When the internet was just making its way to Nepal—there was television. On certain days in the evenings, families sat down to watch TV serials—some funny, others dramatic. Shows like ‘Tito Satya’ (translated as Bitter Truth) by duo Deepa Shree Niraula and Deepak Raj Giri are a nostalgic reflection of a time when Nepali folks loved watching television. While still popular among the older audience, the young generation isn’t entirely familiar with TV shows that were screened on Nepali channels.

However, fret not—because you won’t have to wait for episodes on TV or find a time travelling device to watch these shows. Thanks to YouTube, these iconic shows have most, if not all, episodes online which you can watch in your own time.

Moreover, these television shows are a good reflection of the times—often alluding to contemporary social, economic and cultural contexts. Though sometimes tainted by stereotypes and misogyny, the comedy shows, nonetheless, hint towards the collective psyche of the people, as they were quite popular among the general masses. Even today, on YouTube, they often rack up millions of views.

The Post brings you five Nepali comedy TV shows—some old, others still running—that one can watch for some niche Nepali humour.

Meri Bassai

‘Meri Bassai’ needs no introduction. One of the longest-running and most popular Nepali comedy television shows, it is based on the everyday lives of people living in villages—often made interesting by quirky characters with iconic punchlines. Characters like Dhurmus and Suntali have very much become part of entertainment history. ‘Meri Bassai’ started in 2006 and, as of now, has 807 episodes on its Youtube channel. The show still airs on Nepal Television at 8:50 pm and on Youtube at 9:30 pm every Tuesday. Media Hub produced the show, which is written and directed by Diwakar Bhandari.

Sakkigoni

‘Sakkigoni’ is a TV serial with a similar setting to Meri Bassai. Viewers like the show because of its eccentric characters, such as Padey and Jayante (who are uncle and nephew). The show is a spin-off of the popular TV show ‘Bhadragol.’ The serial mainly focuses on socio-comedy and tackles real-life issues like migration, and illiteracy, among others. In addition, the show also sheds light on the struggles of young people through the story of three best friends named Bale, Jigri, and Cockroach.

The show has 74 episodes on its YouTube channel. On top of that, it airs every Thursday on Himalaya TV at 8:00 pm. Produced by JPT Creation, actor Kumar Kattel, who plays Padey, is the frontrunner.

Madan Bahadur Hari Bahadur

‘MaHa’ jodi, which is an abbreviation for acting duo Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya, have come up with countless great TV shows. From ‘15 gate’ to ‘Laal Purja,’ most of their productions have been informed by some contemporary issues like real estate fraud, human trafficking, and discrimination, among others. With a perfect balance of comedy and social awareness, the ‘MaHa’ duo has cemented themselves as one of the greatest performers in Nepal.

Their longest-running show ‘Madan Bahadur Hari Bahadur’ has already ended, but it still racks thousands of views on YouTube. Previously, however, Madan Bahadur Hari Bahadur aired on Nepal Television. It integrated political and social topics into a comedy-drama format, which has been emulated by other serials that followed. The morally grey character of Hari Bahadur and his antics is always complemented by the good and knowing Madan Bahadur–who try to outdo each other’s wits.

Harke Haldar

‘Harke Haldar’ is a weekly comedy serial that airs on Kantipur Television. It follows the quirks and antics of an ex-sergeant, known as Hawaldar Harke and his encounters with his troublesome neighbours. The show tries to being forward social realities within the Nepali agrarian society.

‘Harke Haldar’ has a total of 603 episodes on its YouTube channel. The serial airs every Sunday at 9:00 pm. It is directed by Indra Dong Lama, and the script is written by Manoj Khadka.  

Halka Ramailo

‘Halka Ramailo,’ another Nepali socio-comedy serial, previously used to air on Himalayan TV but now is released on a YouTube channel called Balchi Durbe. It features two famous characters previously from ‘Meri Bassai’ who got their own spin-off shows. One is Iku, a Nepali version of Tarzan, and the other is Balchi Dhurbe, a local fisherman.

‘Halka Ramailo,’ which means ‘a little fun’, has completed a total of 186 episodes and new episodes are aired on YouTube every Sunday.