What is a good rom-com if not laced with awkwardness? From the classic "Cheers" to the more recent "The Mindy Project," "New Girl" and "Love," romantic TV comedies can make us feel a little better about our own love lives.
Need some proof? Just spend a half-hour listening to Chandler Bing’s less-than-suave pickup lines in "Friends." Or, watch the indecisive Jessica Day try to secure a date in "New Girl."
The rom-com genre — which has us laughing one minute and reaching for the tissues the next — has delivered several bingeable shows to date. Below, we list the series you should have on your radar.
"Cheers"
"Cheers" ran for 11 seasons (from 1982 to 1993), but the first five are the ones that solidified it as a classic TV rom-com thanks to Ted Danson’s Sam Malone and Shelley Long’s Diane Chambers.
"Cheers" is available to stream on Hulu.
"Jane the Virgin"
Jane is a virgin. Jane is also pregnant. It’s a telenovela-style rom-com with such an outrageous plot, you’ll find yourself instantly hooked. The series aired its finale in July after five seasons on The CW.
"Jane the Virgin" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Love is often a battlefield, and Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) is caught in the crossfire. The series follows the New Yorker as she uproots her entire life to secretly follow a crush to Los Angeles. "Crazy Ex" balances romance, musical numbers and friendship with comedy and actual life lessons, making it an ideal binge.
All four seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
"New Girl"
Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) has better roommates than most of us, so it’s no surprise the unconventional, eccentric teacher finds herself falling for one of them. Jess shows us that dating someone you live with is far from easy, though living with an ex is even worse.
"New Girl" is available to stream on Netflix.
"She’s Gotta Have It"
In this bingeable remake of Spike Lee’s 1986 comedy, DeWanda Wise is Nola Darling, an artist who’s juggling relationships with three very different men at once.
"She’s Gotta Have It" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Sex and the City"
Despite the title, "Sex and the City" is really about love, deep down. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth), of course, provide the main relationship, but there are plenty of other romances to watch. Pick your favorite season, and you’ll find a couple to root for (season 4, Aiden and Carrie, or season 6, Harry and Charlotte).
"Sex and the City" is available to stream on Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO Now.
"Mad About You"
"Mad About You" is a ’90s romantic comedy about a newly married couple, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt). Set in New York, the show reveals through flashbacks that the couple met buying an early copy of the Sunday New York Times. (Yes, this was something people did back then, or so we hear.)
"Mad About You" is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Starz.
"Friends"
OK, so "Friends" is more about, well, friends than it is lovers. But, two key relationships pull us through 10 years with this gang: Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer).
"Friends" is available to stream on Netflix until early 2020. It’ll then move to HBO Max.
"The Mindy Project"
"The Mindy Project" kicks off with the protagonist, Dr. Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling), declaring "I’m Sandra Bullock!" — which pretty much defines the show as a romantic comedy. Mindy juggles more romantic interests than one can count on two hands in the series’ six seasons, learning a little something about herself after each encounter.
"The Mindy Project" is available to stream on Hulu.
"Love"
If love has never been your strong suit, you’ll find comfort in the awkward relationship between Gus (Paul Rust) and Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) in Netflix’s "Love." The Judd Apatow comedy takes the "good-natured Gus" and pins him with the "rebellious Mickey" for some relatable comedy, or at least that’s how Netflix describes it.
"Love" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Rules of Engagement"
"Rules of Engagement" (2007-2013), covers the lives of a long-married couple, an engaged couple and their in-search-of-a-relationship friend, played by David Spade.
"Rules of Engagement" is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
"Younger"
Liza (Sutton Foster) is in her 40s, and it’s her biggest secret. As you make your way into the series, you’ll find it’s actually more about Liza’s romantic endeavors and workplace qualms than her age.
"Younger" is available to stream on Hulu and TV Land.
"Chewing Gum"
Tracey Gordon (Michaela Coel) grew up in a strict religious household. In turn, her relationship experience is … lacking. The Netflix series follows her journey to lose her virginity, while trying to hold onto her strict morals.
"Chewing Gum" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Lovesick"
A young man with a growing list of romantic partners finds out he’s contracted a sexually transmitted disease. He heads out on a journey to reconnect with every person he’s slept with.
"Lovesick" is available to stream on Netflix.
With amNewYork staff
