Russian Doll is one of the biggest and best shows on Netflix. The Amy Poehler-produced show about a woman who keeps reliving her own death released its second season recently, and those who have finished it and are no doubt in the mood for more of the same.
Updated on May 8th, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: After a critically acclaimed first season that picked up four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, Russian Doll returned to Netflix for a seven-episode second season, bringing the total to 15 episodes through two seasons so far. Much like the first season, the second was critically acclaimed and has fans wanting more.
With the wait for more Russian Doll likely a longer one, there is still plenty of similar series to seek out, both in terms of the female leads and the dark humor involved. With that in mind, once a person finishes up with the 15 episodes of Russian Doll on Netflix, here are 15 more series that should attract the same audience.
Killing Eve (2018)
- Streaming now on Prime Video, Hulu, and AMC.
Killing Eve just ended its four-season run, which aired on BBC in the U.K. and AMC in the United States. The show was about a British intelligence officer who is tracking down an assassin. Both women then begin to obsess with each other and the cat and mouse game changes throughout the run.
Much like Russian Doll, there is a lot more here than the basic plot description. The relationship between these two women is complex and by the end, it was all turned on its head in a wonderful way, even if the finale left something to be desired at the end.
Jessica Jones (2015)
- Streaming now on Disney+.
Jessica Jones is a Marvel series that is not like any other. Originally set in the Marvel Netflix, Jones was another street-level hero like Daredevil and Luke Cage, and she was connected closely with the latter. However, while she was a superhero private investigator, the show was about something deeper.
Jessica Jones was about a broken woman who struggled to make it through each day. It is a theme that also exists in Russian Doll, although it doesn't share the dark humor of the newer Netflix series.
I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
The dark humor in Russian Doll exists in spades in the Netflix original series I Am Not Okay With This. The series is based on the comic book of the same name by Charles Forsman, who also wrote The End of the F***ing World, which was also made into a Netflix original series.
In this one, a high school student learns she has telekinetic powers, but she isn't sure how to handle them. However, the show is actually about her trying to get by in school, while clearly existing as an outsider that doesn't know how or want to fit in. The outsider here is so similar to anyone who loves Nadia in Russian Doll.
Orphan Black (2013)
- Streaming now on Prime Video and AMC.
Russian Doll is about a woman who was going through something she couldn't understand, and she wanted answers. There were a lot of secrets to unfold and the series played out like a puzzle. That sounds just like Orphan Black, an older AMC series.
In Orphan Black, a girl sees someone that looks just like her and then realizes that there might be multiple versions of her across the world. This then led to a complex and fun story about cloning and the fight for the survival of the different versions of this woman. After five seasons of Orphan Black, a spin-off was announced for 2023.
Timeless (2016)
- Streaming now on Hulu.
Timeless is a time-travel series. In this, a team sets out and travels through time to stop another team that is trying to change history. When they arrive at each destination, it is up to the team to use their memory of what happened before to spot any discrepancies and keep them from being disrupted to protect the future.
The main plot of the first season of Russian Doll had Nadia live and then die, only to resurrect and try it all over again. With the attempts to somehow change history and figure out the differences that need to come for a better resolution, Timeless is a great companion series.
The Good Place (2016)
- Available to stream on Netflix.
You're probably already watching The Good Place, so this might be an obvious one. However, if you've somehow missed out on it and loved Russian Doll, you really should use that love to jumpstart your viewing.
Like Russian Doll, The Good Place deals with themes of mortality and morality. It features a fascinating mystery and some very rewarding twists. Plus, the characters are lovable for all their faults, and they're some of the funniest fictional characters on TV now. Sure, The Good Place doesn't have as much of an edge as Russian Doll (don't expect any F-words), but it's still got characters that are just as hilariously flawed. Also, it stars Ted Danson.
Love (2016)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
Not every show on this list has something supernatural about it. In fact, a lot of them just have the same type of humor. Love is the first of those shows. Love is a dry, pretty grounded look at romance in the modern world.
Its characters are a lot like Nadia in the way they approach life, not quite sure of what they want. We also included Love on this list because, well, it's a Netflix original series just like Russian Doll.
Night Gallery (1970)
Of course, we had to include some shows with supernatural, mysterious storytelling in them. And what better show to recommend than Night Gallery, Rod Serling's 1970s anthology series of horrifying twists and shuddering shocks. Of course, Rod Serling is known most for Night Gallery's predecessor, The Twilight Zone.
