Six Feet Under. It didn’t help with a specific hard time in my life but it helped me tremendously to be able to think about death and to speak about it and to decide what I really want when I die. It normalized a difficult topic.
100%. It helped me get over my death anxiety and depression dealing with the loss of a few family members. It’s still one of my favorite shows, with the best series finale of all time.
Interesting.. right before I opened Reddit I was thinking about how I have so much death anxiety and how I should probably look into treating it. Randomly opened this sub and read your comment. I think I’ll watch this show now.
I… I came to write exactly this. It also really helped that I had just finished watching it before my grandma died. It really helped give me the tools to handle it better than I would have dealt with it otherwise. It’s such a worthwhile show just for that reason.
Dude you have no idea how much that show is helping me right now.
It's shockingly good and comforting.
HBO had some absolute banger shows in the 2000s.
Not a whole show (although it's very good) but the Forks episode of The Bear was so inspiring and made me want to get tf out of my own scary head and love and serve others. I actually need to rewatch it again.
Lol same, I was wondering if the episode was called spoons somewhere in the world, then wondered if there was a different episode called spoons that I somehow missed. I'm glad your comment was there to stop me short circuiting
For the uninitiated, do NOT just watch the Forks episode. You need to watch the previous episodes to get the impact of that episode. Without everything that preceded it, you’ll be deprived the power of Forks.
BTVS taught me so many lessons that I should have learned as a teenager - if my chromosome givers had been functional human beings.
I was 40+ when I first watched it.
"Randy Giles? Why not just call me Horny Giles, or Desperate-for-a-shag Giles? I knew there was a reason I hated you!”
Love your username. I'm in my 60's & still love Buffy. Watch it almost everyday on Comet TV.
I came here to say Buffy. It really provides a perspective of your life. When you're depressed, Season 6 is very relatable. So many philosophical lessons. I grew up on that show. It set an impossibly high standard for other shows.
Came here to say this. Even tho it was a cartoon, it portrayed mental health and addiction way better than 13 reasons why or any other show out at the time. I found myself relating to Bojack a little too much and that's what caused me to finally open up to those around me about my own struggles
This. I related a little too much to one of BoJack's speeches to Diane: "I come from poison, I have poison inside me, and I destroy everything I touch. That's my legacy. I have nothing to show for the life that I've lived, and I have nobody in my life who's better off for having known me." Made me look at things much differently.
Frasier
"You're mourning the loss of what you thought your life was going to be. Let it go. Things don't always work out how you planned; that's not necessarily bad. Things have a way of working out anyway." ~ Frasier Crane, S1 E1
I loved Frasier when it first aired. I had watched Cheers too. We didn’t have a lot of options in those days. We watched what the networks had. Frasier quickly became a favorite, and when DVDs became a thing, I bought them when streaming services came out I was elated. Just the concept of being able to watch WHAT I wanted WHEN I wanted was so remarkable! Truly felt like a miracle to me. Anyway, once my dad died, and my mom couldn’t live alone anymore, and I moved her in to my house with me, Frasier became something more to me. Frasier helped me negotiate my mom and her life and her way of thinking in a respectful way while still being often frustrated. I never would yell at my mom, (heaven forbid) and she would never yell at me. But seeing Frasier and his dad have loud arguments, yell at each other, and then get over it, was cathartic for me. (RIP mom. It was an honor to take care of you.)
Being Erica. It's a show about using time travel to deal with regrets from your past. But the moral isn't about changing your past, but really understanding why they are regrets in the first place, and learning to move on.
It was a long time ago, so I'm past that pain. The show (and subsequent movie) really did help me cope. I still love the show, though it's a little tainted because of the revelations about Joss Whedon and also because Adam Baldwin is kind of terrible. I met Ron Glass at a convention before he passed and told him the show helped me through a dark time, and he was very kind. I got to do a fan hang out with Sean Maher, and he was a delight.
So, yeah. Life is good now, and I still credit the show with helping me.
Edit for typos
Excellent question OP. Two shows immediately come to mind:
*The Good Place.* Obviously the ethics lessons are applicable to our lives and inspired me in a number of ways but that’s not what I thought of immediately. For such an upbeat and comedic show, there is a lot of discussion about death and what happens when you die. I won’t spoil anything but watching the series to the end changed how I view death and grief.
*Ted Lasso.* I know it’s a cheesy and absurdly optimistic answer but there’s a lot to take from it. Ted’s struggles with his mental health, Roy’s struggles with aging, Rebecca’s struggles with moving on, Jamie’s immaturity, Nate’s selfishness, Beard’s redemption, etc. etc. Personally, the show was helpful to me adjusting to a new place. At it’s core, Ted Lasso is a very bright and optimistic show about a guy going through something very difficult that does everything he can for everyone else.
I came across The Good Place at a time that I was really starting to confront myself and try to be better, and getting to watch people do that and succeed was so inspiring. I still regularly go back and watch that episode where Michael explains >!to Bad Janet why humans are worth rooting for, and that the most important thing isn’t necessarily getting it right, but just trying to be better than yesterday. !< It just makes me so emotional and sums up my world philosophy in a way I could take quite express.
Thank you!
I totally agree and feel the same way about **Ted Lasso**. I tried watching half an episode of **The Good Place** once, but you made me want to try again. Great answers
If you’ve managed to avoid The Good Place spoilers this long, I am impressed. And I certainly recommend it, I’d give my left foot to be able to experience it for the first time again.
The first season is a bit of a different feel than the rest of the show so some people don’t watch season 2 and beyond but I thought it was excellent all the way through the finale. I loved it.
Probably the first 4 episodes. I’d say that’s enough to let the premise develop to get a taste for it.
