Having trouble finding a show you and your significant other will both enjoy? Sitcoms have been one of the most popular genres of television since the release of Mary Kay and Johnny in 1947, which was the first show ever to depict a man and woman sleeping in the same bed, and show a woman’s pregnancy. Ever since then, sitcoms have only gotten wilder and more exciting.
Sitcom is a shortened term for situational comedy. Situational comedies are television shows that are easy to keep up with, even if you’ve missed episodes, because each episode has its own story or plot. Occasionally there will be moments dedicated to a long term storyline, but majority of the episode is focused on the one-off story. This structure makes it easy for people to watch casually and without stress, as there’s nothing plot heavy that you need to remember or focus on.
If this sounds like the perfect type of show for you and your s/o, here’s a list of a few great sitcoms to try out!
At this point in time, if you don’t have a Netflix subscription, what are you even doing with your life? For the past years, Netflix’s streaming platform was home to the cult class, The Office, which is a show that follows the lives of various office workers in the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Michael Scott is the manager, and he’s certifiably insane, so every day is a wild ride for each and every employee.
If romance is your thing, there’s the blossoming relationship between Jim from sales and Pam, the engaged receptionist. If comedy is your thing, Michael and right-hand man, Dwight Schrute are sure to make you laugh out loud. From pranks to parties and giggles to tears, The Office has a little something for everyone, and it’s sure to keep you and your s/o interested. You can stream the whole series from Peacock for $4.99 a month.
Rick and Morty is absolute insanity in a television show. The sitcom follows a mad scientist grandfather named Rick who takes his grandchildren, Morty and his older sister Summer, on terrifying adventures throughout the galaxy. Rick has never been much of a family man, but he occasionally shows a kind side to his grandkids, which gives his most manic and neurotic character a sense of positive purpose.
Along the way, “moronic” Morty learns a thing or two about science and “selfish” Summer is shown how to care for people other than herself. With life lessons and modern commentary mixed into the hilarious and ridiculous comedy, Rick and Morty is a wildly humorous drama about an odd, middle-class family. You can watch Rick and Morty on Hulu, which is available in various ways.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a sitcom starring a long-time favorite from Saturday Night Live, Andy Samberg. Andy Samberg plays a talented yet slightly lazy and cocky cop who works for the 99th Precinct in Brooklyn. When his precinct is given a new and stricter commanding officer, Officer Jake Peralta must stay in line. His antics are hilarious, and the cops around him all have interesting qualities of their own. Many of them take the job seriously, but only so seriously if you know what I mean!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is great for those of you who love your weekly crime dramas, but wouldn’t mind a more light-hearted show to share with your significant other. Brooklyn Nine-Nine involves goofy people doing goofy things, with a little bit of seriousness, action, and even some romance, thrown in. You can find this sitcom on Hulu!
This is one of the older sitcoms on the list, which got its start way back in 1999 (the year some of us college kids were born!). It’s called Futurama, and follows the story of a pizza delivery guy named Fry. One night, on New Year’s Eve while watching the ball drop and drinking a beer, Fry accidentally falls into a machine that keeps him frozen for exactly 1,000 years. Once he’s defrosted, he comes face to face with a very different and advanced future.
Fry meets his only living relative, a distant nephew named Professor Farnsworth, who allows Fry to stay with him. Fry repays him by helping out with his interplanetary delivery service, which employs a number of strange people. Leela is the captain, and she also happens to be purple-haired and one-eyed, and a mutant. She is, however, unconventionally beautiful and Fry falls in love with her.
It’s a wonderful show about adventures and the future, and is definitely able to keep anyone interested! You can find Futurama on Hulu!
Modern Family is the story of exactly that: a modern family. Jay Pritchett’s first wife and mother of his children, has passed away, and he has since remarried to a woman named Gloria. Gloria has her own son with an ex-husband, and also eventually has a younger son with her current husband, Jay. Their family grows quite large and gets even more confusing than that, but after a few episodes, you’ll understand their dynamic family tree.
This family is a mix of two previous families, so we see how difficult it is for them all to understand one another and get along coming from all different backgrounds. The family is, however, very united and supportive of one another, and it makes for a heartwarming show with plenty of life lessons.
You’ll love Gloria’s feisty side and Jay’s growing family of grandchildren, and you’ll laugh at the misunderstandings and dilemmas the characters are put through every episode. Like many other sitcoms on this list, you can watch Modern Family on Hulu!
Friends aired for ten whole years, from 1994 to 2004. Almost everyone I know has seen at least one episode, and many have watched the series multiple times. It’s a tried and true classic, and it depicts some real-life struggles of life in your 20s-30s. There are three women, Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe, and three men, Chandler, Joey, and Ross who all live nearby in New York City. Of these six, four of them pair up and either get married, have kids, or both.
The group of friends is so consistent and loving, which is something that, unfortunately, not many friendships are. Friends depicts an ideal friend group, one that will always have each other’s backs. This makes for a comforting and joyful show that will occasionally break your heart. Each of the friends has a lovable quality that keeps you watching.
Friends is no longer available on Netflix, so it’s easiest to watch if you have the complete series of DVDs, which you can find on Amazon! Or, if you have Hulu’s Premium subscription, you can get access there, too!
The Good Place is one of those live-action fantasy sitcoms where the main character dies, goes to the “good place,” and belongs in the “bad place.” Eleanor, played by the adorable Kristen Bell, in life, was a selfish pharma saleswoman. In death, she’s desperate to learn how to be a good person and earn her place of belonging in “The Good Place.”
Eleanor meets her “soulmate,” Chidi, who was in life, a professor of ethics. He’s the perfect person to teach her how to be a better person, and keep her company in this new world she’s stuck in. The show focuses a lot on morals and ethics, and in turn, teaches a life lesson practically every episode. This sitcom can be found on Netflix!
This is one of those heartfelt sitcoms, where the whole point of the entire story is one guy’s quest to explain to his children, how he met their mother. It follows a group of friends, like, well, Friends, and it tells the story of how each of them falls in love. Of course, within that, there are tons of goofy and absurd stories that are hilariously retold by Ted, the narrator who is telling the story to his children.
Lily and Robin are the two girls of the group, and Ted, Barry, and Marshall make up the guys. Ted sees Robin, and falls in love, but is she the one with who he ultimately had the children with? It’s up to you and your significant other to find out! This is yet another sitcom that can be found on Hulu!
New Girl follows Zooey Deschanel as Jess, a girl who suffers a bad breakup and decides to move in with three single guys. While you might think the guys would be all over Jess, who’s sweet and lovable and adorable, they actually treat her quite respectively and show how different genders can, indeed, just be friends.
Of course, a girl living with three guys is going to be interesting, so there’s plenty of laughs produced from that aspect alone. There’s also Jess’s desire to get back out there, and all three of the boys’ desires to find a girl. Together they form a dysfunctional yet loving family of friends, and it creates a heartwarming and easy-going show for you and your s/o. You can find this show on Netflix!
Parks and Rec stars famed comedy actress, Amy Poehler. Poehler actually gave up her place on Saturday Night Live to star in Parks and Recreation, which is a sitcom about her character’s drive to make her town a better place and eventually become President. Working in politics is Leslie Knope’s life, and everyone who’s on her side and willing to help their small town is a close friend of hers.
Leslie knows some increasingly odd people, like Ron Swanson and Andy, and some snarky people, like April and Tom, so there’s definitely someone in the show who will make you laugh. It’s become something of a classic, now that Chris Pratt, who played Andy, has become a megastar after his role in Guardians of the Galaxy. Many people who enjoy The Office, find themselves enjoying this sitcom as well.
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