Unfortunately, The Twilight Zone's deserved popularity can sometimes overshadow its younger brother, which is a real shame. Night Gallery is a great show on its own, especially if you're craving more fantastic mystery after Russian Doll.
Deadbeat (2014)
- Streaming now on Hulu.
Hulu's original series about a regular shmoe who can talk to ghosts doesn't start like Russian Doll. The main character doesn't discover something weird going on in his life, it's already been happening once we meet him. However, there's a whole lot of comedic mystery on this show.
Or is it a mysterious comedy? Either way, the show combines them in a way parallel to Netflix's latest hit, and it's worth checking out if you haven't already. Plus, it's just three seasons of TV, so you can get through it pretty quickly.
The Almighty Johnsons (2011)
- Streaming now on Peacock, Roku, and Tubi.
There's something special about the type of fantasy in Russian Doll. Yes, it's a story about something impossible happening, but it's played pretty close to reality. Nadia might be waking up on the day she dies over and over again, but it's not like she'll be hopping onto a dragon anytime soon.
That type of groundedness is what's fun about The Almighty Johnsons. It's a story about a seemingly normal family, who just happen to be the reincarnations of Norse Gods. They have to navigate life in modern-day New Zealand, dealing with jobs, relationships, and just living together as normal humans. For fans of down-to-earth fantasy, The Almighty Johnsons is a surefire hit. Stream it on Netflix now.
Fleabag (2016)
- Streaming now on Prime Video.
Russian Doll is a comedy about death. Of course, it's a comedy about a fictional way of dying, but that's still its core. The death in Fleabag is very real, but it's just as funny. The titular character's mother has died, and the way she deals with it is just as unhealthy as Nadia's life at the beginning of Russian Doll.
Fleabag does break the bonds of realism, however, as the main character will narrate her thoughts to the camera, even as actions are going on around her. Fleabag is perfect not just if you liked Russian Doll, but if you like comedies about people who don't know what they really want.
Man Seeking Woman (2015)
- Streaming now on Hulu.
Man Seeking Woman is realistic and not. It's not about anything supernatural, just a guy who can't seem to find love. But the way the story unfolds couldn't be more magical. As we watch the main character, Josh, navigate the difficult world of dating, information comes to us in kind of a visual metaphor.
For example, if Josh finds a blind date unappealing, she appears on the show as a literal troll, in full Harry Potter make-up. Or when Josh feels he's accomplished something, he'll get a literal call from the President. Man Seeking Woman is kind of an adventure to watch. You can kind of guess what's literally happening to Josh, but only through the hilarious fantastic things his mind projects into reality.
Being Human (2009)
- Streaming now on Fubo, Roku, Vudu, Tubi, Plex, and Crackle.
This quirky supernatural drama has the same kind of "cult" sensibility that Russian Doll does. As you may already know, Being Human is a BBC drama about three supernatural creatures living together. They are, in no particular order, a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire.
The ghost, Annie, will especially remind you of Nadia, because they both have to deal with new situations as a macabre ordeal. Just like Being Human, we can totally see Russian Doll developing a cult following as it grows.
Pushing Daisies (2007)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
Pushing Daisies is a show that deserves your viewership. Whether you liked Russian Doll or not, you should check it out. But since you've made it this far on a list of shows like Russian Doll, let's explain why it's here. Both Russian Doll and Pushing Daisies feels kind of like social experiments. They take a test group of perfectly average, regular people, and drop in just a hint of the extraordinary.
Then the test group reacts, and the results are hilarious, poignant, and always entertaining. Pushing Daisies, like Russian Doll, puts ordinary people in extraordinary situations, specifically dealing with a fantastic twist on death. Watch it for great character work, fantastic visuals, and maybe even a song. Oh, and the mysteries are pretty great, too.
Barry (2018)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
There's one thing about all these shows that's still missing from the Russian Doll comparisons: dark humor. It's a pretty huge aspect of the Netflix hit, frequently making us laugh and shift just a bit in our seats from discomfort. That dark humor is in Barry. This is an HBO masterpiece about a hitman who wants to be an actor. Wherever he goes, he brings death all around him, even though he just wants to live a normal life.
Not only are Barry and Russian Doll both award-worthy dark comedies, but they're also from two of the greatest Saturday Night Live stars to ever live. That's Amy Poehler and Bill Hader, respectively. With season two just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start watching Barry. Especially if dark humor is your thing.