Best tv shows like Desperate Housewives
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama-mystery series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired Sundays at 9 P.M. Eastern/8 P.M. Central, on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012. Executive producer Cherry served as showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season included Bob Daily, George W. Perkins, John Pardee, Joey Murphy, David Grossman, and Larry Shaw. The main setting of the show was Wisteria Lane, a street in the fictional American town of 'Fairview' in the fictional 'Eagle State'. The show followed the lives of a group of women as seen through the eyes of a dead neighbor who committed suicide in the very first episode. The storyline covers thirteen years of the women's lives over eight seasons, set between the years 2004–2008, and later 2013–2017. They worked through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes and mysteries hidden behind the doors of their — at the surface — beautiful and seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood. The show featured an ensemble cast, headed by Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp, and Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis. Brenda Strong narrated the show as the deceased Mary Alice Young, appearing sporadically in flashbacks or dream sequences.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 137000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: witty, humorous, sexy, soap opera, sexual, stylized, exciting, cynical, biting, cliffhanger
Best tv shows and movies like Desperate Housewives (2004):
Similar in 89%
Out of Order (2003)
Plot Summary:
I suppose this is the story of the beauty and brutality of a long-term marriage as seen through the eyes of a writer who aspires to make art, but makes his living writing popcorn movies. Someone who wants to be a good man, but finds himself contemplating many crimes. Someone who is guilty of the crime of being human. Someone whose life is the only movie he can't rewrite. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 754
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags: humorous, witty, semi serious, sensual, clever, realistic, sexual, black comedy, dark comedy, sexy
Similar in 78%
Army Wives (2007)
Plot Summary:
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, one army husband, and their families.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Drama, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: realistic, emotional, serious, game show, touching, soap opera, idiotic
Similar in 79%
Valeria (2020)
Plot Summary:
A writer in a creative and marital crisis finds refuge and support in her three best friends. Based on the novels by Elisabet Benavent.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Spain
Duration: 47 min
Plot tags: sexy, humorous, realistic, stylized, semi serious, erotic, sensual, romantic comedy, witty, cynical
Similar in 76%
Mistresses (2013)
Plot Summary:
Meet Savi, a successful career woman working toward the next phase in her life -- both professional and personal -- simultaneously bucking for partner at her law firm while she and her husband, Harry, try to start a family of their own. Savi's free-spirited and capricious baby sister, Josselyn, couldn't be more different - living single, serial dating and partying, and regularly leaning on her big sister along the way. Their common best friend, April, a recent widow and mother of two, is rebuilding her life after tragedy and learning to move forward, with the support and guidance of her closest girlfriends. And friend Karen, a successful therapist with her own practice, reconnects with the girls after her involvement in a complicated relationship with a patient goes far too deep.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, tense, sexy, dramatic, soap opera, melancholic
Similar in 78%
Amas de Casa Desesperadas (2006)
Plot Summary:
Amas de Casa Desesperadas is an Argentine television series, that debuted on Canal 13 on August 30, 2006. Set in the fictional Manzanares Street, a suburb surrounding Buenos Aires, the series follows the lives of four housewives and the domestic problems and daily mysteries surrounding their husbands, friends and neighbors, which can be more sinister than they appear. The series' tone combines elements of drama, comedy, mystery, farce, soap opera and satire. Based on the American television series, Desperate Housewives, it was developed for Argentina by Buena Vista International and Pol-Ka Producciones. The show’s first season was broadcast by Canal 13 on Argentina, and also by other networks on Uruguay and Paraguay. On October 2006, Canal 13 renewed Amas de Casa Desesperadas for a second season, that will start filming on August 2007.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 88
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Country: Argentina
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 82%
Dead to Me (2019)
Plot Summary:
A hotheaded widow searching for the hit-and-run driver who mowed down her husband befriends an eccentric optimist who isn't quite what she seems.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 97000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: captivating, disturbing, semi serious, atmospheric, feel good, dramatic, dark comedy, tragicomedy, emotional, witty
Similar in 79%
Melrose Place (1992)
Plot Summary:
Melrose Place is an American primetime soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999 for seven seasons. It follows the lives of a group of young adults living in a brownstone apartment complex on Melrose Place, in Los Angeles, California. The show was created by Darren Star for Fox and executive produced by Aaron Spelling for his company, Spelling Television. It is the second series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. Season one and season two were broadcast on Wednesday at 9pm, after Beverly Hills, 90210. In 1994, for its third season premiere, the show moved to Monday at 8pm. The show had many cast changes during the run. Thomas Calabro was the only original cast member to remain on the series throughout its entire run. The show earned several Golden Globe nominations and placed #51 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, sexy, soap opera, captivating, sexual, telenovela, campy
