7 Lesser-Known Sitcoms Without a Romantic Subplot (Cause Sometimes We Just Need a Laugh, Not Love)

Regardless of their genre, most movies and TV shows feature romantic subplots of some sorts, which normally make the stories and their characters more compelling and, in the case of sitcoms, create room for some relationship-related jokes. But sometimes, you may not feel like following someone's romantic ups and downs and just want a sitcom to cheer you up, without any unnecessary drama.

Here are seven lesser-known comedy shows that come from different eras and feature very diverse stories but have one thing in common — there is no romantic subplot in them.

7. Sam & Cat (2013, 1 season)

IMDb rating: 5.6/10

Most teen and coming-of-age shows feature romantic storylines, but this is not the case with Sam & Cat. This show tells the story of a warm friendship between two girls, and there is no romance in it!

6. Gilligan's Island (1964, 3 seasons)

IMDb rating: 7.4/10

While movies of the 1960s were full of romance, the same cannot be said for sitcoms of the era. Gilligan's Island follows the misadventures of seven castaways stranded on a deserted island after a shipwreck.

5. Are You Being Served? (1972, 7 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.0/10

Centered around the working lives of department store employees, this sitcom is one of the first British series to focus on female characters who are not looking for a relationship, and also the first one to tell the story of a closeted gay man working in a prestigious retail store.

4. Outnumbered (2007, 5 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

The sitcom revolves around a middle-class British couple who are 'outnumbered' by their three children. Although the protagonists are husband and wife, the plot emphasizes their friendship and family cooperation rather than romance.

3. Phoenix Nights (2001, 2 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.6/10

After two unsuccessful attempts, Brian Potter decides to try his luck again and open a working men's club in Bolton, Greater Manchester. The sitcom follows the misadventures of Brian and his friends as they try to make The Phoenix Club the most popular establishment in town.

2. Father Ted (1995, 3 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.7/10

Three wacky Catholic priests are exiled to a remote island west of Ireland, where they find themselves in ridiculous situations and try to devise cunning schemes to get off the island.

1. The Thick of It (2005, 4 seasons)

IMDb rating: 8.7/10

This satirical sitcom centers around the staff of the fictional British Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship, whose incompetent head is pressured by a representative of the Prime Minister's Cabinet. No romance, just politics and laughter!