Romance Shows You’re Sleeping On (But Shouldn’t)
Romance on television isn’t just meet-cutes and sweeping gestures—it spans time travel, coming-of-age, workplace antics, and globe-hopping adventures. If you’re looking for series that actually give you characters, context, and craft, this list pulls together projects that have strong creative pedigrees, distinctive premises, and memorable ensembles.
Below you’ll find a mix of English-language hits, international standouts, and genre-benders. Each entry includes concrete details—creators, networks, casts, formats, and production notes—so you can quickly decide what fits your watchlist without wading through fluff.
‘Lovesick’ (2014–2018)
Created by Tom Edge, ‘Lovesick’ follows Dylan, Evie, and Luke as a past-relationship road map becomes the organizing principle for an ensemble rom-com told through non-linear episodes. It began on Channel 4 under a different title before moving to Netflix, where it ran for three seasons with a consistent half-hour format and a Glasgow-and-London backdrop.
The series stars Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, and Daniel Ings, with recurring appearances from Hannah Britland and Joshua McGuire. Production shifted to longer, serialized arcs after its platform move, and the show is known for using episode titles tied to former partners as a structural device.
‘Pushing Daisies’ (2007–2009)
‘Pushing Daisies’ is a whimsical romantic mystery from creator Bryan Fuller, centered on a pie-maker who can revive the dead with a touch—complicating his relationship with his childhood sweetheart. It aired on ABC with Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, and Kristin Chenoweth anchoring the cast.
The show’s visual design emphasizes saturated color and storybook framing from director Barry Sonnenfeld, and it earned multiple creative arts wins for art direction and costuming. Episodes blend case-of-the-week investigations with serialized romantic beats, using a signature narrator to stitch stories together.
‘Jane the Virgin’ (2014–2019)
Developed by Jennie Snyder Urman for The CW, ‘Jane the Virgin’ adapts a Venezuelan telenovela into a bilingual dramedy about a Miami family navigating faith, career, and complicated romance. The series stars Gina Rodriguez, Justin Baldoni, and Andrea Navedo, with Anthony Mendez as the omniscient narrator.
The production integrates telenovela tropes—amnesia, secret twins, cliffhangers—within a tightly scripted writers’ room that mapped long-range arcs and character growth. It received major awards recognition, with Rodriguez’s performance highlighted early, and it concluded on its own timeline with a planned ending.
‘Younger’ (2015–2021)
From creator Darren Star, ‘Younger’ is a workplace romance set in New York publishing, centered on a woman rebooting her career under an assumed age. Sutton Foster leads the ensemble alongside Hilary Duff, Nico Tortorella, and Miriam Shor through seven seasons across TV Land and later Paramount+.
The series uses imprint-within-the-show book launches, industry satire, and recurring author characters to frame its romantic storylines. Production filmed extensively in New York, leveraging real bookstores and offices, and it spun up a robust library of fictional titles and cover designs as running gags and plot engines.
‘Heartstopper’ (2022– )
Based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novels, ‘Heartstopper’ follows Charlie and Nick’s relationship at an English grammar school, expanding the ensemble to include friends and siblings with their own arcs. The show streams on Netflix and stars Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Yasmin Finney, and William Gao.
Element Pictures and See-Saw handled production with Oseman serving as creator and lead writer, preserving comic-inspired visual flourishes like on-screen doodles and text effects. The soundtrack curation and short half-hour episodes make it an accessible, serialized watch that tracks school terms and family subplots.
‘Normal People’ (2020)
‘Normal People’ adapts Sally Rooney’s novel about Marianne and Connell, two students from a small Irish town whose relationship evolves through school and university. Produced by Element Pictures for BBC Three and Hulu, it stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, with Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald directing.
The series uses intimate, dialogue-driven scenes and recurring locations in County Sligo and Dublin, supported by a restrained score and naturalistic cinematography. Its twelve episodes were written with Rooney’s involvement, and the production emphasized continuity in performance and setting to mirror the source material’s structure.
‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019–2020)
Written by Park Ji-eun for tvN, ‘Crash Landing on You’ pairs a South Korean heiress with a North Korean officer after a paragliding mishap leads to a covert stay across the border. Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin head the cast, with location work in South Korea and international sites standing in for key sequences.
The series integrates military drama elements with neighborhood ensemble storytelling, including a memorable squad of soldiers and village residents. It was distributed globally via Netflix, bringing in a large international audience and a wave of interest in the writer’s earlier projects.
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ (2022)
Developed by Steven Moffat for HBO from Audrey Niffenegger’s novel, ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ explores a relationship challenged by involuntary time-shifts. Rose Leslie and Theo James star, with David Nutter directing and an emphasis on practical effects to visualize disappearances and reentries.
