Well, who doesn’t like F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Sometimes all we need is a good laugh or bittersweet tears and shows like friends that will take on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Anyone can watch lighthearted shows like these; whether you are in school or university, you will relate to every character. When and how you get lost in the world of these sitcoms, you can never know because they are so engaging that you would want to binge-watch them.
Here is a list of 30 shows like Friends that are definitely going to take you for an amazing ride of laughter and a correct dose of life, along with a pinch of bittersweet emotions.
30. Happy Endings (2011)
- Director: David Caspe
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Happy Endings is a show like Friends that was extremely popular during the time of its release. Happy Endings is the story of six actors who play best friends and live in Chicago: Brad, Jane, Alex, Dave, Max, and Penny. Each of them has their own share of adventures and how the group goes on with their lives after every major adventure.
Initially, the plotline was centered around the group being on the verge of breaking up due to Dave and Alex’s broken engagement. However, later on, the show started focusing on different plots for every episode, just like Friends. The third season was the last and final season of the show.
29. Will and Grace (1998)
- Director: James Burrows
- Writer: David Kohan, Max Mutchnick
- Cast: Eric McCornack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Sean Hayes, Shelly Morrison
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
This amazing American sitcom revolves around the lives of two friends who have completely different lives ending up in a house together. Will is a gay lawyer, while Grace is an interior designer. However, when Grace’s marriage falls apart, she comes to stay with Will for a while but ends up turning into his permanent roommate.
The series depicts the journey of two friends who face the thicks and thins of the adventure called life together and give the audience an amazing tale of friendship, love, and comedy.
28. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
- Director: James L. Brooks, Alian Burns
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Gavin McLeod, Ted Knight, Georgia Engel, Betty White, Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper
- IMDb Ratings: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
- Streaming Platform: Hulu
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is one of the most loved sitcoms of its time. Despite being released in the 70s and running for a total of 7 seasons, the show was way ahead of its time. The series revolves around a single and highly career-oriented woman called Mary Richards. Mary moves to Minneapolis after her breakup with her partner. She has a new job and new life in Minneapolis.
Despite having her own share of successes and failures in her career, her career graph looks amazing. However, the one thing that is not amazing in her life is her romance chapter, as she hasn’t still found that perfect one for herself. The ensemble cast members include legends like Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, and Gavin McLeod.
27. How I Met Your Mother (2005)
- Director: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Coble Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Christin Milloti
- IMDb Ratings: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
- Streaming Platform: Disney +Hotstar
How I Met Your Mother is an amazing American sitcom, just like Friends. Friends fans often argue that the show is a copy of Friends, but it has its own uniqueness. The show How I Met Your Mother revolves around Ted Mosby, an architect, who starts to tell the story of how he met the mother of his kids to them. His journey is eventful and adventurous because of his friends named Marshal, Lily, Barney, and Robin, and together, they have their own share of adventure.
The show How I Met Your Mother ran for a course of nine seasons and has managed to get a good fan base. All the characters seem relatable, each with their own share of problems in their 20s, and yet they go through everything together.
26. Big Bang Theory (2007)
- Director: Mark Kendrowski
- Writer: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
- Cast: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Sara Gilbert, Mayim Bialik, Melissa Rauch, Kevin Sussman, Laura Spenser
- IMDb Ratings: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The show Big Bang Theory is one of the most loved TV series of recent times, and it revolves around a friend group who live in Pasadena, California. The story is about two friends, Sheldon and Leonard, who are physicists at Caltech, and they share an apartment with an aspiring actress and part-time waitress, Penny. Howard and Raj, too, live across the hall and are genius minds in their own fields of work.
Big Bang Theory is about the adventures and daily life struggles that this bunch of friends go through and is one of the most lighthearted shows.
25. Two and a Half Men (2003)
- Director: Chuck Lorre, Lee Aronsohn
- Writer: Ashton Kutcher, Chuck Lorre, Susan Beavers, Jim Peterson, Lee Aronsohn
- Cast: Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T Jones, Marine Hinkle, Melanie Lynskey, Holland Taylor, Conchata Ferrell, Jennifer Taylor
- IMDb Ratings: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Running over the course of 12 seasons, Two and a Half Men is one of the most loved tv series. The story revolves around a single father, Alan, who moves into a beachfront house with his young son. Waldon, his brother, already stays there and is an internet billionaire. However, things start to turn complex, yet funny and emotional, when Alan takes up the role of Waldon’s mentor.
As the three guys try to make sense of their living arrangements, they begin developing a bond with each other that binds them together despite their differences.
