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Californication poster

Shows that feel likeCalifornication (2007–2014)

A self-loathing, alcoholic writer attempts to repair his damaged relationships with his daughter and her mother while combating sex addiction, a budding drug problem, and the seeming inability to avoid making bad decisions.

If you loved Californication, the closest series we have are Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Flight of the Conchords (2007) and Dickinson (2019). All three share Californication's witty and playful feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is The Middle (2009).

★ 8.3 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗7 seasons · Showtimecreated by Tom Kapinoswittyplayfulcontemplative
12 of 12 streaming nowNetflix · HBO Max · Amazon Prime Video
Stream it:Paramount+ ↗

If Californication hit the spot, these will too

Curb Your Enthusiasm poster
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000–2024 · 12 seasons · HBO
★ 8.8comedyMax

An LA creative whose worst enemy is reliably himself

The difference: Cringe over consequence — nobody's heart is really on the line

The off-kilter, unscripted comic vision of Larry David, who plays himself in a parallel universe in which he can't seem to do anything right, and, by his standards, neither can anyone else.

Flight of the Conchords poster
Flight of the Conchords
2007–2009 · 2 seasons · HBO
★ 8.5comedyMax

Witty where it counts, playful underneath

The difference: Trades the stillness of Californication for an angle of its own

The trials and tribulations of a two man, digi-folk band who have moved from New Zealand to New York City in the hope of forging a successful music career. So far they've managed to find a manager (whose "other" job is at the New Zealand Consulate), one fan (a married obsessive) and one friend (who owns the local pawn shop) -- but not much else.

Dickinson poster
Dickinson
2019–2021 · 3 seasons · Apple TV
★ 7.6comedy · dramaApple TV+

A writer at odds with the world, flirting with ruin and loving every line

The difference: Anachronistic period experiment — the rebel here is a teenage poet

Emily Dickinson. Poet. Daughter. Total rebel. In this coming-of-age story, Emily’s determined to become the world's greatest poet.

My Name Is Earl poster
My Name Is Earl
2005–2009 · 4 seasons · NBC
★ 7.8comedyHuluDisney+

A screw-up trying to make amends for years of bad decisions

The difference: Sweet-natured network sitcom — redemption without the self-loathing

When petty criminal Earl Hickey wins the lottery, he sets off on a quest to repair his questionable karma.

The Middle poster
The Middle
2009–2018 · 9 seasons · ABC
★ 7.7comedyPrime VideoPeacock

Life's daily failures met with a shrug and another try tomorrow

The difference: Wholesome family sitcom — the dysfunction is strictly PG

The daily mishaps of a married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Indiana.

The IT Crowd poster
The IT Crowd
2006–2010 · 4 seasons · Channel 4
★ 8.5comedyPrime Video

Deadpan comedy about people who are their own worst obstacle

The difference: Broad British farce in a basement — zero sex appeal, on purpose

The comedic misadventures of Roy, Moss, and their grifting supervisor Jen, a 'motley crew' of IT support workers at a large corporation headed by a hotheaded yuppie.

Zoey 101 poster
Zoey 101
2005–2008 · 4 seasons · Nickelodeon
★ 6.3comedyParamount+

Sun-soaked California hangout comedy with charm to burn

The difference: A squeaky-clean tween show — every vice sanded away

Zoey 101 is an American television series which originally aired on Nickelodeon from January 9, 2005 until May 2, 2008. It focuses on the lives of teenager Zoey Brooks and her friends as they attend Pacific Coast Academy, a fictional boarding school in Southern California. It was created by Dan Schneider. It was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia, California beginning in season 3. It was nominated for an "Outstanding Children's Program" Emmy in 2005. Zoey 101 was the most expensive production ever for Nickelodeon series, as it was shot completely on location in Malibu. It was also Nickelodeon's best performance for a series premiere in almost eight years. Despite this, many critics have made negative comments about the show, its setting, and its characters.

Everybody Hates Chris poster
Everybody Hates Chris
2005–2009 · 4 seasons · UPN
★ 7.6comedyPrime VideoHulu

Comedy with a pulse of wit, in both cases

Chris is a teenager growing up as the eldest of three children in Brooklyn, New York during the early 1980s. Uprooted to a new neighborhood and bused to a predominantly white middle school two-hours away by his strict, hard-working parents, Chris struggles to find his place while keeping his siblings in line at home and surmounting the challenges of junior high.

Shameless poster
Shameless
2011–2021 · 11 seasons · Showtime
★ 8.5drama · comedyNetflix

Charismatic wreckage — people you love watching make terrible choices

The difference: An ensemble in poverty — no glamour cushioning the self-destruction

Chicagoan Frank Gallagher is the proud single dad of six smart, industrious, independent kids, who without him would be... perhaps better off. When Frank's not at the bar spending what little money they have, he's passed out on the floor. But the kids have found ways to grow up in spite of him. They may not be like any family you know, but they make no apologies for being exactly who they are.

Superstore poster
Superstore
2015–2021 · 6 seasons · NBC
★ 7.8comedyHuluPeacock

Drama built on play, twice over

A hilarious workplace comedy about a unique family of employees at a super-sized mega store. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and the in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions.

New Girl poster
New Girl
2011–2018 · 7 seasons · FOX
★ 7.8comedyHuluPeacock

Witty comedy in both cases

Jessica Day is an offbeat and adorable girl in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves in with three single guys. Goofy, positive, vulnerable and honest to a fault, Jess has faith in people, even when she shouldn't. Although she's dorky and awkward, she's comfortable in her own skin. More prone to friendships with women, she's not used to hanging with the boys—especially at home.

Community poster
Community
2009–2015 · 6 seasons · NBC
★ 8.5comedyHuluPeacock

Both lean on play more than on drama

Follow the lives of a group of students at what is possibly the world’s worst community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado.

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The best-reviewed series that share Californication’s defining feeling.