Roses are red. Violets are blue. Here are some rom-coms, picked just for you!
Are you in the mood for a one-night stand? A workplace fling? A musical spectacular? A full-blown commitment stretched over 30 episodes? We've got you covered, as long as you're also looking to laugh (and if you just want the love part, we've got you covered there too).
Here are the 20 best romantic comedies, both movies and shows, now streaming on Netflix.
20. Falling Inn Love
Imagine a home improvement show. Take that home improvement show and make it a scripted Bachelor spin-off. Now, take that home improvement show-turned-scripted Bachelor spin-off and set it in New Zealand. Finally, sprinkle in some puns and you've got Falling Inn Love!
Starring Christina Milian and Adam Demos, this delightfully delirious romp into renovation romance is the perfect comfort movie for a cozy afternoon on the couch. Marvel at the pretty settings, lust after the linen shirts, stare at the goat named Gilbert.
How to watch: Falling Inn Love is now streaming on Netflix.
19. Love
Love is a bit all over the place — but, so is its namesake.
Gillian Jacobs and Paul Rust star as Mickey Dobbs and Gus Cruikshank, two Angelenos who serendipitously meet at a gas station and fall hopelessly, madly in...something. Over the series' brief three seasons, viewers are treated to the ups, downs, and sideways of finding the one. Come for the promise of happily ever after, stay for everything that isn't that.
How to watch: Love Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Netflix.
18. When We First Met
Somewhere between Hot Tub Time Machine and Some Kind of Wonderful, When We First Met imagines the perfect first date over and over and over again.
Adam DeVine and Alexandra Daddario star as one couple that just couldn't get the timing right, with supporting performances from Robbie Amell and Shelley Hennig. This movie's saccharine tone and overdone premise shouldn't work, and yet they do. It's...fate?
How to watch: When We First Met is now streaming on Netflix.
17. The Lovebirds
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani play a charming couple stuck in a seriously screwed up situation in the spectacularly funny The Lovebirds. When our titular lovebirds get framed for vehicular homicide, date night becomes a race against the clock to solve the crime they didn't commit. It's the perfect popcorn flick with enough heart to get you invested in its leads.
How to watch: The Lovebirds is now streaming on Netflix.
16. My Best Friend's Wedding
Julia Roberts has been in so many great rom-coms, it's tough to pick a favorite. That said, My Best Friend's Wedding is definitely in the running. Roberts stars as a woman hopelessly in love with her newly affianced best friend, played by Dermot Mulroney. It's your classic "jealous lover tries to ruin the wedding" plot, but with a charismatic cast, including Cameron Diaz as the bride-to-be, that rises far beyond its simple premise. Plus, that ending. You will never recover.
How to watch: My Best Friend's Wedding is now streaming on Netflix.
15. Always Be My Maybe
Baby Cobra fans were long overdue for a fictional Ali Wong fantasy, and Always Be My Maybe really, really delivered. Wong and Randall Park make for a delightful will-they-won't-they, complete with love triangles, awkward childhood flashbacks, Keanu Reeves in the role he was born to play, and authentic representations of the Asian-American experience. Swoon.
How to watch: Always Be My Maybe is now streaming on Netflix.
14. Easy
Joe Swanberg's Easy covers a lot of ground, but the more romantic episodes definitely stand out.
An intimate anthology examining relationships in Chicago, this series weaves together so many genuine displays of emotion it can be hard to keep your heart in check. Not all the characters fall in love, but you'll absolutely fall in love with all the characters. Start anywhere during any of the three seasons, and see where it gets you. (Tears. Tears is where it gets you.)
How to watch: Easy Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Netflix.
13. Been So Long
Adapted from the musical of the same name, Been So Long offers a dreamy look at a chance encounter between two people in desperate need of a break from reality.
With electric interactions between stars Michaela Coel and Arinzé Kene, this poppy romance will have you from the moment the first words are sung — and won't let go until the very last verse.
How to watch: Been So Long is now streaming on Netflix.
10. The Prince & Me
In 2021, "small town girl falls for European royalty" is about as crowded as a subgenre can get. (Season's greetings to A Christmas Prince.) And still, director Martha Coolidge's 2004 hit The Prince & Me rises above the rest. Julia Stiles stars opposite Luke Mably in this fairytale story of two undergrads who must face the slimy obstacles that come with dating in the public eye.
How to watch: The Prince and Me is now streaming on Netflix.
