The 20 Best Happy Shows to Watch Right Now (Updated 2024)

The best part about streaming services is that when you finish watching the latest movie or TV show, you’re only seconds away from finding your next favorite hit. If you’re looking to take a break from the time-traveling drama of “Outlander” or the tension in the fast-paced “Mr. Robot,” it’s time to start a show that will make you laugh. These are the 10 best happy shows to watch right now and they’re all available on all of your favorite streaming services. 

1. Abbott Elementary

“Abbott Elementary” is a heartwarming and laught-out-loud comedy set in a Philadelphia public school. The show follows protagonist, Janine (Quinta Brunson), as she faces countless cringe-worthy situations as an enthusiastic teacher. The critically acclaimed show will have you rooting for the hilariously real characters and remind you of your own school days.

Where to Watch: ABC, Hulu, Max

2. Schitt’s Creek

This award-winning show is about the Roses, a wealthy family who lose their fortune and are forced to move into a motel in town full of odd characters. The quick-witted jokes and all-star cast make Schitt’s Creek a once-in-a-decade phenomenon. You’ll laugh, cry and rewatch the series endlessly.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

3. Hacks

The 2024 Emmy winner for Outstanding Comedy Series, “Hacks,” follows a Las Vegas comedian who is fighting to keep her residency with the help of a young comedy writer. Despite being unlikable characters, you are sure to fall in love with this unlikely duo.

Where to Watch: Max

4. Only Murders in the Building

This Hulu original has become an instant classic comedy series. Starring Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin, the show follows a group of neighbors who start a podcast to investigate deaths that keep happening in their NYC apartment building. The show is a brilliant and hilarious spoof on the true crime craze.

Where to Watch: Hulu

5. Derry Girls

Netflix’s “Derry Girls” follows a group of friends living in Northern Ireland who are constantly getting in trouble while attending a strict Catholic school. The girls, and their one male friend, try to get themselves out of ridiculous situations while understanding the world around them. For quick wit and irreverent humor, this is the perfect show to binge.

Where to Watch: Netflix

6. RuPaul’s Drag Race

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is a must-watch in the world of reality TV. Watch as contestants compete in fashion design challenges, funways shows and fun performances, and be amazed by their fashion and makeup looks. With 16 seasons, you can enjoy the fun and fabulousness of Drag Race for a while.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Paramount+

7. Sex and the City (+ And Just Like That)

This classic comedy is about a group of women in their 30s looking for love in New York City. While you won’t always agree with their self-destructive decisions, you’ll still be rooting for Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte to find their happily ever afters. Once you finish the original six seasons, you can continue the fun by watching the movie and the current-day reboot, And Just Like That, to see where their stories go.

Where to Watch (Sex and the City): Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV
(Sex and the City: The Movie): Max, Hulu, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video
(And Just Like That): Max

8. Gilmore Girls

This series is the perfect cozy, heartwarming show that you’ll want on repeat. Mother and daughter, Lorelei and Rory, navigate growing up and finding themselves while surrounded by an ensemble of quirky townies. Gilmore Girls is the ultimate comfort show that will never fail to make you happy.

Where to Watch: Netflix

9. Emily in Paris

The hilariously unrealistic plotlines and over-the-top fashion of Emily in Paris are sure to brighten your mood any day. This show is a true guilty pleasure that you’ll find oddly addicting. It’s perfect for a girls’ night in or a cozy binge weekend.

Where to Watch: Netflix

10. The Sex Lives of College Girls

This show follows a group of imperfect but lovable college students trying to figure out life, love, sex and more. Whether you’re a current college student or you’re looking to relieve the good old days, you’re sure to laugh and relate to the awkward yet heartwarming situations.

