What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHow to Be Single
Christian Ditter · Film · 2016
If you loved How to Be Single, start with Better Things (Pamela Adlon, 2016) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to How to Be Single across media.
If you loved How to Be Single, you will appreciate these stories that navigate the messy, hilarious, and often lonely reality of modern independence.
Books on the same thread
Modern Romance
Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg · Book · 2016
Explores: Digital dating culture, Paradox of choice, Sociology of relationships.
Just as How to Be Single explores the chaos of modern dating, this book offers a brilliant sociological look at why finding a connection feels so complicated today.
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
Lysa TerKeurst · Book · 2016
Explores: Loneliness, Rejection, Insecurity.
If the vulnerability of How to Be Single resonated with you, this guide provides a thoughtful perspective on overcoming the insecurity and loneliness that often accompany single life.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Carson McCullers · Book · 2000
Shares a thread with How to Be Single: Coming-of-Age.
While How to Be Single focuses on urban dating, this novel captures the deeper, universal ache of isolation and the human need for connection that drives every lonely heart.
Ghost World
Daniel Clowes · Book · 2001
Shares a thread with How to Be Single: Female friendship.
Fans of the female friendships in How to Be Single will recognize the same bittersweet transition into adulthood and the social alienation that comes with growing apart.
Series on the same thread
Sex and the City
Darren Star · Series · 1998
Shares 2 threads with How to Be Single: Female Friendship, Single Life.
If you enjoyed the New York City backdrop and the bond between women in How to Be Single, this iconic series is the definitive exploration of single life.
How I Met Your Mother
Carter Bays · Series · 2005
Shares a thread with How to Be Single: Romantic Comedy.
The journey toward self-discovery seen in How to Be Single is mirrored here, as a group of friends navigates the ups and downs of dating and personal growth.
New Girl
Elizabeth Meriwether · Series · 2011
Explores: Friendship, Coming of Age, Relationships.
Like the protagonist of How to Be Single, Jess faces a major life reset, finding humor and support in an unconventional living situation after a difficult romantic breakup.
Better Things
Pamela Adlon · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with How to Be Single: Coming-of-Age.
This show captures the same honest, unfiltered female perspective found in How to Be Single, focusing on the complexities of independence and the reality of raising a family.
Podcasts on the same thread
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Explores: parasocial relationships, professional intimacy, self-deprecating humor.
Much like the characters in How to Be Single searching for connection, this podcast explores the awkwardness of forming genuine bonds in a world that feels increasingly isolated.
Best Magazine UK: Suddenly Single
Podcast
Shares a thread with How to Be Single: single life.
If you connected with the dating disasters in How to Be Single, you will value these candid conversations about the reality of being single and searching for love.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is How to Be Single a movie about finding love in New York City?
Yes, How to Be Single is a 2016 film directed by Christian Ditter that follows various characters in New York City as they navigate the complexities of modern relationships and learn how to exist independently in a world with evolving definitions of love.
What is the central theme explored in How to Be Single?
The central theme of How to Be Single is the journey of learning how to be comfortable on one's own. The story focuses on characters who are all seeking the right match while simultaneously discovering what it means to be single in the modern world.
Who are the main characters featured in How to Be Single?
The main characters featured in How to Be Single are Alice, Robin, Lucy, Meg, Tom, and David. These individuals are all connected by their shared experiences as lonely hearts living in New York City while they search for the right match.
How does How to Be Single define its exploration of modern relationships?
How to Be Single explores modern relationships by focusing on how its characters define love in an ever-evolving world. The film examines the experiences of several individuals in New York City as they balance their search for a partner with the process of learning how to be single.