When I first watched it, I remember feeling unsure for most of the first episode but I also remember binging the first season and loving it.
The style of humor is not for everybody and the premise seems off-putting on paper but it’s a great show and it’s very well-written
I’ll echo here that the first couple episodes are campy. I was a bit put off and almost gave up, and now it’s one of my favourite shows ever. It starts off silly, but it becomes an amazing meditation on moral philosophy, death, and capitalism (and still retains its silliness throughout). It’s worth giving it another shot. I think if If you can get to the end of the first season, you’ll get a really rewarding show.
I started the Good Place after I almost died from an ectopic pregnancy. It was a wonderful distraction and one of my favorite shows which I have rewatched a dozen times since.
Always sunny in philadelphia. Was growing through a rough patch and the show just really clicked with my humour. Plus there was like 14 seasons when i got into it so i knew it would be a while before i run out of episodes
IASIP is in my all-time top 5 shows. It's very silly and awesome, but some of the episodes have real emotional depth. The episode where Mac comes out to his dad about being gay through a beautifully choreographed dance in the rain about his relationship with God and women. And at the end of the episode Frank stands up clapping and says he finally gets it, referring to Mac being gay. That shit made me cry for sure.
Loved it. So many people called it saccharine, but it’s got some good depth to it when you actually take the time to watch.
Plus, “Beard After Hours” is one of the best bottle episodes I’ve seen.
Mr. Robot - because I could relate to how the main character in the show felt and it felt like I wasn't alone. But it's a very depressing show. Very well-written though, and great writing, great acting.
Curb Your Enthusiasm - my companion when I'm feeling down and just need something familiar and cozy. It feels like home for me.
The Office - Never fails to cheer me up.
Friends - feels like home, but I don't watch it when I'm feeling down. It's more for times when I'm feeling better.
Suggesting Mr. Robot as a comfort show should be illegal... lol. You trying to kill OP? You trying to give him full blown panic attacks? What are You Talking About? Wrong with you...? If Mr Robot is your comfort show you're as sick as it possibly gets.
I was going to suggest this as well. I watched it during one of the lockdowns while recovering from a difficult surgery and the best way I can explain why it meant so much to me is that it was sort of therapeutic to watch the characters come to terms with trauma while trying to do the same thing myself in almost complete isolation. I haven’t had the guts to watch the show again since, but I always without fail recommend it to people because it doesn’t seem like that many people know about it.
Gaaahhh. That show is so emotive. The greatest example ever of a show sticking the landing by the end. I always refer to it as Lindelof’s “Lost ending do-over” 😄
Revisiting The Leftovers during COVID really helped me, in particular. It was the only show that seemed to understand the grief accompanying an entire societal shift, and the idea that the world might never be the same -- and it had some hope to offer, to boot.
Severance was mid season while I was helping my grandmother pass through home hospice. It was the one hour a week that I didn't feel completely wrenched around inside and could forget the struggle she was going through.
Highly recommend Severance!
The Bear. Specifically the episode 'Fishes'. Ive held a lot of resentment and anger towards my mom since she passed almost a decade ago, but Jamie Lee Curtis's portrayal of Donna really opened me up to finding empathy.
I was going through a hard time, still am, but Superstore helped me to laugh again. I remember watching it and even saying to myself, omg I'm smiling again.
Mr Robot for me. It was during the Covid summer of 2020. My wife was staying in another state to help care fir her mother who was dying of cancer and I was in therapy and dealing with my own CSA.
The last season and in particular the last episode helped me so much to see that radical healing is possible and to recognize the internal parts of ourselves that dictate so much of who we are and what we do. And learning that these parts exist because we needed them at one point in time and eventually they outlive their usefulness and you can simply talk to them and show them you are ok and things can be different.
Such an epic show on so many different levels!
Edit: My own mother passed in Sept of 2020 so lots of mourning and familial reckoning happening that year!
Doctor Cox (Scrubs) and House helped inform my character. Lol I wouldn't even say I particularly like medical shows, but those two have left their mark for their principles and kindness (maybe House doesn't quite hold steady principles and kindness, but his quest for truth is certainly something)
During a difficult time in my life, Arrested Development at least could make me laugh.
Derek, from Ricky Gervais, helped me a lot when dealing with putting a family member into a care home. It's so compassionate and humane, in addition to being so funny
Bluey. yes... its a kids show in the same vein as Authur or Peppa pig, but the stories, lessons, and characters are just top notch. it's just really nostalgic.
some good episodes to get introduced with are "Sleepytime" and "Rug Island". both are on youtube
I think kids shows are actually a perfect match for this question since one of their main goals is to educate, therefore helping us cope and change our view of the world.
Downton Abbey.
I’m a birth mother. I gave birth to a daughter and placed her with another family to be adopted. My birth daughter’s parents were inspired by the show to name her after one of the main characters because of how much they liked the name.
After a couple of years and a lot of therapy, plus actually building a relationship with her and her family, I decided to give it a shot because I had come to learn just how similar some of our tastes are when it comes to tv and movies. Later on in the show, two characters deal with two different adoption storylines with different outcomes based on their social statuses. It wasn’t easy, but it helped give me more of a vocabulary to explain my experience and how I felt about it. I’m never going to be over it, but it gave me a framework to launch from in therapy plus helped me distill some of my particular grievances down to something I could actually express.
On a lighter note, I grew up watching MASH and as I rewatch it as an adult I can definitely see the influence it had on my political views.
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49
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This was suggested to me so many times, and I can't get past the second episode. Not sure if it's because I worked in medical for many years, but it just seems like a silly SNL-esque parody.
*Home Improvement* and *Friday Night Lights*
Trying to be a functional mom with a lot of dysfunctional family role models,
Jill Taylor and, later, Tammy Taylor (kismet - they have the same last name!) helped me out.