Where to Watch: Max

11. The Good Place

When Eleanor Shellstrop wakes up in The Good Place — the afterlife for everyone who gains enough points through good deeds and pure hearts — she knows she’s in the wrong place. Hilarity ensues as she meets the cast of characters who will quickly feel like your newfound family. The witty humor and whip-smart scripts earned the show 13 Emmy nominations and numerous other awards until the show ended with one of the best television finales in January 2020.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Apple TV

12. Pushing Daisies

In “Pushing Daisies,” Lee Pace plays Ned, who can bring living things back to life for one minute with the touch of his finger. When he gets the chance to bring his childhood crush back to life, he makes that minute last much longer by never letting himself touch her again. They team up to solve mysteries that always get resolved by the end of each episode. This quirky show could warm just about any cold heart.

Where to Watch: Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV

13. New Girl

People adore New Girl for the one-off jokes that have remained popular memes since the show ended in 2018. The ensemble comedy features a cast that drew viewers in with their natural friendships and chemistry. After new-girl-in-town Jessica Day moves in with new roommates, they change each other’s lives for the better. Stick around to watch them go through life’s ups and downs without ever forgetting to laugh along the way.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Peacock, Disney+

14. Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope works for the Indiana Parks and Recreation Department and uses her boundless energy and optimism to make her city better for everyone. She also considers her co-workers her family, so she takes them along for adventures and hilarious drama that pops up around town and in the office. The writing features heartfelt moments and incredible character arcs that will have you chuckling as you tap “Play Next Episode” during your next binge-watching session. 

Where to Watch: Peacock

15. Ted Lasso

Apple TV found another hit series in their ongoing show, “Ted Lasso.” The titular character is a football coach who goes to London to teach soccer, which he’s never done before. Viewers will learn how to believe in the inherent goodness in every person by watching the now-famous coach fill his world with positivity.

Where to Watch: Apple TV

16. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

After spending 15 years trapped in an underground doomsday cult, Kimmy Schmidt explores New York City as she discovers who she is outside of her past in a bunker. The premise sounds dark, but Tina Fey helmed the show and participated in the writing, so you’re in for some laugh-out-loud adventures as Kimmy makes friends with an aspiring Broadway actor and his eccentric landlord.

Where to Watch: Netflix

17. The Office

“The Office” was originally a British show, but the American adaptation with Steve Carrell took the world by storm. It merges quick and cringe-worthy humor in all the best ways with characters you might recognize from your own office job. Start the show to see where all of your favorite memes began and stay for the incredible cast chemistry that will have you checking your birth chart compatibility so you can find the Jim to your Pam. 

Where to Watch: Peacock

18. Bob’s Burgers

If you’re in the mood for animated fun, you’ll love Bob’s Burgers. Bob Belcher and his family operate a burger joint across the street from their nemesis, Jimmy Pesto. The expansive world-building and character arcs never miss a beat between the show’s clever jokes and fast-paced storylines. It’s so popular that it’s still on the air, but you can watch every season on nearly any streaming app.

Where to Watch: ABC, FOX, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube TV

19. Scrubs

J.D., Turk and Elliot are medical interns when they arrive at Sacred Heart Hospital. They learn much more than medical procedures as they interact with patients and bond with the hospital staff during their careers. The show is one of showrunner Bill Lawrence’s first mega-hits. If you loved his other series like Friends and Ted Lasso, you’ll adore the heart of Scrubs that kept fans enthralled for nine seasons.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Peacock, Disney+

20. Dogs

Dogs are man’s best friend, but there are so many other ways they give back to the world. Netflix’s “Dogs” follows the lives of pups around the globe. You’ll cry happy tears and cheer from your couch while watching them become service dogs, help people escape war-torn countries and remind you why life can be so much more with a four-legged friend at your side.

Where to Watch: Netflix

Check Out Some Happy Shows

These are some of the best happy shows you can find on streaming services. Check them out during your next pizza night or whenever you need a mood booster. They’ll entertain and enthrall you while making you laugh during every episode.

Originally Published 9/6/2021 – Updated 9/16/2024