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Shows that feel like Growing Pains (1985–1992)

If you loved Growing Pains, the closest series we have are The Middle (2009), The King of Queens (1998) and Modern Family (2009). All three share Growing Pains' witty and playful feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 12 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu and others, checked against today's data.

Fatherhood has taken on a whole new meaning for Jason Seaver, who has assumed the chores of cooking, cleaning and minding the kids so that his wife, Maggie, can pursue a career in journalism after spending 15 years as a housewife.

6.6 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗7 seasons · ABCcreated by Neal Marlenswittyplayful

Not on subscription streaming right now. Rent or buy below.

Buy seasons:Amazon see price ↗Apple TV$14.99 buyGrowing Pains: The Complete Series · Apple price as of 2026-08-28

If Growing Pains hit the spot, these will too

The Middle poster
The Middle
2009–2018 · 9 seasons · ABC
7.7comedy

Common ground in both: family and sitcom

The difference: Made in the 2000s, in a different era of the craft

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.

Feels alike?
The King of Queens poster
The King of Queens
1998–2007 · 9 seasons · CBS
7.4comedy

One thread runs through both: sitcom

Life’s good for deliveryman Doug Heffernan, until his newly widowed father-in-law, Arthur, moves in with him and his wife Carrie. Doug is no longer the king of his domain, and instead of having a big screen television in his recently renovated basement, he now has a crazy old man.

Feels alike?
Modern Family poster
Modern Family
2009–2020 · 11 seasons · ABC
8.5comedy

Common ground: family

The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan is a wonderfully large and blended family. They give us an honest and often hilarious look into the sometimes warm, sometimes twisted, embrace of the modern family.

Feels alike?
Home Improvement poster
Home Improvement
1991–1999 · 8 seasons · ABC
7.2comedy

The same mix in both: wit, then play

The daily trials and tribulations of handyman Tim Taylor, a TV show host raising three boys with help from his loyal co-host, domineering wife, and unseen neighbor.

Feels alike?
Drake & Josh poster
Drake & Josh
2004–2007 · 4 seasons · Nickelodeon
7.7comedy

Comedy with a pulse of wit, in both cases

Fifteen-year-old Drake and Josh are schoolmates, but not close friends. Drake views Josh as weird and a bit of a goof. So, imagine Drake's shock when he finds out that this "goof" is about to become his new step-brother and roommate when his mother marries Josh's father. A spin off of The Amanda Show.

Feels alike?
The Wonder Years poster
The Wonder Years
1988–1993 · 6 seasons · ABC
8.3comedy · drama · family

Neal Marlens directing both, with the same fingerprints on each

The difference: Leans harder into drama than Growing Pains does

The story of Kevin Arnold facing the trials and tribulations of youth while growing up during the 1960s and 70s. Told through narration from an adult Kevin, Kevin faces the difficulties of maintaining relationships and friendships on his enthralling journey into adulthood.

Feels alike?
Full House poster
Full House
1987–1995 · 8 seasons · ABC
6.8comedy · family

Comedy built on play, twice over

The difference: Sits closer to family than Growing Pains does

After the death of his wife, Danny enlists his best friend and his brother-in-law to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle.

Feels alike?
Superstore poster
Superstore
2015–2021 · 6 seasons · NBC
7.9comedy

Both lean on wit more than on comedy

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.

Feels alike?
My Name Is Earl poster
My Name Is Earl
2005–2009 · 4 seasons · NBC
7.8comedy

Both sit in the same playful register

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

Feels alike?
Married... with Children poster
Married... with Children
1987–1997 · 11 seasons · FOX
8.1comedy

Cut from the same comedy cloth

Al Bundy is an unsuccessful middle aged shoe salesman with a miserable life and an equally dysfunctional family. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous.

Feels alike?
Fawlty Towers poster
Fawlty Towers
1975–1979 · 2 seasons · BBC Two
8.8comedy

Both play comedy straight

Owner Basil Fawlty, his wife Sybil, a chambermaid Polly, and Spanish waiter Manuel attempt to run their hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding guests.

Feels alike?
Frasier poster
Frasier
1993–2004 · 11 seasons · NBC
8.2comedy · family

Both keep coming back to the same thing: psychiatrist

After many years spent at the “Cheers” bar, Frasier moves back home to Seattle to work as a radio psychiatrist after his policeman father gets shot in the hip on duty.

Feels alike?

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The best-reviewed series that share Growing Pains’ defining feeling.