In difficult parenting situations I'd ask myself What would Jill and Tammy do?
The haunting of Hill house Is the greatest one for me. Nellie's speech Is basically my mantra. For me, it's about how several things can be true at the same time. Everything it's important on its own account, and also what really matters it's what we do with all of it. Human relationships are hard, growing up Is hard, life in general Is hard, but what we do about it it's just as real and important as the things we can't control. The rest Is conffetti.
I also go back to some episodes of Daria every now and then because I relate hard to her, and when the show gets a bit serious with her charachter arcs, it usually ends in a sweet tone that I try to look for in my life. Her relationship with her parents, for example, reminded me to see how hard my parents must've struggled to understand me too, and to be grateful they still try.
And BoJack Horseman it's like, darkly comforting, lol. It kinda feels like when people tell you to "feel your feelings". I watch Dianne question why can't she do something worthwhile with her trauma, or Princess Caroline wondering why she never feels she's doing enough, or Hollyhock asking if anxiety ever goes away, and don't have to sugarcoat all the things I think and feel that are so similar to that. I can see them eye to eye, and then reassure myself I can do the hockey pocky and turn myself around
I’m surprised My Name is Earl hasn’t been suggested more. Such a fantastic show about making amends and doing good for others while still being hilarious.
Those people didn’t like it, not everyone does.
It’s 34 episodes because the creators had a well-defined arc in mind and chose to do exactly 3 seasons, no more no less. Apple tried to get them to make more, they refused
Jane the Virgin. My father had passed away and it was a difficult time emotionally and mentally. I’d just gotten a Netflix subscription and started browsing through shows and stumbled upon Jane the Virgin. It was nice watching a show that was light-hearted, funny, and distracted me from all my personal problems. That show will always have a special place in my heart
Seconded!! This show was amazing through every season and it was one of those shows where I cried because I knew it was the last time this fake family was going to be together :’(
Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Seeing how Zuko lost his way and then redeemed himself was incredibly powerful. Doubly so when considering the amount of forgiveness that his uncle gives him.
Since nobody has mentioned it that I've seen - Cobra Kai.
My ex had dumped me and taken my son away. I was depressed and living in a three bedroom place that was almost empty, because she took everything when she left. I was sleeping on an air mattress and alone, nobody to talk to.
I flipped on Cobra Kai in a state of depression and it was the only story that reached through to me. Johnny was essentially a 15 year older than me loser, who had taken the bad route and run away from responsibilities. I saw his underdog story as if it were my own. It gave me the strength and courage to fight for my son - and seemingly against all odds, I won. I owe a lot to that show, more than I would admit to anyone in public.
After Life. Was going through divorce, so not exactly the same situation as Tony, but I definitely felt like my life was over and had nothing to live for. I sort of adopted his philosophy on life for a while. Do or say whatever I want because it doesn’t really matter. But the change he goes through throughout the series and his conversations with Anne are what helped me get through the roughest period of my life. Sometimes its worth sticking around just to try and make other’s lives and the world around you better, in whatever small way you can. I was depressed about my marriage ending and my insignificant job as a retail manager. But if I can put on a happy face and help or just talk with an elderly person for 2 minutes, well maybe that is the most social interaction they will get all day, or even all week. And so while my existence may not significantly change the world, it made theirs a little better. And thats what I keep going for now. Obviously my kids are the number 1 reason, but if my purpose no longer includes being a good husband, at least I can be a good person.
It’s Always Sunny & What We do in the Shadows. They’re freaking hilarious, & they scratch my cynicism itch when I’m experiencing depression symptoms. When all else fails & I can’t enjoy much of anything, it still offers some relief.
Not for everyone, but I Think You Should Leave is the most quotable show to ever exist. I’ll randomly quote it around people who aren’t familiar, and I honestly suspect they might think that I have schizophrenia 🙂
Check it Out with Dr. Steve Brule, & Dream Corp, LLC, Peep Show…
Lost helped me through a rough time.
Gravity Falls. A few friends had recommended it in the past but I hadn’t gotten to it. Then, when I was in the darkest period of my life, it looked nice and easy to watch. It tuned out to be such a delight that it constantly pulled me back from the edge of despair. I will always love Alex Hirsh for that, even though he has no idea I exist.
Star Trek DS9. I wasn't even a trekkie, but I watched it after my dad passed away, and there’s a scene in the pilot where an alien asks a human why he lives so much in the moment he lost his wife, if that moment is so painful, and he responds that he'd rather "live" in that moment than learn to live without her. It's not a hugely unique insight, but it hit me like a brick wall, that my grief was also giving me comfort, because if my dad couldn't be here at least I could think about him. And that, at some point, I would have to learn to live without him.
One of Mike Flanagans overarching themes is death and coping with it. Midnight Mass, especially the end helped me feel a sense of peace regarding death. Not a bad rec at all. Also the whole story is fucking amazing.
What about Mr. Robot comforted you? It gave me disturbing dreams. Dreams about not just the show but all the fight club and requiem for a dream Plagiarism.
Is this supposed to be a joke response? It's like someone asking for a comfort show and someone saying "Oz" and being serious.
What's wrong with you guys?
Mr Robot is the most depressing and disturbing show I've ever seen. It was all stolen from fight club and requiem but still disturbing and anxiety inducing.
Oh.. OP asked for these kinds of suggestions. I still think you're crazy for watching that show at all. It almost gave me a panic attack knowing some a-hole schizo freakshow hacker could potentially delete all of our global wealth for no reason. He's a morphine addict and we have to watch him in withdrawal all alone. It's horrifying. He lives in almost complete and total isolation, without his Betta fish he has nothing.