Similar in 84%
Private Practice (2007)
Plot Summary:
Having left behind Seattle Grace Hospital, renowned surgeon Addison Forbes Montgomery moves to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. She reunites with her friends from medical school, joining them at their chic, co-op, Oceanside Wellness Center in Santa Monica.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: medical drama, touching, realistic, humorous, semi serious, sexy, soap opera, offbeat, witty
Similar in 79%
Cougar Town (2009)
Plot Summary:
Jules Cobb is a mom in her forties facing the often humorous challenges, pitfalls and rewards of life's next chapter. Along for the journey is her son, her ex-husband, her husband/neighbor and her friends who together make up her dysfunctional, but supportive and caring extended family... even if they have a funny way of showing it sometimes.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, light, sexy, sexual, entertaining, realistic, humorous, not serious, feel good, captivating
Similar in 80%
A Million Little Things (2018)
Plot Summary:
A group of friends from Boston who feel stuck in life experience an unexpected wake-up call after one of their friend dies unexpectedly.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: emotional, thought provoking, touching, sentimental, captivating, melancholic, disturbing
Similar in 83%
Devious Maids (2013)
Plot Summary:
The series centers on four Latina maids working in the homes of Beverly Hills’ wealthiest and most powerful families, and a newcomer who made it personal after a maid was murdered and determined to uncover the truth behind her demise, and in the process become an ally in their lives.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, humorous, entertaining, enigmatic, tense, offbeat, soap opera, deep
Similar in 85%
Hart of Dixie (2011)
Plot Summary:
New Yorker Zoe Hart has it all figured out - after graduating top of her class from medical school, she'll follow in her father's footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But when her dreams fall apart, Zoe decides to work at a small practice in Bluebell, Alabama.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 56000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: romantic, touching, sentimental, humorous, light, semi serious, teen, captivating, talky, medical drama
Similar in 86%
The Details (2011)
Plot Summary:
When a family of raccoons discover worms living underneath the sod in Jeff and Nealy's backyard, this pest problem begins a darkly comic and wild chain reaction of domestic tension, infidelity and murder.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: humorous, cynical, semi serious, funny, entertaining, dark comedy, realistic, independent film, inspirational
Similar in 79%
If Loving You Is Wrong (2014)
Plot Summary:
Follow the relationships of a group of husbands and wives that live and love on the same street. While the neighbors come from very different backgrounds, their lives are similar – raising children, dealing with exes, worrying about money and keeping romance in their relationships. But just below the surface — secrets, lies and deception threaten to destroy what they have built.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sentimental, humorous, realistic, semi serious, soap opera, captivating
Similar in 84%
Popular (1999)
Plot Summary:
Brooke McQueen, a popular cheerleader at Jacqueline Kennedy High School, and Sam McPherson, the editor of the school paper, are polar opposites. When their single parents unexpectedly meet and get engaged, Brooke and Sam have to deal with their new situation on top of regular teenage girl problems.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: humorous, emotional, realistic, witty, semi serious, offbeat, teen, telenovela, queer cinema, teen comedy
Similar in 81%
One Tree Hill (2003)
Plot Summary:
Set in the fictional small town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, this teen-driven drama tells the story of two half brothers, who share a last name and nothing else. Brooding, blue-collar Lucas is a talented street-side basketball player, but his skills are appreciated only by his friends at the river court. Popular, affluent Nathan basks in the hero-worship of the town, as the star of his high school team. And both boys are the son of former college ball player, Dan Scott, whose long ago choice to abandon Lucas and his mother Karen, will haunt him long into his life with wife Deb, and their son Nathan. Until now, Dan has managed to keep his two sons far from each other. But the past and present collide sharply when Tree Hill's basketball coach recruits Lucas for his team, much to the chagrin of Nathan and Daddy Dan. And the siblings natural rivalry only intensifies when they set their sights on the same girl, Peyton Sawyer. The residue of the past lingers far into the future for the residents of Tree Hill, even as a new generation is rising. Tree Hill follows the lives and loves of these two brothers, their friends and their family as they navigate high school, marriage, and finally... adulthood.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 86000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, realistic, touching, teen, soap opera, feel good, sweet, entertaining, action adventure
Similar in 84%
Sex and the City (1998)
Plot Summary:
Based on the bestselling book by Candace Bushnell, Sex and the City tells the story of four best friends, all single and in their late thirties, as they pursue their careers and talk about their sex lives, all while trying to survive the New York social scene. .