24. Living Single (1993)
- Director: Yvette Lee Bowser
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, T.C Carson, John Henton, Kim Fields, Mel Jackson
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 54%
- Streaming Platform: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
This classic sitcom revolves around the lives of four African American Women who are best friends and have their own share of adventures. They live in New York City and are bold, sassy, and amazing in their own ways. Khadijah and Synclaire run a fancy bookstore along with fortune hunter Regine. Maxine, who is Khadija’s best friend, joins along as well.
The women share a great bond, and they stay together as they celebrate their lives and, hilariously, their single living status as well.
23. Coupling (2000)
- Director: Martin Dennis
- Writer: Steven Moffa
- Cast: Jack Davenport, Gina Bellman, Sarah Alexander, Kate Isitt, Ben Miles, Richard Coyle, Richard Mylan
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
This British sitcom is one of the funniest sitcoms, and it revolves around six close friends, out of which there are three women and three guys who are absolutely sex-crazed. Their main topic of conversation includes a variety of topics revolving around sex, and they discuss it in the funniest way possible.
These friends who are in their 30s end up getting caught into some mess or the other and finding themselves in hilariously embarrassing situations.
22. Episodes (2011)
- Director: David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik
- Writer: David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik
- Cast: Matt Le Blanc, Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig, John Pankow, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Mircea Monroe
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Voot
Episodes is a British American Sitcom that revolves around the main characters, a married couple, Sean and Beverly, who won a Bafta award for their British tv series. However, when they move to America to make the show for the American audience, they are put under constant pressure to make changes in the script and cast Matt Le Blanc for a role that he is unsuitable for.
While Sean hits it off with Matt, the pressure from the script changes and production creates new problems in the marital life of Sean and Beverly.
21. Seinfeld (1989)
- Director: Art Wolff, Tom Cherones, Andy Ackerman, David Steinberg, David Owen Trainor, Jason Alexander
- Writer: Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Elaine Pop, Marjorie Gross, Fred Stoller, Alec Berg
- Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis- Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
- IMDb Ratings: 8.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The series Seinfeld is one of the unique television shows and is based majorly on the real life of the writers. The series is often described as a show about nothing, and each specific episode is an instance from either real life or fiction that is recreated. Every episode of the show is made using specific topics that range widely from death, humor, illness, love, friendship, etc. The characters are 30ish and have a vague sense of identity along with complex moral dispositions.
20. That 70s Show (1998)
- Director: Bonny Turner, Terry Turner, Mark Brazil
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, Wilmer Valderrama, Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Voot
The show revolves around a group of friends who are about to hit adulthood and the complex emotional dilemma they deal with. The series is set in 1970s Wisconsin, where these young friends seek independence as they are closing in on adulthood. The main focus lies on Eric, apart from the other characters, who is also a typical American high school student and lives with friends and family.
As the youngsters start to reach adulthood, they are faced with several adventures and mishaps of their own, which they have to deal with, together or alone.
19. Parks and Recreation (2009)
- Director: Greg Daniels, Michael Schur
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Retta
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Parks and Recreation is an American sitcom that explores the themes of love, friendship, politics, and humanity through two women. The series depicts a mid-level bureaucrat who takes it upon herself to help a local nurse in saving a community park from being converted into a business and commercial site.
However, her battle is not easy as she has to deal with red-tapism and neighbors who are not very welcoming of the idea of saving the community park. Parks and Recreation have gained a good fanbase over the course of its seven seasons.
18. Community (2009)
- Director: David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik
- Writer: Dan Harmon, Jim Rash, Annie Mebane, Megan Ganz, Chris McKenna, Liz Cackowski, Ryan Ridley, Andy Bobrow
- Cast: John McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nichole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The story revolves around Jeff Winger, who is suspended from work because he has a fake law degree. He enrolls at Greendale Community College, where he makes friends with Britta and is attracted to her. However, they go on to form a group of friends that include Nadir, a pop-culture enthusiast yet socially awkward, a single mother; Shirley, an overachiever Annie Edison; Troy Barnes, who is a former football star, and Pierce, who is an elderly millionaire.
As this unlike friends group of people struggling with their own lives and juggling through it meet, they develop a close bond, and what follows is how they take on life together.
17. Cougar Town (2009)
- Director: Bill Lawrence, Kevin Biegel
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Courtney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Phillips, Dan Byrd, Josh Hopkins, Ian Gomez, Brian Van Halt, Bob Clendenin
- IMDb Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Set in Gulhaven, Florida, Cougar Town is one of the most loved series. Cougar Town is basically about a group of neighbors, specifically Jules Cobb, who has been divorced recently. The series focuses on her new adventures and pitfalls in the new -phase of her life. Though she is supported by her teenage son and ex-husband, along with the fun-loving yet crazy neighbors, her life seems chaotically beautiful.
