As much as we love to watch the hilarious cringefests that unfold inside the tiny Scranton office of Dunder Mifflin, it’s sometimes nice to have a change of pace every so often and pick up a different sitcom to binge on Netflix. Yet we think to ourselves, how could there possibly be a better option out there than The Office? What other sitcoms will offer characters that manage to make us laugh as hard as we do with Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute? How could any other TV love story compare to the likes of Jim and Pam?
These shows might just do the trick. Below is a list of the best sitcoms to watch on Netflix while you take your quick water break from The Office.
CHEERS
On this classic 1980s sitcom, everyone knows everything about everyone in the little Boston bar where these memorable characters spend all their time at. Decades after the sitcom’s premiere date, Cheers still holds up as one of the best TV shows of all time. Fall in love with the fiery love/hate relationship between Sam and Diane. Crack up at Carla’s constant witticism. Clutch your heart in awe at TV’s most loveable idiot, Coach. Catch up on the show that has reshaped sitcoms as we know it.
So grab a drink and become one of the locals at the bar where “everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came”. It will totally be worth it.
NEW GIRL
Don’t let Zooey Deschanel’s excruciating “adorkableness” fool you. While the show might have originally been advertised as an excuse for Deschanel to clumsily trip on kittens and rainbows because she’s just so darn quirky, the writers of New Girl were quick to shy away from this gimmick and the results were glorious. The hilarious sitcom offers a peek into the lives of long-term roommates who are trying their best to navigate through adulthood despite how childish they naturally are. New Girl is underrated one of the greatest sitcoms of all time due to its perfect mix of comedy, romance, and iconic characters that you could spend all day quoting with your friends. It has everything you could possibly need in a feel-good TV show and then some.
So go ahead and give New Girl a try while joining the chaos and adventures in apartment 4D. You know you want to.
THAT 70S SHOW
Head on down to Eric Forman’s basement to crash with him and his oddball friends on That 70s Show. Sometimes when you’re stuck in a place like middle-of-nowhere Wisconsin and there’s nothing better to do, you’ll end up getting into some crazy shenanigans with your friends just to pass the time. This is certainly the case for Forman, Jackie, Donna, Hyde, Kelso, and Fez, who must get creative in order to have a good time- and a good time is what this crew lives for. What were kids up to in the midwest during the 1970s? This little sitcom might just have the answer!
Plus, it’s a huge bonus to get to see Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis fall in love on-screen considering they are now married in real life and madly in love. If it wasn’t for their romance on That 70s Show, one of Hollywoods most adored “It” couples would cease the exist!
KIM’S CONVENIENCE
Kim’s Convenience offers the perfect amount of comedy and heart to make it a superb sitcom. The show centers around an immigrant family from Korea called The Kim’s who own a convenience store in Canada. It has all the comedy and romance that you could want from The Office, but with much more diversity. It’s refreshing to finally watch a sitcom that has characters from all different backgrounds and walks of life without ever getting preachy. The heart-warming characters on Kim’s Convenience are instantly loveable while at the same time beyond hilarious. It’s the perfect family sitcom to put you in good spirits.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Of course Parks and Rec is on this list. How could it not be? It is the number one show that is compared to The Office for several reasons. They’re both hilarious work-place comedies set in the form of a mockumentary with zany characters that you can’t help but instantly adore. A lot of people claim Parks and Rec is The Office without all the cringe.
As much as we love the intentional awkwardness brought on by Michael Scott, it’s sometimes nice to take a breather from all that tension and dive into the feel-good atmosphere that Leslie and the gang never fail to offer. If you’re in the mood for one of the most optimistic shows in TV history, look no further.
FRIENDS
If you haven’t watched Friends yet, what are you doing with your life? There’s no bigger fantasy than living in an unrealistically huge New York apartment with all of your best friends while you spend your days dancing in fountains and simultaneously opening umbrellas. Who wouldn’t want that? Despite the impractical glamour of this sitcom, Friends lets it be known that the best things in life are free, and they come from the relationships you form with the people you love.
So why not soak yourself in the pool of wish fulfillment that only a sitcom like Friends could properly provide? Go ahead, jump in.
(Just don’t eat any of Joey’s food…)
MASTER OF NONE
Master of None has received countless awards and critical praise for a reason. It is a masterful show that has been commended for “reinventing” the sitcom as we know it.
Ansari’s show is all about one thing: Love. Love for romance, love for family, love for friendships and (especially) love for food. It is shot gorgeously and is never afraid to take risks. Unlike most sitcoms, Master of None isn’t afraid to escape the comfort zone brought on by having the same characters in the same location in every episode and season. The show deserves all of the critical praise it receives, and you can tell that Ansari has put his heart and soul into this project.
THE GOOD PLACE
What happens after you die? The Good Place has all the answers! Well, sort of.
The best thing about The Good Place is how effortlessly brilliant it is. It manages to be loveable and hilarious while at the same time it has an abundance of philosophical wisdom to provide viewers with in every episode. Follow the adventures of Eleanore, Tahani, Chidi, and Jason, as they attempt to navigate through their afterlives. It’s quirky, creative, and fun, with characters who are out of this world (literally).
LOVE
Are you a sucker for Judd Apatow romcoms such as Knocked Up and Trainwreck? Why not watch one of his romcoms in the form of a TV show? Love tells the story of Mickey and Gus, two opposites who try their best to make it as a romantic couple despite their conflicting values. What is so refreshing about Love is how realistically it depicts modern relationships. It reveals the trials and tribulations faced by people who are addicted to love and even dives into what goes on inside love addicts anonymous meetings. Will these two opposing people be able to survive their relationship despite all odds? Binge the show to find out!
Big Mouth
The best thing about an animated sitcom is its ability to get away with pretty much anything. Big Mouth takes advantage of this notion. The brilliant series centers around a group of middle schoolers who are trying their best to survive through the awkward stages of life that only puberty could provide.
The kids are accompanied throughout the show with their very own hormone monsters who attempt to navigate them through all the uncomfortable changes they’re experiencing as they grow from children to young adults. It is truly one of the most unique shows on TV due to how original it is, and easily one of the funniest.
What sitcom will you be watching next?
