(Credit: Netflix)

There are only so many tubs of ice cream a person can eat before they need something else to take the edge off a breakup. We get it, breakups are the worst, but that’s where Netflix comes in.

Sometimes, after a harsh breakup, you don’t want pep talks or advice. All you want is a show that feels like company, something to fill the silence and make the days sting a little less. And the good ones are like emotional bubble wrap. Just like those bubbles, they don’t magically fix anything, but they keep the sharp edges from hurting quite as much.

These are the series that make you laugh mid-sob or pull you so far into their world that you forget your ex’s name for a while. They distract you, which, honestly, is what you need most.

And let’s be real, a breakup binge should not be high-brow or complicated. No one wants to sit and detangle dense plot twists when their heart already feels like spaghetti. What you want are characters who mess up, get back up, and sometimes even prosper in ways that remind you there’s life after heartbreak.

So, if you’ve recently been ghosted, dumped, or just realised you deserve better, here are five Netflix shows that deliver the perfect mix of humour and healing energy.

Five Netflix shows to binge after a breakup

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

On paper, Dead to Me is about grief, murder, and lots of secrets. In reality, it is about two women who stumble into each other’s lives and build one of the most intense friendships on television. It starts with Jen, a sharp-tongued widow, who is grieving her husband. Just then, she meets Judy, a stranger with secrets of her own. The two women form a surprising friendship that helps them cope with loss even when lies and shocking twists try to pull them apart. It is all about how unlikely friendships can save you.

It has plenty of dark humour that cuts through the sadness. For anyone nursing heartbreak, it’s a reminder that sometimes your lifeline isn’t romance at all. Sometimes it’s the unexpected friend who shows up right when you need her.

Too Much (2025– )

Created by Lena Dunham, Too Much follows an American woman named Jessica trying to reinvent herself after a breakup, like we all have done at some point. She tries dating again as she relocates to London. In this new journey, she fumbles her way through new relationships, which are messy in the same way. It’s a modern show that works on the idea of self-awareness, which is both hilarious and relatable to watch.

It works because it doesn’t pretend reinvention is glamorous. Watching someone else trip through awkward dates and bad decisions is weirdly comforting. If she can keep going after all that, you probably can too. And that’s exactly the vibe you need when your own love life feels like a car crash.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020)

Kimmy Schmidt has lived through trauma most of us can’t even imagine. Just like Too Much, she decided to relocate to New York and give things a new chance. This time, she decides to enter the world with neon optimism and an unshakeable belief that things will get better. Ellie Kemper’s Kimmy, with no idea how the modern world works, tackles everything from roommates to dating.

The Netflix show is silly in the best way. It is full of bizarre characters and cartoonish plots, but that’s what makes it perfect for heartbreak recovery. A mix of silliness and life lessons. Kimmy’s refusal to give up on joy is so infectious that you end up laughing, even when you didn’t think you could.

Diary of a Ditched Girl (2025– )

This Swedish comedy-drama feels like it was custom-made for breakup binges. It follows a 30-year-old woman thrown back into the dating world after being “ditched”. Much like the previous recommendation, she tries to put herself out there and give dating a second chance. Each episode blends awkward encounters and the quiet heartbreak of starting over.

The show doesn’t sugar-coat the pain of rejection, but it doesn’t drown in it either. Instead, it captures all the small humiliations and surprising victories of starting again and somehow makes you want to cheer for every misstep.

Never Have I Ever (2020–2023)

We saved the best for the end. Mindy Kaling’s teen comedy may be set in high school, but the shenanigans of Devi Vishwakumar’s love life hit just as hard for adults. In one episode, she’s chasing the wrong boy, the next, she’s sabotaging herself. But most importantly, somewhere in between, she’s trying to figure out who she actually is. All while quietly grieving the loss of her beloved father.

We have all been teenagers and massively crushed on someone. This Netflix show takes you exactly through that, only Devi’s the worst decision-maker. And watching her fail and still move forward is the kind of energy that makes you feel like maybe you’ll be fine too.