With the whole world on fire and many of us spending lots of time at home in front of our televisions, a healthy dose of good ole optimism is welcomed these days. And with multiple Emmy wins, a Golden Globe for Jason Sudeikis, and a score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, I’d say that Ted Lasso was just what the doctor ordered. Sudeikis first introduced his character of Ted Lasso in promotional appearances during NBC’s coverage of Premier League soccer, and in 2020, Ted Lasso was given his own 10 episode show.
The Apple TV+ series follows the American coach in his journey across the pond, where he is the newest coach of the English Premier League team, AFC Richmond. But here’s the thing: AFC Richmond is an English soccer team, and Ted Lasso is an American football coach—he knows nothing about soccer. A spiteful hire by the team’s new owner, recent divorcee Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Lasso was brought on the team in Welton’s attempt to ruin her ex-husband’s soccer club. But with Ted Lasso’s down-home charm, warm coaching approach, and infectious optimism, he soon wins over his English skeptics, despite his inexperience with the sport.
For some more light-hearted, heart-warming, or just plain laugh-out-loud funny shows like Ted Lasso, check out the 13 suggestions we’ve compiled below.
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Scrubs
Zach Braff is a young medical intern, John Dorian—J.D. for short—at Sacred Heart Hospital, where he is practicing medicine and navigating life as a new physician. Donald Faison plays Turk, J.D.’s best friend, roommate, and partner in crime, thanks to the many shenanigans the two find themselves in. When J.D. isn’t playing wingman to Turk’s wooing of Nurse Carla (Judy Reyes), he’s dodging insults from his over-the-top mentor, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), avoiding his arch-enemy: the hospital janitor (Neil Flynn), stumbling through a relationship with a fellow intern, Elliot (Sarah Chalke), and learning through it all what it means to be a great doctor.
Braff, who narrated eight of the nine seasons of Scrubs, is also heavily involved in the production of Ted Lasso, directing the first episode of season one, and Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence also co-createdTed Lasso. So if you enjoy the direction of Ted Lasso, you’re sure to like Scrubs.
The Office
The ultimate workplace mockumentary series, The Office ran for nine seasons and is one of the most popular American television shows ever. Based on the BBC version that ran for two years and starred Ricky Gervais, the American Office stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the tone-deaf manager of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The deadpan Raiin Wilson plays Dwight Schrute—loyal underling to Michael and naive victim of office pranks at the hands of coworkers Jim and Pam. John Krasinski plays fellow paper salesman Jim Halpert, and throughout the series, his friendship with the company secretary, Pam (Jenna Fischer), develops into a romance. The continued ensemble of coworkers includes the exceptionally-cast Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, and Craig Robinson, among others, and the docu-style series offers a hilariously heart-warming take on the workplace happenings of small-town corporate America.
Parks and Recreation
Another workplace mockumentary series with the styling of The Office, Parks and Rec follows the ups and downs of the Parks and Recreation department in the small government office of Pawnee, Indiana. The department is led by the ambitious and energetic Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who just wants to build beautiful parks, put on great concerts, and help citizens stop falling into wide open construction pits in the city…
But in this political satire series, Leslie faces obstacles that are oftentimes brought on by her own, well-meaning coworkers. Audiences of Parks and Rec have fallen in love with the refreshingly eccentric cast of characters, including a thickly-mustached and staunchly libertarian city official named Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), whose character has garnered cult-like popularity alongside the show. Be sure to also catch Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Pratt in the television series that made them stars.
Modern Family
An American mockumentary-style sitcom a la The Office and Parks and Rec, Modern Family takes a (fictional) documentary crew into the homes and happenings of the extended Pritchett family. Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill) is the family patriarch, whose new wife, Gloria (Sofia Vergara), is the same age as Jay’s adult children, Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson)—a fact which Claire sometimes struggles to accept. In turn, old-fashioned Jay has learned to accept his new son-in-law, Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), who is married to Mitchell. Ty Burrell is the lovably wholesome Phil Dunphy, Claire’s husband and father of their three children. The mockumentary follows the dramas and dynamics of this modern family, which are both laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes even tear-jerking.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Andy Samberg is detective Jake Peralta, one of many Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters that audiences loved so much they demanded the show not be cancelled. The cop-shop series centers on the Police Department of the 99th Precinct of New York City, and just finished its final season. The Department is led by the stern Captain Holt (Andre Braugher), who oversees the precinct detectives—a mix of somewhat gentle and sometimes goofy men, and their intelligent and kickass women counterparts. For some light laughs and lovable cast members including Terry Crews and more, check out Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
30 Rock
If you enjoy the works of SNL alums like Jason Sudeikis, Amy Poehler, and Andy Samberg, then you should definitely check out 30 Rock, created by and starring former head-writer for SNL, Tina Fey. The satirical comedy series takes place at the fictional Studio 6H in 30 Rockefeller plaza, where Fey’s character, Liz Lemon, is head writer of the popular sketch-comedy show, TGS with Tracy Jordan.
Inspired by Fey’s experiences at SNL, Liz Lemon must manage her best friend and diva-ish star of the show, Jenna (Jane Krakowski), keep tabs on the equally outrageous costar, Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), and consistently work to appease her over-the-top boss, Jack (Alec Baldwin). For a highly-praised series filled to the brim with folks related to Ted Lasso‘s Jason Sudeikis, check out 30 Rock.
