Latest Love // More Comedies

Latest Love is a series of posts where I talk about a recent obsession. This could be a bookish obsession or otherwise - anything that has been making me happy recently that I feel like sharing. The important thing about this feature is that it isn't a review. This is just a way of me expressing a few reasons why I like something, and maybe find some more people to talk about it with. 😊

Back in April, I wrote a post on some of my favourite wholesome comedies. The four shows I listed make me feel so happy, so I thought I'd make a part two! 

These three comedies are all very family-oriented, which I love (But note! They aren't necessarily 'family shows').  I didn't want to group them in my last comedy post because these ones are tear-jerkers. There will be at least one episode where you'll bawl your eyes out. But don't worry - for the most part you'll be laughing! They are still comedies, after all. The issues these shows deal with can be heavy at times, but I think balancing the funny and the serious makes the content a lot more powerful. 

Jane the Virgin

I finally caught up with Jane the Virgin in the last few months, and I've been loving it as much as always. The show is about a young woman who gets accidentally artificially inseminated with a stranger's sperm and the problems it causes for her life plans. It's a weird premise and I'm not usually drawn to the romance/rom-com genres - but it's so difficult not to love.

The show is in the style of a telenovela, so at times it's so dramatic that it's almost ridiculous. But it's just that absurdity that makes it so much fun. The show's witty narrator acknowledges the melodramatic telenovela tropes that are used, allowing the show to make fun of itself whilst still keeping the viewer utterly absorbed.

Jane the Virgin's format also means it also deals with politically relevant issues. It isn't always directly linked to the plot of the episode, but talking about the current political climate in the US helps situate the show into reality. There are also a couple of heartbreaking episodes, but the show always bounces back and continues to sweet and romantic, and to focus on the strength of family bonds.

One Day at a Time

One Day at a Time is a Netflix original sitcom about a Cuban-American family. Penelope is a single mother trying to raise her two teenage kids alongside her eccentric mother. Family is at the heart of this show, and the dynamics between the characters are incredibly entertaining.

This comedy is another one that deals with serious issues. Penelope suffers from PTSD and depression, her mother Lydia is trying to get her US citizenship, her son Alex has had to deal with racism at school, and her daughter Elena struggles to come out to her family. And that is only scraping the tip of the iceberg. There's a lot this show deals with, and every episode has a message without feeling too forced.

On the whole, this is one of those comedies that you know will end happily. Every family has its struggles, but One Day at a Time shows that those challenges can be faced together.

Please Like Me

Please Like Me is an Australian comedy with a sense of humour that is somewhat difficult to describe. It jumps between dark, goofy, and cringe-worthy, but somehow it all works. The show is about Josh, who realises he's gay and tries to embrace this whilst having to care for his mother who suffers from depression.

The show is all about 20-somethings who don't know what to do with their lives. There are so few shows that deal with what a weird stage of life, but Please Like Me does it in a way that is painfully relatable. Josh is so awkward that it almost hurts to watch, and the show is full of awkward conversations and uncomfortable silences that are both funny and true to life.

I love this show and it has made me cry both from sadness and from my inability to stop laughing. But I will give a quick warning that it gets quite heavy. There are two off-screen suicides in the show which may be triggering for some people, and a lot of casual discussion about mental illness, so make sure you're in a good headspace if you choose to start it.

What is your latest love? Do you have any favourite comedies? Have you watched any of these shows too?