Most of the scenes of the show take place in the infamous Gray’s pub, Jules’s home, or her ex-husband’s boat.
16. Superstore (1994)
- Director: Justin Spitzer
- Writer: NA
- Cast: America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Coulton Dunn, Nixon Santos
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Superstore is an American sitcom that majorly takes place in a fictitious megastore that goes by the name Cloud 9 Store 1217. The show depicts the lives of the employees and managerial board members who have their own duties to follow while dealing with the issues of customers as well as issues within themselves.
While the work for some employees is to sustain and meet their needs, some work in order to succeed as fast as they can.
15. Insecure (2016)
- Director: Issa Ray, Larry Wilmore
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Issa Ray, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Lisa Joyce, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seals
- IMDb Ratings: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Insecure is one of the shows like Friends that revolves around the themes of friendship majorly. The series depicts black women’s experiences from the point of view of two young women named Issa and Molly, who have been best friends for a long long time. While Issa works at an NGO that works for the students of the African American community, Molly is an attorney.
Issa tries to reignite her relationship with Lawrence, while Molly finds it difficult to have a stable romantic relationship. The plot depicts the two friends, each with their own share of happiness and sadness, gracefully sailing across the chaos of life.
14. The Mindy Project (2012)
- Director: Mindy Kaling
- Writer: Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, B.J Novak, Tracy Wigfield
- Cast: Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina, Ed Weeks, Anna Camp, Zoe Jarman
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Mindy Project is an American comedy tv show that revolves around the life of Mindy Lahiri, who is a gynecologist trying to balance out her personal and professional life. Other characters like Danny, who is Mindy’s best friend and romantic interest; Jeremy Reed and Prentice, who are physicians; Morgan Tookers, who is a nurse and an ex-con as well as Tamara Webb, who is a nurse; and Beverly, who is the receptionist plays an important role in Mindy’s life.
With the help of these people, Mindy tries to explore herself as well as her life while working and trying to romance and also hanging around with her friends. It is more of a workplace comedy show.
13. New Girl (2011)
- Director: Elizabeth Meriwether
- Writer: Lamorne Morris, Elizabeth Meriwether, Nina Pedrad
- Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris, Hanah Simone
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Disney + Hotstar
New Girl is the story of Jess, a young woman who moves out of her residence after she catches her boyfriend with another woman. She moves into a loft with three men of her own age named Nick, Schmidt, and Coach. Later, Winston joins them after Coach and Cece, Jess’ friend, start dating. New Girl is a story of love, friendship, and drama where this group of friends has their own share of dramas, engagements, and complicated emotions.
However, by the end of the series New Girl, all the friends end up with their soulmates, and despite having so many complexities, their friendship remains intact. The series finale also features Taylor Swift, and one of the guest characters is none other than Taylor Swift.
12. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
- Director: Dan Goor, Michael Schur
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Mellisa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio
- IMDb Ratings: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a police procedural tv show that is set in the 99th precinct of the New York Police Department in Brooklyn. Raymond Holt, an eccentric police officer, is given the charge of some dynamic and unlikely team of police officers. Holt and his team are diverse, and each officer is unique in their own way and solves crimes in Brooklyn.
The series received great appreciation for the stellar performance of the actors and a solid plotline. Set in New York City, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a must-watch lighthearted series.
11. Breaking Bad (2008)
- Director: Vince Gilligan
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Brian Cranston, Anna Gun, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt
- IMDb Ratings: 9.5 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Breaking Bad is one of the highest-rated shows on IMDb and is known for its unique and strong storyline. The series is set in Albuquerque, Mexico, and follows the life of Walter White, a chemistry teacher who finds out that he has cancer. He takes on making meth as a business in order to clear his medical debt. However, his life takes a different turn when he meets his ally, Jesse Pinkman.
Breaking Bad is one of the best series based on narcotics and explores the themes of death, friendship, betrayal, family, and life.
10. The Good Place (2016)
- Director: Michael Schur
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harbor, Jameela Jamil, D’ArcyCarden, Manny Jacinto, Ted Danson
- IMDb Ratings: 8.2 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Good Place is an American television comedy series that revolves around Eleanor Shellstrop, who dies and goes into the afterlife. However, she finds herself in a good place where she finds out she is there by mistake. As she goes into hiding from Michael and Janet, God’s architects, she is provided shelter by Tahani and Jason. She tries to be a better person and get past the older habits of her life.
