5 Netflix Shows That Are Perfect For ‘Leanne’ Fans

Kristen Johnston and Leanne Morgan in ‘Leanne’ on Netflix.

Photo by Patrick McElhenney/Netflix.

Fans of Leanne Morgan’s first-ever comedy series are eagerly waiting to see if there will be a second season. Morgan, who became famous as a stand-up comedian, co-created the eponymous 16-episode Netflix comedy with sitcom legend Chuck Lorre, known for huge hits including Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, and Susan McMartin (Mom, Two and a Half Men).

Morgan is the grandma from Tennessee that everyone is talking about because her story is so inspiring! At 59 years young, this is her first-ever starring role in a television series as a woman starting over a little later in life after her husband of over 30 years leaves her for another woman.

Not that age should matter, and if Morgan’s story teaches us anything, it is that it doesn’t. However, it does play an interesting role in her success story.

Lorre has created 20+ hit shows, but Leanne is his first starring a female stand-up in her late 50s. He discovered Morgan from her Netflix stand-up special Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman, which is Netflix’s most-viewed stand-up comedy special by a woman since 2023.

Morgan not only stars in the new fan-favorite, but she also served as executive producer and writer. The show was an immediate hit with critics and fans alike, entering the Top 10 in its first week. Leanne debuted with 2.7 million views, putting it at No. 7 on the list following its July 31 premiere. Her loyal fans pushed it up a notch, and the show is currently sitting at No. 6.

Morgan’s story is rare and very hopeful, considering that only 8% of leading TV roles go to women over 50, and less than 30% of characters aged 60-plus are women. May Morgan’s second act set a new standard, making this so common that it doesn’t warrant mention.

In a recent sit-down interview with co-star Kristen Johnston, Morgan described a time when she felt her career had peaked, but then she did something that turned everything around.

While we await news of a second season of Leanne, fans can binge-watch the five funny Netflix titles below.

Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman

If you haven’t already, do yourself the favor of watching Morgan in her element on stage, talking about her life as a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her PG-rated humor, relatable jokes, and raw talent are what drew Lorre in. This was her first comedy tour and Netflix stand-up special, and she’s currently on her second tour, entitled “Just Getting Started.”

A Man on The Inside

This Ted Danson-helmed comedy takes a heartwarming look at aging. The story centers around Charles (Danson), a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation. From creator Mike Schur, this series is based on the documentary The Mole Agent, a 2021 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature.

The eight-episode first season was an immediate hit, which debuted atop Netflix’s most popular English TV List and remained in the Top 10 for five weeks. It was named one of AFI’s 2024 TV programs of the year. The highly anticipated second season is expected to premiere later this year with a great new cast that includes Mary Steenburgen, Constance Marie, David Strathairn, Gary Cole, Jason Mantzoukas, Jill Talley, Linda Park, Lisa Gilroy, Madison Hu, Max Greenfield, Michaela Conlin, and Sam Huntington.

Grace & Frankie

Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie) star as two women whose lives are turned upside down when their husbands come out as gay and leave them for each other. They become friends and help one another through the heartache as they face their uncertain futures with their ex-husbands and children. They quickly discover the true meaning of family, filled with laughter, tears, and plenty of mood enhancers along the way. This seven-season, 78-episode, award-winning series was a fan-favorite that, like Leanne, was about starting over later in life.

North of North

This eight-episode Netflix Arctic comedy is a must-watch about a young Inuk woman who wants to build a new future for herself and her daughter after a spontaneous split from her husband. Siaja (Anna Lambe) dreams of reinventing herself in her tiny Arctic community of Ice Cove, but it won’t be easy.

After she leaves her self-absorbed husband Ting (Kelly William), she’s forced to crash on her mother Neevee’s (Maika Harper) couch with her feisty daughter Bun (Keira Belle Cooper). She overcomes obstacles but never gives up her dreams of having a career and independence. Just when she thinks she has it all figured out, a surprise visitor named Alistair (Jay Ryan) brings to light a long-held secret from Neevee and Siaja’s past.

The Kominsky Method

This is an award-winning Lorre hit that Leanne fans will love! The three-season, 22-episode hit stars Academy Award-winners Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky and Alan Arkin as Norman Newlander as two friends navigating the complexities of life and aging together. Over the seasons, Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner joined the cast as Sandy’s ex-wife, Roz Volander. The cast also includes Sarah Baker as Sandy and Roz’s daughter Mindy, and Paul Reiser as her boyfriend, Martin.

If you’re on a roll with Lorre comedies, Mom and Disjointed are also streaming on Netflix! As always, happy binge-watching!