If you’ve been craving a warm, witty comedy like Grace and Frankie or The Kominsky Method, Netflix’s Leanne might be your next favorite binge.
Created by comedy legend Chuck Lorre and stand-up star Leanne Morgan, the 16-episode first season blends sharp writing, heart, and the messiness of midlife with Southern flair and plenty of laughs.
Chuck Lorre and Leanne Morgan: A Comedy Power Pair
Chuck Lorre isn’t new to building hit sitcoms. From Dharma & Greg to Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mom, and Young Sheldon, his shows have shaped network comedy for decades. With Leanne, he brings his signature tone to Netflix again, after previously co-creating The Kominsky Method.
This time, he joins forces with Leanne Morgan, the Southern comedian whose Netflix special I’m Every Woman introduced her no-nonsense charm to a wider audience. Known for poking fun at real-life experiences with marriage, menopause, and motherhood, Morgan brings her own life and voice directly into the series, and it shows.
One of the most refreshing things about Leanne is how Morgan brings her personal voice to the project, but not her exact life story. In her stand-up comedy, Morgan often jokes about marriage and family, drawing from her long and happy marriage to her real-life husband, Chuck Morgan. But in the Netflix series, Leanne tells a very different story: her character is suddenly left by her husband after 33 years, betrayed and blindsided by divorce. The contrast adds an interesting layer, while the show is fictional, the emotional honesty still feels grounded in Morgan’s point of view.
What Is Leanne About?
The series opens with Leanne, a middle-aged woman living in Knoxville, Tennessee, who’s just been blindsided by her husband Bill (Ryan Stiles). After 33 years of marriage, he leaves her in the worst way possible, via email. As if that wasn’t enough, she soon finds out he cheated with their dentist… who is now pregnant.
Helping Leanne pick up the pieces is her sister Carol, played with brilliant comedic bite by Kristen Johnston. Twice divorced and twice as jaded, Carol moves in with Leanne early on and becomes her closest ally and comic counterpart.
The series follows their day-to-day life, parenting, dating, caring for aging parents, and trying to keep it together, all wrapped in a solid, character-driven narrative that’s both funny and moving.
Meet the Family and Neighbors
Leanne introduces a tight ensemble of recurring characters that build out its world:
- Tyler (Graham Rogers), Leanne’s son, a father himself, who keeps her grounded.
- Josie (Hannah Pilkes), Her free-spirited daughter who ends the season by moving to a communal farm in California.
- Carol (Kristen Johnston), Leanne’s no-filter sister and scene-stealing roommate.
- Mama Margaret (Celia Weston) and Daddy John (Blake Clark), Their elderly parents, whose care adds another layer of realism and warmth.
- Pastor Tom (Jay R. Ferguson), A late-season arrival and possible love interest for Carol.
- Bill (Ryan Stiles), Leanne’s ex, still lingering and often clueless.
- Andrew (Tim Daly), A charming FBI agent and potential new love for Leanne.
You’ll also meet supporting characters like nosy neighbor Mary (Jayma Mays), the quieter Becca (Andrea Anders), and Leanne’s daughter-in-law Nora (Anna Gonzalez), who only appears briefly but may play a larger role if the series continues.
Leanne & Carol: The Heart of the Show
Leanne Morgan may be the lead, but Kristen Johnston is her perfect counterpart, the ride-or-die sister who steals every scene she’s in. The chemistry between the two is natural and effortless, with a comedic rhythm that gives the series its emotional core. Whether they’re navigating dating disasters, family meltdowns, or working out, they ground the show in something real and relatable.
Together, they share more screen time than Leanne does solo, and that balance works. It’s not just Leanne’s story, it’s a story about sisterhood, resilience, and finding laughter when everything else is falling apart. If there were any concerns about handing Morgan her first sitcom lead, they disappear within the first few episodes. Paired with Johnston, she shines.
Not Just Gags: Real Stories for Women (and Everyone)
What sets Leanne apart from other sitcoms is how well it balances laugh-out-loud moments with more emotional beats. Whether it’s trying to date again after three decades, dealing with menopause, weighing at the doctor’s office, or sharing a bathroom on a weekend getaway, the show leans into the awkward, relatable chaos of everyday life, especially for women navigating midlife.
And while each episode stands on its own, the series never loses sight of the bigger story arcs. Leanne’s personal growth, Carol’s potential for love, family dynamics, and even Bill’s slow unraveling are all woven through with care.
Why the Cast Feels Familiar
Chuck Lorre loves to work with his favorite actors, and Leanne is no exception:
- Kristen Johnston starred in Mom
- Ryan Stiles appeared in Two and a Half Men and Young Sheldon
- Graham Rogers had a recurring role in The Kominsky Method
- Andrea Anders and Dave Theune both appeared in Lorre’s shows, including Young Sheldon, Bookie, and The Big Bang Theory
It’s a full-circle moment for longtime Lorre fans, and a great introduction for those new to his comedic world.
A 16-Episode Season? Yes, Please.
A 16-episode order is rare for a Netflix comedy, especially in its first season. But Leanne earns it. Each episode runs under 30 minutes, making the season both easy to binge and more satisfying than the usual six-to-ten episode drops.
That extended run lets the show breathe. It builds relationships naturally, gives secondary characters room to grow, and creates space for the kind of callbacks and payoffs that shorter shows can’t always deliver.
Will There Be a Season 2 of Leanne?
A second season of Leanne hasn’t been officially announced yet, but at this point, it feels less like a question of if and more like when. The decision to launch the series with a full 16-episode order, rare for Netflix comedies, signals clear confidence from the platform.
Early reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, the cast has undeniable chemistry, and Leanne Morgan already has a built-in fanbase that’s only growing. All signs point to renewal. Now we’re just waiting for the official green light.
