movies like "Talladega Nights," Will Ferrell is right in his element starring in "The Hawk." The Netflix original comedy series has Ferrell play Ronnie "The Hawk" Hawkins, a golfer trying to reclaim his glory days at the professional level. With Ferrell also serving as the co-creator and executive producer, the show reunites with him several fan-favorite on-screen collaborators, including Molly Shannon, Luke Wilson, and Chris Parnell. The comedic sensibilities are similarly right in Ferrell's wheelhouse, with the gags coming in loud and chaotically just as his longtime fans love.

There is no shortage of television sports comedies reveling in masculine mediocrity and we're certainly here for it. There's something endlessly hilarious about characters in prolonged arrested development trying, and often failing, to relive that last bit of fame. We're highlighting sitcoms that either have a strong athletic focus or similar brand of comedy that Ferrell brings to the table with his Netflix original. These are the 10 best TV shows like "The Hawk," each reflecting sports comedy mischief or middle-aged malaise in their own way.

When it comes to sports comedies, we've got to give a nod to the '90s sitcom that helped popularize the sub-genre. Premiering in 1989, "Coach" stars Craig T. Nelson as college football coach Hayden Fox, who balances his domestic life with his athletic profession. With its protagonist initially a single father, the show charts Hayden navigating his middle-aged years as much as coaching a football team. It's that distinction that earns "Coach" a place on this list, along with its prominent incorporation of athletic elements.

Nelson makes a great sitcom star, playing his role with deadpan aplomb and an understated sense of relatability. But the comedy really comes from his interplay with Jerry Van Dyke and Bill Fagerbakke, who play Hayden's assistant coaches. Seeing this trio play off of each other wisely stands as the centerpiece across the series' entire nine-season run. For all of his foibles, Hayden Fox is the most competent protagonist from any show on this list, though not at the expense of the humor.

Danny McBride had been a steady presence in comedy movies for years, usually in supporting roles, but the 2009 series "Eastbound & Down" firmly planted him center stage. In addition to co-creating, executive producing, and writing the show, McBride stars as disgraced MLB player Kenny Powers. Returning to his rural hometown in North Carolina with his tail between his legs, Kenny schemes to restart his professional athlete career. Benefitting from its status airing on HBO, the show really is able to cut loose with its raunchy humor, especially in depicting Kenny as an absolute cad.

"Eastbound & Down" is one of the best sports TV shows of all time and still arguably the funniest role that McBride has ever held. This is a redemption story of sorts, but Kenny is a character that doesn't truly think he needs to atone for his lecherous behavior, at least most of the time. And for Will Ferrell fans, the actor gives a hilarious supporting performance in "Eastbound & Down" as local car dealer Ashley Schaeffer years before starring in "The Hawk." The start of McBride's fruitful partnership with HBO, "Eastbound & Down" has its co-creator firing on all cylinders.

Sports comedies centered on middle-aged ne'er-do-wells don't necessarily require the main characters to be athletes themselves. The FX original series "The League" proves that, with the show focused on a group of friends in a cutthroat fantasy football league living in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Running for seven seasons from 2009 to 2015, the series featured a whole ensemble of fan-favorite comedic talent, including Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, and Jason Mantzoukas. Drawing from its core cast's improvisational background, the actors play off of plot outlines as they deliver rapid-fire jokes that this group gets themselves into.

"The League" starts out as a relatively grounded comedy about the idiosyncrasies of sports fandom and its impact on domestic life. But the further the series progresses, the more delightfully outlandish it becomes, not always limited to the challenges within the titular fantasy football league. At the same time, that camaraderie between the main cast only grows, with every season feeling like old friends getting together for more wild escapades. One of the best improvised TV shows of all time, "The League" is a reminder that sports fans are their own breed of nonsensical in their love of the game.

Admittedly, HBO's "Vice Principals" is the show on this list with the least pronounced athletic elements but is no less funny in its delivery. Running for a tight two seasons, series co-creator Danny McBride stars as Vice Principal Neal Gamby at a small town in the South. The show revolves around Gamby frequently butting heads with fellow Vice President Lee Murphy (Walton Goggins) over their various schemes. This dials up the hilarity compared to McBride's past work on "Eastbound & Down," retaining the raucous absurdity but with two dueling figures trading barbs this time around.

While Danny McBride is still very much in fine form, what really elevates "Vice Principals" is Walton Goggins in one of his first major comedic roles. Goggins' brings a wild-eyed energy to his role as Murphy, with the character's rivalry with Gamby fueling so many laughs. This all builds to a bonkers finale for "Vice Principals" as a season-long mystery comes to a crescendo. Finding the humor in self-centered adult bickering, "Vice Principals" benefits from a tighter focus and effectively repositions Goggins as a strong comedic presence.

Fan-favorite character actor Hank Azaria takes on a role like audiences have never seen him before in the IFC series "Brockmire." Premiering in 2017, Azaria plays Jim Brockmire, a professional baseball announcer whose career and life fell apart in the public eye. Given its protagonist's penchant for self-destruction, "Brockmire" reflects on the nature of sobriety and the emotional crescendo Jim undergoes across the series' four-season run. Coming from a very personal place for Azaria, the show brings the laughs but always keeps its wounded heart in sight.

