Netflix Is Finally Realizing How Badly We Need Rom-Coms

The romantic comedy as a genre has shifted, been redefined, and quieted down in recent years, but that doesn’t mean there is any less desire from viewers for those lighthearted films. In fact, there could even be MORE demand these days. This appears to be a fact that Netflix now not only recognizes, but could completely capitalize on. But the question is: will they?

Twitter timelines lit up this weekend as Set It Up charmed the pants off of Netflix subscribers. It’s the closest thing the platform has provided to the old-school (read: early 2000s) rom-coms we would travel in packs to the movie theater to watch. Now, we can watch at home, in sweats, and still commiserate with our friends over the film via social media.

Set It Up stars Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch as two assistants who scheme together to set up their bosses. You know how this movie goes and how it ends, and it faithfully follows the trusty rom-com formula, but it’s still worth watching for the humor and the chemistry and the fun.

Last month, Netflix released Ibiza, a girls trip romp that also provided the right amount of romance, and The Kissing Booth, a teen flick that Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos recently told New York Magazine is “one of the most-watched movies in the country, and maybe in the world.”

So have they caught on to the trend? Maybe. Sadly the rest of the summer is looking a little light when it comes to rom-coms, with Lauren Miller Rogen’s Like Father set to drop on August 3rd, the next real rom-com queued up at the moment. However, that will be followed up with To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before two weeks later and Sierra Burgess is a Loser due in September. They’ve also announced The Princess Switch with Vanessa Hudgens which sounds beautifully formulaic just from the title alone.

It’s possible that much of this could be traced back to last November’s A Christmas Prince release which set wintertime hearts on fire with its simplicity. Netflix got the message: they’ve already green-lit the sequel.

The fact that they were called out by Chrissy Teigen on Twitter also could’ve impacted the importance of the genre, but the platform seems to slowly but surely be coming around to the idea of producing more original rom-coms. And why wouldn’t they? First of all, even though they’re no strangers to handing out cash for projects, these films are some of the cheapest to make. Powell and Deutch are talented rising stars, but they aren’t demanding outrageous pay days (yet). There are minimal action sequences to fork over the dollars for, if any, because the only true action we’re looking for with these flicks is some sweet, sweet smoochin’.

Romantic comedies are exactly what viewers want to watch on Netflix while cuddled up on the couch or lounging in sweatpants or dozing through a hangover. There’s not a whole lot to think about or feel bad about, and they serve as hopeful escapes — something we could all use more of in our entertainment choices. They’re digestible and enjoyable, and perfect for home viewing. There are no CGI or elements best viewed on big screens. These films work perfectly fine on an average TV or computer screen. And guess what? That’s where they will be watched over and over again. With pals, with significant others, and through hangovers to come. That Netflix can create their own original movies, not licensed titles that flee the platform each month, guarantees repeat viewers, memes sure to flood the internet, and content to be discovered for years to come.

Netflix releasing the highest quantity and quality of these films in the last month alone, and that they’ve found an excited audience, is reason to expect more. The platform can even work on producing a diverse amount of love stories, expanding the race and sexual orientations of the main characters, and be a revolutionary home to the genre. If this story goes where we think it might be heading, Netflix could be the place that provides a happy ending to all of our rom-com dreams.

Where to watch Set It Up