Did you enjoy the surreal Amazon comedy-fantasy series, Forever? If so, here are five other television series you should consider watching.
Before you continue to read any farther, I’m going to warn you there will be spoilers for Forever. I would assume if you clicked on an article about shows to watch if you love Forever, then you’ve already seen the show, but you never know! Consider yourself warned.
Forever is a strange little comedy series that debuted on Amazon last year. It stars Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen as a married couple who have been stuck in the same, stale routine for far too long. Then suddenly, they both die and find themselves in the afterlife together.
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Forever is a series you needed to watch knowing as little as possible to get the full effect. Many people were left extremely confused by the end of the season while others adored the strange hilarity of the show. It was undoubtedly divisive, although critics seemed to love it.
As of right now, we don’t know if Forever will get a second season. Although to be honest, I feel like this is the type of series that would drop a second season out of the blue when you least expect it.
Either way, if you genuinely did enjoy Forever then here is a list of five other shows you should check out.
5. The Good Place (2016 – present)
- How many seasons: Currently, there are three and the show has been renewed for a fourth and final season set to premiere this September.
- Where you can watch it: Netflix, Hulu, or you can purchase it through Amazon Video.
If you’re looking for a series with a similar concept to Forever then The Good Place is probably the closest you can get. Like Forever, The Good Place takes place in the afterlife. Also, like Forever, the series is a fantasy-comedy.
The show focuses on Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell), who wakes up in the afterlife and finds herself in “The Good Place.” She is told she has been selected for the Heave-adjacent utopia due to being a supremely good person while alive. Eleanor quickly realizes there must be some mistake because she is far from a morally respectable person.
But she also doesn’t want to get sent to “The Bad Place.” Eleanor then tries to learn how to become a better person from her assigned soulmate, Chidi Anagonye (Midsommar’s William Jackson Harper), a former ethics professor.
In addition to Bell and Anagonye, the series also stars Jameela Jamil as the self-obsessed yet philanthropic Tahani Al-Jamil, Manny Jacinto as an amateur DJ, Jason Mendoza, D’Arcy Carden as Janet a programmed AI, and Ted Danson as the angelic architect of “The Good Place,” named Michael.
If you need more incentive to watch, The Good Place was just nominated for several Emmy Awards and Forever star herself, Maya Rudolph, has a recurring role on The Good Place, one she was nominated for!
4. Portlandia (2011 – 2018)
- How many seasons: Eight seasons in total but a majority of the seasons are only 10 episodes long.
- Where you can watch it: All eight seasons are available on Netflix, or you can purchase them on Amazon.
Portlandia is another obvious choice because it shares a star with Forever in Fred Armisen. The series is an unconventional sketch comedy series set in Portland, Oregon.
Along with Armisen, the series also starred Carrie Brownstein. It is executive produced by Saturday Night Live exec, Lorne Michaels. A majority of the sketches on Portlandia feature the two leading stars playing different characters. They frequently employ make-up, wigs, costumes, and the occasional special effect to transform themselves into different personas.
Portlandia was nominated for numerous awards during its eight-season run. It won several Primetime Emmy Awards, Art Directors Guild Awards, and Writers Guild of America Awards. If you do plan on watching Portlandia, one of the most entertaining aspects of the series is seeing some of your favorite celebrities pop up.
The show has hosted a medley of big-name Hollywood actors including, but not limited to, Kirsten Dunst, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Graham, Selma Blair, Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig, Amber Tamblyn, Juliette Lewis, and Rose Byrne.
3. Russian Doll (2019 – present)
- How many seasons: One so far but it has been renewed for a second season.
- Where you can watch it: Currently you can only watch Russian Doll on Netflix.
Russian Doll is the newest series on this list. It premiered this past February on Netflix. But it has already impressed many established an excellent reputation. The first season received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for its star, Natasha Lyonne (who you might also recognize from another Netflix series, Orange is the New Black).
The premise of Russian Doll is as simple as it is complicated. Lyonne plays Nadia Vulvokov. One day, Nadia goes to a party in New York City and dies. Immediately after dying, she wakes up at the same party. It’s not unlike the famous film, Groundhog Day, with its concept of repeating the same day.
Even though Nadia gets stuck in a time loop, Russian Doll remains fresh and inventive during all eight episodes of its debut season. You never know quite what to expect next.
Along with Lyonne the series also stars Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Charlie Barnett, and Elizabeth Ashley. Dascha Polanco, another actress from Orange is the New Black, also shows up in a recurring role.
2. Fleabag (2016 – 2019)
- How many seasons: There are two series with the second one finishing this past April.
- Where you can watch it: As an Amazon Original, you can stream Fleabag through Prime Video.
Fleabag is a critically acclaimed British comedy-drama. The series is about Fleabag, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, an angst-ridden woman living in London who often breaks the fourth wall to communicate with the audience about her life. The concept for the series was designed by Waller-Bridge when she was tasked with coming up with a sketch as part of a stand-up storytelling night.
It’s not a show that’s easy to describe because to describe it makes it sound like not much is happening, but it is well worth your time. If you don’t want to take my word for it, you can listen to the critics who have been hailing the series as one of the best since it debuted in 2016.
Fleabag has been called scathing, darkly humorous, and poignant in its deep and soul-searching commentary on the human condition and recovery in the aftermath of trauma. The second series has received 11 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations.
In addition to starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the show also stars Sian Clifford as Claire, Fleabag’s sister, Olivia Colman as her godmother, Bill Paterson as her father, Brett Gelman as her sister’s husband, Hugh Skinner, Hugh Dennis, Ben Aldridge, Jamie Demetriou, Jenny Rainsford, Andrew Scott, Fiona Shaw, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Ray Fearon.
1. Homecoming (2018 – present)
- How many seasons: Right now there is only one season, but it has been renewed for a second season which is currently in development.
- Where you can watch it: As an Amazon Original, you can stream Homecoming through Prime Video.
Homecoming is different in tone than any other series on this list, including Forever. That said, Forever is not exactly your typical comedy series and those who felt challenged by the complex themes of the show may find themselves intellectually stimulated by Homecoming.
The big draw of Homecoming is Julia Roberts, who stars as social worker Heidi Bergman. Homecoming is Roberts’ first foray into prestige television. Another unique aspect of Homecoming is despite the series being a psychological thriller, the episodes short and concise, with the longest only running for 37 minutes.
As for the plot of Homecoming, it centers around the Homecoming Transitional Support Center. The support center is a facility meant to help soldiers transition back into civilian life. Bergman has started a new life away from the facility but cannot seem to remember what happened there.
She is contacted by an auditor from the U.S. Department of Defense and begins to realize there may be a more sinister purpose for the facility than she initially believed.
Bobby Cannavale, Stephan James, She Whigham, Alex Karpovsky, and Sissy Spacek also star.
Did you enjoy Forever when it debuted on Amazon Prime? Do you intend to watch any of the shows we’ve listed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
You can currently stream Forever Season 1 with Amazon Prime Video.