Top 13 'Couple-Approved' Streaming Shows to watch for Ending the Nightly 'What Do You Want to Watch?' Debate this month
It’s a scene as old as streaming itself. The workday is done, the takeout has arrived, and you and your partner finally sink into the couch, ready to unwind. Then comes the question that can derail an entire evening: “So… what do you want to watch?”
What follows is a familiar dance. An endless scroll through a sea of thumbnails, a series of suggestions and swift vetoes. One of you is in the mood for a dark, gritty thriller, while the other is craving a light-hearted comedy. Before you know it, 30 minutes have passed, the food is cold, and you’re no closer to a decision. This nightly debate is a modern-day relationship ritual, but it doesn’t have to be a battle.
Finding a show you can both genuinely get excited about is the key to reclaiming your weeknights. It's about finding that sweet spot—a series with a compelling story, characters you both can root for, and a tone that bridges the gap between your individual tastes. This list is your peace treaty, your definitive guide to the best 'couple-approved' streaming shows that will have you hitting “play” faster than you can say “I don’t mind, you pick.”
1. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
This show is the television equivalent of a warm hug. It follows an endlessly optimistic American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team, despite knowing nothing about the sport. What starts as a fish-out-of-water comedy quickly reveals itself to be a profoundly heartwarming story about kindness, vulnerability, and human connection.
Ted Lasso is the ultimate compromise show because its appeal is universal. It has the locker-room banter and sports-underdog storyline for those who enjoy competition, but its true focus is on the rich emotional lives of its characters. It masterfully balances laugh-out-loud humor with moments of genuine pathos that will have you both reaching for the tissues. It’s a show that sparks conversations about leadership and mental health, all while making you feel genuinely good.
Couple’s Tip: This is your go-to for a stressful week. When you both need a guaranteed mood-lifter without any heavy emotional baggage, Ted Lasso delivers. The 30-minute episodes are also perfect for when you’re short on time but still want to connect over a shared story.
2. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Do you love a good mystery but your partner finds most crime shows too dark and gruesome? Only Murders in the Building is your perfect match. The series follows three unlikely neighbors in a posh New York City apartment building—played by the legendary Steve Martin and Martin Short, alongside a brilliant Selena Gomez—who start a true-crime podcast to solve a murder that occurred in their building.
The genius of this show lies in its cozy, witty tone. It's a "whodunnit" with all the compelling twists and turns you'd expect, but it's wrapped in a blanket of sharp comedy and surprisingly tender friendships. You get the thrill of piecing together clues and guessing the killer, while your partner can enjoy the hilarious character dynamics and stylish setting. It’s a murder mystery that feels more like a charming stage play than a grim procedural.
3. The Diplomat (Netflix)
For the couple who loves a smart, fast-paced political thriller but also appreciates a complicated relationship drama, The Diplomat is a must-watch. Keri Russell stars as Kate Wyler, a seasoned U.S. diplomat who is unexpectedly appointed as the ambassador to the United Kingdom amidst a brewing international crisis. She has to navigate global tensions while also dealing with her messy, co-dependent marriage to a fellow political star.
This series is the perfect 50/50 split. Half of the show is high-stakes geopolitical intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The other half is a sharp, witty, and incredibly realistic portrayal of a long-term power-couple marriage. The chemistry between the leads is electric, and their rapid-fire dialogue is as thrilling as any car chase. It’s a show that proves relationship drama can be just as compelling as international espionage.
4. Severance (Apple TV+)
If you’re ready to graduate to a show that will have you both saying, “What did we just watch?!” in the best way possible, dive into Severance. This mind-bending sci-fi thriller is set in a world where a company can surgically divide its employees’ memories between their work and personal lives. The "innies" know nothing of the outside world, and the "outies" have no idea what they do for eight hours a day.
Severance is a phenomenal couples' show because it’s a giant puzzle you get to solve together. The mystery is so dense and the world-building so unique that it practically begs for post-episode discussion and theory-crafting. It blends a surreal, Kubrick-esque corporate satire with a genuinely suspenseful conspiracy plot. It’s the kind of high-concept television that feels fresh, exciting, and will have you both counting down the days until the next season.
5. The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
Let’s call this one the “zero-debate” show. It’s hard to imagine anyone actively disliking The Great British Baking Show (or Bake Off, for the purists). This competition series features amateur bakers competing in a series of challenges in a lovely English countryside tent. There’s no backstabbing, no manufactured drama—just decent people trying their best to avoid a soggy bottom.
This is pure comfort television. It’s the perfect show to have on while you cook dinner, fold laundry, or just want to decompress without having to follow a complex plot. The stakes are low, the contestants are kind to one another, and the creations are often spectacular (or spectacularly disastrous). It’s a show that promotes a feeling of calm and shared enjoyment, making it a foolproof choice for any night of the week.
6. Hacks (Max)
For couples with a taste for razor-sharp wit and stories about complex, flawed characters, Hacks is an absolute gem. The series centers on the evolving mentorship and friendship between Deborah Vance, a legendary but aging Las Vegas comedian (played by the incomparable Jean Smart), and Ava, a young, entitled comedy writer hired to freshen up her act.
This show is brilliantly funny, with dialogue that crackles with intelligence and sarcasm. But beneath the jokes, it’s a surprisingly deep exploration of ambition, sexism in the entertainment industry, and the generational divide. It’s a perfect pick for partners who appreciate premium, character-driven stories. You’ll be laughing at the biting one-liners one minute and genuinely moved by the vulnerable moments the next.