Episodes interweave multiple timelines with an interview-style framing device that clarifies dates and ages without relying on external narration. The single-season production uses a consistent color palette and staging to orient viewers, while maintaining the novel’s alternating perspective structure.
‘This Is Us’ (2016–2022)
Created by Dan Fogelman, ‘This Is Us’ is a multi-timeline family drama on NBC that continually returns to the central marriage between Rebecca and Jack as a cornerstone romance. Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia anchor the parents’ storyline, with Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley as the adult children.
The show employs flashbacks and flash-forwards as regular narrative tools, with carefully designed hair, makeup, and production design to locate each era. It ran for six seasons with a planned ending, and its music supervision and montage sequences are recurring hallmarks tied to pivotal relationship turns.
‘Outlander’ (2014– )
‘Outlander’ adapts Diana Gabaldon’s historical romance novels for Starz, following Claire and Jamie through time-displaced adventures across Scotland, France, and North America. Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan lead, with Tall Ship Productions and Left Bank Pictures overseeing large-scale location shoots.
The production is known for period costuming and set work, with specialized departments for textiles, armory, and dialect coaching. Seasons often correspond to a specific book and geographic arc, and the writers’ room structures episodes around major set-pieces from the source material.
‘Love’ (2016–2018)
Co-created by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, and Paul Rust, ‘Love’ centers on Mickey and Gus as they navigate a messy Los Angeles relationship amid radio and writers-room workplaces. Gillian Jacobs and Paul Rust star, with Claudia O’Doherty as a key supporting lead, and episodes feature a half-hour dramedy rhythm.
The show was produced for Netflix with a three-season plan, using recurring locations like an apartment complex, a convenience store, and a set-within-the-show series. Music, podcasting, and film-set culture form recurring backdrops that drive story beats and character choices.
‘Please Like Me’ (2013–2016)
Created by and starring Josh Thomas, ‘Please Like Me’ is an Australian dramedy about a young man’s relationships with friends, family, and boyfriends in suburban Melbourne. It aired on ABC2 and later Pivot in the United States, with co-stars Thomas Ward, Caitlin Stasey, and Debra Lawrance.
The series balances comedic set-pieces with frank discussions of mental health, using bottle episodes and holiday settings to frame turning points. Production leaned into authentic locations and food-centric scenes, and the show’s title sequence and episode naming conventions are consistent stylistic markers.
‘The Mindy Project’ (2012–2017)
‘The Mindy Project’ is a workplace rom-com created by Mindy Kaling, set in a small New York OB/GYN practice with evolving office and personal relationships. The ensemble includes Chris Messina, Ike Barinholtz, and Ed Weeks, and the show moved from Fox to Hulu to complete its run.
Episodes blend case-of-the-week medical encounters with serialized dating arcs, with guest stars rotating through longer multi-episode stints. The writers’ room plays with genre homages, and production regularly shot on standing sets that allowed quick turnarounds for dialogue-heavy scenes.
‘Sense8’ (2015–2018)
‘Sense8’ from the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski follows eight strangers across the globe who become mentally and emotionally linked, with several central romantic pairings driving arcs. Filming took place on location in cities including Seoul, Berlin, Nairobi, and Mexico City.
The series is noted for its international production model, which coordinated simultaneous shoots and cross-unit direction to maintain continuity. A feature-length finale closed out the story, and the score and montage sequences—especially the cluster’s shared moments—are a recurring storytelling device.
‘The Hook Up Plan’ (2018–2022)
A French series for Netflix, ‘The Hook Up Plan’ (‘Plan Coeur’) is set in Paris and revolves around a scheme that tangles a friend group in unexpected romantic outcomes. Zita Hanrot stars alongside Sabrina Ouazani and Joséphine Draï, with Noémie Saglio among the creators involved.
The production keeps tight runtimes and season-spanning arcs, using neighborhood cafés, apartments, and co-working spaces as recurring sets. French pop tracks and Parisian locations are integral to mood and pacing, and the ensemble format ensures each season gives multiple characters layered romantic plots.
‘Love Alarm’ (2019–2021)
‘Love Alarm’ adapts Chon Kye-young’s webtoon about an app that pings when someone nearby has feelings, reshaping school and social dynamics. It streams on Netflix with Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang in the lead roles.
The series uses the app’s interface and notifications as a visual storytelling tool, integrating on-screen UI elements and social network mechanics. Production splits its story across two distinct parts, allowing a time jump that repositions relationships and explores the tech’s broader societal effects.