9. Modern Family (2009)
- Director: Christopher Llyod, Steven Levitan
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Ed’ O Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burell, Jesse Tyler, Eric Stonestreet
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Modern family revolves around the life of three families of different kinds who are related to Jay Pritchett and his children. The story mainly revolves around the patriarch Pritchett and his family life. His daughter Claire makes a comeback to the business world after being a homemaker for many years. Her children Alex, Luke, and Hayley, along with her husband, have their own complexities in life.
On the other hand, Mitchell, Pritchett’s son, and his husband have a family of their own with their own share of ups and downs. Modern Family is a must-watch comedy series.
8. Its always in Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
- Director: Rob McElhenney
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito
- IMDb Ratings: 8.8 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
It’s always sunny in Philadelphia is about a group of five friends who are alcoholics and self-absorbed. They run an Irish pub where they scheme anything and everything for sex, money, and fame. At times their plans backfire, and at times, it succeeds. However, everything seems stupidly funny, and even though all the friends are indulged in their own complexities, it’s always sunny in the bar.
7. Crashing (2016)
- Director: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Writer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Cast: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Julie Dray, Louise Ford, Damien Molony
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Crashing is a British comedy series that follows the lives of six people who are in their late twenties. They live as property guardians in a disguised hospital with meager rent and strict rules. The group faces a complex situation when personal relationships overlap, and there is a rise in sexual tension, and everyone has their own personal baggage.
6. The Golden Girls (1985)
- Director: Susan Harris
- Writer: Susan Harris, Mitchell Hurwitz, Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro
- Cast: Brian Cranston, Anna Gun, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Golden Girls is about four older single women who share a house in Miami named Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia, who have their own share of complexities. They stay together and share their lives with each other, facing everything, the happy and joyful moments of life. With each of them coming from different backgrounds and different age groups, they get along with each other and have a golden time.
5. Cheers (1982)
- Director: Glen Charles, Les Charles, James Burrows
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perman, George Wendt
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
The series is set in a Boston club and bar named Cheers and revolves around the lives of the regulars who share their lives and experiences with each other. This is a bar where everybody knows everybody. The patrons and employees of the club have been there for 11 years, and they have their own amazing stories to tell and experiences to share with each other.
4. The Office (2005)
- Director: Vince Gilligan
- Writer: Steve Carell, Mindy Kaling, B.J Novak, Michael Schur
- Cast: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer
- IMDb Ratings: 9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
The Office is a workplace comedy series that depicts the day-to-day lives of the employees of a paper company. Michael Scott, the boss, is neither funny nor bright but is loved by everyone, and Dwight takes his job with utmost seriousness. On the other hand, Jim is the salesman and is the prankster of the office. The series depicts the personal, professional, and social lives, all set in the office.
3. Lovesick(2014)
- Director: Tom Edge
- Writer: Tom Edge, Ed Mcdonald, Andy Baker, Mike Grimmer
- Cast: Daniel Ings, Antonia Thomas, Johnny Flynn, Joshua McGuire
- IMDb Ratings: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The story revolves around Dylan, who is 20ish and is a hopeless romantic who seeks true love, and for this, he has a long list of women who he wants to know. When he discovers that he has an STD, he takes it upon himself to tell everyone he has slept with this. Every time Dylan calls one of his exes, he realizes and takes a trip down memory lane of the defining moment that he wants to forget.
2. One Day At a Time (2017)
- Director: Gloria Calderon Kellet
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Justina Machado, Isabella Gomez, Todd Grinnell, Rita Moreno, Mackenzie Phillips
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The series One Day At A Time follows the life of an army veteran called Penelope along with her American Cuban Family, with whom she faces all the ups and downs of life. As she is newly single and works as a nurse, she mainly focuses on raising her two children. As things get difficult, she seeks the help of her building manager, who she confides.
The series is a take on how complex things can get today, and yet not losing hope and staying determined can solve everything
1. Unbreakable Kimi Schmidt (2015)
- Director: Tina Fey
- Writer: NA
- Cast: Ellie Kemper, Titus Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Carol Kane, Tina Fey
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6 /10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The series revolves around Kimi Schmidt, who breaks free from 15 years in a cult and moves to New York to find a purpose in her life. She meets Titus, a gay actor on Broadway from whom she rents a room. This unlikely friendship helps them confide in each other as Kimi goes on to adjust and seek the modern life she is now exposed to. Together, they try to move past the complexities of life.
