So you’ve just finished Nobody Wants This, and your brain is buzzing with that special mix of cringe, laughter, and “oh no honey, what are you doing?” vibes. You’re hooked on that feeling, the messy friendships, the romantic wrecks you can’t look away from, and the jokes that hit all your right spots. Perhaps you are sad it has to end, but you want more of the vibes.
The good news is that you don’t have to be so sad, because here is a list of shows that are essentially spiritual cousins to Nobody Wants This. They all have that same magic recipe of awkwardness, heart, and characters who are trying their best (and often failing spectacularly). Just grab your popcorn and follow as we explore TV shows that will help fill that huge hole in your watchlist.
1. Lovesick (2014 – 2018)
Lovesick (Scrotal Recall) explores the story of Dylan Witter (Johnny Flynn), who tests positive for an STI. His situation forces him to call up every single person he’s ever dated and give them the awkward news. The show uses flashbacks to show viewers each of those terrible, funny, and sometimes sweet dates that led to the whole STI situation.
The heart of the show is Dylan’s loyal, sarcastic friend group, Luke Curran (Daniel Ings) and Evie Douglas (Antonia Thomas), who keep him grounded through all his romantic misadventures. As a result, the show is for anyone who misses that mix of hidden vulnerability, embarrassing moments, and bad timing we saw in Nobody Wants This. Scenes like the rooftop confession in Season 2, Episode 3, “Phoebe,” are proof of concept.
2. How I Met Your Mother (2005 – 2014)
Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) tells his kids the crazy, long story of how he met their mother. But really, it’s about his life in New York City with his four best friends, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), Marshall (Jason Segel), Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), and Robin (Cobie Smulders). The series depicts how they navigate terrible dates and get into all sorts of silliness while they search for love and try to figure out their lives.
This show is a classic for a reason. It perfectly captures that feeling of thinking you have love figured out, only for life to laugh in your face. Ted’s awkwardness and the group’s legendary friendship mirror the emotional loops and loyal friend groups that make NWT so relatable and fun to watch.
3. New Girl (2011 – 2018)
After a bad breakup, quirky and bubbly teacher Jessica “Jess” Day (Zoey Deschanel) moves in with three guys, Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris), whom she doesn’t know from Adam. What could go wrong? Everything. Most of the show is about the weird little family they become, full of inside jokes and will-they-won’t-they tension for years.
If you loved the “found family” and chaotic living situation vibes in Nobody Wants This, add this sitcom to your watchlist. Jess and her roommates are all disasters in their own special way, but they love each other. The humor is fast and ridiculous, but the friendships and the awkward romance, particularly the slow-burning romance between Jess and Nick, are so realistic.
4. Fleabag (2016 – 2019)
Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), a funny, angry, and chaotic woman in London, talks directly to the camera as she tries to cope with grief and guilt. She uses humor to hide her pain, makes terrible choices in her love life, and struggles to connect with her difficult family. It’s brilliant approach to comedy in general made it an instant modern classic.
Fair warning: this one packs a bit more punch than Nobody Wants This’ fans may be used to. But it does so in a good way. And even more, it shares that same brutally honest, incredibly funny core of truth about being a flawed person, even if it goes to deeper, more dramatic places. For instance, the revelation of the truth about Boo’s death instantly cemented the series as unafraid, unforgettable, and unflinching.
5. Emily In Paris (2020 – Present)
29-year-old Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) leaves Chicago for a marketing job in Paris and lands in a chaotic mix of work pressure, romantic confusion, and cultural misunderstandings. While finding herself in Paris, she soon finds herself in love triangle with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Camille (Camille Razat).
The show may get alot of flack for its escapist portrayal of Paris, but it channels the same awkward-romance energy that makes Nobody Wants This so fun. The Gabriel-Camille-Emily tension mirrors the emotional entanglements fans expect. The show blends humor, charm, and cringe in a familiar rhythm for viewers who want an easy-going show.
6. Normal People (2020)
This limited series follows Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal), two teenagers from a small Irish town, as they start a secret relationship in high school. The story continues through their university days, showing how their on-again, off-again connection changes both of them forever. The show’s portrayal of romance and love in general earned it a dedicated audience.
This isn’t a big, loud comedy. It’s a slow, beautiful burn that captures that heart-aching feeling of wanting someone but not knowing how to make it work. Suffice it to say that if you loved the raw emotional display in NWT, this one will completely suck you in and make you feel everything.
7. Never Have I Ever (2020 – 2023)
Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) is a smart but angry Indian-American teenager dealing with major anger, big crushes, and the recent death of her dad. She decides to reinvent her social life at school, which (shocker) leads to one disaster after another, not the least of which is a messy love triangle. This show is smart, fast, and so, so cringey in the best way.
Devi makes choices so bad you have to pause the TV and take a breath. At the same time, you also really understand where she’s coming from. Her emotional clash with Ben (Jaren Lewison) taps into the awkward-romance charm that fans of Nobody Wants This love. What’s more, it’s a show you can watch with your teenager because it has all that drama of being a teenager and trying to figure things out.
8. Colin From Accounts (2022 – Present)
Ashley (Harriet Dyer) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall), two single and slightly cynical people, have a totally weird meet-cute involving a car accident and a dog. They bond over taking care of the injured dog, Colin, and their relationship grows through awkward chats and dry humor. This Australian dramedy series is a quiet, weird, and hilarious hidden gem.
The show is built on the chemistry between the lead characters which is just… comfortable. It helps that Dyer and Brammall are married in real life. Colin From Accounts gives us two imperfect people finding something special in a very silly situation. Ring any bells?
9. Dash & Lily (2020)
During one Christmas in New York, two very different teens, Dash (Austin Abrams), a downright cynical fellow who sees a dark cloud everywhere, and Lily (Midori Francis), who’s all rainbows and unicorns, begin a romance without meeting. They trade dares, dreams, and secrets through a red notebook hidden around the city, falling for each other’s words long before they meet in person. It’s a near-perfect rom-com setting.
This tragically short-lived show is straight-up… magical: sweet, hopeful, and full of festive cheer. At its core, it chronicles the excitement of a new crush and the bravery it takes to be yourself. Simply put, if you want all the warm and fuzzy feelings from Nobody Wants This without any of the heavy drama, this is your best pick.
10. Young & Hungry (2014 – 2018)
Gabi (Emily Osment) is a broke young chef from Florida who gets a job as a personal chef for Josh (Jonathan Sadowski), a young, rich tech guy. She’s a disaster, he’s uptight, and of course, they have major chemistry. Guess what follows? Workplace chaos and major flirting. This show is perfect to watch when you just want to chill and laugh at some easy romantic nonsense. The problems are usually solved in one episode, but the overall premise is simple: will they or won’t they? Kind of the dynamic between Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah (Adam Brody) in Nobody Wants This, just lighter and sillier.
So, what’s it gonna be? If you’re feeling the friend-group vibe, go for New Girl or How I Met Your Mother. Need a beautiful cry? Normal People has you covered. Just want to laugh at some cute chaos? Young & Hungry is your fix. Just pick one and give it a go.
