6 Shows Like Somebody Somewhere You Must See

Image Credit: Elizabeth Sisson/HBO

‘Somebody Somewhere’ is a stirring comedy-drama series on HBO revolving around Sam Miller, a middle-aged woman from Kansas who is dealing with the death of her sister Holly. She also feels out of place in her hometown Manhattan and craves to find her own tribe of people. When Sam meets a unique community of outsiders, she is inspired by their never-give-up attitude to start accepting herself. Slowly, she begins to step out of her inhibitions and heal with her talent of singing.

A bittersweet tale of finding one’s sense of belonging in the world and making the best of situations, ‘Somebody Somewhere’ is partly based on the life of actress Bridget Everett, who plays Sam. The narrative and the characters make the viewers relate to them, while Sam’s journey of self-discovery makes them laugh and cry. If you wish to watch other emotional yet feel-good shows, we’ve got the perfect list of recommendations ready for you. You can watch most of these shows similar to ‘Somebody Somewhere’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.

6. Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

‘Schitt’s Creek’ is a hilarious sitcom that follows the riches to rags adventures of the Rose family in the eponymous small town. After their entire business is usurped by their manager, Johnny and Moira Rose are forced to relocate with their children Alexis and David to the laidback Schitt’s Creek. The affluent Roses have difficulty adjusting to the humble town life and its people, resulting in numerous side-splitting situations. Gradually, the town warms up to them, and the oddball residents make them find acceptance and love.

Though ‘Schitt’s Creek‘ is more comical than ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ both shows successfully capture the small-town shenanigans and lifestyle. Just like Sam finds it troubling fitting into her hometown environment, the Rose family feels like misfits in the town of Schitt’s Creek. Eventually, both Sam and the Roses find unlikely friends who make them feel like they truly belong. Moreover, like Sam finds her way back to singing, the four Rose family members also find their true callings in life and decide to start over.

5. Work in Progress (2019-)

Work in Progress‘ is a comedy-drama series that depicts the life of Abby, a self-identified “fat, queer dyke.” 45-year-old Abby suffers from depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder and undergoes a series of misfortunes in her life. While dealing with her existential crisis, she enters a relationship with Chris. Finding meaningful love starts changing Abby’s perspective of life, and gradually she starts accepting her flaws and managing her fears.

Both ‘Somebody Somewhere’ and ‘Work in Progress’ have middle-aged protagonists who feel like they are stuck in a dark phase in their lives. However, finding love and acceptance from unusual places helps them transform into the best versions of themselves. Furthermore, ‘Work in Progress’ also draws heavily from the lives of its actors Abby McEnany and Julia Sweeney. Another similarity in both shows is the realistic and sensitive portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community.

4. After Life (2019-2022)

Image Credit: Natalie Seery/Netflix

‘After Life’ is a black-comedy drama series about loss and friendship. It revolves around Tony, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife Lisa. The loss of his spouse causes a drastic change in his persona and he decides to live life recklessly without bothering about the consequences. By doing whatever he feels like, Tony wishes to punish the world for cruelly taking away Lisa. However, his concerned friends and family decide to intervene and save the once nice Tony that they used to know.

Just like Sam is struggling to cope with her sister’s death in ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ Tony is adversely affected after his wife dies. Both the protagonists feel the same helplessness after losing their loved ones and are unable to adjust to the people around them. And much as Sam is helped by a few kind friends to feel accepted, Tony’s loved ones try to bring him back to his usual jolly self in ‘After Life.’

3. Fleabag (2016-2019)

Fleabag‘ is a comedy-drama series that depicts the titular character, a cynical Londoner who tries to deal with the complexities of life. Fleabag grapples with grief while trying to process a tragic event in her life, and her anger and resentment cause her to push people away. Rejecting friendships and love makes her feel alienated, but she manages to retain her fiery self through all adverse situations.

The main themes of ‘Somebody Somewhere’ and ‘Fleabag‘ are quite the same, as they portray a person’s relationship with grief. Fleabag has a hard time accepting her mother’s death, as much as Sam struggles with losing her sister. The fact that people around them have seemed to move on while they are still stuck with sorrow makes both Sam and Fleabag resentful towards life. They refuse to accept themselves and feel lonely, but slowly they begin to heal when they come across the right people and embrace their pain.

2. Special (2019-2021)

The inspiring comedy-drama series ‘Special’ revolves around Ryan, a gay man with cerebral palsy. Tired of his identity as an accident victim, he decides to take charge of his life and break free from the dead-end rut he’s stuck in. With his newfound vigor, Ryan sets out on a path of self-reliance while forging some enriching friendships and relationships along the way.

‘Special’ is actor Ryan O’Connell’s semi-autobiographical account of his experiences, based on his memoir ‘I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves.’ Thus, it bears a resemblance with ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ which also is based on the real-life of its lead actress. On top of that, both shows chronicle the liberating journeys of the protagonists who decide to stop letting their situations define them. Sam and Ryan gradually learn to embrace their shortcomings and be proud of who they are while finding people who teach them a thing or two about acceptance.

1. The Big Leap (2021-)

Image Credits: Sandy Morris/FOX

‘The Big Leap’ is an uplifting musical comedy-drama series that follows a group of unique and luckless people who decide to participate in a possibly disastrous reality dance show. All the characters come from different walks of life but unite in the cause of trying to change their lives. The dance show gives them another chance at their dreams and at redefining their true selves.

In ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ Sam finds another chance of pursuing her passion for singing when she starts attending the choir practice sessions. Surrounded by like-minded people makes her feel at home and she decides to begin again in her life. Similarly, ‘The Big Leap‘ focuses on a group of people bound by music and dance, who wish to reclaim their narratives and pursue their talents. Both the shows highlight the facts that it is never too late to follow your dreams, and that there is indeed someone in the world whom you can identify with.

Read More: Where is Somebody Somewhere Filmed?

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