Television series

Benidorm

Benidorm is a British sitcom about the overlapping lives of holidaymakers and staff at a sprawling Spanish resort. It's warm, silly, and deeply affectionate toward its characters—people you'd normally dismiss get full interior lives. Eleven seasons of pure comfort viewing: jokes land, hearts show, and nobody's the villain.

TVMaze rating3.8

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The Only Way is Essex2010

Similar ensemble structure following a rotating cast through interconnected lives and relationships. Sharp writing finds genuine comedy in everyday drama, and the characters grow on you despite—or because of—their flaws.

But It leans heavily on artificial dating drama and manufactured storylines that can feel exhausting if you're not in the mood for soap-opera rhythms.

The Only Way is Essex poster

Coronation Street1960

The blueprint for this kind of warm, character-driven ensemble storytelling. Decades of craft in balancing comedy with real stakes; you watch for the people, not plot twists, and it rewards that investment.

But It moves slowly and can feel like a commitment. If you need momentum or surprise, daily soap pacing might test your patience.

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The League of Gentlemen1999

British sketch comedy with the same affection for grotesque, forgotten characters. Sharp-edged and occasionally dark, but rooted in genuine empathy for the people everyone else ignores.

But It's deliberately unpleasant in places and relies on physical comedy and caricature that hasn't aged equally well. Not cosy at all.

The League of Gentlemen poster

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The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Golden Girls1985

Both centre on mismatched people who become family through proximity, finding comedy and genuine warmth in the clash between who they are and who they expected to be.

Four women at different life stages learning to live together; Benidorm's real ancestor. Sharp, funny, endlessly rewatchable—each character gets full humanity and the writing is immaculate. No laugh track needed.

But It's American sitcom from the eighties with a glossy production that looks nothing like Benidorm's chaotic resort aesthetic. The tone is much sharper and less forgiving.

The Golden Girls poster
More like this (7)

Misfits2009

Young ensemble cast thrown together by circumstance, learning to care about each other while chaos unfolds. Irreverent tone with surprising emotional depth; the banter feels genuinely earned.

But It's grittier and more cynical than Benidorm, and the superhero premise might feel like unnecessary scaffolding if you just want character comedy.

Misfits poster

Gavin & Stacey2007

Warm, character-driven British comedy that loves its people without condescension. Sharp writing, brilliant ensemble work, and jokes that land because they come from genuine affection for these lives.

But The romance of small communities isn't for everyone; if you find whimsy cloying, this will feel saccharine.

Gavin & Stacey poster

Inside No. 92014

Masterclass in character comedy from writers who know how to make you care about strangers in half an hour. Each episode is a complete story with real emotional stakes underneath the laughs.

But It's dark and often bleak. The twist-heavy structure means you're constantly off-balance, which can work against the cosy comfort Benidorm offers.

Inside No. 9 poster

Chewing Gum2015

Ensemble comedy about a tight-knit community with a lead character you grow to love. Brash, funny, deeply felt; it finds the comedy and the humanity in the same moment.

But It's visually chaotic and often surreal, which can feel exhausting. The constant energy isn't restful viewing.

Chewing Gum poster

Bad Education2012

Jack Whitehall leads an ensemble of characters you'd expect to dismiss. Warm British comedy about belonging and loyalty; it finds tenderness in the mess without abandoning the laughs.

But School sitcom tropes can feel tired, and the comedy relies on types sometimes rather than breaking them. Third season loses focus.

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Sing Street2016

Both are love letters to people seeking transformation through holiday or youth. Same DNA of affection for ordinary lives and small victories; same belief that joy is worth fighting for.

Dublin, 1985: a teen forms a band to impress a girl and discovers himself. Joyful, funny, achingly sincere; it captures the feeling of Benidorm—escape, reinvention, people finding connection in temporary spaces.

But It's a coming-of-age film, not an ensemble comedy, and nakedly sentimental. The musical numbers might feel cheesy if you're allergic to earnestness.

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The Killing2011

Both understand that character is everything—that you watch people, not plot. Same willingness to let scenes breathe and trust the actors to carry weight through silence and small moments.

Danish noir following two detectives through a murder investigation that lasts an entire season. Slow, methodical, morally grey; it trusts you completely and respects your intelligence. Extraordinary acting and writing.

But It's dark, bleak, and utterly humourless. Watching it is work in the best way, which is the opposite of Benidorm's comfort.

The Killing poster

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