Are you looking for something new to watch but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry because we have a list of family comedies you’ll love based on things you’ve already watched!
We all love a good family sitcom, but if you are a fan of the classics, maybe you’re looking to branch out. Or maybe you want to stay within the bounds of the family tropes used in your preferred show. Either way, here is (and in no way is this a comprehensive list) a list of recommendations for shows you might enjoy according to the character and story tropes they fall under.
If you like dysfunctional families with heavy melodrama…Such as Shameless, you’ll love: Everything’s Gonna Be Okay
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay follows a family of two sisters and their older half-brother who raise them after the sudden death of their father. It is effortlessly tragic while still maintaining a sense of humor in the little things that bring people together over hardship.
What makes it like Shameless is that it features an endless array of trials that often erupt in discord and a character lashing out. But that’s what people come back for at the end of the day, a show that isn’t afraid to push boundaries and take that extra leap. It also shares the theme that family can be the people you choose, even if you didn’t choose to have them around in the first place.
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay is available on Hulu.
If you like families who stick together even through life’s b.s….Such as Modern Family, you’ll love: The Middle
The Middle was actually running during the era of Modern Family, but for some reason, it didn’t get the same recognition. It follows a middle-class family of five in rural Indiana and their struggles as a family, often with making ends meet. What is interesting about this one is that the dysfunction doesn’t only come from the situation they’re in, but the eccentricity of the characters themselves and how they interact and clash. Modern Family shares the juxtaposition of these highly specific trope characters such as the smart one, the brat, the mischievous little brother, etc. The Middle takes this a step further by adding this layer of a constant want for each of the characters that drive them for the majority of the show and grounds them. For example, Sue always wants to make a new extracurricular or team because she wants to feel a part of something and thinks she is an outcast. Modern Family plays well with the dynamics of extended family, which The Middle also includes with a strong cast of recurring characters such as Frankie’s parents, Mike’s brother, etc.
The Middle is available on Max.
If you like families who have it all and no idea how to do it…Such as The Nanny, you’ll love: Better Things
Better Things stars Pamela Adlon as Sam Fox, a working actress and single mother of three daughters. Like Fran Fine, she is not what you’d call on paper a typical mother–she’s not a regular mom, she’s a cool mom. Fran and Sam both have to deal with single life and the burden of raising children. It has been critically acclaimed as a visceral example of the painful and beautiful aspects of motherhood and family. Like The Nanny, it is funny, pithy, and sardonic at times, but where it branches off is that when it gets dark it goes the distance and truly hits differently than a normal comedy has before. With a strong leading actress, Better Things is an excellent candidate for your next Hulu binge.
Better Things is available on Hulu.