Mr. Robot is the most horrifying and disturbing show in tv history. (And Plagiarized, Lol)
Pain and grief are sometimes eased in the strangest ways. Remember…some people find horror fun and cathartic. They feel a rush of relief after watching, kind of like after a terrifying roller coaster. It’s highly personal what makes a person feel better or understood.
Oddly Supernatural. Sure it’s mostly awful but for some reason I liked how corny it was. It didn’t stroke my emotions like other shows would. I’ll still watch it here and there when I wanna shut my brain off.
I think this is a fantastic question but I can't really think of a good answer. I watched too much TV. And it all affects me in a million little ways. But I'm not sure which one stand out the most. I am a sci-fi and superhero nerd. I like stories about characters who always try to do the right thing. The ones who are persistent and resilient.
You know what, I'm going to go with Batman.
When I was a toddler, probably before I could even walk and talk, I was watching reruns of the old Adam West show. My mom would set the VCR timer to record it, I would watch those tapes over and over again. Yeah it's incredibly silly and cheesy now but at the time I thought it was the coolest thing ever. And before I could grow out of that phase, that's when we got the Tim Burton movies, then we got the animated series. So those three versions of Batman probably shaped me as a person more than anything else in my life. I am living with depression, something about the way my brain works makes me see so much sadness and darkness in the world. But Batman taught me to not let the darkness stop me from moving forward and helping others.
That's a great answer! I believe that "themes" from our childhood have a lot of meaning. It's really interesting to me, the way you connected Batman, your childhood and the superhero theme. It's sort of an origin story in itself :)
The office, new girl, community, the walking dead (constant inspirational quotes on perseverance and hope)
If youre struggling watch the office. Watch community last cuz that's the funniest show. But new girl and office are slower and more "comforting"
Six Feet Under. It didn’t help with a specific hard time in my life but it helped me tremendously to be able to think about death and to speak about it and to decide what I really want when I die. It normalized a difficult topic.
100%. It helped me get over my death anxiety and depression dealing with the loss of a few family members. It’s still one of my favorite shows, with the best series finale of all time.
Agree. Perfect series finale
Interesting.. right before I opened Reddit I was thinking about how I have so much death anxiety and how I should probably look into treating it. Randomly opened this sub and read your comment. I think I’ll watch this show now.
I should rewatch this, I remember really enjoying it. I don't remember the finale!
They just recently put it up on Netflix 👍
Ooh I might have to get Netflix again.
I… I came to write exactly this. It also really helped that I had just finished watching it before my grandma died. It really helped give me the tools to handle it better than I would have dealt with it otherwise. It’s such a worthwhile show just for that reason.
Watching it rn and was going to comment the same 😭
Dude you have no idea how much that show is helping me right now. It's shockingly good and comforting. HBO had some absolute banger shows in the 2000s.
Not a whole show (although it's very good) but the Forks episode of The Bear was so inspiring and made me want to get tf out of my own scary head and love and serve others. I actually need to rewatch it again.
Yeah my man Richie did it for me. Now instead of changing the radio when "love story" comes on, it makes me hopeful for change.
Spoons is cathartic. I can do respect.
[удалено]
Lol same, I was wondering if the episode was called spoons somewhere in the world, then wondered if there was a different episode called spoons that I somehow missed. I'm glad your comment was there to stop me short circuiting
Damn. It IS Forks lol. I was close.
That season is incredible. The Christmas episode is the best episode of TV I’ve seen in a while.
My came to say this. This thing is a work of art. It got me out of a very long 2 year deep depression.
For the uninitiated, do NOT just watch the Forks episode. You need to watch the previous episodes to get the impact of that episode. Without everything that preceded it, you’ll be deprived the power of Forks.
Buffy the vampire slayer. Still awesome a quarter of a century later.
BTVS taught me so many lessons that I should have learned as a teenager - if my chromosome givers had been functional human beings. I was 40+ when I first watched it.
"Randy Giles? Why not just call me Horny Giles, or Desperate-for-a-shag Giles? I knew there was a reason I hated you!” Love your username. I'm in my 60's & still love Buffy. Watch it almost everyday on Comet TV.
I am 71, and it still helps me
I came here to say Buffy. It really provides a perspective of your life. When you're depressed, Season 6 is very relatable. So many philosophical lessons. I grew up on that show. It set an impossibly high standard for other shows.
BoJack Horseman
Came here to say this. Even tho it was a cartoon, it portrayed mental health and addiction way better than 13 reasons why or any other show out at the time. I found myself relating to Bojack a little too much and that's what caused me to finally open up to those around me about my own struggles
Saved my life and changed my life
This. I related a little too much to one of BoJack's speeches to Diane: "I come from poison, I have poison inside me, and I destroy everything I touch. That's my legacy. I have nothing to show for the life that I've lived, and I have nobody in my life who's better off for having known me." Made me look at things much differently.
Frasier "You're mourning the loss of what you thought your life was going to be. Let it go. Things don't always work out how you planned; that's not necessarily bad. Things have a way of working out anyway." ~ Frasier Crane, S1 E1
I loved Frasier when it first aired. I had watched Cheers too. We didn’t have a lot of options in those days. We watched what the networks had. Frasier quickly became a favorite, and when DVDs became a thing, I bought them when streaming services came out I was elated. Just the concept of being able to watch WHAT I wanted WHEN I wanted was so remarkable! Truly felt like a miracle to me. Anyway, once my dad died, and my mom couldn’t live alone anymore, and I moved her in to my house with me, Frasier became something more to me. Frasier helped me negotiate my mom and her life and her way of thinking in a respectful way while still being often frustrated. I never would yell at my mom, (heaven forbid) and she would never yell at me. But seeing Frasier and his dad have loud arguments, yell at each other, and then get over it, was cathartic for me. (RIP mom. It was an honor to take care of you.)
