Top 10 Greatest Rom-Com TV Shows
#10: “Love” (2016-18)
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Emmy Award winner Judd Apatow is best known for writing and directing comedy movies such as “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” He specializes in rom-coms with a male gaze, but in “Love,” we get both the male and female perspectives. The two protagonists, Mickey and Gus, are realistically baggage-ridden. They’ve both got their problems and aren't immediately loveable. However, the leads put in strong performances and win us round to the characters’ quirks, as the two misfits build a genuinely sweet relationship. “Love” is a self-described “down-to-earth look at dating” with plenty of humor and a real sensitive side.
#9: “Emily in Paris” (2020-)
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“Emily in Paris” has divided critics since its release in 2020 but there’s a reason we keep tuning in. And his name is Gabriel. Seriously though, there’s more to it than that. There’s Alfie too. Created by “Sex and the City’s” Darren Star, the show follows a chirpy marketing assistant who relocates to Paris to work for the French branch of her company. Culture clash ensues and Emily struggles to get to grips with the Parisian way of life. At least there’s plenty of romance to be found. “The Devil Wears Prada” designer Patricia Fields takes the lead on Emily’s memorable looks and the ensemble cast is great fun - but the real star of the show is Paris itself.
#8: “Four Weddings and a Funeral” (2019)
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Mindy Kaling is fast becoming the queen of the rom-com TV series. From her self-titled sitcom “The Mindy Project” to the hilarious teen comedy “Never Have I Ever” she always understands the assignment. Her modern reimagining of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” takes the premise of the beloved nineties movie and brings it up to date. There’s a transatlantic romance and a loveable group of friends but otherwise, the plot doesn’t bear much resemblance to the original. Instead, Kaling borrows the concept and runs with it, using the format to explore the lives and romances of a talented and diverse ensemble. The result is a likable love story with plenty of laughs and a lot of heart.
#7: “Younger” (2015-21)
If you loved “Sex and the City” and “Emily in Paris,” why not try another series by writer Darren Star? First airing in 2015, “Younger” ran for seven seasons and gained a devoted following. Sutton Foster plays Liza Miller, aged forty, who recreates herself as a twenty-six-year-old in order to move ahead in her career. The show is frothy, romantic, and fun, but it’s smart too. The writers aren’t afraid to tackle issues or explore generational differences, although never with judgment or a heavy hand. By the time we reach the final season, the show has become a full-blown rom-com and it’s all too easy to get invested in Liza’s romantic entanglements.
#6: “Love Life” (2020-21)
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“Love Life” was supposed to be an anthology series, with each season following a different character throughout their romantic life. Cute idea, shame it got canceled after Season 2. Still, what we have is worth a watch. Our first protagonist is Darby Carter, played by Anna Kendrick. Her journey of self-discovery takes the viewer on a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but it’s easy-watching. The writing has a light, comic touch, Kendrick is on form as always and there’s great chemistry between the central characters. William Jackson Harper made for another charming lead in Season 2. We love that the show takes the time to explore friendships and other meaningful connections, as well as romantic love.
#5: “Heartstopper” (2022-)
It may be aimed at teens, but we’d recommend this heartwarming series to romantics of any age. For LGBTQ+ viewers, it’s the sort of representation that past generations could only dream of. Set at a British all-boys school, “Heartstopper” is a coming-of-age tale based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series. With such gentle storytelling and sensitive performances, it’s impossible not to be swept up in the romance. The two central characters are so sweet that it’s almost painful to watch them struggle. Don’t worry though, this is a happy story, full of kindness and optimism. If you can survive all the romantic tension and fraught text message exchanges, you’ll be well-rewarded. For an American alternative, check out the “Love, Simon” spin-off, “Love, Victor.”
#4: “High Fidelity” (2020)
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The 2000 movie “High Fidelity” starred John Cusack as a fourth-wall-breaking record-store owner with an unsuccessful love life. Twenty years later, the story has been reimagined as a TV series, with Zoë Kravitz in the lead role. Kravitz’s mother, Lisa Bonet played a love interest in the original movie. Rob may have transformed from a white man to a Black woman, but otherwise, the character is pretty much the same. This wise-cracking music snob shouldn’t be likable, but Kravitz, like Cusack, has enough charm and vulnerability to win us over. Nick Hornby books make perfect rom-com fodder - think “About a Boy,” “Fever Pitch,” and “Juliet, Naked” - and “High Fidelity” had so much potential. It was canceled far too soon.
#3: “Starstruck” (2021-)
Co-written by New Zealand comic, Rose Matafeo (who also stars) “Starstruck” is a perfect piece of comfort watching for the romantic comedy fan. Matafeo set out to create a proper rom-com, of the kind that she grew up with, and she definitely delivered on that front. The story follows Jessie, a hapless millennial, struggling to make a living in London. She falls into bed with a handsome stranger on New Year’s Eve and later discovers that he’s a real-life movie star. It’s a screwball comedy full of romantic misunderstandings, quirky characters, and flirty banter. The laughs are genuine and the central protagonists are likable and easy to root for.
#2: “Jane the Virgin” (2014-19)
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Like the 2000s classic “Ugly Betty,” “Jane the Virgin” takes inspiration from a telenovela and gives it a satirical spin. It may be tongue-in-cheek, but it’s also unashamedly romantic. The premise is a little unusual. A twenty-three-year-old virgin gets accidentally artificially inseminated by the gynecologist and decides to keep the baby. As an added complication, the father turns out to be both her boss and her teenage crush. Plus, he’s married and she has a boyfriend. It may sound like a fever dream but the bizarre beginning sets the scene for a critically acclaimed comedy of errors. It manages to be both hilariously over-the-top and genuinely heartfelt. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” (2021-)
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“Dash & Lily” (2020)
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“Modern Love” (2019-21)
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“How I Met Your Father” (2022-)
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“Lovesick” (2014-18)
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#1: “Sex and the City” (1998-2004)
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Could this list be complete without “Sex and the City?” The classic series caused a sensation when it was released and was nominated for over fifty Emmys during its six-season run. Celebrated for its fashion, the show set a trend for rom-com protagonists with killer wardrobes, big city careers, and tangled love lives. Viewers laughed and cried with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte. A sequel series, “And Just Like That…” premiered in 2021, but “Sex and the City” is very much of its time. The iconic show is a time capsule of nineties nostalgia that captured a moment in fashion history and remains the definitive example of a romantic-comedy series.
