On bad days when heartbreak seems to make the world too gloomy, there’s nothing more comforting than binge-watching a feel-goodromanceTV show. The long format provides space for creators to flesh out the characters and for the narrative to be further developed, so the story is engrossing. Getting invested in one of thebest romance TV shows based on booksis the perfect way to deal with feeling low. The warmth of a feel-good romance show almost permeates through the screen like a stray ray of sunshine streaking in through the window on a cold winter morning.
It’s not possible to exaggerate how soothing it feels to watch characters go through dramatic highs and lows as they navigate relationships, eventually finding a happy ending for themselves. With complete side characters that make the world of a show feel lived in, and the dynamics well explored, a standardshow can also provide good, consistent romantic subplots. However,the feel-good aspect of shows focusing on romance renders them bingeable and rewatchable,making them an ideal option to fall back on during a bad day.
Streaming On Netflix
Emily in Paris
Netflix’s Emily In Paris is a comedy series starring Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, a college graduate who travels from Chicago to Paris when she lands a one-in-a-lifetime job opportunity that allows her to enjoy French culture and glamour while she overhauls a local marketing firm. From the mind of Beverly Hills 90210 and Sex and the City creator Darren Star, Emily In Paris takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the cultural differences between the United States and France.
With a whimsical premise,Emily in Parisfollows Lily Collins as Emily Cooper moving to Paris after she’s offered a position in place of her boss when the latter finds out she’s pregnant.Once in Paris, Emily has multiple sexual and romantic encounters, some quite literally random. Despite the emotional weight of finding and falling out with numerous partners over the course of four seasons, the show is lighthearted and feel-good.
As a romance series,Emily in Paris' best episodesare focused on romanticizing Paris as the City of Love and giving Emily the space to explore herself through and in long-term relationships and one-night stands. It rarely engages on an intellectual level with the story threads and their implications, and therefore makes for the perfect watch when one wants to switch off their brain and see some relatively illogical romantic storylines play out.
Bridgerton
Bridgerton, released on August 05, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
Based on the novel series of the same name written by Julia Quinn,Bridgertonis set in the early 1800s, in an alternate version of the British Regency. Racial equality has been established by King George III through his marriage to Queen Charlotte. WhileBridgertonhas often faced backlash for a lack of queer representation, showrunner Jess Brownell has promised exploration of queer stories in the next seasons (viaRefinery29). In fact, season 3 does insinuate queer romances in its final episodes.
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In its utopian world where interracial relationships are becoming a norm,the Bridgerton family navigates this period of transformation in its own chaotic way,with the younger generation flouting more customs than the elders in the family are comfortable with. Scandals form the crux of this show, which is feel-good because it’s neither class-conscious nor addresses politics, mostly focusing on the romantic and sexual escapades of thebest characters ofBridgerton, creating a lighthearted vibe. The world design is blissful and engrossing, perfect to get lost in on a bad day.
Virgin River
Virgin River is a romantic drama series released in 2019, centering on a recently divorced nurse who relocates from a big city to the redwood forests of California. There, she starts a new life and encounters an intriguing local man, setting the stage for a complex narrative of personal and community relationships.
Virgin River, based on the series of novels of the same name by Robyn Carr, follows protagonist Melinda Monroe, or Mel for short, played by Alexandra Breckenridge, as she leaves LA to go be a nurse practitioner in the small town of Virgin River. A lighthearted romance series with love triangles and dramatic revelations at every turn,Virgin Riveris compelling because the emotional beats of the story are based on realistic traumas and circumstances.
While not as lighthearted,Virgin Riverhas such deeply fleshed-out characters that they provide an immersion that helps distract from real-life worries. It creates a bingeable show for a bad day when one desperately needs to escape their world by getting lost in the emotional journeys of fictional characters on their screen. With six seasons, it has more content than can be binged in a single day and will work as a good emotional cushion for a long span of time.
Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever is a coming-of-age comedy about the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. The series stars newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi, an overachieving high school sophomore with a short fuse that gets her into difficult situations. Devi continues to deal with the everyday pressures of high school and drama at home while navigating new romantic relationships.
Following Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as high school girl Devi Vishwakumar,Never Have I Everis a typical high-school teen comedy, with subplots about boy crushes, dates, and heartbreak. With not one but two will-they-won’t-they romances at the center of the story, culminating ina love triangle inNever Have I Everseason 4, it makes for a quick lighthearted binge over a few days.
Narrated by John McEnroe,Never Have I Everhas a hilarious style of storytelling, spacing out the emotionally heavy plot points long enough to keep things lighthearted while still recognizing the quintessential aspects of the immigrant experience.There are side characters from three different generations, each of whom is fleshed out and given an individual arc, so the show feels thoughtfully made and set in a realistic world.
Young Royals
Young Royals is a Swedish teen drama series that follows Prince Wilhelm of Sweden as he adjusts to life at a prestigious boarding school. The show delves into Wilhelm’s struggles with his royal duties, identity, and relationships with fellow students, most notably Simon, a scholarship student. Set against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal discovery, Young Royals explores themes of loyalty, love, and self-acceptance.
Young Royalsis a Swedish teen drama set at a fictional boarding school in Sweden and focuses on the relationship between the fictional prince of Sweden and a fellow male classmate. Because he’s a public figure, their romance causes some intense drama in the prince’s life.Young Royalsdoesn’t shy away from addressing the harsher realities of being a queer person under public scrutinyin a world that’s still largely homophobic.
However, the romance at the center of the show is so mushy and cheesy that, in the end, the experience of watchingYoung Royals, while a little heavy and difficult at times, is fun and invigorating. It’s the perfect pick-me-up on a bad day, especially if one is looking for feel-good LGBTQ+ inclusive content. It is also one of the few queer shows that ended with a third season not because Netflix canceled it, but becauseYoung Royalswas planned to end with Season 3.
Streaming On Disney+, Hulu
Love Victor
Love, Victor is a spinoff of the 2018 film Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson. Instead of focusing on Simon’s story, Love, Victor centers on Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino), who, after moving to a new city, must juggle the stresses of high school as he figures out his sexual identity. The series ran for three seasons between 2020 and 2022 on Disney+ and Hulu.
An original spinoff series based on the 2018 filmLove, Simon, which was adapted from the novelSimon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agendaby Becky Albertalli,Love, Victoris set at the same high school asLove, Simon, and follows a separate set of characters.Since Simon came out publicly in the film, Victor seeks him out online when he grapples with his sexual orientationin the first season of the show.
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Decidedly lighthearted in tone,Love, Victorfeels like a warm hug on a cold day when questions of identity and worries about fitting in the world are eating at the mind. The queer relationships are handled with sensitivity and care, never allowing the harsh realities to feel too overwhelming to bear. In fact, Victor and Benji are one of thebest LGBTQ+ TV teen couplesthere is. While it seems utopian at times, it’s the perfect paradisiacal feel-good setting for a feel-good show.
Dash and Lily
During Christmastime in New York City, two seventeen-year-olds, Dash and Lily, trade dares and messages through a notebook that they hide for each other in various locations around the city.
Arguablythe best YA Christmas rom-com show on Netflix,Dash & Lilyfollows the titular characters played by Austin Abrams and Midori Francis respectively, as they exchange dares via a notebook, setting up elaborate treasure hunts for each other across NYC during the holidays. Adapted from the novelDash & Lily’s Book of Dareswritten by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan,Dash & Lilyis the perfect feel-good romance show to binge-watch in just one sitting, clocking in at less than four hours across eight episodes.
Every character in the show is wholesome, and the biggest worry at any moment is whether Dash or Lily will be able to complete their prescribed dare within the time allotted. A majority of the show is spent with the two characters away from each other, communicating by exchanging notes. Yet the chemistry in their voice acting makes their cheesy romance the perfect comfort watch for a bad day. The only thing aboutDash & Lilythat’s not comforting is the fact that it was canceled by Netflix after one season, although season 1 resolves everything.