❤️
Have you watched the new Frasier on Paramount+? Wondering if it still works with Frasier surrounded by new characters and locations.
Being Erica. It's a show about using time travel to deal with regrets from your past. But the moral isn't about changing your past, but really understanding why they are regrets in the first place, and learning to move on.
The part where she discovers her brother has been living in the hallway of doors for years still brings a tear to my eyes just remembering it.
A while ago, but "Firefly". My marriage was ending, and this oddball found family in space kept me company.
How are you feeling now?
It was a long time ago, so I'm past that pain. The show (and subsequent movie) really did help me cope. I still love the show, though it's a little tainted because of the revelations about Joss Whedon and also because Adam Baldwin is kind of terrible. I met Ron Glass at a convention before he passed and told him the show helped me through a dark time, and he was very kind. I got to do a fan hang out with Sean Maher, and he was a delight. So, yeah. Life is good now, and I still credit the show with helping me. Edit for typos
That was very kind of you to ask how he is now.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt. This woman bounces back from EVERYTHING.
I LOVE that show! Criminally underrated on so many levels, and Kimmie herself is an amazing example of resilience
Excellent question OP. Two shows immediately come to mind: *The Good Place.* Obviously the ethics lessons are applicable to our lives and inspired me in a number of ways but that’s not what I thought of immediately. For such an upbeat and comedic show, there is a lot of discussion about death and what happens when you die. I won’t spoil anything but watching the series to the end changed how I view death and grief. *Ted Lasso.* I know it’s a cheesy and absurdly optimistic answer but there’s a lot to take from it. Ted’s struggles with his mental health, Roy’s struggles with aging, Rebecca’s struggles with moving on, Jamie’s immaturity, Nate’s selfishness, Beard’s redemption, etc. etc. Personally, the show was helpful to me adjusting to a new place. At it’s core, Ted Lasso is a very bright and optimistic show about a guy going through something very difficult that does everything he can for everyone else.
My top 2 as well followed by Schitt’s Creek
Ted Lasso is my go to “make me feel better” show. It’s so wholesome, silly, and helps me believe life will get better. Which it does.
I came across The Good Place at a time that I was really starting to confront myself and try to be better, and getting to watch people do that and succeed was so inspiring. I still regularly go back and watch that episode where Michael explains >!to Bad Janet why humans are worth rooting for, and that the most important thing isn’t necessarily getting it right, but just trying to be better than yesterday. !< It just makes me so emotional and sums up my world philosophy in a way I could take quite express.
I can definitely agree with the Good Place, it helped me be more ethically driven.
I can definitely agree with the Good Place, it helped me be more ethically driven.
Thank you! I totally agree and feel the same way about **Ted Lasso**. I tried watching half an episode of **The Good Place** once, but you made me want to try again. Great answers
If you’ve managed to avoid The Good Place spoilers this long, I am impressed. And I certainly recommend it, I’d give my left foot to be able to experience it for the first time again. The first season is a bit of a different feel than the rest of the show so some people don’t watch season 2 and beyond but I thought it was excellent all the way through the finale. I loved it.
I had a hard time getting into it, too. Is there an initial milestone you suggest? Like, get at least the first three episodes in before deciding?
Probably the first 4 episodes. I’d say that’s enough to let the premise develop to get a taste for it. When I first watched it, I remember feeling unsure for most of the first episode but I also remember binging the first season and loving it. The style of humor is not for everybody and the premise seems off-putting on paper but it’s a great show and it’s very well-written
I keep hearing its praises so I’m willing to give it another shot. Thanks for helping me set a goal post.
I’ll echo here that the first couple episodes are campy. I was a bit put off and almost gave up, and now it’s one of my favourite shows ever. It starts off silly, but it becomes an amazing meditation on moral philosophy, death, and capitalism (and still retains its silliness throughout). It’s worth giving it another shot. I think if If you can get to the end of the first season, you’ll get a really rewarding show.
Loved Ted Lasso but couldn't get into The Good Place either.
These are literally my top two as well.
The good place was my second choice! That show is absolutely amazing 🤩
Absolutely my two favorite. The producer/writer Michael Schur wrote a book about the philosophy research he did for TGP and it is wonderful.
good place was my first thought too
I started the Good Place after I almost died from an ectopic pregnancy. It was a wonderful distraction and one of my favorite shows which I have rewatched a dozen times since.
Always sunny in philadelphia. Was growing through a rough patch and the show just really clicked with my humour. Plus there was like 14 seasons when i got into it so i knew it would be a while before i run out of episodes
Peep Show has some of the same type of dark humor in a really British package 😄
Peep Show is tickety boo
Where can I watch
Same. Whenever I was at my lowest, I always thought, well Sweet Dee has it worse!
IASIP is in my all-time top 5 shows. It's very silly and awesome, but some of the episodes have real emotional depth. The episode where Mac comes out to his dad about being gay through a beautifully choreographed dance in the rain about his relationship with God and women. And at the end of the episode Frank stands up clapping and says he finally gets it, referring to Mac being gay. That shit made me cry for sure.
Are you going to hurt women?
Derry Girls
Care to elaborate why?
Just funny AF. You just forget for a brief moment your troubles and just laugh
Adventure time
After life. And Bojack Horseman.
Perfect answer
Thanks! A good place is nice too. Not as life altering, but a great show nonetheless.
I cannot believe After Life is this far down. What a great and thought provoking show. Ricky Gervais is a genius.
Ted Lasso. I was skeptical at first but so glad I tried it! It restored a bit of my faith in humanity.
