Best tv shows like Ally McBeal
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama television series, originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997 to May 20, 2002. Created by David E. Kelley, the series stars Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in the fictional Boston law firm Cage and Fish, with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were eccentric, humorous and dramatic. The series placed #48 on Entertainment Weekly's 2007 "New TV Classics" list.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 36000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: sentimental, talky, feel good, humorous, semi serious, offbeat, entertaining, sitcom, hilarious, clever
Best tv shows and movies like Ally McBeal (1997):
Similar in 83%
Ally (1999)
Plot Summary:
In this half hour version of the FOX top rated show Ally McBeal, David E. Kelley adds un-aired scenes of the original show. Plus, he cut all the court stories, making the show about Ally's personal stories only.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 238
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sentimental, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 86%
Night Court (1984)
Plot Summary:
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984 to May 31, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone. It was created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, who had previously worked on Barney Miller in the 1970s and early 1980s.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, retro, clever, offbeat, realistic, talky, not serious, vintage
Similar in 88%
Cupid (1998)
Plot Summary:
Cupid is a 1998–1999 American comedy-drama series created by Rob Thomas, which featured Paula Marshall as Dr. Claire Allen, a Chicago psychologist who is given charge of a man named Trevor Hale. Hale believes he is Cupid, sent down from Mt. Olympus by Zeus to connect 100 couples without his powers, as a punishment for his arrogance. Originally broadcast on ABC on Saturday evenings at 10 p.m. EST, the show lasted one season.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, clever, feel good, humorous, witty, not serious
Similar in 82%
Love & War (1992)
Plot Summary:
Love & War is an American television sitcom, which aired on CBS from September 21, 1992 to February 1, 1995. Created by Diane English, the series originally starred Susan Dey as Wally Porter, a Chicago restaurateur, and Jay Thomas as Jack Stein, a sportswriter with whom she had an on-again, off-again romance. After the first season, however, the show was retooled and Dey was fired by the producers of the show, claiming that she and Thomas had "no chemistry" together. She was replaced by Annie Potts as Dana Palladino, who bought Porter's restaurant and also became a love interest for Jack. The first season also featured moments when Jack or Wally would break the fourth wall and address the camera directly, generally using it as an opportunity to discuss an emotional crisis. This mechanic was dropped in later seasons. One episode featured a guest appearance from Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David as themselves, they did this as a "thank you" to creator Diane English for allowing a brief scene on Murphy Brown in an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer is cast as the titular character's secretary. The show's supporting cast included Suzie Plakson, Joanna Gleason, Joel Murray, Charles Robinson and Michael Nouri. John Hancock, who had a recurring role as a judge on L.A. Law with Susan Dey previously, portrayed bartender Ike for the first half of season one, until he died of a heart attack in late 1992. His death was subsequently written into the series and he was replaced by actor Charlie Robinson.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 246
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, feel good, humorous, realistic, witty, talky, semi serious
Similar in 75%
Gavin & Stacey (2007)
Plot Summary:
Gavin is an ordinary boy from Billericay, Essex. Stacey is an ordinary girl from Barry Island, South Wales. They’ve spoken on the phone every day at work for months but they’ve never actually met… until now.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 29 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, feel good, semi serious, touching, humorous, realistic, captivating, dark comedy, clever
Similar in 76%
Relativity (1996)
Plot Summary:
Relativity is an American drama television series which followed a twenty-something couple, Isabel Lukens and Leo Roth, and the lives and loves of their friends and siblings in Los Angeles. The short-lived ABC series was the product of thirtysomething producers Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz The series ran from 1996-1997; it was canceled after 17 episodes due to low ratings.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 374
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sentimental, serious, realistic, talky
Similar in 89%
What About Brian (2006)
Plot Summary:
Serial monogamist Brian O'Hara hits his mid-30s and suddenly realizes he's the last bachelor standing in his circle of friends. Not averse to the happily ever after his friends have achieved, Brian wonders whether he'll ever find Mrs. Right. The fact that he's in love with his best friend's girlfriend doesn't help his chances.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: humorous, feel good, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 88%
Dharma & Greg (1997)
Plot Summary:
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002. It stars Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who got married on their first date despite being complete opposites. The series is co-produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, More-Medavoy Productions and 4 to 6 Foot Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The show's theme song was written and performed by composer Dennis C. Brown. Created by executive producers Dottie Dartland and Chuck Lorre, the comedy took much of its inspiration from so-called culture-clash "fish out of water" situations. The show earned eight Golden Globe nominations, six Emmy Award nominations, and six Satellite Awards nominations. Elfman earned a Golden Globe in 1999 for Best Actress.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, feel good, realistic, not serious, mystic, hilarious, witty, romantic comedy, mystical
Similar in 80%
Love Bites (2011)
Plot Summary:
Love Bites is an American television series originally planned for the 2010–11 television season on the NBC network that eventually aired as a summer replacement series. It premiered in its regular Thursday night time slot at 10:00 pm Eastern/9:00 pm Central, on June 2, 2011. On July 11, NBC canceled the show and the series finale aired on July 21.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: semi serious, humorous, realistic, talky, anthology, sexual, sexy
Similar in 81%
Eli Stone (2008)
Plot Summary:
Eli Stone is an American legal comedy-drama TV series, named for its title character. The series follows Stone, a San Francisco lawyer who begins to have hallucinations, which leads him to two possible conclusions: a potentially fatal brain aneurysm, and the chance that something greater is at work. His visions lead him to accept cases with little monetary gain but a lot of moral goodness.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: semi serious, sentimental, humorous, surreal, offbeat, feel good, odd
Similar in 76%
Hindsight (2015)
Plot Summary:
The series begins with Becca on the eve of her second wedding. It all seems perfect this time around, but she is still plagued by doubt. What if she could fix everything, and make the 'right' choices this time? Becca finds herself thinking about her former best friend Lolly, with whom she had a falling out many years ago. If only she could talk to her once again… Suddenly, after a freakish elevator ride, Becca gets the opportunity to do just that as she wakes up in New York City on the morning of her first wedding day in 1995. She's about to marry Sean, a bad-boy artist who is all wrong for her – and she knows her first move must be to reconnect with Lolly to re-live that day. Can she 'make it right' by living her life all over while re-adapting to life in New York City in the 90's – a time of smoking in bars, carrying pagers, having an AOL email address? Becca will soon discover there's no sure-fire way to make the right choices in life – even knowing everything she thinks she knows now.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, semi serious, humorous, offbeat, hilarious
Similar in 78%
Harry's Law (2011)
Plot Summary:
Harriet, Matthew and Malcolm couldn't be any more different, but when they cross paths, they realize they're all looking for a fresh start. The most unlikely of people are starting a law practice in the most unlikely of places -- a rundown shoe store.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: clever, serious, exciting, realistic, dramatic
Similar in 78%
Franklin & Bash (2011)
Plot Summary:
When they're not hanging out at their favorite hot dog stand pontificating on what they'd go through to enjoy a night with their favorite female celebrities, Jared Franklin and Peter Bash are chasing down their latest clients...sometimes literally. With business cards in hand, they're ready to nab a client within seconds after a car accident, arrest for solicitation or any other incident where their legal services may be needed. Once in the courtroom, they show their flair for the dramatic and the shocking.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: semi serious, humorous, realistic, exciting, light, sincere, touching, captivating, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
Ed (2000)
Plot Summary:
After his wife leaves him and he's fired from his job at a high-profile New York city law firm, Ed Stevens moves back to his small hometown of Stuckeyville where he buys the local bowling alley and attempts to win the heart of his high school crush.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: feel good, touching, humorous, semi serious, funny, realistic, telenovela, fun, nostalgic
Similar in 90%
Men at Work (2012)
Plot Summary:
Men at Work is an American comedy series that airs on TBS. The series was created by Breckin Meyer and stars Danny Masterson, Michael Cassidy, Adam Busch, James Lesure and Meredith Hagner. The series premiered on May 24, 2012 at 10 pm. TBS second season premiered on April 4, 2013 with another 10 episode season.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, light, feel good, captivating, hilarious, realistic, not serious, interesting
Similar in 80%
Ellen (1994)
Plot Summary:
Ellen is an American television sitcom that aired on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, consisting of 109 episodes. The title role of Ellen Morgan, played by stand-up comedian Ellen DeGeneres, was a neurotic bookstore owner in her thirties. The series centered on Ellen's dealing with her quirky friends, her family and the problems of daily life. The series is notable for being the first one in which the main character came out as gay, which DeGeneres' character did in the 1997 episode "Puppy Episode". This event received a great deal of media exposure, ignited controversy, and prompted ABC to place a parental advisory at the beginning of each episode. The series' theme song, "So Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas. A running gag was that each episode had a distinct opening credits sequence, resulting from Ellen's ongoing search for the perfect opening credits.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, game show, hilarious, clever, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, controversial, talky
Similar in 80%
Will & Grace (1998)
Plot Summary:
Will Truman and Grace Adler are best friends living in New York, and when Grace's engagement falls apart, she moves in with Will. Together, along with their friends, they go through the trials of dating, sex, relationships and their careers, butting heads at times but ultimately supporting one another while exchanging plenty of witty banter along the way.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 59000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, feel good, realistic, stylized, witty, talky, semi serious, light, hilarious
Similar in 80%
Raising the Bar (2008)
Plot Summary:
The lives and cases of young lawyers who work on opposite sides - the public defender's office and the district attorney's office - as well as those who sit in judgment on their cases.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: serious, tense, clever, realistic, stylized
Similar in 86%
Boston Public (2000)
Plot Summary:
Boston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. It centered on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was named for the real public school district in which it takes place. It featured a large ensemble cast and focused on the work and private lives of the various teachers, students, and administrators at the school. It aired from October 2000 to January 2004. Its slogan was "Every day is a fight. For respect. For dignity. For sanity.".