7. The Last of Us (Max)
Based on the critically acclaimed video game, The Last of Us is so much more than a "zombie show." Set 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a fungal pandemic, it follows Joel, a hardened survivor, who is hired to smuggle a 14-year-old girl named Ellie across the post-apocalyptic United States.
While it has its share of intense, terrifying sequences, the heart of the show is the powerful, evolving relationship between Joel and Ellie. It’s a story about finding family and hope in the bleakest of circumstances. This is a great choice if one of you loves action and suspense, and the other is drawn to deep, emotional character arcs. The storytelling is masterful, the performances are breathtaking, and it will give you both a profound, shared emotional experience. Be prepared for some heavy themes and gut-punching moments.
8. The White Lotus (Max)
Looking for something stylish, satirical, and guaranteed to spark a conversation? Welcome to The White Lotus. Each season of this anthology series follows a group of wealthy, dysfunctional guests over the course of a week at a luxury resort, with a mysterious death looming from the very first episode.
This show is a brilliant social satire that skewers wealth, privilege, and the messy dynamics of modern relationships. It’s a slow-burn mystery that keeps you guessing, but the real fun is in dissecting the cringeworthy and often hilarious behavior of its characters. It’s the perfect “glass of wine” show for couples who love to people-watch and debate character motivations. You’ll be asking each other, “Can you believe they just did that?” all the way through the shocking finale.
9. Queer Eye (Netflix)
If Ted Lasso is a warm hug, Queer Eye is a full-on group hug that ends in happy tears. This reboot of the classic makeover show sees the "Fab Five"—experts in food, fashion, culture, design, and grooming—helping a different "hero" each episode transform their life, inside and out.
This is the ultimate feel-good reality show. It's inspiring, empathetic, and genuinely life-affirming. Each episode is a self-contained story of personal growth that reinforces positive messages about self-care, vulnerability, and community. It’s a wonderful show to watch together because it fosters a sense of empathy and optimism. You'll both walk away feeling a little bit better about the world. As my friend Goh Ling Yong often points out, sharing experiences that uplift you is a powerful way to connect.
10. Succession (Max)
For the couple that isn’t afraid of a little (or a lot of) darkness, Succession is peak prestige television. The series follows the obscenely wealthy and morally bankrupt Roy family, owners of a global media empire, as the aging patriarch’s children vie for control of the company. It’s a modern-day King Lear, but with more private jets and creative swearing.
This is not a show with "good guys." You're here to watch terrible people do terrible things to each other, and it's absolutely captivating. The writing is Shakespearean in its brilliance, and the humor is as dark as it gets. This is a fantastic choice for partners who love intricate plotting, complex character studies, and dialogue so sharp it could cut glass. You’ll have endless fun debating which Roy sibling is the worst (and secretly picking your favorite).
11. The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Think your partner isn’t into Star Wars? The Mandalorian might just change their mind. This series strips the sci-fi down to its most elemental, telling a simple and powerful story reminiscent of an old Western. It follows a lone, helmeted bounty hunter navigating the outer reaches of the galaxy, whose life is upended when he becomes the unlikely protector of a mysterious child (the internet-famous Grogu, aka "Baby Yoda").
The show’s strength is its "lone wolf and cub" dynamic, a universally appealing story that requires no prior Star Wars knowledge. It has plenty of thrilling action, cool creature designs, and space-faring adventure to satisfy the sci-fi fan, while the incredibly endearing bond between Mando and Grogu provides a strong emotional core that anyone can connect with. It's a visual spectacle with a ton of heart.
12. Fleabag (Prime Video)
This one is a modern classic, a true masterpiece of television that you can binge in a single weekend. Written by and starring the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag is a hilarious and heartbreaking look at a witty, grieving, and self-destructive young woman navigating life in London. The show is famous for its fourth-wall-breaking, where the main character shares her unfiltered thoughts directly with the audience.
Fleabag is an intimate and raw viewing experience. It’s a show for couples who appreciate bold, unconventional storytelling. It will make you laugh hysterically in one scene and then punch you in the gut with emotion in the next. The second season, featuring Andrew Scott as the "Hot Priest," is widely considered one of the most perfect seasons of television ever made, exploring themes of faith, love, and forgiveness with incredible nuance. It's a short but unforgettable ride.
13. The Good Place (Netflix)
What if a sitcom could also be a weekly philosophy lesson? That’s the brilliant premise of The Good Place. The show follows Eleanor Shellstrop, who dies and mistakenly ends up in a utopian afterlife reserved for the most righteous people. Realizing she doesn't belong, she enlists the help of her new friends to become a better person and earn her spot.
This is one of the smartest and most inventive comedies of the last decade. It’s consistently hilarious, with a fantastic ensemble cast and more plot twists than you’d ever expect from a sitcom. It’s a great couple’s show because it’s light and easy to watch, but it also tackles big questions about ethics, morality, and what it means to be a good person. It’s a fun, thoughtful series that will leave you with plenty to talk about.
The goal isn't just to find something to put on the screen; it's to find a story that lets you both escape, laugh, and connect at the end of a long day. So the next time the "what to watch" question comes up, don't start scrolling. Pick a show from this list, press play, and put the debate to rest.
Now, I want to hear from you! What are your go-to "couple-approved" shows? Did I miss one of your favorites? Share your recommendations in the comments below and help another couple end their nightly scrolling session for good
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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