For as long as I can remember, whenever I find myself having a bad day, nothing brings me more comfort than coming home and putting on my favorite show. I often call these my “comfort shows” because they are able to easily shift my mood from good to bad. For 30 minutes, I immerse myself in the lives of my favorite television characters and let whatever stress I’m feeling go on a temporary hold. So, today I will be sharing my five favorite comfort shows over the years.
#5 Glee
With Unique characters, an easy-to-follow yet exciting storyline, and phenomenal covers, Glee is an ideal comfort show. Glee is known as a “Dramedy” and has the perfect mix of dramatic and comedic moments that come together to convey lessons about teamwork, friendship and growing up. The premise of the show is basically how the Mckinley High Glee club breaks stereotypical barriers and faces adversity from their peers to eventually become a legacy at their High School. Glee is overall a heartwarming series, and I always find myself coming back to watch the found family come together, despite the differences they share.
#4 The Sex Lives of College Girls
The HBO Max original created by Mindy Kaling premiered in 2021 and takes place at the fictional, prestigious university “Essex” in Vermont. It follows four freshman year roommates Whitney, Leighton, Kimberly, and Bella as they adjust to college life. As a college freshman myself, while I find the show to be unrealistic at points, I am able to see some similarities between how the characters and people I have met in college have navigated things such as sexuality, greek life, parties, etc. I always love watching shows that are relatable to the phase of life I am currently in. The storylines in The Sex Lives of College Girls move quickly, but they are easy to follow and have remarkable comedic timing.
#3 New Girl
Starring the charming and quirky Zoe Deschanel, New Girl follows the lives of Jess and her four male roommates, Nick, Schmit, Winston and Coach. New Girl features lighthearted and comedic-filled storylines that emphasize that while the changes that occur throughout your 20s may feel like the end of the world at the moment, they are all a part of your life’s story and what matters most are the friends that surround you. New Girl’s characters are extremely well-developed throughout the series’ run, and each have lovable and eccentric personalities, making you wish you lived in the loft with them.
#2 Parks and Recreation
Parks and Rec follows the passionate Ray of Sunshine Leslie Knope as she leads the Parks department in a small town In Indiana with the help of her noticeably less passionate staff. Leslie’s energy and excitement about life and work is contagious even through the screen and somehow her fictional presence always puts me in a good mood. But besides Leslie, all of the staff members/characters in Parks and Rec each have their unique personalities and quirks making the interactions between them all full of comedic moments. Parks and Recreation is simply a feel-good show about the second family that the Pawnee Indiana Parks Department created.
#1 Gilmore Girls
Picture this, it’s a crisp, fall evening, you have just finished your homework for the night, so you get into your pjs, and cozy up with a cup of tea. You start to hear the melody of “If You’re Out on Your Own” play from the TV, and all is right in the world. Gilmore Girls follows the mother-daughter duo, Lorelai and Rory and how they support each other through the good and bad they go through. Taking place in a small town called Stars Hollow, Gilmore Girls makes you feel nostalgic and cozy as you watch Lorelai and Rory move through life and learn lessons about love, family, friendships, and life’s choices.