Streaming On Max
Our Flag Means Death
Created by David Jenkins and starring Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, Our Flag Means Death blends romantic comedy with period drama on the high seas. Loosely based on real historical figures, the series chronicles the adventures of Stede Bonnet and the crew of the pirate ship Revenge, detailing their often hilarious exploits and encounters, including crossing paths with the infamous Blackbeard. The series received praise for its extensive and positive LGBTQ+ representation upon the first season’s release.
Our Flag Means Death, a period romcom set in the 1700s, is a fictionalized retelling of the life of the “Gentleman Pirate” Stede Bonnet and his dysfunctional crew aboard their ship, the Revenge. Stede is unsurprisingly incompetent, having become used to a comfortable, privileged lifestyle that did not equip him with the skills necessary to be a pirate captain. The Revenge is very quickly captured by Blackbeard and thus ensues the romance between him, played by Taika Waititi, and Stede, who form the central couple of the show.
Waititi and Rhys Darby’s quirky chemistry and comic timing makeOur Flag Means Deatha lighthearted show that breaks the boundaries of genresand introduces revised versions of traditional romantic tropes in the context of piracy as a period setting. While it is refreshing to watchOur Flag Means Deathbeing unapologetically queer in a uniquely idiosyncratic universe, thedisappointing trend of LGBTQ+ shows getting canceledcontinued with Max dropping the show after 2 seasons.
Nobody Wants This
A loud, agnostic sex podcaster and a newly single rabbi unexpectedly fall in love, forcing them to navigate the complexities of their clashing beliefs, families, and careers. Their relationship faces constant tension as they balance their personal lives with societal pressures, leading to a series of humorous and heartfelt challenges.
Also one of the best rom-com show to come out on Netflix,Nobody Wants Thisstars Adam Brody and Kristen Bell as Noah and Joanne, the central couple. Joanne has been in a string of bad relationships which have worsened her trust issues and made her skeptical of dating. Meanwhile, Noah has just gotten out of a toxic relationship of years, after breaking up with his would-be fiance. Yet Brody and Bell’s chemistry sets them up as the central romance before the first episode has even finished.
Netflix recently confirmed thatNobody Wants Thishas been renewed for a second season.
Spanning just eight episodes,Nobody Wants Thisis a quick binge. It is as much romantic comedy as it is drama, with the comedic timing of the stars with their dry delivery of witty dialogue making moments funnier than they should be. The focus of the series, however, is howJoanne and Noah have a great relationship, working through their issues to prioritize each other.Nobody Wants Thisis as feel-good as it gets because the romance found in two people navigating constant roadblocks to always choose each other is timeless.
Heartstopper
Heartstopper is an LGBTQ+ coming-of-age teen romantic comedy based on the webcomic/graphic novel created by Alice Oseman. The show is viewed through the eyes of a young gay British teen named Charlie Spring, whose crush on a classmate grows into something more meaningful as they slowly get closer throughout the series. The show navigates the challenges of LGBTQ+ youth during tumultuous adolescent years.
Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series of the same name has been adopted by Netflix to make the hit teen comedy showHeartstopper. Centered on the romance between Charlie Springer and Nick Nelson, the show boasts many LGBTQIA+ main and side characters, each of whom has their own relationship with queerness. The representation is both diverse and intentional, adeptly avoiding the pitfalls of tokenism. As a feel-good romance show, it highlights the pleasures of being oneself, irrespective of the world’s perceptions.
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Heartstopperevolves with each season in both tone and content. The first season is decidedly lighthearted, recognizing the quintessential queer experiences, some good, some bad, but always prioritizing the feeling of queer joy. While this is maintained throughout, later seasons delve into grittier territories, exploring harsh realities face-on without the filter of cheesy warmth. It remains to be seenwhat Oseman plans forHeartstopperSeason 4, but it will remain a staple of modernromanceTV.
