Netflix’s Canadian sitcom,North of Northhas a 100% positivity rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it is set in a part of the world that is not often represented in TV series. The story follows Siaja, who has decided to leave her husband and forge a new life for herself in her town, the fictional Ice Cove. Siaja loves her town and works assisting the town manager, but as some new residents arrive, changes are coming.The cast ofNorth of Northfeatures some of Canada’s rising stars, most of whom are of Indigenous Inuk heritage.
The characters inNorth of Northare mostly likeable, even when flawed, and this is especially true of Siaja’s mother, Neevee. While the series is mostly light-hearted,the ending ofNorth of Northintroduces some higher emotional stakes. The series is short and lasts just eight episodes, but there has already been a hopeful update onthe possibility ofNorth of Northgetting a season 2. That said, while waiting for that to be confirmed, there are several other lighthearted sitcoms with a similar tone to watch in the meantime.
5Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Both Main Characters Are Optimists, Who Are Pursuing A New Life
At first glance,Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtandNorth of Northare very different.North of Northis set in a remote town where everyone knows everyone, which means that Siaja already has established relationships with almost all the other main characters. On the other hand,Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidtis set amid the chaos of New York, where Kimmy knows nobodyand must start all her new relationships from scratch. Siaja has grown up in Inuk culture and is more familiar with the customs, while Kimmy must learn about modern New York as a newcomer.
That said, aside from contrasting locations,Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtandNorth of Northhave very similar themes. Both shows are about women who have been trapped and escaped to begin new lives on their own terms. In Kimmy’s case, this is literal, as she was trapped in an underground bunker as part of a religious cult, Siaja was trapped emotionally, in an unhappy marriage. Both women are married to men who are manipulative and cruel, while being worshipped by others. Kimmy’s husband is the cult leader, while Siaja’s is the town’s hero and star sportsman.
Both shows are feel-good, lighthearted comedies about women trying to make the world a better place, but both have a dark undertone at times.The characters inUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtare mostly likable, but Kimmy and the other “Mole Women” who were freed from the bunker struggle with life outside of the cult at times. InNorth of North, many of the older characters, including Siaja’s mother, suffered under the government’s old residential schools system. Both balance comedy and emotional connection, andUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtis a great show to watch if you liked the comedy inNorth of North.
4Reservation Dogs
A Dramedy About Friendship And Belonging, Set On A Reservation
Reservation Dogsfollows a group of Indigenous teenagers who live on a reservation in rural Oklahomaand plan to move to California. LikeNorth of North,Reservation Dogshas a great soundtrack, often featuring covers of popular songs. The show had an all-Indigenous team of writers, and was heavily praised for its accurate portrayal of many aspects of life on a reservation. WhileNorth of Northalso highlights Indigenous talent in the form of its actors, writers, costume designers, and soundtrack, Indigenous representation is not the only thing thatNorth of Northhas in common withReservation Dogs.
Both shows center on small communities with a strong sense of their culture, and explore the idea of belonging.The central characters inReservation Dogswrestle with the decision over whether to stay in their community or leavein search of a new life. While Siaja loves her community, other characters inNorth of Northare torn between living in Ice Cove and returning home. If you liked the more serious themes underpinning the story inNorth of North,Reservation Dogshas its comedic moments but focuses more on the drama and emotional weight behind it.
3Parks And Recreation
Both Series Feature A Small Town That Is Almost Another Character
Parks and Recreationhas given viewers some iconic characters, like the optimistic and driven Leslie Knope, whose major goal is to make her town of Pawnee a better place.North of North’s answer to Leslie is Siaja, who looks for a job after leaving her husband and spending several years staying at home to look after her daughter, Bun. Despite being dismissed by Helen, the town manager, Siaja takes the initiative to start working as a “volunteer garbage collector” anyway, earning her the gratitude of Helen, and a new job as her assistant.
Over the course ofNorth of North, Siaja takes a greater role in the management of her community, as Leslie does, including fundraising, and eventually pitching the town of Ice Cove to potential investors. While both Ice Cove and Pawnee are fictional towns,Parks and RecreationandNorth of Northare feel-good stories about small-town life and community spirit. That said, if there is one main criticism ofNorth of North, it is that many of the side characters had potential that was not explored.Parks and Recreationdoes this better as it is more of an ensemble cast.
Siaja’s friends seem fun, and the show has some powerful scenes that show their support for her, but none of them have clear character arcs, and we rarely get to see them outside of Siaja’s perspective.North of Northhas attracted excellent reviews for its authenticity, costuming, and Siaja’s likability, whilethe main reason thatParks and Recreationis so popular is its larger-than-life characters. Viewers who enjoyed the dynamic between Siaja and her friends and coworkers should watchParks and Recreationnext, as this sense of community is the heart of the series.
2Letterkenny
A Canadian Sitcom With Clever Wordplay
North of Northhas several different kinds of humor, but some of the standout moments in the series feature awkward momentsand cringe comedy. The scene in which Siaja tries her hand at casual dating and finds herself in the bedroom of a dogsled-obsessed potential hook-up is mortifying and hilarious in equal parts. Viewers who want to watch a show with a similar small-town setting but a different kind of humor should watchLetterkennynext.Letterkennyis extremely quotable, and its signature is its wordplay and rapid-fire one-liners. The show centers on the titular fictional Ontario town and its residents.
Letterkennyis about the lives of several cliques and groups in the town ofLetterkenny, and, likeNorth of North, the show is very wholesome. Many characters are rough around the edges, yet kind and helpful, and the toughest men in the show are unafraid to show their emotions. That said, whileNorth of Northhas a linear plot, with characters revealing secrets against a backdrop of changes coming to the town of Ice Cove,Letterkennydoes not. The show has a few connected episodes but no overarching plot, which allows viewers to jump into the show at any time.
1Schitt’s Creek
A Feel-Good, Wholesome Sitcom About Transformation
With a 93% positive rating from both audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes,Schitt’s Creekis largely considered one ofthe best sitcoms of all time, and likeNorth of North, it centers on the lives of the residents in a small town.Schitt’s Creekfollows a family who have gone from being super-rich to destitute, and are forced to relocate to Schitt’s Creek, which they had once bought as a joke. Their struggles to adapt to their new life living in the town’s motel are hilarious, but the character development makes the show stand out.
BothSchitt’s CreekandNorth of Northare Canadian, and while the two shows may seem like total opposites at first glance, they are actually very similar in several respects. Both shows center on the main characters finding themselves, with Siaja gaining confidence in her ability to represent her town and stand up for herself inNorth of North, and the entire Rose family learning to be good and selfless citizens inSchitt’s Creek.North of Northhas only had one season so far, but both shows have focused on characters rebuilding their livesin a small-town environment.
The other main feature thatSchitt’s CreekandNorth of Northhave in common is their tone. Both shows are feel-good, community-focused shows, with some powerful emotional moments that allow characters to connect.One of the standout moments inSchitt’s Creekis when the formerly standoffish Moira mentors one of the younger charactersin a pivotal scene, giving her the confidence to keep going. A similar transformation happens inNorth of North,when Siaja has a vote of support from the town Elders.Schitt’s Creekis the show to watch next for audiences looking for a theme of quiet change with comedy.
North of North
Cast
North of North follows a young Inuk woman as she seeks to forge a new path in life after a highly publicized departure from her marriage. Set in a small Arctic town where personal matters become public, the series explores themes of identity and self-discovery in a closely-knit community.
