The Best Comedy Channel Is a Hidden Bargain on YouTube

If, like me, you were growing up in the Stone Age (the early 2000s), the term ‘CollegeHumor’ might ring a bell. 

Back in the day, the online comedy troupe dominated platforms like YouTube with its sketches about young adult life. They also played entertaining, fictionalised versions of themselves in recurring sketch shows like Jake and Amir and Hardly Working.

As the internet developed and short-form videos took precedence over carefully-crafted YouTube content, CollegeHumor wasn’t as big as it once was — but little did we know that, after all these years, they’ve been working in the background all along…

What is Dropout?

Dropout is a streaming service that offers a wide range of unscripted comedic content, such as game shows and improv. It was launched by CollegeHumor back in 2018, and the production company eventually retired its original branding and rebranded to Dropout completely. 

Since 2020, Dropout has been independently owned by Sam Reich, who was previously CollegeHumor’s Chief Creative Officer. And it was under Reich that Dropout really started to rise. With its rotating team of comedians, Variety reported that the platform has amassed over a million subscribers as of December 2025, while subscriptions rose from 31% between 2024 and 2025 alone.

The Best Dropout Shows For New Subscribers to Start With

If you’re getting acquainted with Dropout for the first time, some of the most popular shows that you should check out include Game Changer, Dimension 20, Very Important People, and Um, Actually.

Starting off strong with Game Changer, this show – which is hosted by Reich himself – has one simple premise: the players, who are usually Dropout comedians, have no idea what game they’re actually playing. It can range from lie detectors to parodies of shows like Survivor and The Bachelor. 

Dimension 20 is perfect if you’re a fan of Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop games. The show is hosted by Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan, and each season effectively focuses on a different campaign by the motley crew of Dropout cast members known as the ‘Intrepid Heroes.’ These campaigns range from fantasy to sci-fi, so there truly is something for everyone.

As for Very Important People, this leans heavily on the improvisation side of Dropout. In the show, a comedian is given a radical makeover (the results of which they know nothing about) before sitting down for a fully-improvised interview with Vic Michaelis. 

And finally, as the name implies, Um, Actually is a game show centered around contestants correcting facts about TV, movies, literature, and gaming among other things. It is hosted by Ify Nwadiwe, while Brian David Gilbert is the fact-checker. 

Dropout’s Cast Regulars (That You May Already Know Of)

To keep things fresh, Dropout has an ensemble cast — some of whom you might recognise from CollegeHumor. 

Along with Reich, who is pretty hands-on for a CEO, some of the best Dropout cast members as ranked by ScreenHype include Brandon Lee Mulligan, Mike Trapp, Josh Ruben, Grant O’Brien, Ally Beardsley, Zac Oyama, Emily Axford, Rekha Shankar, Raphael Chestang, and Siobhan Thompson. 

However, this list is not exhaustive. One of the best things about Dropout is its large and diverse cast, which helps keep things fun and fresh.

How to Subscribe to Dropout on YouTube, And How Much It Is

Subscribing to Dropout couldn’t be easier. When you navigate to the YouTube channel, click the ‘Join’ button next to the ‘Subscribe’ button.

If you subscribe, you get perks like full seasons of Dropout shows, new Dropout episodes when they are released, and access to a members-only community space, which involves plenty of behind-the-scenes content, discussions, and member polls, among other things.

The cost of subscriptions is just £5.99 a month. That’s cheaper than ad-free versions of many of your favourite streaming services — so, if you ask me, it’s definitely worth the cash.