Netflix's Best New Show Scored 95% On Rotten Tomatoes

Forbes

a day ago

It's incredibly rare for cancelled shows to get second chances at life—although, lately, Netflix has changed the narrative. Famously, Netflix picked up the beloved supernatural drama Manifest for a fourth and final season after it was cancelled by NBC, and more recently, the streamer took on Amazon Prime's Sneaky Pete, which was cancelled by Amazon Prime after three seasons. In both of those cases, we saw the same story: a show quietly builds a loyal fan base, earns critical acclaim, then vanishes before enough people even know it existed—then, suddenly, the show appears in front of a brand-new audience, coupled with the possibility of something more. And it is now happening again, this time with a recently cancelled HBO show.
The next contestant in Netflix's revival game? The Anna Kendrick-fronted Love Life. One of the most quietly beloved romantic series of the last few years, the program was shelved by HBO and scrubbed from streaming in late 2022. But now both seasons of this show—including the critically revered second seasons, which scored 95% on Rotten Tomatoes—will be hitting Netflix starting today, Aug. 5, 2025.
This anthology series won people over because of its unique approach to detailing the story of love, of depicting romantic comedy as something slower and deeper, as a journey that is far more personal. Each season follows a different wannabe lover as they stumble through various relationships—some forgettable, others devastating, with almost almost none of them being the right fit.
The first season stars Kendrick as Darby, a reserved yet quietly ambitious museum worker living in New York City. Her story is told through relationships that span over a decade, ranging from an intense college romance to a string of short-lived relationships, flings, friendships and heartbreaks. Along the way, she navigates co-dependence and questions of self-worth, all while navigating her own journey of self-actualization. The people of her life play an important role in this process, from her evolving relationship with her best friend Sara (Zoë Chao) to her complicated dynamic with her mother (Hope Davis). As she grows more confident and self-aware as the years go on, you realize Love Life is not just—or, perhaps, not at all—love about love, but instead a story about growing up, about how we become ready to find our 'one true love.'
The focus of season two shifts entirely to a brand new character, Marcus Watkins (William Jackson Harper), a Brooklyn-based book editor who seemingly has his life together until an adulterous fling ruins his marriage. Now separated from his ex-wife, Emily, and unsure about what comes next, Marcus looks inward to understand who he's been in his relationships and what he's been avoiding. As he starts dating again, he confronts issues of race, class, intimacy and self-image in a way that feels strikingly honest compared to most modern rom-coms, with each new relationship chipping away at his guardedness. Marcus's story doesn't build toward a traditional romantic climax, but instead embraces the subtler, harder-earned realization that love, real love, requires more than timing or chemistry.
Believe it or not, Love Life was developed as HBO Max's first original scripted show when the platform launched in 2020. Sam Boyd, who created the show and wrote and directed the pilot episode, executive produced the show alongside Bridget Bedard, Paul Feig, Dan Magnante and Kendrick (Harper would later become an executive producer for the second season).
Upon release, Love Life received a mixed reception from critics, who noted the charm of the format and Kendrick's grounded performance, yet felt the first season leaned too heavily on rom-com tropes. However, the show truly hit its stride in the second season, as widespread acclaim was cast upon the main star, Harper, as well as the show's richer emotional depth, sharper writing and more layered storytelling. After a disappointing 63% score after the first season, Love Life captured a 95% approval rating with Season 2, with only one negative review preventing the show from a perfect 100% score.
Yet, despite this upward trajectory, HBO cancelled the show in 2022 after its second season, as part of a larger and widely criticized content purge following the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger. In an effort to cut costs and restructure the platform's identity, HBO Max removed dozens of shows, including Love Life, from its library entirely, leaving many fans stunned and frustrated.
But now you have a second chance to experience what critics have been praising after Netflix acquired Love Life in July 2025 (there is currently no word on a third season). Over at AV Club, Joshua Alston praises the show's top-notch acting, writing that 'Harper reaches his final form as a leading man, further delivering on the promise he showed in turning The Good Place's Chidi Anagonye." Alston also highlighted several of the show's fantastic character performances, from the likes of Ego Nwodim and Punkie Johnson.
For Vulture, Jen Chaney notes how accurately and poignantly the cancelled HBO show depicted the act of falling in love. She writes that while many romantic comedies are designed to end happily, Love Life 'works according to that design while also acknowledging that getting to that happy ending involves challenge, struggle, and unexpected snags. It excels in a genre that can often detour into fantasy by staying grounded in reality.'
And Judy Berman of Time writes about how Love Life recovered from a rather limp first season, specifically highlighting how the show examines the love life of Black men. While many pockets of society have received their own movies and shows, 'we still don't see many love stories that examine the difficulties a man, let alone a Black man,' she writes.
If you love shows like Master of None, High Fidelity or Modern Love, then Love Life offers a similarly introspective, relationship-driven experience, but with its own distinct charm. It's funny, a little messy and deeply honest about how long it can take to figure out who you are and what you need from a romantic partner. Netflix has quietly become the final resting place for a number of fan-favorite series, and now it's Love Life's turn for a second chance at life.