Sayak Basu
Most of us have surely heard about the 1994 film ‘Four Weddings And A Funeral’ starring Hugh Grant which caused quite a stir when it first released. This movie has now been adapted for the small screen by Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton. The story of the series centers on the lives of four American friends who meet after a long time at a wedding in London. However, the ceremony takes a rather unexpected turn and sends the lives of these four friends into a turmoil. Throughout a year, all of them keep facing rather difficult challenges in their personal lives. Along with the lives of these four characters in question, the series also uses their stories to focus on life in London, where we take a look at the thriving city’s social life, and the political scandals which come into the spotlight. The show also depicts how regular Londoners tend to look at love and life in their own unique ways.
The show does try to make itself into a comedy which is layered and unique, but at the end of it all the storyline turns out to be one rigged with a number of cliches, and ends up with nothing new to offer. The best part of this Hulu original series, without a shadow of a doubt, is the performance of its leading cast members. They are able to elevate an ordinary series into an entertaining affair. If you loved watching this show and are looking for more such series, then you have come to the right place. Here’s the list of best shows similar to ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ that are our recommendations. You can watch several of these series like ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
7. Friends With Benefits (2011)
There are some people who get really excited at the prospect of having a friend from the opposite sex who can satisfy all of your sexual needs without you having to go into a committed relationship with them. The series ‘Friends With Benefits’ will surely resonate with such members of the audience. The central characters of this series are Ben and Sara. They have been friends for quite some time now, and support each other both emotionally and sexually. While they are together, both Ben and Sara look for people they can be romantically involved with. The supporting cast mainly consists of their friends, who sometimes tend to question their relationship. However, these friends are themselves mired in several romantic problems. Each episode of the series is filled with humor, has wonderful performances, and offers a unique perspective towards love and life.
6. Lovebites (2011)
Modern romance has been explored in numerous movies and shows, but romance is such a dicey topic that no one has actually been able to capture it in all its nuances. The NBC series ‘Love Bites’ also tries to capture it in its own unique ways. The interesting thing about this series is that when the show was first conceived, the story we watched was not the story the makers had finalized upon. The series was first supposed to be a look at the world of dating through the eyes of two single women. However, when the actors who were supposed to portray the central characters had some issues, the story was canceled and ‘Love Bites’ instead became a series focusing on three short vignettes that explore love and dating in the modern world.
The series captures the numerous eccentricities which we quite frequently see in modern-day dating, like having the “celebrity exemption list”, joining the mile-high club, and so on. Not everything about this show is great, but it does have some genuinely funny moments and some interesting characters that you might find really fascinating.
5. Difficult People (2015-2017)
Created by and starring Julie Klausner in one of the leading roles, ‘Difficult People‘ is a TV show about two comedians who go about their lives and relationships as they aspire to have a fruitful career doing what they love. Since ‘Difficult People’ is a TV series about comedians, it is bound to have a multi-layered approach to its comedy. On one hand, there are the jokes which happen within the show’s narrative, and then there are jokes which the leading characters have to say as a part of their profession. Billy Eichner ably supports Klausner as he goes about playing the other leading character in the series. Because they have chosen the life of a comedian, the two of them have to struggle a lot before they can truly be successful. However, most of their friends are by now married with kids. This contrast in their lives is an interesting aspect that the series tries to capture. No matter how much you dislike the leading characters, you cannot for one second deny the fact that they are ridiculously funny.
4. Marry Me (2014-2015)
This is a show about a troubled couple. The leading characters in this series, Annie and Jake, just cannot come to a decision about whether they should go ahead and marry. The couple have been together for six years, but this is one problem they have not been able to solve yet. It is their small differences which constantly manage to create a rift between the two of them and keep pushing back their plans of a married life. However, despite all the differences and the times when marriage proposals were botched, the couple finally decides that they must marry. Casey Wilson and Len Marino as Annie and Jake respectively impress with their performances. ‘Marry Me’ also does a good job in capturing the nuances of a relationship which has stood through the ravages of time and despite a number of problems, love keeps the couple together.
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3. Casual (2015-2018)
Dating is, of course, a rather tricky business. And when you are past your 30s, things naturally tend to get more difficult. This is exactly the condition of bachelor Alex Cole who has started living with his sister and her daughter after getting a divorce from his wife. Alex’s sister Valerie, too, has recently had a divorce and we see both of them trying to find romantic partners for themselves. In the middle of this fiasco steps in Valerie’s daughter Laura. She is a teenager who is slowly finding herself in the dating pool and is taking advice from her uncle and mother. The fact that the three of them live together means that no one has adequate privacy, and this becomes a problem in all of their lives. ‘Casual’ is one of the best romantic comedies made in recent years. The show stands out because of its dialogues, humor, and the extraordinary performances by the leading cast members.
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2. Will And Grace (1998-)
Many romantic comedies have come and gone, but ‘Will And Grace’ shines on to this very day. This iconic series centers around the lives of the two eponymous characters, who are dear friends who later end up sharing a house. But their relationship has always been platonic because Will is a gay man. The narrative focuses on both their lives and careers as they traverse through the murky world of modern dating and romance while trying to figure out what each one of them actually wants from life. The humor of the series sometimes includes crude stereotypes associated with homosexuals and Jews. The fact that the character of Will is ashamed of admitting to his sexual orientation and sometimes tries to claim that he is straight has given rise to some controversies.
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1. Love (2016-2018)
Whenever Netflix tackles any topic, they tend to do it better than most of their rivals. This is exactly what happens with the series ‘Love’. Two youngsters, Gus and Mickey, are the central characters of this series. After his breakup with his girlfriend, Gus moves to an apartment complex where he comes across Mickey. She works at the radio but does not really enjoy her profession. The two of them hit it off soon enough, and despite being quite different from each other, the fact that both of them have recently been dumped brings them together. The series is very well-written and is completely honest in its portrayal of modern-day romantic relationships. How a couple builds an understanding and develops it into a meaningful romantic bond is beautifully explored in ‘Love‘.
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