5 TV Shows Like ‘I Love LA’ on Netflix

Published 11/02/2025, 10:14 PM EST

There is something irresistibly comforting about television series that revolve around tight-knit friend circles, comedic misadventures, and the kind of chaotic loyalty that keeps viewers emotionally invested. Audiences have long adored shows that blend humor, heartfelt moments, and a dash of delusion among companions, which is exactly why I Love LA struck a chord. Its glamorous city living, spectacular fallouts, and tender reconciliations gave viewers laughter wrapped in warmth. With that flavor still lingering, it feels only natural to explore another source of similar delight.

Netflix lacks I Love LA, yet it supplies similarly charming uproar, emotional folly, warmth, humor, and city-tinged mischief in a few specific shows.

What is the I Love LA show?

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The HBO series I Love LA follows Maia, played by Rachel Sennott, an ambitious assistant at a talent management agency who is determined to secure a promotion to junior manager. Her routine shifts when her former best friend Tallulah, portrayed by Odessa A’zion, reappears as a financially unstable yet widely followed influencer. Maia signs Tallulah as a client in an effort to gain industry recognition, impress her manager Leighton Meester, and manage the clashing personalities within her Los Angeles circle.

The series stands apart by treating influencer culture not as a joke, but as a carnival of ambition, insecurity, and existential dread where the tickets are expensive and the rides rarely stop. Those who relish quick-witted dialogue, fragile friendships held together with lip gloss and panic, and cities that chew up dreams for breakfast will recognize its appeal. Though the program belongs to HBO, Netflix houses several spirited cousins with a similar urban sparkle and emotional sting.

1. Love (2016-2018)

Love is a romantic dramedy centered on the complicated relationship between Gus, played by Paul Rust, an awkward and emotionally dependent aspiring writer, and Mickey, portrayed by Gillian Jacobs, a sharp yet self-destructive program coordinator managing addiction issues. The series was created by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, and Paul Rust, with direction from Judd Apatow, Dean Holland, Ryan McFaul, and Michael Showalter, and offers a frank look at the uncomfortable realities of dating and commitment.

Its connection to I Love LA stems from the shared Los Angeles backdrop and the candid, often cringe-inducing portrayal of flawed young adults attempting to carve out personal and emotional stability in a competitive, image-driven city. While Love places greater emphasis on romantic turbulence, it matches the HBO series in its self-aware humor, sharp cultural observations, and focus on insecure characters striving to find their footing in the Los Angeles social ecosystem.

2. Girlboss (2017)

Girlboss is a comedy inspired by the memoir of Sophia Amoruso, founder of the fashion label Nasty Gal, and follows Sophia, played by Britt Robertson, a rebellious and financially strained young woman who unexpectedly builds an online vintage clothing business on eBay. Created by Kay Cannon and directed at various points by Christian Ditter, Ben Montanio, John Riggi, and Jamie Babbit, the series tracks Sophia’s evolution from resourceful hustler to reluctant entrepreneur facing the realities of business, finances, and ethics in fashion.

Its kinship with I Love LA rests on a mutual affection for ambitious young women clawing at the glittering walls of Los Angeles. Both series examine the feverish pursuit of relevance and the unflattering mirror it holds up to one’s character. If I Love LA showcases the social acrobatics of the influencer world, Girlboss presents the entrepreneurial tightrope, with ego, hustle, and the occasional moral slip waiting below.

3. Easy (2016–2019)

Easy is an anthology series set in Chicago, presenting standalone episodes that follow different individuals and couples as they navigate relationships, intimacy, technology, and cultural shifts in a modern urban environment. Created and fully directed by Joe Swanberg, the production embraces a naturalistic and frequently improvisational approach, offering viewers a grounded and varied portrait of city life through rotating storylines and recurring characters.

Its overlap with I Love LA comes from the candid, observational treatment of contemporary relationships and social behavior in a major American city. While Easy trades Los Angeles glamour for Chicago realism, both series use humor drawn from the awkward, vulnerable, and often uncomfortable truths of human interaction. Each show leans into self-aware, cringe-adjacent comedy, capturing the anxieties, contradictions, and emotional clutter of young adults shaping their identities in a culturally demanding environment.

4. Emily in Paris (2020- Present)

Emily in Paris, which has sent fans into euphoric delight over season 5 filming news, follows Emily Cooper, portrayed by Lily Collins, an ambitious marketing professional from Chicago who relocates to Paris for a career opportunity, where she is expected to bring an American viewpoint to a prestigious French marketing agency. Created by Darren Star and directed at various points by Andy Fleming, Peter Lauer, and Katina Medina Mora, the series tracks Emily’s cultural adjustment, professional hurdles, blossoming friendships, romantic pursuits, and her rapid rise as a social media personality in the City of Light.

Its link to I Love LA lies in the shared focus on driven young women immersed in glamorous, highly competitive, and image-conscious urban settings. Both productions highlight influencer culture, marketing pressures, career ambition, and the support or strain created by close social circles. While Emily in Paris leans into fantasy and aspirational escapism, it mirrors the HBO series through themes of social climbing, personal branding, and the pursuit of success in an environment where appearances hold significant weight.

5. Dead to Me (2019-2022)

Dead to Me is a dark comedy centered on Jen, played by Christina Applegate, a sharp-tempered real estate agent grieving her husband’s recent hit-and-run death. At a support group, she meets Judy, portrayed by Linda Cardellini, a seemingly upbeat and empathetic woman hiding a complicated truth. Created by Liz Feldman and directed at intervals by Amy York Rubin, Abe Sylvia, and Geeta Patel, the series explores grief, guilt, secrets, and the unpredictable ways trauma forges connection.

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Its relation to I Love LA lies in the devotion to messy, magnetic female friendship and dialogue that cuts with the elegance of a well-aimed stiletto. Both productions understand that women can be each other’s refuge and ruin in the same afternoon. Still, Dead to Me prefers its comedy with a body in the trunk and a secret on speed-dial, while I Love LA opts for the everyday catastrophes of ambition and existential dread under the California sun.

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Which of these Netflix shows intrigues you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

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Iffat Siddiqui

619 articles

Iffat is an Entertainment Journalist at Netflix Junkie. A word wizard, she had the sorting hat smoke at the seams owing to her excellence in everything Hollywood and cinema until it finally declared that she belonged to the Royals, specifically Meghan Markle. Boasting over 300 articles (and counting), each one tastefully infused with the right mix of facts, wit, opinion, and essentially everything to make a perfect pop culture piece, she is the epitome of a trustworthy entertainment journalist.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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