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, humorous, realistic, sitcom, clever, offbeat, semi serious
Similar in 90%
Love Soup (2005)
Plot Summary:
Bittersweet comedy drama about the eternal search for the perfect partner.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 565
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 59 min
Plot tags: sentimental, humorous, realistic, captivating, sincere, feel good, semi serious, sitcom
Similar in 78%
The Golden Girls (1985)
Plot Summary:
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom, created by Susan Harris, that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, witty, sentimental, touching, realistic, feel good, semi serious, hilarious, clever
Similar in 82%
Benched (2014)
Plot Summary:
Nina is a dedicated, career driven corporate attorney who has a very public nervous breakdown after getting passed up for an expected promotion and now finds herself working as a public defender. Her personal and professional worlds are turned upside down when she joins the ranks of the legal world’s underdogs and very quickly realizes that the law isn't quite as fair as she once thought.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: humorous, sitcom, semi serious, feel good, captivating, light, hilarious, realistic
Similar in 79%
Girls Club (2002)
Plot Summary:
Girls Club is an American television series created by David E. Kelley that was shown on Fox in the United States in October 2002. It is often compared to Ally McBeal, another series created by Kelley, which ended in May 2002.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 103
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 77%
Young & Hungry (2014)
Plot Summary:
Two worlds collide when Josh, a wealthy young tech entrepreneur, meets Gabi, a feisty young food blogger, looking to be his personal chef. Gabi is desperate for the job and must prove herself, mostly to Josh's aide, who prefers a famous chef for the job. When Josh enlists Gabi to prepare a romantic meal for him and his girlfriend, the dinner goes awry and Gabi finds herself in a very awkward position. With the help of her best friend Sofia and Josh's housekeeper, Gabi turns a difficult situation into an opportunity for employment and maybe even love. Gabi gets some much needed help and advice from Josh’s assistant and his housekeeper.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, light, humorous, hilarious, feel good, semi serious, double entendre, realistic, idiotic, nostalgic
Similar in 81%
Just Legal (2005)
Plot Summary:
Just Legal is a television courtroom drama that stars Don Johnson and Jay Baruchel as two courtroom lawyers in Venice, California. The series premiered on The WB on September 19, 2005 and was canceled on October 3, 2005 after only three episodes had been aired. Almost a year later The WB decided burn off 5 unaired episodes following a repeat of the pilot on August 6, 2006. The series concluded on September 10, 2006.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 215
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: captivating, realistic, psychological, semi serious, humorous, serious
Similar in 85%
L.A. Law (1986)
Plot Summary:
L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it contained many of Bochco's trademark features including a large number of parallel storylines, social drama and off-the-wall humor. It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s, and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights, homophobia, sexual harassment, AIDS, and domestic violence. The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff. The show was popular with audiences and critics, and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run, four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: realistic, stylized, clever, serious, thrilling, detective, telenovela
Similar in 75%
Drop Dead Diva (2009)
Plot Summary:
A shallow model suddenly dies in an accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-sized attorney.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, semi serious, feel good, humorous, light, captivating, sweet, sitcom, idiotic
Similar in 81%
Boston Legal (2004)
Plot Summary:
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley and produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The series aired from October 3, 2004, to December 8, 2008. Boston Legal is a spin-off of long-running Kelley series The Practice, following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore at the legal firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 49000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: witty, humorous, semi serious, thought provoking, contemplative, political, funny, dramatic, hilarious, sensitive
Similar in 84%
Fairly Legal (2011)
Plot Summary:
Kate Reed is a firm believer that justice can always be found--even if it's not always in the courtroom. Once a lawyer at her family's esteemed San Francisco firm, Kate's frustration with the legal system led her to a new career as a mediator. Thanks to her innate understanding of human nature, thorough legal knowledge, and winning smile, Kate is a natural when it comes to dispute resolution. Except, it seems, when it comes to conflicts in her own life.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 41 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, sincere, realistic, romantic, sensitive, interesting
Similar in 86%
New Girl (2011)
Plot Summary:
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.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 241000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: feel good, light, sitcom, buddy comedy, captivating, humorous, talky, entertaining, hilarious, funny