The 6 best romantic TV shows to binge this Valentine's Day

We can't promise they won't make you sad though.

Image credit: Starz

Guide by Fran Ruiz Contributor

Published on Feb. 12, 2024

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We've already made some recommendations of great comic books and movies for Valentine's Day 2024, but what about TV shows? After all, what's better than simply binging through a season of a good series with a loved one? Here are six favorites of ours we'd recommend in a heartbeat to anyone.

Mind you, some of these can be slightly sad and melancholic too, but what's a good romance without a bit of heartache from time to time?

Bridgerton

Season 3 of Bridgerton might not be here yet, but it's the perfect time of the year to either rewatch or jump into the hit Netflix series for the first time.

The historical fiction-romance TV series is based on the book series by Julia Quinn, and revolves around an eponymous fictional family who belongs to Regency-era London in the early 1800s. It's all about the search for love, and the many friendships and feuds found in the way and within London's high society. The backdrop alone might be enticing enough for many viewers, but we promise the actual narrative is as engaging and fast-paced as you've heard.

Love

Love remains one of the funniest and breeziest shows that Netflix has ever put out. The Judd Apatow-produced series follows Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) and Gus (Paul Rust), two unreliable people with lots of emotional baggage that, regardless, attempt to build a trusting relationship with each other.

It's as bumpy and unpredictable as the most intense relationships you probably know about or have lived yourself, but above all, it's a great time filled with genuinely funny situations and heartwarming payoffs that somehow never loses sight of the bigger picture and remains grounded at all times.

Heartstopper

The live-action adaptation of Alice Oseman's webcomic and graphic novel of the same name has become yet another Netflix hit since it debuted in 2022, and we can confirm it's one of the cutest and most earnest shows currently on the platform. And of course, it's an excellent teenage queer romance series that never feels too harsh or adult even when the drama hits hard.

One of the series' biggest strengths is how good the ensemble led by Joe Locke and Kit Connor is and how the scripts expertly navigate different plot lines and points of view. There's a lot going on at all times, yet the whole thing feels cohesive and laser-focused on evoking mostly happy feelings. Even if you aren't strictly looking for a romantic show, this is a great one to warm your soul.

Outlander

Starz's hit historical drama series has been running for nearly a decade now, and is expected to conclude with season 8. Ahead of its big conclusion, what better time to find out what's the deal with Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser's epic love story?

The series stars Caitríona Balfe as Claire Randall, a WW2 military nurse in Scotland who, in 1945, is transported back in time to 1743 (seriously). There, she falls in love with and eventually marries a dashing Highland warrior named Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). Becoming involved in the Jacobite rising is only the beginning of her and Jamie's many adventures across several historical events and countries. As you've probably guessed, this one's ideal for history buffs.

Starstruck

Starstruck, originally made for the BBC but also available via Max in some territories, is more of a comedy series, but it's all about an unexpected romance between Jessie (Rose Matafeo), a 20-something woman living in Hackney, London, with two dead-end jobs, and famous movie star Tom Kapoor (Nikesh Patel), with whom she sleeps during New Year's Eve... only to find out later he's famous.

Their story is told over the years, as they break up, try to get back together, etc. Despite many efforts to move on, it seems like their destiny is to be together. Will they fight for or against that? How long can you keep something like that up? This one might feel familiar, but it's witty enough to raise itself above much of the competition.

Fleabag

Yeah, we know you might be thinking this one's a bit of an odd recommendation here, but we believe a good list isn't complete without a wild card. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag might not be the most romantic of the bunch, but it's got some compelling explorations of love and human relationships nonetheless. Also: it's simply a fantastic series.

Long story short (and without spoilers): Fleabag teaches the audience a lot about love, just not in the most obvious sense. In fact, sisterhood might be the most important element of the series in spite of all the ups and downs in the main character's emotional life. That isn't an easy relationship to maintain either, and the show puts in the work to make it all believable and worth following up until the end, regardless of what happens with Fleabag's love life.

Happy Valentine's! To get you into the season of romance, here's our guide to our six best romantic movies to watch on Netflix and six best romantic shows to binge for the big occassion. If you're a reader here's our six best romantic comics to check out for V-day. Or if you want something a little more off beat, why not check out our six tips for surviving a date with Deadpool? If that doesn't sound horrific enough, we've got six horror movies to enjoy during Valentine's day.