‘My Love from Another Star’ (2013–2014)
‘My Love from the Star’ is a South Korean romantic fantasy about a long-lived outsider who falls for a top actor, created by Park Ji-eun for SBS. Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun headline, supported by Park Hae-jin and Yoo In-na, with a mix of comedy, melodrama, and genre elements.
The show popularized specific culinary and fashion moments that spilled into real-world trends, aided by strategic product placement common to the era’s prime-time dramas. It was exported widely across Asia and beyond, contributing to a significant wave of international remakes and licensing.
‘Insecure’ (2016–2021)
Co-created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, ‘Insecure’ follows friendships and romances in South Los Angeles through the lens of two best friends, Issa and Molly. The HBO series stars Rae and Yvonne Orji, with Natasha Rothwell, Jay Ellis, and Amanda Seales in key roles.
Music supervision, location choices, and block-party-style set pieces are integral to the show’s storytelling, with original tracks and performances woven into episodes. The production maintained a tight episode count per season, allowing focused character arcs that track career shifts alongside relationships.
‘High Fidelity’ (2020)
‘High Fidelity’ reimagines Nick Hornby’s story as a Brooklyn record store dramedy led by Zoë Kravitz, developed by Veronica West and Sarah Kucserka for Hulu. The series centers on top-five lists, breakups, and a shop-floor ensemble that includes Da’Vine Joy Randolph and David H. Holmes.
Production filmed in New York with extensive use of practical record-store locations and needle-drop-heavy sound design. The show’s single-season run delivers a complete arc with a direct-address narrative device, retaining the story’s list-making framework to organize episodes.
‘Virgin River’ (2019– )
Based on Robyn Carr’s novels, ‘Virgin River’ follows a nurse practitioner who relocates to a small Northern California town and becomes entwined with the community and a local bar owner. Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson star, with Netflix distributing globally.
The series films in British Columbia with locations doubling for the town’s rivers, cabins, and main street. Episodes blend medical cases and town politics with slow-burn relationship arcs, and the production cycles through seasonal storylines that align with holidays and local events.
‘Sanditon’ (2019–2023)
‘Sanditon’ adapts Jane Austen’s unfinished manuscript into a seaside romance for ITV and PBS Masterpiece, created for television by Andrew Davies. Rose Williams leads as Charlotte Heywood, with Theo James, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, and Kris Marshall among the ensemble across the run.
The production makes significant use of Bristol and other UK locations for period-appropriate exteriors, while interior sets recreate Regency seaside resort culture. Subsequent seasons expanded beyond the initial ending to resolve character arcs, guided by audience demand and co-production support.
‘The End of the F***ing World’ (2017–2019)
Adapted from Charles Forsman’s comic, ‘The End of the F***ing World’ pairs two teens on a road trip that morphs into a darkly comedic romance. It was produced by Clerkenwell Films for Channel 4 and distributed internationally on Netflix, starring Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden.
The show’s compact episode lengths allow propulsive pacing, with a distinctive soundtrack and narration that reflect the leads’ perspectives. Filming used UK locations to stand in for multiple regions, and the second season functions as a closed-loop continuation with a definitive endpoint.
‘Fleabag’ (2016–2019)
Created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge from her stage play, ‘Fleabag’ tracks a London woman’s relationships, grief, and a pivotal connection with a priest across two seasons. The cast includes Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman, and Andrew Scott, with Harry Bradbeer directing.
The series employs direct address as a central device, integrating it into the character’s emotional arc rather than using it solely for commentary. It concluded with a planned ending after a short, tightly written run, and it received extensive awards recognition for writing and performance.
‘Modern Love’ (2019–2021)
‘Modern Love’ is an Amazon anthology based on The New York Times column, with each episode adapting a different essay into a self-contained romantic story. The series features a rotating cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Dev Patel, and Catherine Keener, among many others.
Production shot across New York and other locations, with different directors and tones per episode while keeping the column’s theme of real-life relationships. The anthology format allows for varied pairings and scenarios, making it easy to watch in any order without serialization.
‘The Baker and the Beauty’ (2020)
An ABC adaptation of an Israeli format, ‘The Baker and the Beauty’ follows a working-class baker and an international fashion mogul whose lives intersect in Miami. Victor Rasuk and Nathalie Kelley star, with Dan Bucatinsky and Belissa Escobedo in the ensemble and Dean Georgaris as developer.
The single-season production uses bilingual dialogue, family-business settings, and industry-event sequences to balance rom-com and family drama. Filming incorporated South Florida locations and studio work for set pieces like galas and photo shoots, and the series closes its arc while nodding to the original.
Share your favorite under-the-radar romance shows in the comments so everyone can discover what to queue up next!
