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If you've ever found yourself missing the quirky charm of 'The Big Bang Theory', yearning for that unique blend of witty banter, endearing characters, and those oh-so-relatable moments of geeky triumphs and social faux pas, then you're in luck because there are 29 shows out there that fill that Sheldon-shaped hole in your TV schedule.
These series are like the distant cousins of 'The Big Bang Theory', each bringing their own flavor to the table – from genius-level quips flying faster than a particle in the Large Hadron Collider, to heartfelt moments that sneak up on you like a hidden level in your favorite video game.
29. "The Guild" (2007) Rotten Tomatoes score: 0% This web series focuses on an online guild, "The Knights of Good," in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It explores the lives of the players behind the avatars, particularly Codex, the healer, who tries to balance her real and virtual lives.
28. "The Goldbergs" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 75% Set in the 1980s, this comedic series is narrated by the adult version of 11-year-old Adam Goldberg. It follows the Goldberg family, including overprotective mother Beverly, hot-tempered father Murray, rebellious sister Erica, and emotional brother Barry, as they navigate the decade's trends and events.
27. "Happy Endings" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 76% This sitcom centers around a group of friends living in Chicago. The dynamics among the group change when the couple that brought them together, Alex and Dave, break up. The friends navigate their intertwined lives, romantic entanglements, and careers with humor and heart.
26. "Speechless" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 79% The series follows the DiMeo family, especially focusing on JJ, a teenager with cerebral palsy. His mother, Maya, goes to great lengths to provide for her special-needs son while also caring for her other children and husband.
25. "Eureka" (2006) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% U.S. Marshal Jack Carter stumbles upon Eureka, a secret town populated by brilliant scientists working on advanced technologies. He becomes the sheriff and faces the challenge of protecting the town's intellectual assets while dealing with experimental mishaps.
24. "My Name Is Earl" (2005) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% Earl Hickey, a small-time crook, wins a lottery and decides to rectify all the bad things he's done in his life after discovering karma. The show follows his comedic journey to make amends to all the people he has wronged.
23. "Mom" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% Christy, a single mother and recovering alcoholic, attempts to mend her relationship with her own estranged mother, Bonnie, also a recovering addict. They struggle to find a new, sober life path, managing family life and personal growth.
22. "Young Sheldon" (2017) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% A spin-off of "The Big Bang Theory," this series focuses on the early life of Sheldon Cooper in East Texas. Being a child prodigy, he struggles to be understood by his family, classmates, and neighbors.
21. "Scrubs" (2001) Rotten Tomatoes score: 83% Set in the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital, this comedic series follows young doctor John "J.D." Dorian and his colleagues, including his best friend Turk and love interest Elliot, as they embark on their medical careers, facing personal and professional challenges.
20. "The IT Crowd" (2006) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85% Set in the offices of the fictional Reynholm Industries, this sitcom follows the comedic escapades of the socially awkward IT team: Maurice Moss, Roy Trenneman, and their head, Jen Barber, who knows nothing about IT, as they deal with technology mishaps and bizarre office scenarios.
19. "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (2012) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85% Midwesterner June moves to New York City and ends up with a trouble-making party-girl roommate, Chloe. Despite their differences, the two form an unlikely friendship, navigating life in the city with humor and unpredictable adventures.
18. "Community" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% A diverse group of community college students form a study group at Greendale Community College. The group includes Jeff Winger, a disbarred lawyer, and other quirky members. They navigate their studies and personal lives while participating in various misadventures and humorous situations.
17. "The Middle" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% This sitcom focuses on the Heck family living in the small town of Orson, Indiana. Frankie, the mother and a car saleswoman, her husband Mike, and their three children face life's challenges with humor and love, depicting the everyday life of a middle-class family.
16. "Bob's Burgers" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% The show centers around the Belcher family – parents Bob and Linda, and their children Tina, Gene, and Louise – who run a hamburger restaurant. They deal with various situations in running the business and their quirky adventures.
15. "Cougar Town" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 89% Jules Cobb, a recently divorced woman in her 40s, explores the truths about dating and aging in modern society. With her teenage son, ex-husband, and wine-loving friends, Jules navigates the ups and downs of her new life.
14. "Better Off Ted" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 89% Set at Veridian Dynamics, an unscrupulous and morally ambiguous corporation, the show follows Ted Crisp, a well-intentioned and successful research and development director, as he navigates absurd office situations and ethical dilemmas with his colleagues.
13. "Psych" (2006) Rotten Tomatoes score: 89% Shawn Spencer, possessing excellent observational skills, convinces the Santa Barbara Police Department that he is a psychic. Along with his best friend, Gus, he solves crimes under this pretense, leading to humorous and unconventional crime-solving methods.
12. "Chuck" (2007) Rotten Tomatoes score: 90% Chuck Bartowski, a computer geek, accidentally downloads government secrets into his brain and becomes an unwilling secret agent. He juggles his new spy life with his mundane daily routine, helped by CIA agent Sarah Walker and NSA agent John Casey.
11. "Suburgatory" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% After finding a box of condoms in his daughter's drawer, single father George Altman decides to move from New York City to the suburbs for a more wholesome life. He and his daughter Tessa navigate life in their new suburban environment, which is not as idyllic as it seems.
10. "Superstore" (2015) Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% The series is set in the fictional Cloud 9 superstore and follows the lives of its employees, led by store manager Glenn and floor supervisor Amy. The staff deal with customers, their personal relationships, and the day-to-day grind of retail work.
9. "Parks and Recreation" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% Leslie Knope, an eternally optimistic and highly driven mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of Pawnee, Indiana, works with her colleagues and friends to improve her town, facing bureaucratic and political challenges.
8. "Silicon Valley" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% The series chronicles the struggles of Richard Hendricks, a Silicon Valley engineer who develops a groundbreaking data compression algorithm. He and his friends navigate the unpredictable and often cutthroat world of tech startups to make their mark.
7. "Party Down" (2009) Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% A group of aspiring actors and writers in Los Angeles work as caterers while pursuing their dreams in Hollywood. Each episode features a different event, bringing unique challenges and revealing the characters' quirky personalities and relationships.
6. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% Set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, this series follows a team of detectives led by the immature but talented Jake Peralta and the stern and serious Captain Raymond Holt as they solve crimes and navigate personal issues.
5. "New Girl" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% After a rough breakup, quirky and upbeat Jess Day moves in with three single men, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston, who are unprepared for her bubbly demeanor. The show follows their friendships, romantic escapades, and personal growth.
4. "Raising Hope" (2010) Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% After a one-night stand results in a baby, Jimmy Chance becomes a single father. With the help of his eccentric family, including his parents and great-grandmother, Jimmy navigates the challenges and joys of raising his daughter, Hope.
3. "The Good Place" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself in the afterlife's "Good Place," but soon realizes she was sent there by mistake. With the help of her new friends and the architect of the Good Place, Michael, she tries to become a better person to earn her spot.
2. "Spaced" (1999) Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% The series follows Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner, two London twenty-somethings who pose as a professional couple to rent an apartment. Their lives intertwine with their eccentric neighbors as they pursue their dreams and deal with everyday challenges.
1. "Freaks and Geeks" (1999) Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% Set in the early 1980s, this series follows two siblings, Lindsay and Sam Weir, as they attend high school in suburban Michigan. Lindsay gravitates towards a group of "freaks," while Sam navigates the challenges of being a "geek" with his friends.
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