A good television show has a strange way of providing catharsis, especially when the world outside and life in general feel overwhelming. Feel-good shows have the power to help you deal with hard days and tough times, offering a window into something that we can connect with, even if they are fictional. But comfort is also relative. What felt cosy years ago does not feel relevant in the present, nor will it render the same feeling in the future. However, some television shows are evergreen in their comforting stories, narrative style, and character journeys.
We bring you select shows that are forever comforting with their easy vibes, endearing characters, and relatable stories. From TV gems like ‘Gilmore Girls’ to streaming hits like ‘Schitt’s Creek’, each of these comfort shows still holds up today and will inspire and encourage you to deal with life head-on, provide distractions, or just wrap you in warmth.
10. ‘Virgin River’
Adapted by Sue Tenney from the eponymous novel series by Robyn Carr, Virgin River is the story of Melinda ‘Mel’ Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), a nurse and midwife from Los Angeles who moves to the titular town after a tragic past. Leaving the bustling big city life, when Mel becomes a part of the quaint Northern California community, she discovers that the place and its people are way beyond her expectations. What begins as Mel’s quest for change and peace quickly transitions into her journey of self-discovery, with new friendships, romance and surprising challenges.
8. ‘SweetMagnolias’
Developed by Sheryl J. Anderson from Sherryl Woods’ eponymous bestseller, Sweet Magnolias is a heart-warming romance drama that follows the lives of three friends, Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), and Helen (Heather Headley). Friends for life, the three women navigate the complexities of love life, work, motherhood, and personal growth in Serenity, South Carolina. Through shared laughter, tears, and bottomless margaritas, the three women remain each other’s anchors and unwavering support system.
6. ‘Community’
In this NBC sitcom created by Dan Harmon, an eclectic group of people, each with their individual stories, come together in a study group at the fictional Greendale Community College in Colorado. Community sets off when a disbarred lawyer, Jeff (Joel McHale), joins the group and sparks the eccentricities of the dysfunctional group and their college dean. The series boasts an ensemble of comedy geniuses like Ken Jeong, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Chevy Chase.
4. ‘The Good Place’
A fantasy comedy series created by Michael Schur, The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), an amoral woman who realizes that she is dead and has arrived at the titular destination, a heaven-like place for the ‘good souls.’ Eleanor quickly realizes that her arrival is a mistake, but keeps it a secret so she can stay, and tries to redeem herself. With the help of her assigned soulmate, Chidi (William Jackson Harper), and the guidance of the place’s supervisor, Michael (Ted Danson), Eleanor sets out to experience the afterlife.
2. ‘Grace and Frankie’
Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as the titular septuagenarian protagonists, Grace and Frankie follows two opposite women who learn that their husbands of 40 years have been in a secret romantic relationship the entire time. Feeling shocked and betrayed and left with no choice, the two wives end up sharing a house and start discovering a new way to live, while adapting to aging, loneliness, but mostly, each other.
Created by Marta Kaufman and Howard J. Morris, Grace and Frankie is an emotional, psychological, and visual delight. Fonda and Tomlin bring their lifelong, real-life friendship to the screen, making their characters authentic and relatable.
9. ‘Firefly Lane’
Created by Maggie Friedman from the eponymous novel by Kristin Hannah, Firefly Lane is a heart-warming story of two very opposite women, Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate (Sarah Chalke), and their lifelong friendship. For over three decades, since their childhood, the unabashed Tully and the docile Kate have shared every experience, through adolescent years, adult life, marriage, motherhood, and midlife crisis. Firefly Lane focuses on their respective journeys and how the years impact their friendship.
7. ‘Gilmore Girls’
What became the most noteworthy television role for Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls sees her as Lorelai Gilmore, a single mother, alongside Alexis Bledel as her bright teenage daughter, Rory. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, the series follows the mother-daughter duo as they navigate the ups and downs of life, as their close-knit community and its diverse residents have a prominent impact on their journey.
5. ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’
Created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock of 30 Rock fame, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt sees Ellie Kemper as the titular young woman who is rescued from a cult after being trapped for 15 years. Powered by pure enthusiasm, Kimmy sets out to reclaim her lost years and embarks on her new life in New York City, with the help of her landlady, Lillian (Carol Kane), roommate Titus (Tituss Burgess), and melancholic employer, Jackie Lynn ‘Jacqueline’ (Jane Krakowski).
3. ‘Schitt’s Creek’
A Canadian sitcom created by Eugene and Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek follows a formerly wealthy family of the Roses, including the patient patriarch, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), the eccentric matriarch, Moira (Catherine O’Hara), their socialite daughter, Alexis (Annie Murphy), and fashion-fanatic son, David (Dan Levy). After their business manager embezzles the company into bankruptcy, the Roses relocate to the titular small town. Their meagre lifestyle, contrasting their high-society attitude, leads them to various misadventures as they learn to adapt to their new normal.
1. ‘Derry Girls’
Created by Lisa McGee, Derry Girls is an Irish period teen sitcom set in the titular city of Northern Ireland in the 1990s during the final years of the Northern Ireland Conflict. The series focuses on teenage girls, Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), her cousin Orla (Louisa Harland), and their friends, Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and James (Dylan Llewellyn). In the backdrop of impactful social and political changes, the girls try to navigate a strict Catholic school life under their eagle-eyed headmistress, Sister George Michael (Siobhán McSweeney).