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 139000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sexual, erotic, witty, stylized, sexy, humorous, exciting, light, entertaining
Similar in 81%
Single Ladies (2011)
Plot Summary:
Single Ladies is an American comedy-drama television series on VH1 that debuted on May 30, 2011, as a two-hour television film. Created by Stacy A. Littlejohn and produced by Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment, the series chronicles the lives of three friends — Val, Keisha and April — and their relationships.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: humorous, captivating, light, entertaining, sexy, romantic comedy, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 75%
Revenge (2011)
Plot Summary:
When Emily Thorne moves to the Hamptons, everyone wonders about the new girl, but she knows everything about them, including what they did to her family. Years ago, they took everything from her. Now, one by one, she's going to make them pay.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 124000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: captivating, serious, soap opera, realistic, suspenseful, thrilling, exciting, deep, psychological, psychological thriller
Similar in 84%
Good Girls (2018)
Plot Summary:
Three "good girl" suburban wives and mothers suddenly find themselves in desperate circumstances and decide to stop playing it safe and risk everything to take their power back.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 59000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: funny, ironic, feel good, captivating, humorous, tense, entertaining, intellectual, sitcom, interactive
Similar in 88%
Pretty Little Liars (2010)
Plot Summary:
Based on the Pretty Little Liars series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard, the series follows the lives of four girls — Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily — whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee, Alison. One year later, they begin receiving messages from someone using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets — including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 176000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, serious, realistic, teen, soap opera, slasher, saga, relaxing, thrilling, teen horror
Similar in 76%
Gossip Girl (2007)
Plot Summary:
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, originally ran on The CW for six seasons from September 19, 2007 to December 17, 2012. Narrated by the omniscient blogger "Gossip Girl," voiced by Kristen Bell, the series revolves around the lives of privileged young adults on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 189000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: romantic, soap opera, talky, stylized, serious, witty, teen, erotic, sexy, intellectual
Similar in 88%
Big Little Lies (2017)
Plot Summary:
Subversive, darkly comedic drama Big Little Lies tells the tale of three mothers of first graders whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 219000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 356 min
Plot tags: disturbing, surprise ending, enigmatic, erotic, psychological thriller, cliffhanger, funny, thought provoking, intellectual, emotional
Similar in 78%
Friends (1994)
Plot Summary:
The misadventures of a group of friends as they navigate the pitfalls of work, life and love in Manhattan.
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 11000000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 5280 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, humorous, not serious, witty, funny, entertaining, talky, hilarious, epic
Similar in 82%
Why Women Kill (2019)
Plot Summary:
Three women living in three different decades: a housewife in the '60s, a socialite in the '80s and a lawyer in 2018, deal with infidelity in their marriages.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 984 min
Plot tags: captivating, witty, atmospheric, erotic, humorous, dark comedy, entertaining, light, funny, anthology
Similar in 80%
Lipstick Jungle (2008)
Plot Summary:
Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio. The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside showrunner/head writer Oliver Goldstick. The pilot was directed by Gary Winick.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sexy, humorous, semi serious, realistic, talky, telenovela
Similar in 82%
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
Plot Summary:
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 19, 2005, to March 31, 2014. The series follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in Manhattan. As a framing device, Ted, in the year 2030, recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting their mother.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 717000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 4576 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, light, humorous, funny, sexy, entertaining, witty, hilarious, romantic
Similar in 77%
Gilmore Girls (2000)
Plot Summary:
Set in the charming town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the series follows the captivating lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother/daughter pair who have a relationship most people only dream of.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 143000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: realistic, feel good, humorous, witty, talky, semi serious, light, satirical, deep, comedy drama
Similar in 89%
Sex and the City (2008)
Plot Summary:
A New York writer on sex and love is finally getting married to her Mr. Big. But her three best girlfriends must console her after one of them inadvertently leads Mr. Big to jilt her.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 126000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min
Plot tags: light, romantic, witty, romantic comedy, sexy, teen, sex comedy, feel good, emotional, funny
Similar in 82%
Ugly Betty (2006)
Plot Summary:
Smart but wholesome Betty embraces her unique appearance and independent attitude in the cutthroat world of New York fashion. With the help of her proud yet far-from-glamorous family from Queens, Betty will continue to have big dreams and deal with any obstacle in her own unique style.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 47000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: not serious, humorous, realistic, offbeat, dark comedy, dark drama, hispanic, witty, sitcom, telenovela