My Name Is Earl

When petty criminal Earl Hickey wins the lottery, he sets off on a quest to repair his questionable karma.

My Name Is Earl is an American network sitcom created by Greg Garcia for NBC, running four seasons from 2005 to 2009. Jason Lee plays Earl Hickey, a petty criminal and hapless small-time crook from a rural trailer park who wins the lottery and resolves to repair his questionable karma. Ethan Suplee plays his lovable, dim-witted brother Randy, and Jaime Pressly plays Joy Turner, a waitress who orbits Earl's ambitions. Earl's engine is a handwritten list of every wrong he has ever done; each episode checks off one item, often producing chaos as his earnest, poorly judged amends spiral into trouble with neighbors, local authorities and the people he tries to help. The structure mixes case-of-the-week misadventures with a slowly advancing arc of redemption. The humor is raucous, irreverent and affectionate toward its blue-collar characters, blending brash slapstick with a sincere, hopeful heart. Fans of Arrested Development, The Good Place and Roseanne will find a similar mix of flawed, good-hearted characters and sharp working-class comedy.

Critics and viewers generally find My Name Is Earl a likable, well-acted sitcom whose karma-driven premise and working-class ensemble deliver steady laughs, though its formula wears thin over time.

• Arrested Developmentshared absurd comedy of petty criminals chasing redemption, episodic misadventure with a serialized moral arc
• Roseanneshared lovable low-life protagonist, working-class setting, and an ensemble of eccentric relatives with a redemptive heart
• The Good Placeshared sincere-yet-irreverent sitcom tone built around a flawed man trying to become better, with a karmic comedy structure
• Married with Childrenshared raunchy blue-collar sitcom energy with a dim but good-hearted protagonist and a crude, affectionate family circle

Created by

Greg Garcia

Release Date

2005-09-20

Episode runtime

22 min

Rating

7.8 / 10 (1193)

What is My Name Is Earl about?

A small-time crook who wins the lottery sets out to make amends for a lifetime of petty wrongs, one karmic checklist item at a time.

What is My Name Is Earl like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of My Name Is Earl as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is My Name Is Earl violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in My Name Is Earl as mild.

What did critics think of My Name Is Earl?

Critics and viewers generally find My Name Is Earl a likable, well-acted sitcom whose karma-driven premise and working-class ensemble deliver steady laughs, though its formula wears thin over time.

Which shows are like My Name Is Earl?

Shows with a similar feel include Arrested Development, Roseanne, The Good Place, and Married with Children.

How long is My Name Is Earl?

My Name Is Earl: 4 seasons, 92 episodes.

Is My Name Is Earl still running?

No, My Name Is Earl was canceled.

Where can I watch My Name Is Earl?

In United States, My Name Is Earl streams on Hulu.