Leanne’s first season is now streaming on Netflix.
The world is dark and decrepit, and so is most of the television we’re served these days. So when Leanne dropped on Netflix, a traditional multi-cam sitcom complete with a laugh track and an actual studio audience, it felt like a small, nostalgic gift. This is not prestige TV, it’s not chasing awards, and it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. But it did something I hadn’t experienced in a while — it made me smile. Sometimes, that’s enough.
The series stars Leanne Morgan as a warm, Southern grandmother whose life is upended after her husband of three decades abruptly leaves her. What follows is her journey to rebuild, lean on her eccentric family, and rediscover a sense of self. Kristen Johnston brings her signature chaotic energy as Leanne’s sister, and their dynamic carries much of the show’s charm. The rest of the ensemble is filled with sitcom regulars, and while none of them stand out in a major way, they all hit their marks.
Leanne doesn’t deliver constant big laughs, but there’s an easy rhythm to it. The jokes land with just enough frequency, the energy is light, and there’s a steady emotional undercurrent that keeps things grounded. Morgan’s presence is key, bringing authenticity, a little steel, and a lot of sincerity to a character who could have easily become a caricature. Her stand-up roots show, and the scripts often pull from real-life observations about aging, parenting, and starting over. That specificity helps elevate the otherwise familiar structure.
It’s not a show that begs to be binged, but it’s remarkably easy to spend time with. Each episode feels like it could have aired during the golden years of CBS comedy blocks, and you can tell Chuck Lorre’s fingerprints are all over it. The writing isn’t sharp enough to call this a standout, but there’s comfort in how ordinary it is. That might sound like faint praise, but in a time when so many comedies are either painfully self-aware or deeply bleak, it’s refreshing to watch something this straightforward and sincere.
Leanne may not be essential viewing, but it’s a reminder of a kind of TV that used to be everywhere. It’s warm, corny, old-school, and made me wish, if only for a moment, that this was still what television looked like.
I give Leanne a B.
TV and City 