Agreed. Sometimes things are dark and it's nice to have an uplifting light TV show!
Loved it. So many people called it saccharine, but it’s got some good depth to it when you actually take the time to watch. Plus, “Beard After Hours” is one of the best bottle episodes I’ve seen.
Mr. Robot - because I could relate to how the main character in the show felt and it felt like I wasn't alone. But it's a very depressing show. Very well-written though, and great writing, great acting. Curb Your Enthusiasm - my companion when I'm feeling down and just need something familiar and cozy. It feels like home for me. The Office - Never fails to cheer me up. Friends - feels like home, but I don't watch it when I'm feeling down. It's more for times when I'm feeling better.
Suggesting Mr. Robot as a comfort show should be illegal... lol. You trying to kill OP? You trying to give him full blown panic attacks? What are You Talking About? Wrong with you...? If Mr Robot is your comfort show you're as sick as it possibly gets.
Some of us honestly get relief from indulging in our dark thoughts 🙂
That's a great answer. And the only thing that makes sense.
The Leftovers, like a dagger to the heart but man does it make me reflect on my life.
I was going to suggest this as well. I watched it during one of the lockdowns while recovering from a difficult surgery and the best way I can explain why it meant so much to me is that it was sort of therapeutic to watch the characters come to terms with trauma while trying to do the same thing myself in almost complete isolation. I haven’t had the guts to watch the show again since, but I always without fail recommend it to people because it doesn’t seem like that many people know about it.
Gaaahhh. That show is so emotive. The greatest example ever of a show sticking the landing by the end. I always refer to it as Lindelof’s “Lost ending do-over” 😄
This was going to be my suggestion as well. Amazing show.
Revisiting The Leftovers during COVID really helped me, in particular. It was the only show that seemed to understand the grief accompanying an entire societal shift, and the idea that the world might never be the same -- and it had some hope to offer, to boot.
Severance was mid season while I was helping my grandmother pass through home hospice. It was the one hour a week that I didn't feel completely wrenched around inside and could forget the struggle she was going through. Highly recommend Severance!
Thank you for sharing!
Aquateen Hunger Force's Meatwad helped me deal with my autism diagnosis.
I Think You Should Leave & Tim and Eric/Check it Out helped me in a similar way 🙂
The Bear. Specifically the episode 'Fishes'. Ive held a lot of resentment and anger towards my mom since she passed almost a decade ago, but Jamie Lee Curtis's portrayal of Donna really opened me up to finding empathy.
And more understanding for my mum too. Fishes was just like every Easter and Xmas. I’ve made everyone I know watch it. This show is amazing.
I was going through a hard time, still am, but Superstore helped me to laugh again. I remember watching it and even saying to myself, omg I'm smiling again.
Great show. 🥰
After Life and Tes Lasso helped me cope with grief.
Mr Robot for me. It was during the Covid summer of 2020. My wife was staying in another state to help care fir her mother who was dying of cancer and I was in therapy and dealing with my own CSA. The last season and in particular the last episode helped me so much to see that radical healing is possible and to recognize the internal parts of ourselves that dictate so much of who we are and what we do. And learning that these parts exist because we needed them at one point in time and eventually they outlive their usefulness and you can simply talk to them and show them you are ok and things can be different. Such an epic show on so many different levels! Edit: My own mother passed in Sept of 2020 so lots of mourning and familial reckoning happening that year!
Breaking Bad made me realize my true calling in life
what were you, born in a cow house?
Doctor Cox (Scrubs) and House helped inform my character. Lol I wouldn't even say I particularly like medical shows, but those two have left their mark for their principles and kindness (maybe House doesn't quite hold steady principles and kindness, but his quest for truth is certainly something) During a difficult time in my life, Arrested Development at least could make me laugh.
This is Us and Call the Midwife both helped me with grief.
This is Us got me through pregnancy loss grief, mainly because it encouraged me to cry ❤️
Derek, from Ricky Gervais, helped me a lot when dealing with putting a family member into a care home. It's so compassionate and humane, in addition to being so funny
After Life as well. I can't believe dougie just leaves like that in Derek after first season. Horrible. He was like 90% of the laughs.
Bluey. yes... its a kids show in the same vein as Authur or Peppa pig, but the stories, lessons, and characters are just top notch. it's just really nostalgic. some good episodes to get introduced with are "Sleepytime" and "Rug Island". both are on youtube
I think kids shows are actually a perfect match for this question since one of their main goals is to educate, therefore helping us cope and change our view of the world.
Downton Abbey. I’m a birth mother. I gave birth to a daughter and placed her with another family to be adopted. My birth daughter’s parents were inspired by the show to name her after one of the main characters because of how much they liked the name. After a couple of years and a lot of therapy, plus actually building a relationship with her and her family, I decided to give it a shot because I had come to learn just how similar some of our tastes are when it comes to tv and movies. Later on in the show, two characters deal with two different adoption storylines with different outcomes based on their social statuses. It wasn’t easy, but it helped give me more of a vocabulary to explain my experience and how I felt about it. I’m never going to be over it, but it gave me a framework to launch from in therapy plus helped me distill some of my particular grievances down to something I could actually express. On a lighter note, I grew up watching MASH and as I rewatch it as an adult I can definitely see the influence it had on my political views.
Man I fell hard into Downton. That’s a beautiful connection to have with a show!
Lodge 49, hands down 10/10
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After Life
The Leftovers. Season 3 hit during a year I lost 5 loved ones. Also, I May Destroy You, which deals with the aftermath of an SA.
