Saagar Kote
Created by Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, ‘Colin from Accounts’ is an Australian romantic comedy-drama series set in the hustle and bustle of Sydney. It follows Gordon Crapp (Patrick Brammall), a single microbrewery owner, and Ashley Molden (Harriet Dyer), a medical student whose lives collide after a strange road accident. Gordon is distracted by Ashley while driving and hits a stray dog, leaving the animal badly injured. Feeling responsible, Ashley agrees to help him take the dog to a vet, where they discover that saving the dog’s life will cost more than they can afford.
The two of them decide to look after the dog themselves and name him Colin from Accounts. Taking responsibility for Colin keeps Gordon and Ashley connected, gradually turning an awkward first meeting into something more meaningful. The responsibilities eventually bring Ashley and Gordon together as they learn to accept each other’s flaws and navigate life together. If the premise intrigued you, these shows, similar to ‘Colin from Accounts,’ explore unique relationships and layered characters that will keep you engaged.
8. Please Like Me (2013-2016)
A breakup forces Josh (Josh Thomas) to confront a major change in his life when he realizes he is gay in ‘Please Like Me.’ The Australian comedy-drama series revolves around him through an unsettled period as he returns home to care for his mother. His best friend Tom (Thomas Ward) remains a source of support when Josh later moves in with him. Josh tries to adjust to his new circumstances, but he struggles with the emotional demands of family life and his own insecurities. His personal life takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Geoffrey (Wade Briggs), and the two embark on a complex journey. The Josh Thomas creation places its characters in situations where relationships and personal challenges create genuine emotional stakes and moments of self-discovery, much like ‘Colin from Accounts’ does.
7. The Letdown (2016-2019)
Creators Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller’s ‘The Letdown’ looks at the chaos of new motherhood through the chaotic saga of Audrey (Alison Bell). She is struggling with breastfeeding and is increasingly frustrated by how her new life looks. Her husband, mother, and best friend offer very different kinds of complications, leaving Audrey feeling increasingly isolated. Eventually, she joins a support group for new parents, expecting little from it, but finds a strange collection of people who understand the various issues that come with having a baby.
While motherhood changes Audrey’s relationships and clashes with her desire to maintain a life beyond parenting, she begins to find unexpected companionship in the group. The Australian comedy series explores the ways in which new emotional responsibilities transform a person’s life, akin to ‘Colin from Accounts.’ Audrey is overwhelmed and frustrated, while Gordon and Ashley have their own shortcomings to deal with.
6. Trying (2020-)
In ‘Trying,’ for Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), becoming parents is the one thing they cannot seem to make happen. After struggling to conceive and trying IVF, the couple turns to adoption and finds themselves facing an entirely different set of obstacles. The process brings rules, costs, and disappointments, forcing Nikki and Jason to prove they are ready to become the parents they so desperately want to be. Their already chaotic lives are further complicated by dysfunctional families and unpredictable friends.
Social worker Penny (Imelda Staunton) also offers guidance as Nikki and Jason navigate the uncertainty of adoption. Andy Wolton is the creative voice behind this British comedy series, which reflects the essence of ‘Colin from Accounts’ through its vivid portrayal of the idea of caring. The process of adoption gives Nikki and Jason a new challenge, while caring for Colin similarly transforms Gordon and Ashley’s lives by making them more responsible.
5. This Way Up (2019-2021)
Recovery is only the beginning for Aine (Aisling Bea) in ‘This Way Up,’ as she tries to rebuild an ordinary life in London after a nervous breakdown. With her older sister, Shona (Sharon Horgan), encouraging her to pick herself up, Aine starts putting her life back together and takes a job teaching English. The routine gradually helps her regain confidence, but moving forward is not simple. Aine works through her personal struggles and also finds herself drawn to Richard (Tobias Menzies).
