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TV Shows about Divorce to Help You Cope with Your Break-up

Going through the divorce process can be isolating and overwhelming – including the days, months, or years before you’ve made the decision to end your marriage (or are trying to salvage the relationship). Sometimes you just want to unplug your overactive brain or be around people who get what you’re going through. One of the easiest ways to do this is to put on comfy clothes, fix yourself a snack, and sit down to watch some TV. 

Here is a list of shows you can find on live TV or streaming on apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV+. We’ve broken them down by genre so you can find just what you need. If we missed your favorite, let us know

Comedy TV series about divorce

Grace and Frankie

This hilarious Netflix comedy series stars Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, and Martin Sheen. It explores same-sex marriage, divorce, aging, friendship, marital conflict, career reinvention, co-parenting, and just about every other daily struggle divorcing individuals go through with heart and lots of humor. Watch the Grace and Frankie trailer on YouTube.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

To embrace the reality that your divorce can be one of the best things to happen to you, watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Mom of two Miriam "Midge" Maisel discovers her true calling (standup comedy) after her husband leaves her in this award-winning show. Watch the first season trailer on YouTube here.

MOM

This is a comedy series that centers around strong female characters and deals with sobriety in addition to divorce, single parenting, and complicated mother-daughter dynamics. Watch the MOM trailer here.

Uncoupled

Uncoupled is one of the newest TV series about life during and after divorce. Neil Patrick Harris plays the lead, who thinks his life is perfect … and then his partner of 17 years leaves him. This comedy-drama captures the pain of losing your soulmate and starting over (in this case, as a single gay man in your mid-40s). Watch the official Uncoupled trailer here.

Related: 6 Mistakes Men, Especially Dads, Make during Divorce

The New Adventures of Old Christine

Laugh over those co-parenting and dating-after-divorce struggles with a big glass of wine and The New Adventures of Old Christine. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, mom to a smart little boy and sister to a live-in brother who can be childlike, too (along with her ex and his new girlfriend, “New Christine”). She’s just learning as she goes along (aren’t we all?).

Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce

Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce is a dramedy with divorce in your 40s as the central theme. It’s written with sharp wit and well-developed characters. It lasted five seasons, and it’s up your alley if you wish you had more girlfriends who could relate to what you’re going through.

Frasier

If you need to laugh, Frasier is a clever sitcom about self-sabotaging and eccentric psychiatrists and their loveable but quirky family members and friends. This award-winning comedy series ran for 11 seasons, so you can binge on it for a while.

Related: How to Tell Family and Friends You're Getting Divorced

One Day at a Time

If you like the formula of classic sitcoms, try One Day at a Time – either the 1970s original or the 2017 reboot on Netflix. It’s about a recently divorced mother of two teenage daughters (teen daughter and tween son in the reboot) and their new life in the city. 

Two and a Half Men

Single dads, we have a show for you if you need time with some funny bros: Two and a Half Men. It became popular at the start when Charlie Sheen played the main character (until his downward spiral). Ashton Kutcher took over as the lead alongside the series-long costar Jon Cryer and a slew of A-list guest stars.

Cougar Town

If you loved Courteney Cox as neat-freak Monica on Friends, you’ll love her as bossy, wine-guzzling Jules in Cougar Town. She stars alongside a strong cast of supporting characters who navigate different aspects of life after divorce or other break-ups, dating again, and co-parenting misadventures. The show also spotlights the (lighter-side) perspective of her teenage son.

 

Drama TV series about divorce

Sweet Magnolias

Netflix’s series Sweet Magnolias is based on the book series by Sherryl Woods. Newly divorced mom Maddie Townsend returns to her hometown and reconnects with a diverse group of girlfriends and locals. They meet up for margaritas and dish about their lives. If your ex has put you through hell and back, this show will validate all your feelings. Watch the Netflix trailer for Sweet Magnolias on YouTube here.

Divorce

Stuck in a divorce that seems endless? You’ll sympathize with the couple in the HBO series Divorce (the divorcing couple is Sarah Jessica Parker as Frances and Thomas Haden Church as Robert). It only lasted for three seasons, but the acting is solid, and you’ll enjoy the relatable plotlines. If you were a Sex and the City fan in your single days, you’ll likely enjoy this series. See the HBO trailer here.

Related: 5 Ways to Get Your Divorce “Unstuck”

Sex/Life

In this newer dramedy series on Netflix, a once wild-child, now suburban mom, must deal with her sexually-risque past. It's one of the edgier options on our list and the plot is inspired by 44 Chapters About 4 Men, a novel by BB Easton.

Empire

An intense musical drama with a Black cast, Empire is for viewers who want equal ex-husband and ex-wife perspectives. Terrence Howard plays the CEO of a major record label who must decide which one of his three sons will take his place in the company (he’s battling ALS). But it gets even more complicated when his ex-wife (Taraji P. Henson) is released from prison and wants to take charge of the company she co-founded.

Once and Again

Once and Again was a short-lived series in the late 1990s and early 2000s about a divorced dad who begins dating a newly separated mom. It explores their relationship's impact on their children and ex-spouses as well as their own newly single lives.

Better Things

Better Things is one of the more recent TV series about life after divorce. Actress Pamela Adlon leads the cast as an actress in Hollywood who is juggling her career and raising three daughters. Get a "first look" at Better Things here.

The Starter Wife

A fun show with strong characters, The Starter Wife captures the experience of being in the first of probably at least two marriages – in keeping with the “stereotypical” lifestyle of the rich and famous. This limited series lasts only 10 episodes, so it’s the perfect weekend binge. 

Related: A Post-Divorce To-Do List to Prepare You For Your Next Chapter

Desperate Housewives

The Stepford-esque Desperate Housewives was an Emmy Award-winning series that centered around housewives’ suburban lives. Chock-full of drama, nosy neighbors, romance, and dark plot twists, it’s packed with A-list actors and campy fun interlaced with more serious storylines, including divorce, illness, natural disasters, and murder.

Real Housewives

Speaking of housewives, perhaps no TV characters have experienced as many divorces as the Real Housewives (the irony of the title is thick). Start with the Beverly Hills, Atlanta, or Orange County franchises, all on Bravo or Peacock. The real estate, designer everything, and lavish vacations are entertaining, and you may just feel a kinship with several women, their husbands, and their children. There are also franchises in New York, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Miami, and other wealthy locales.

Gilmore Girls

Although it doesn’t focus on divorce as a core theme, this is an addictive show about a young single mom, her teenage daughter (her “mini-me” – they literally have the same name), and their incredible bond. This feel-good series is for you if you’re interested in witty dialogue, small-town life, and the bonds between the members of a complicated family. Netflix also did a rebooted four-part series called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life that lets us see how the characters evolved a decade after the original series ended. 

Melrose Place

Want campy good fun? Try Melrose Place. This 90s nighttime soap has a lot of over-the-top drama that will (hopefully) help you feel so much more in control of all your own divorce-related stress.

Need more stress relief? Create a Self-Care Plan with our easy-to-use worksheet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Head of Content
Communication, Relationships, Personal Growth, Mental Health
As Hello Divorce's Head of Content, Katie is dedicated to breaking down the stress and mess of divorce into clear, helpful content that delivers hope rather than fear. Katie most often writes about the emotional toll of divorce, self-care and mindfulness, and effective communication. Katie has 20+ years of experience in content development and management, specializing in compelling consumer-facing content that helps people live better lives. She has a Master's in Media Studies from the University of Wisconsin. Katie lives in Texas with her husband and two adorable cats, and you can find her hiking and bird watching in her free time.