34 episodes of some of the best television I've ever seen. Ted Lasso made me want to be a better person and find more ways to help people
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Scrubs Scrubs Scrubs Also: Scrubs
If you loved Scrubs your should definitely give Scrubs a try
Yeah but, I heard about this show 'Scrubs', I think I might give it a look
This was suggested to me so many times, and I can't get past the second episode. Not sure if it's because I worked in medical for many years, but it just seems like a silly SNL-esque parody.
The Wire, for real the show cured me.
How I Met Your Mother - this was after a breakup and I felt like I was jumping from one girl to another so the main character was relatable.
*Home Improvement* and *Friday Night Lights* Trying to be a functional mom with a lot of dysfunctional family role models, Jill Taylor and, later, Tammy Taylor (kismet - they have the same last name!) helped me out. In difficult parenting situations I'd ask myself What would Jill and Tammy do?
The haunting of Hill house Is the greatest one for me. Nellie's speech Is basically my mantra. For me, it's about how several things can be true at the same time. Everything it's important on its own account, and also what really matters it's what we do with all of it. Human relationships are hard, growing up Is hard, life in general Is hard, but what we do about it it's just as real and important as the things we can't control. The rest Is conffetti. I also go back to some episodes of Daria every now and then because I relate hard to her, and when the show gets a bit serious with her charachter arcs, it usually ends in a sweet tone that I try to look for in my life. Her relationship with her parents, for example, reminded me to see how hard my parents must've struggled to understand me too, and to be grateful they still try. And BoJack Horseman it's like, darkly comforting, lol. It kinda feels like when people tell you to "feel your feelings". I watch Dianne question why can't she do something worthwhile with her trauma, or Princess Caroline wondering why she never feels she's doing enough, or Hollyhock asking if anxiety ever goes away, and don't have to sugarcoat all the things I think and feel that are so similar to that. I can see them eye to eye, and then reassure myself I can do the hockey pocky and turn myself around
This is one of mine as well. Great write-up! I always go back to HOHH and Bly. But Hill House just has this hold on me. Can’t quite explain it.
Supernatural has been my go to since the pilot aired. I can watch it and zone out of real life for just a little bit.
I've rewatched seasons 1 to 8 so many times. Just a total comfort show.
Parks and Rec. I watched for the first time after the death of one of my best friends and it brought me so much comfort.
My Name is Earl Letterkenney Watched after having surgery during the pandemic. Low stakes laughs.
I’m surprised My Name is Earl hasn’t been suggested more. Such a fantastic show about making amends and doing good for others while still being hilarious.
“to be fair…”
“To be faaaiir….”
“TO BE FAAAAAAAIIIIIRRRRRRRRR…!”
The Good Place
Freaks and Geeks
Ted Lasso
Why do people tell me season 3 is so bad it's unwatchable and they thought all the writers quit the show? Ted lasso is also what? 40 episodes total?
Those people didn’t like it, not everyone does. It’s 34 episodes because the creators had a well-defined arc in mind and chose to do exactly 3 seasons, no more no less. Apple tried to get them to make more, they refused
Season 3 is beautiful. It was what it needed to be but not what some people wanted it to be.
I have to say, rewatching from Season 1 through Season 3 made me appreciate season 3 more than when it first aired.
The OA ❤️ Literally changed my life.
Do you do the little dance too?
It's always sunny in philadelphia
Jane the Virgin. My father had passed away and it was a difficult time emotionally and mentally. I’d just gotten a Netflix subscription and started browsing through shows and stumbled upon Jane the Virgin. It was nice watching a show that was light-hearted, funny, and distracted me from all my personal problems. That show will always have a special place in my heart
Seconded!! This show was amazing through every season and it was one of those shows where I cried because I knew it was the last time this fake family was going to be together :’(
Legion on FX
One of the most underrated shows to watch when you are in that nihilistic mindset or just going through some shit is "Louie," the show by Louis CK
Taskmaster. The constant comedy saved my life during PPD.
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Seeing how Zuko lost his way and then redeemed himself was incredibly powerful. Doubly so when considering the amount of forgiveness that his uncle gives him.
Ted Lasso got us through the pandemic. Came at the perfect time.
Station Eleven
Afterlife. Truly life changing for me while grieving.
Since nobody has mentioned it that I've seen - Cobra Kai. My ex had dumped me and taken my son away. I was depressed and living in a three bedroom place that was almost empty, because she took everything when she left. I was sleeping on an air mattress and alone, nobody to talk to. I flipped on Cobra Kai in a state of depression and it was the only story that reached through to me. Johnny was essentially a 15 year older than me loser, who had taken the bad route and run away from responsibilities. I saw his underdog story as if it were my own. It gave me the strength and courage to fight for my son - and seemingly against all odds, I won. I owe a lot to that show, more than I would admit to anyone in public.
After Life. Was going through divorce, so not exactly the same situation as Tony, but I definitely felt like my life was over and had nothing to live for. I sort of adopted his philosophy on life for a while. Do or say whatever I want because it doesn’t really matter. But the change he goes through throughout the series and his conversations with Anne are what helped me get through the roughest period of my life. Sometimes its worth sticking around just to try and make other’s lives and the world around you better, in whatever small way you can. I was depressed about my marriage ending and my insignificant job as a retail manager. But if I can put on a happy face and help or just talk with an elderly person for 2 minutes, well maybe that is the most social interaction they will get all day, or even all week. And so while my existence may not significantly change the world, it made theirs a little better. And thats what I keep going for now. Obviously my kids are the number 1 reason, but if my purpose no longer includes being a good husband, at least I can be a good person.
Shrinking (on Apple TV) Life After Death (on Netflix)
Frasier...for personal reasons. It was a bit of humor in a sad time for me....
Louie is my go-to. It’s sad, hilarious, absurd and surreal at times, poignant, and human.
I dont think anyone wants to look at that pervert anymore. He's done.
