Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is the new comedy you have to watch

IF YOU’RE a fan of laughing, then this is for you. Funny queen Tina Fey is back with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and it’s a brilliant follow-up to 30 Rock.

The new TV show you have to watch next

IT HAS the wit and cackle-out-loud quality of 30 Rock, the warmth of Parks and Recreation and the ensemble of lovable misfits a la Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the new comedy from funny queen Tina Fey, dropped all 13 episodes on Netflix over the weekend and it is must-watch for anyone who’s fond of, well, laughing.

Netflix Australia doesn’t launch for another two weeks but when it does, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is the first thing you should stream. (Yes, even before House of Cards).

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is all about — you guessed it — a woman named Kimmy Schmidt (The Office and Bridesmaids’ Ellie Kemper) who spent the past 15 years in an apocalypse bunker under the command of a doomsday preacher (brilliant cameo here) who convinced his captives that the world had ended.

The women are rescued and, when the delightful Kimmy finds herself doing the media rounds in New York City, she decides to stay and make a life of it, rather than go back home and forever be known as one of the “mole women”. Like any “innocent in NYC” scenario, she finds a cast of zany but lovable characters as she conquers the intimidating city with unyielding determination. Not to mention more than a little cluelessness about the cultural evolution of the past 15 years (cue jokes about selfies).

If this is starting to sound a little trite and been-there-done-that, rest assured that it’s not. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is smart and it is gloriously funny. The writing is sharp and the show is a worthy follow-up to Fey’s phenomenal 30 Rock.

With no advertisers to suck up to, it’s not afraid to shy away from making cracker jokes about iPhones falling apart or take shots at the insane consumerism of the upper class. It’s also got jokes about daddy’s boys, curb dolphins, talcum powder footprints and inappropriate Boyz II Men songs at Korean funerals. (Those will all make sense when you watch it.)

The comedy was created by Fey and her 30 Rock producing partner Robert Carlock, so you know you’re in good hands. She’s also dragooned many of the same writers and directors she previously worked with, including her husband Jeff Richmond, who has brought over his familiar musical strains, too.

Kemper, who’s spent most of her career as a supporting player, has truly earned her place as the lead and is perfectly cast. 30 Rock fans will also recognise Tituss Burgess (D’Fwan on 30 Rock) as Kimmy’s aspiring actor roommate Titus Andromedon and Jane Krakowski as the very Jenna-esque Jacqueline Voorhes, Kimmy’s uber-rich boss. Even though Kimmy’s enthusiasm and glass-half-full demeanour can sometimes grate, Titus hits you with that acerbic punch.

The comedy is the latest Netflix Originals show (initially developed on American network NBC, which declined to pick it up) that is creating big chatter among audiences and critics alike. The streaming giant has already committed to a second season.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will be officially available to Australian audiences on March 24 when Netflix Australia launches. The biggest challenge will be to stop yourself bingeing all 13 episodes at once. It’s a long wait until the next season.