"Brockmire" is a story about recovery, but also learning how to reconcile life's triumphs with its tragedies in cruel measure. Azaria realizes a lot of these themes with bittersweet beauty, joined by Amanda Peet as Brockmire's foil and love interest Jules James. With that in mind, the series is the most emotionally poignant comedy on this list, but does still remember to deliver its gags. A tour-de-force for Hank Azaria, "Brockmire" plays right into his strengths and vulnerabilities with excellent results.

"The Hawk" is all about its protagonist trying to reclaim his athletic glory, with "Cobra Kai" also about middle-aged men dealing with unresolved issues from their own past. In this case, the protagonist in question is Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), a one-time karate prodigy in the San Fernando Valley as depicted in "The Karate Kid." What "Cobra Kai" does so well is more than wax nostalgic about its '80s premise while celebrating it with a self-aware sense of humor. The martial arts action and coming-of-age drama are all there, but this is really about guys finding purpose in the midst of their respective midlife crises.

"Cobra Kai" rightfully gets a lot of attention for its high-kicking martial arts fight sequences, but not as much for its comedy. This is truly a funny show, with the laughs enhanced by fans who have seen the original "Karate Kid" movies. The show also has a strong sense of heart, with William Zabka giving the performance of his career, not just in acerbic gags but soul-bearing moments of vulnerability. A freewheeling fun time with plenty of hard-hitting action to underscore the stakes, "Cobra Kai" is more than just a six-season spoof of the classic '80s movies.

The Netflix original series "Running Point" tells its dysfunctional tale of professional sports from the perspective of team owners. Kate Hudson stars as Isla Gordon, who takes the reins of her family's professional basketball team after her older brother steps down in the face of a scandal. The complexities of trying to keep such a large and public organization from running off the rails, as well as Isla's chaotic family, fuels much of the show's humor. Those familial dynamics only get more estranged as the series continues, heightening the narrative stakes and general messiness of the main characters.

"Running Point" gets much of its appeal from Hudson's central performance as she brings plenty of wry wit to her role. But the show builds quite the ensemble cast around her, particularly in Season 2, with supporting actor Brenda Song joined by comedy veterans Ken Marino and Ray Romano. But more than just providing an athletic twist on a "Succession" dynamic, the Netflix original offers a unique premise to its sitcom sports comedy. Boasting one of the strongest comedic casts on television at the time of this writing, "Running Point" shoots and scores.

"The Hawk" isn't the only sports comedy on television right now revolving around middle-aged washed-up professional golfers looking for a second chance. Apple TV launched its own show with a broadly similar premise last year starring Owen Wilson with "Stick." Wilson plays Pryce Cahill, a former pro who sees his chance at redemption through young prodigy Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager). Accompanied by his best friend Mitts (Marc Maron), Cahill gives everything for his chance to mentor Santi and get a shot back at the big time however he can.

Between Will Ferrell's "The Hawk" and Owen Wilson's "Stick," the Apple TV series is the better comedy of the two. For starters, there are clear dramatic elements that lend plenty of emotional investment beyond the other series' shallower gags. But there's also a solid ensemble cast around Wilson, including Maron and the reliably great Judy Greer and Timothy Olyphant, that round out this familiar story. A sports comedy with a more visibly pronounced heart, "Stick" is perfect for those looking for something more emotionally substantial than "The Hawk."

Glen Powell has been one of the most prolific on-screen figures in Hollywood lately and that extends to television. Teaming up with screenwriter and producer Michael Waldron, Powell co-created the 2025 Hulu sports comedy "Chad Powers." Powell plays disgraced college football player Russ Holliday, who comes up with the titular persona to find a way to play again. As Holliday gets closer to those on his new team, including the coach's daughter, he finds himself questioning how far he's willing to go to maintain his ruse.

"Chad Powers" relies heavily on Powell's easygoing charisma and fortunately he has plenty of charm to spare. The show's premise admittedly veers into absurdism but Powell's willingness to embrace the more buffoonish elements of the character helps sell the core concept. To help underscore the show's drive for greater authenticity, NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning helped keep "Chad Powers" accurate. A wacky sports comedy that varies based on the audience's enjoyment of Powell's work, "Chad Powers" offers lightweight fun.

Tracy Morgan is one of the funniest actors on television and he maintains that reputation throughout "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins." Morgan plays the titular protagonist, an ex-football player trying to make a comeback after being banned from the game following a scandal. To help facilitate this, Reggie hires filmmaker Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe) to produce a documentary about his athletic career in the style of "The Last Dance." That lends the show to take on a mockumentary format made hilarious by Reggie's outrageous commentary.

"30 Rock" fans need to check out "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" and not just because of Tracy Morgan, though he is a major factor. Morgan and Radcliffe make for the ultimate mismatched comedic pairing, with Erika Alexander, playing Reggie's ex-wife Monica, completing the trifecta. Like "30 Rock," the gags come in rapidly as does the parade of celebrity guest stars rounding out the proceedings. A wonderful return for Tracy Morgan on television, "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" falls right in his comical wheelhouse.