Television series

Raising Hope

A sitcom about a perpetually underemployed guy who unexpectedly becomes a single father and moves back in with his aggressively loving, deeply weird family. It's warm-hearted and funny without being saccharine, finding genuine comedy in the chaos of raising a child on nothing. For anyone who loves character-driven comedy with real heart underneath the jokes.

TVMaze rating4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy a crowded household of big-hearted eccentrics, where the comedy comes from characters bumping against each other rather than from clever plotting.

Skip it if you want sharp, fast-cut jokes or a show that stays tidy and restrained, since this one is loose, sentimental and often leans on broad, cartoonish gags.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes that go down easily, with a low-key emotional undertow and an affectionate tone that stays warm even when the characters are at their most ridiculous.

If you liked this

Schitt's Creek2015

A found family narrative where broken people learn to love each other through shared disaster and kindness. The writing gets smarter every season, and the characters become richer without losing the comedy.

But It starts broad and sitcom-y, which can feel grating if you're not patient with the first season's slightly crueler humour.

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Parenthood2010

Messy, loving, chaotic family dynamics played with real emotional weight. It doesn't shy away from grief and failure, but finds humour and grace in how families actually support each other.

But Can veer into earnestness that feels heavy-handed. If you're not ready to feel things, this will exhaust you.

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Kim's Convenience2016

A family business comedy that treats its characters with genuine affection. Sharp writing, real cultural specificity, and a found-family core that grows more touching as it deepens.

But Only five seasons before it ended, and the final season had behind-the-scenes complications that affected the ending some fans found unsatisfying.

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Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Raising Hope

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Rectify2013

Both center on a family—biological and chosen—trying to figure out how to love each other despite impossible circumstances. Both believe that showing up matters more than being perfect.

A man returns home after decades in prison to a family that no longer knows him. It's quietly devastating and beautifully shot, building something profound from stillness and broken communication. A meditation on grace.

But Moves slowly and sparsely. If you need constant plot momentum, this will feel glacial. Some find it too much sadness without enough release.

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More like this (7)

Scrubs2001

Silly and emotional in equal measure, with a genuine found-family ensemble at its heart. The show knows when to make you laugh and when to make you cry, often in the same episode.

But Quality drops noticeably in seasons eight and nine. Best watched through season seven and treated as the ending.

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine2013

A workplace found-family comedy that balances hilarity with real affection for its characters. Everyone is competent and kind without being boring, which is harder than it sounds.

But The tone shifts when it tries to engage with serious social issues; some storylines feel like they're checking boxes rather than earning their weight.

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The Good Place2016

Surprises you repeatedly with how much heart it has underneath the philosophical jokes. The ensemble chemistry is perfect, and it respects its audience's intelligence without being smug about it.

But The plot gets increasingly convoluted in later seasons, and some people find the constant twists exhausting rather than delightful.

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Community2009

A misfit-group sitcom with genuine affection for its characters beneath the anarchic comedy and genre parodies. When it hits, it's brilliant and touching.

But Wildly inconsistent—seasons three and four are rough, and the show never quite recovers its footing despite returning for seasons five and six.

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Cougar Town2009

Starts as a premise-driven comedy and evolves into a genuinely warm ensemble show about friendship and found family. The cast's real chemistry carries you through.

But The opening season feels shallow and based entirely on the premise. It takes time to become the show it wants to be.

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Happy Endings2011

Fast, witty, and built entirely on ensemble chemistry. It doesn't take itself seriously, but it never betrays its characters' affection for each other.

But Some jokes land harder than others, and the show's rapid-fire style means pacing can feel uneven week to week.

Happy Endings poster

The Waltons1972

Both are about a large extended family living under one roof by necessity, finding their way through love and applied stubbornness. Both trust that character and warmth can carry a show without irony as a shield.

An honest portrayal of multi-generational family life during economic hardship. It finds real comedy and real sorrow in ordinary moments, and proves the formula worked before modern TV rediscovered it.

But Period piece with a fundamentally earnest worldview. Modern sensibilities might find the wholesomeness cloying if you're not in the right headspace.

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