9. The Incredible Jessica James
Get a masterclass in self-confidence and healthy communication from The Incredible Jessica James. Starring Jessica Williams opposite Chris O'Dowd, with a supporting performance from Lakeith Stanfield, this charming tale of a woman who will stop at nothing to be loved the way she deserves explores so much of what makes romance the sticky business that it is — but with just the right amount of optimism to keep you invested until its stunningly grounded happily ever after.
How to watch: The Incredible Jessica James is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Alex Strangelove
To find true love, you've first got to find yourself.
Featuring heartbreaking performances from Daniel Doheny, Antonio Marziale, and Madeline Weinstein, Alex Strangelove is a coming-of-age story designed to make your palms sweat. A poignant and touching look at coming out, this world is filled with good people doing good things that will make any viewer need a handhold.
How to watch: Alex Strangelove is now streaming on Netflix.
How to watch: Easy A is now streaming on Netflix.
7. Sex Education
Sex Education had us from the moment its lead pretended to pretend to masturbate.
There's plenty to love about this perfectly cast teenage dramedy. But in light of the events of Season 2, nothing feels more pressing than the relationship between Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve (Emma Mackey) — except maybe Eric's (Ncuti Gatwa) love triangle. At the heart of every great story is a great romance, and Sex Education has more than its fair share.
How to watch: Sex Education Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Netflix.
6. Never Have I Ever
Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, this smart, sweet coming-of-age story was among the most fulfilling Netflix binges of 2020. Lead Maitreyi Ramakrishnan will steal your heart as Devi, a high school sophomore reeling from the loss of her father the year before — but with big plans for a future as vibrant and fearless as she. Culturally important as it is authentic, Never Have I Ever serves not only as a critical step for representation, but also as a dreamy teen rom-com you'll adore.*
How to watch: Never Have I Ever Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
5. Bridgerton
Where to begin with the scandalous, sexy, and silly sensation that is Bridgerton? In this period dramedy, Regency-era Londoners look for love under the critical eye of the Queen and a host of courtiers, while dodging scandal at every turn. It's Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey with a How To Get Away with Murder-type twist that's undeniably Shonda Rhimes. You're going to love it, so much so that you should plan on bingeing this one.
How to watch: Bridgerton Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Monuments should be erected in honor of this television masterpiece, but a spot on this list will have to do for now. With four spectacular seasons of musical-infused madness, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is as much a gooey rom-com as it is a fearless portrait of self-love. Whether you're single, attached, or moving to West Covina for Josh from camp, Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) and her gaggle of lovable pals will welcome you with open jazz hands. "Weeeest Coviiiinaaaaa---"
How to watch: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix.
3. Set It Up
An enticing combination of Devil Wears Prada and Jim and Pam's The Office romance, Set It Up makes workplace love almost seem like a good idea.
Starring Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell as two overworked assistants intent on making their bosses fall in love, this breezy comedy delivers on laughs and butterflies in equal measures. Plus, Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu hook up and it is very, very appealing. You're welcome.
How to watch: Set It Up is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's beloved graphic novels, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World isn't your traditional romantic comedy, and that's precisely what makes it so special.
When Scott (Michael Cera) falls in love with the mysterious Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he must battle for her affection in video game-style levels with her "Seven Evil Exes" serving as bosses. You've got Chris Evans as a douchebag on a skateboard, Mae Whitman as the worst kind of ex-girlfriend, Anna Kendrick as the annoying younger sister, the list goes on and on.
How to watch: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is now streaming on Netflix.
1. To All the Boys I've Loved Before
If you've reading this list, there's just no way you haven't seen To All the Boys I've Loved Before (and probably also its sequel, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You). But with its second sequel To All the Boys: Always and Forever out Feb. 12, now is the time for a rewatch. Bask in the chemistry of Lana Donor and Noah Centineo. Delight in the drinkable yogurt representation. Consider why you never dressed this well in school. Then, send out your letters!
How to watch: To All the Boys I've Loved Before is now streaming on Netflix.
Honorable Mention: Big Mouth: My Furry Valentine
Big Mouth's Valentine's Day special is a lot of things, but a "rom-com" isn't one of them.
Still, when you're in the mood for some melt-in-your-mouth, cover-your-eyes, run-away-screaming awkwardness, this show is your best best. You won't get that grande finale kiss or heartwarming profession of love, but you will watch romances so ill-fated you'll laugh until you cry. And in "the time of the Valen," that's pretty much the same deal.
How to watch: Big Mouth Seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix.
Asterisks (*) indicate the entry comes from a previous Mashable list. This story was originally published in February 2020 and updated in August 2021.