Her work and love life begin to unfold alongside one another, giving Aine new reasons to look ahead as she continues to figure out how to move forward. The British comedy-drama from the creative mind of Aisling Bea is a commentary on the struggles of purpose and meaning in today’s world, along the lines of ‘Colin from Accounts.’ Aine’s feelings for Richard develop while she is navigating a major period of change, similar to how Gordon and Ashley’s romance emerges from an unusual circumstance.
4. You’re the Worst (2014-2019)
With Stephen Falk providing the creative vision, ‘You’re the Worst’ is a comedy-drama series about Jimmy Shive-Overly (Chris Geere) and Gretchen Cutler (Aya Cash). They are two deeply flawed people who unexpectedly find themselves drawn to each other. Jimmy is a stubborn, self-involved writer living in Silver Lake, while Gretchen is a cynical PR executive. Their relationship begins after meeting at a wedding and quickly develops into something neither is particularly equipped to handle. When they move beyond their romance, living together brings their personal issues and conflicting personalities to the surface.
Through romance and tragedy, Jimmy and Gretchen attempt to figure out whether two people who struggle with happiness can still build a lasting relationship. Both ‘You’re the Worst’ and ‘Colin from Accounts’ approach romance through awkwardness, disagreements, and imperfect behavior. Jimmy and Gretchen are not equipped to handle everything, while Gordon and Ashley also struggle in their own ways.
3. Lovesick (2014-2018)
A diagnosis forces Dylan Witter (Johnny Flynn) to revisit his entire romantic history in ‘Lovesick,’ a British sitcom from the creative mind of Tom Edge. After learning that he has chlamydia, Dylan has to contact his former partners and tell them they may have been exposed. The strange obligation becomes a journey through the relationships that have shaped his life, with each reunion revealing his failed romances and misadventures. Dylan’s main support system is his closest friends and housemates, Luke Curran (Daniel Ings) and Evie Douglas (Antonia Thomas).
When Dylan reconnects with women from his past, his romantic history begins to affect the friendships he has built in the present, bringing emotional complications to the surface. Dylan’s romantic life is revisited because of an awkward diagnosis, while Gordon and Ashley meet in ‘Colin from Accounts’ because of an accident. The two stories are essentially about how an unexpected moment or event can change the direction of people’s lives and test their feelings.
2. Starstruck (2021-2023)
‘Starstruck,’ from creator Rose Matafeo, is the tale of Jessie (Rose Matafeo), who expects a night out to be nothing more than a bit of fun. But when she wakes up beside a famous actor, it changes the course of her life. Living in East London and juggling multiple jobs, Jessie is worlds away from Tom Kapoor (Nikesh Patel), an elite actor. Their initial hookup proves difficult to let go of, and the two repeatedly find themselves pulled back toward each other. What begins as an unlikely connection develops into a complicated relationship filled with highs and lows. Jessie and Tom struggle with the differences between their lives, and their choices begin shaping their lives in unexpected ways. Along the lines of ‘Colin from Accounts,’ the British comedy series explores love, personal growth, and the complexities of modern relationships through the vivid experiences of two contrasting characters.
1. Catastrophe (2015-2019)
In ‘Catastrophe,’ a brief romance leaves Sharon Morris (Sharon Horgan) and Rob Norris (Rob Delaney) facing a life neither of them has planned. Sharon is a London-based Irish schoolteacher, while Rob is an American visiting the city on business. When Sharon discovers she is pregnant after their encounter, Rob makes the decision to leave Boston for London, and the two attempt to turn their unexpected situation into a shared life. With barely any history together, they have to figure out how to become a parenting couple while also dealing with the demands of marriage. Their relationship is shaped by the consequences of a decision that brings them together before they truly know each other, creating plenty of complications along the way.
Created by Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan, the British comedy-drama series examines how passion and sudden decisions can complicate life, much like ‘Colin from Accounts.’ Sharon and Rob are pushed toward building a life together after her pregnancy, while Gordon and Ashley become connected through their shared responsibility for the dog. The two couples, while dealing with different situations, go through similar emotional experiences and realizations.
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