5 TV Shows Like Ted Lasso to Watch Next

Ted Lasso believe photo where players are touching the paper on the wall
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If you’re looking for TV shows like Ted Lasso, I’ve got news for you; there aren’t any. My guess is you just finished watching the first three seasons, and you need your emotional fix.

Ted Lasso will do that to you. It’s easily one of the most engrossing dramas on television, which explains why it’s one of the most popular Apple TV shows out there. If you’re having withdrawals and/or just want something new that is remotely similar, there are some feel good shows like Ted Lasso you can try to scratch that itch.

They won’t be exactly the same – I mean, how could they be? But if you want some options that have emotional depth and rich characters, these five options shouldn’t disappoint.

1. Parks & Recreation

There are some shows to watch if you like Ted Lasso, and if you ask me, the #1 option is easily Parks and Recreation. It has nothing to do with soccer (or sports), and it’s not as emotionally deep.

However, it’s funny as hell and you get an amazing ensemble cast filled with hilarious characters, and they’re all placed into a complex setting – small government. Sometimes finding a show similar to one you like isn’t about locating a carbon copy, it’s more about finding a similar feeling.

There is some underrated emotional depth to Parks and Rec, which follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) as she navigates the seemingly trivial hiccups in day-to-day work as a Parks and Recreation director in Pawnee, Indiana.

Poehler sells this mockumentary-style series on her own, as she’s basically the Michael Scott of this vehicle, but she’s aided by the stubborn Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and several eccentric characters – as well as outrageous storylines.

Much like Ted Lasso, Parks & Recreation blends workplace comedy with difficult real-life situations and does a terrific job of providing uplifting, feel good moments throughout.

2. Schitt’s Creek

Ted Lasso-like shows are not aplenty on TV or streaming devices, but there are a few that do come close. Ranking second on my list of TV shows similar to Ted Lasso is Schitt’s Creek.

This isn’t like Ted Lasso in most regards, save for the fact that it’s a show with underrated emotional depth. Schitt’s Creek is also a great series if you’re just looking for laughs, as it follows a rich, high-brow family that loses their fortune and is relegated to living in a joke of a town that they purchased as a gag.

Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) is the distinguished father and voice of reason that tries to keep his family together and searches for a way out of Schitt’s Creek, while his wife Moira (played by professional scene-stealer Catherine O’Hara) tries to adapt to her new situation.

They’re accompanied by their children David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), who have a difficult adjusting to their lower ranks in society, but bring impeccable comedic timing to the table.

Schitt’s Creek delivers lessons on humility, loss, relationships, and love, all while sprinkling in clever storylines and laugh-out-loud comedy.

3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

If you’re looking for a show like Ted Lasso in the way of ensemble cast and hilarity, it’s fairly arguable Brooklyn Nine-Nine might trump it.

This isn’t the best show in terms of emotional depth or life lessons, but it does a solid enough job in those regards, and really delivers on wit, situational timing, and comedic timing.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the lives of detectives in a Brooklyn precinct, with Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) at the forefront. His personal relationships, back-and-forth with his Chief, and the various cases he’s involved in, provide endless opportunities for hilarious moments.

On top of the comedy, it’s another one of those feel good shows like Ted Lasso that make you laugh and have a litany of impressive characters that intertwine together perfectly.

4. The Good Place

Want another feel good TV series like Ted Lasso? I’d suggest considering The Good Place. It’s a very unique setting, as things start off with lead character Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) finding out she is dead and gone to heaven.

The problem? She’s not supposed to be there.

A not-so-great human during her time on earth, Eleanor is mistakingly added to the “good place”, where she gets into all sorts of hilarious trouble with various characters, with Ted Danson easily being among the most memorable.

With a biting philosophical edge and worldview dynamics tossed into a blender, The Good Place makes you think, but it also presents a feel good vibe and provides plenty of laughs.

5. Only Murders in the Building

The last TV show like Ted Lasso I’ll suggest is also one of the best TV shows on Hulu, Only Murders in the Building.

The mystery drama follows three people living in the same apartment as they try to uncover the mystery behind the death of a fellow tenant. Oliver (Martin Short) is a down-on-his-luck and about-to-be-evicted tenant who sees an opportunity make some cash via a new crime podcast, and he drags along Charles (Steve), a former actor and quiet man who can’t help but be sucked in by the intrugue.

They end up joining up with Mabel (Selena Gomez), forming a delicate tripod of tenants with their own hidden agendas trying to solve the puzzle.

More crime, mystery, and hilarity await, and you at times get a similar feel good vibe that you’re used to with Ted Lasso. It’s not the same, but these characters ultimately work together and care about each other, which is enough to make it a Ted Lasso-like show worth watching.

What is the Best TV Show Like Ted Lasso?

As I mentioned in the intro, there simply isn’t another TV show like Ted Lasso. However, you’re here because you enjoyed that series and now you need something new to watch.

If you want a feel good show like Ted Lasso, I think the five series above will do the trick. If you’re looking for TV series like Ted Lasso in terms of emotional complexity, maybe one or two of these come close.

Ted Lasso is unique, but there are solid alternatives that will make you laugh, and some will tear-jerk about as much. I could come up with even more options, but I wouldn’t want to sully this show with cheap alternatives that don’t really do it justice.

So, that has me stopping at a top 5. If you want the #1 show like Ted Lasso, I’d start with Parks & Rec. It’s not as emotionally deep or dramatic, but it’s really funny, it does teach some life lessons, and it has an all-star cast.

Want to take a trip to the darker side of things? Consider these TV shows like True Detective.

Greg Anderson

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