After five seasons on NBC and a final season on Yahoo! Screen, Community has now reached cult-like status among its fans. Starring Joel McHale and showcasing his dry humor as a nontraditional college student, Jeff Winger, Community is inspired by creator Dan Harmon‘s own experiences in community college. The series follows a study group of students at a small community college campus in Colorado, and is a rich tapestry of references for pop culture lovers. The ensemble cast also includes the likes of Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, and other talented actors that you don’t want to miss.
Schitt’s Creek
Conceptualized by father-son duo Eugene Levy and Dan Levy (and starring them, too), Schitt’s Creek begs the question: what happens when a mega-rich family suddenly find themselves euphemistically “up sh*t’s creek”?
Scene-stealing Catherine O’Hara is the fabulous matriarch, Moira Rose, a former soap-opera celebrity made practically unhinged by the family’s suddenly precarious financial situation. You see, the incredibly rich Rose family, who once bought an entire town because of its funny name, have been scammed out of their money, business, and homes, with their joke purchase—the aptly named town of Schitt’s Creek—as the only place left for them to go. And now, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) is just trying to keep it all together as his wife Moira (O’Hara) and adult children, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) struggle to cope with the family’s new and wildly unglamorous, rural lifestyle. Watch Schitt’s Creek for the Levys’ impeccable wit, stay for Catherine O’Hara wearing a wig as a hat.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Kimmy Schmidt is unbreakable. Surviving 15 years in a doomsday cult will do that to ya, though. Following her rescue from the cult, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) decides to take on a new life in New York City, refusing to ever be seen as a victim again. With only a can-do attitude to guide her, Kimmy Schmidt pursues the education she missed while in the cult all those years, earns a living as a nanny for a high-flooting family, and eventually realizes her talent for writing — inspiring everyone she meets along with way with her infectiously-optimistic spirit. If you loved rooting for the out-of-place yet unstoppable Ted Lasso, you’re sure to enjoy The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
The Good Place
Who knew that philosophical theory could be so… cool? Oh, and emotional. In fact, I have to warn you, I was not prepared for the cathartic ugly crying that was unleashed when I watched The Good Place series finale. But that’s just me. The Good Place stars Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop, and takes a refreshing and modern look at the afterlife. Following the end of her life on Earth, Eleanor finds herself in the serene utopia known as “The Good Place,” a heaven-like place made for those who’ve lived a righteous life.
Knowing she is there by mistake, Eleanor tries to hide her imperfect past, as she believes everyone else deserves to be in The Good Place. Eleanor is assigned a soulmate, Chidi (William Jackson Harper), who was a professor of ethics and philosophy on Earth, and who teaches Eleanor (and the audience) all about philosophical ideas, theories on morality, and what it means to be a good person. But The Good Place is not what it seems, and its architect, Michael (Ted Danson), is not who he appears to be. For a surprising mix of inspiration, hope, and knowledge, I invite you to visit The Good Place—it’s quite a trip.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
I’ll tell you who won’t be heading to The Good Place anytime soon: “The Gang” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia… Creators Rob McEllhenney and Glenn Howerton star alongside Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito, as the depraved group of outcasts. The Gang runs a grimy bar in Philly called Paddy’s Pub, where they spend more time getting drunk and hatching up wild plans than they do serving the few patrons that might be in their bar. The Gang are at best, narcissistic, and at worst, sociopathic, and each is obsessed with shortcutting their way to success or fame or money or whatever weird thing they’re seeking at the time.
The redeeming quality of It’s Always Sunny is that The Gang aren’t rewarded for their manipulative scheming, though, and oftentimes their perverse plans backfire in some kind of hilariously strange poetic justice. But if you don’t think that this series can be “infectiously optimistic,” then I invite you to watch the episode where The Gang knits a bunch of mittens for kittens. To discover why it’s the longest-running live-action comedy series in American television, check out It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Mythic Quest
It’s Always Sunny alum Rob McEllheney and Charlie Day return to our list with their recently created series on Apple TV+, Mythic Quest. The workplace-comedy series follows Ian Grimm (McEllheney) and coworkers, in their production of Grimm’s video game, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, and the series shares comical insight to the gaming industry of today. With the completion of season two, Mythic Quest has been praised for its smart writing and sentimental humor, and was even nominated for an Emmy. If you liked Ted Lasso, then be sure to give Mythic Quest a watch.
The League
Fantasy Football: topic of workplace water-cooler conversations all across America and of FX/FXX’s seven-season series, The League. Six long-time friends make up the fantasy football league that the series centers on, with each of them going to insane lengths to ensure a league win, every football season.
Pete (Mark Duplass) is cubicle-bound by profession, league-obsessed by passion, and is a three-time winner of the group’s fantasy football league. His relationships, however, may not be as successful. Pete’s best friend Kevin (Stephen Rannazzisi) works as a lawyer and is the league’s commissioner, often gaining his football knowledge from his wife Jenny (Katie Aselton)— something that the league constantly teases him about. Taco (Jon Lajoie) is Kevin’s brother, and he cares more about getting stoned than does fantasy football… or anything else, for that matter. Nick Kroll is Ruxin, an attorney who utilizes his cut-throat courtroom tactics in his fantasy football playing. And Paul Scheer is naive plastic surgeon Andre, who is the unfortunate punchline to many of the league’s (and life’s) cruel jokes. For some more sports-centered humor akin to Ted Lasso, check out The League.
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