When you want to snuggle up under a blanket with a hot drink and some snacks, there’s only one thing you’ll want on your screen – and that’s a cosy, comforting TV show. There could be a lot of criteria that you look for in the perfect comfort-watch, be that nostalgia, care-free escapism or simply a l0w-stakes plot.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of shows that you might want to save for such an occasion. Happy easy watching!
BBC
1. Starstruck (BBC iPlayer)
Taskmaster is a pretty good comfort-watch in itself. But if we’re looking at scripted dramas specifically, then look no further than BBC comedy Starstruck from Rose Matafeo, an established and much-loved part of the Taskmaster fam.
She’s put her particular stroke of genius into this heartfelt rom-com, which she writes and stars in. Playing up to many millennial fantasies, Starstruck centres on Jessie, who realises that her one-night stand was actually spent with a famous film star (played by Nikesh Patel).
Soon struggling to pay her rent becomes the least of her worries, as the reality of the whirlwind takes over…
Netflix
2. Gilmore Girls (Netflix)
It doesn’t need to be autumn for a Gilmore Girls re-watch, with the beloved early-noughties comedy-drama being go-to comfort telly for many. Centring on the mother/daughter relationship between single mum Lorelai and her teen daughter Rory Gilmore (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, respectively), it creates a warm and reassuring space in the quaint, close-knit town of Stars Hollow.
Add the brilliant, if not acid-tongued, Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) and the flannel shirt-wearing Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) into the mix, and you have a crop of characters that will keep you coming back for more.
BBC
3. Ghosts (BBC iPlayer)
One of the best British comedies in recent years, the BBC series follows married couple Alison and Mike (Charlotte Richie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe) who inherit an old mansion, complete with spooky cellar, and end up living alongside a whole cohort of inhabitants from beyond the grave.
When Alison has a near-death experience, she ends up being able to see all the ghosts lodging alongside them and, over time, they all become one big, somewhat dysfunctional family. The sitcom – from the Horrible Histories team – ran for four years, and still manages to pick up new fans even now. A movie is in production.
Netflix
4. Man on the Inside (Netflix)
The Good Place could also be a decent comfort watch if you like your comedy with a side helping of existential dread, but we’re favouring Ted Danson’s Man on the Inside instead.
After the loss of his wife, amateur private investigator Charles is struggling to find his purpose. After being asked to go under cover in a local retirement home, he finds a new lease of life. You’ll be laughing and crying in equal measure.
Samuel Dore/Netflix
5. Heartstopper (Netflix)
Heartstopper is the show that many of us needed to see growing up; a safe space of acceptance and love, it’s the TV equivalent of a warm hug. It centres on the developing relationship between Nick and Charlie as they navigate school, family life and teen issues, while also pulling in experiences from the wider queer community through its ensemble of characters.
Although it went on to tackle some more weighty themes, Heartstopper mostly maintains a more wholesome feel and doesn’t often remove its own rose-tinted glasses, which sets it apart from other YA dramas and makes it the ultimate comfort watch.
Netflix
6. Nobody Wants This (Netflix)
Talking about an easy watch that’ll warm your heart, Netflix’s runaway rom-com hit Nobody Wants This – which reintroduced Seth Cohen Adam Brody to millennials everywhere – is right up there.
With their ridiculously sizzling chemistry, dedicated rabbi Noah (Brody) and agnostic podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) were always going to fall in love – but what made the show so special and refreshing was the way they side-stepped every tired genre trope in the process. Plus it’s just a whole lot of fun, and prime duvet-day viewing.
The WB
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Disney+)
An OG, you simply can’t make a list of comfort-watch dramas without including The Chosen One. Likely born out of a nostalgia that’s as real as Buffy Summer’s birthright as a Slayer, the ’90s supernatural drama is repeat background TV viewing for many of us that were raised by the quick quips of its monster-fighting central character.
Whether belting out ‘Once More With Feeling’ or mouthing along to Buffy’s season-five speech about finding her own power, Buffy’s tendency to use metaphors – Hello! High School is the mouth of hell! – has long resonated with viewers, and will do so for generations to come (particularly as Sarah Michelle Gellar is about to reprise her iconic role in a continuation series).
Netflix
8. Never Have I Ever (Netflix)
A coming-of-age tale, Never Have I Ever actually sounds pretty heavy on paper, focussing on 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who is struggling following the death of her father.
But, written by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, the Netflix comedy-drama is heartfelt and actually very funny too. It follows Devi through her later years in high school, tackling teen romance (with a love triangle to make The Summer I Turned Pretty blush) and the expectation from family, landing a special place in a lot of hearts.
BBC
9. Detectorists (BBC iPlayer)
The award-winning BBC sitcom puts quiet and gentle storytelling to the forefront, with two friends Andy and Lance (played by Mackenzie Crook, who also wrote the show, and Toby Jones) building on their close bond over a shared love of metal detecting.
Set in a fictional small English town, the series – which first premiered in 2014 – transcended its setting to become a global hit – and one that people come back to again and again.
NBC Universal
10. This Is Us (Disney+ and Channel 4)
An intricate and layered family drama, This Is Us follows the Pearson family across a number of decades, weaving flashbacks and multiple timelines into the storytelling. The result? An emotional and truly authentic series that invites deep investment from its audience.
The impressive cast includes Sterling K Brown, Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia, and over the years fans have come to look at This Is Us as a source of familiarity and comfort – even though there are episodes that will devastate you.
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK’s biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world’s oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).