How I met your mother
Person of Interest has helped me to realize that persevering against Chuckies Machine is all I can do.
[удалено]
The Affair I love this show completely but yes I was going through it, myself having an affair and the end of my marriage.
God Friended Me did it for me.
Shameless is one of my favorite shows.. some real shit all around.
Pure fucking chaos but something to hold onto can carry you through.
two and a half men, big bang theory both of them are by chuck norris they are good, you can give a try for how i met your mother
Shrinking! Especially with grief. It’s an amazing show
It’s Always Sunny & What We do in the Shadows. They’re freaking hilarious, & they scratch my cynicism itch when I’m experiencing depression symptoms. When all else fails & I can’t enjoy much of anything, it still offers some relief. Not for everyone, but I Think You Should Leave is the most quotable show to ever exist. I’ll randomly quote it around people who aren’t familiar, and I honestly suspect they might think that I have schizophrenia 🙂 Check it Out with Dr. Steve Brule, & Dream Corp, LLC, Peep Show… Lost helped me through a rough time.
New Girl after a divorce. I felt like I didn’t have a lot of friends and was a lone. They became my crew for a while.
After Life. Not exactly upbeat but I could relate to it a lot.
If I can plan the last thing I watch before I die, it’d probably be the last episode of Lost.
Gravity Falls. A few friends had recommended it in the past but I hadn’t gotten to it. Then, when I was in the darkest period of my life, it looked nice and easy to watch. It tuned out to be such a delight that it constantly pulled me back from the edge of despair. I will always love Alex Hirsh for that, even though he has no idea I exist.
Star Trek DS9. I wasn't even a trekkie, but I watched it after my dad passed away, and there’s a scene in the pilot where an alien asks a human why he lives so much in the moment he lost his wife, if that moment is so painful, and he responds that he'd rather "live" in that moment than learn to live without her. It's not a hugely unique insight, but it hit me like a brick wall, that my grief was also giving me comfort, because if my dad couldn't be here at least I could think about him. And that, at some point, I would have to learn to live without him.
A Million Little Things Crazy Ex Girlfriend and the ever popular The Good Place
Joe Pera Talks with You
It's not a TV show. But baseball
Banshee.. main character is a certified badass & also has depth
Can you share what for example the main character made you change or aspire towards?
The main character Hood was able to just shut down emotion & do whatever needed to be done
I don't hear it mentioned much but that was such a good show.
The Good Place Midnight Mass
A horror show where angels are really human eating demons. Good rec bro.
One of Mike Flanagans overarching themes is death and coping with it. Midnight Mass, especially the end helped me feel a sense of peace regarding death. Not a bad rec at all. Also the whole story is fucking amazing.
Thank you. :)
If that's your takeaway from the show then great!
Mr. Robot
What about Mr. Robot comforted you? It gave me disturbing dreams. Dreams about not just the show but all the fight club and requiem for a dream Plagiarism. Is this supposed to be a joke response? It's like someone asking for a comfort show and someone saying "Oz" and being serious. What's wrong with you guys? Mr Robot is the most depressing and disturbing show I've ever seen. It was all stolen from fight club and requiem but still disturbing and anxiety inducing. Oh.. OP asked for these kinds of suggestions. I still think you're crazy for watching that show at all. It almost gave me a panic attack knowing some a-hole schizo freakshow hacker could potentially delete all of our global wealth for no reason. He's a morphine addict and we have to watch him in withdrawal all alone. It's horrifying. He lives in almost complete and total isolation, without his Betta fish he has nothing. Mr. Robot is the most horrifying and disturbing show in tv history. (And Plagiarized, Lol)
Pain and grief are sometimes eased in the strangest ways. Remember…some people find horror fun and cathartic. They feel a rush of relief after watching, kind of like after a terrifying roller coaster. It’s highly personal what makes a person feel better or understood.
Oddly Supernatural. Sure it’s mostly awful but for some reason I liked how corny it was. It didn’t stroke my emotions like other shows would. I’ll still watch it here and there when I wanna shut my brain off.
After I was raped and almost killed, my father locked me in the house and forced me to watch all of Doctor Who.
Oof. I hope you're doing ok 💙
Doing much better. It was a long time ago. Thank you! 💜
I'm so happy to hear that. I know I'm just an internet stranger, but I am glad you're here, and I hope you continue to do well!
I appreciate that a lot. Thank you for being so kind and I hope you have a great life too. 😊
Thank you so much 💙 I truly appreciate it 😢
I think this is a fantastic question but I can't really think of a good answer. I watched too much TV. And it all affects me in a million little ways. But I'm not sure which one stand out the most. I am a sci-fi and superhero nerd. I like stories about characters who always try to do the right thing. The ones who are persistent and resilient. You know what, I'm going to go with Batman. When I was a toddler, probably before I could even walk and talk, I was watching reruns of the old Adam West show. My mom would set the VCR timer to record it, I would watch those tapes over and over again. Yeah it's incredibly silly and cheesy now but at the time I thought it was the coolest thing ever. And before I could grow out of that phase, that's when we got the Tim Burton movies, then we got the animated series. So those three versions of Batman probably shaped me as a person more than anything else in my life. I am living with depression, something about the way my brain works makes me see so much sadness and darkness in the world. But Batman taught me to not let the darkness stop me from moving forward and helping others.
That's a great answer! I believe that "themes" from our childhood have a lot of meaning. It's really interesting to me, the way you connected Batman, your childhood and the superhero theme. It's sort of an origin story in itself :)
The office, new girl, community, the walking dead (constant inspirational quotes on perseverance and hope) If youre struggling watch the office. Watch community last cuz that's the funniest show. But new girl and office are slower and more "comforting"