No, I definitely don’t want to know how many hours I have spent watching Netflix in 2020. I draw the line at Spotify Wrapped, thank you.
Whether it’s Queen’s Gambit, Bridgerton or Tiger King (yes, those shows were all from the same year), one thing that got us through 2020 and kept us feeling a sense of connection was our ability to binge watch the same shows and talk about them for days on end afterwards.
Netflix added 15.8 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2020 alone. This rose to 26 million by the middle of the year, more than the entire population of Australia. Mind blown? Me too.
More than ever, we took comfort – if not slight envy – in being able to watch people go about their lives normally on screen and thanked our lucky stars that we had series after series to watch when we were all staying at home.
Yet not all shows are created equal, and definitely not when it comes to what to watch when you’re feeling down. So, here we’ve put together a list of some feel good shows that we hope will lift your mood when you’re feeling low.
Schitt’s Creek
I refuse to write an article about television shows without mentioning Schitt’s Creek, because it is without doubt the best thing I watched all year. The comedy show follows a family who loses their fortune and is forced to move into a motel in a run down rural town of Schitt’s Creek. It will make you laugh, cry (happy tears) and everything in between. A true feel-good show.
Where to stream? Netflix
The Great British Bake Off
What better way to relax than to watch a group of contestants bake? I must admit, I was sceptical before I started watching. Surely they can’t make a show out of people just baking, but by the end of the hour you’ll be screaming at the contestants to wait for the cake to cool before icing or telling them to be careful when getting their bake out of the oven. In America, you’ll find the show on Netflix under the name ‘The Great British Baking Show’, and we literally have no idea why.
Where to stream? All 4
This Is Us
We’ll start this recommendation with a slight warning: there will be tears. The series follows the lives and families of two parents and their children throughout the various stages of their lives, with all the ups and downs. If you’re in the mood for getting utterly invested and falling in love with the characters – and having a good cry – then this is the series for you.
Where to stream? Amazon Prime Video
The Good Place
If I had the choice of erasing one show from my memory to be able to watch it all over again, it would be The Good Place. The show follows Eleanor Shellstrop’s journey after her death as she is welcomed to “the good place”: a utopia reserved for those who have lived a righteous life. There’s lots of twists and turns along the way which will make you want to binge watch all 4 series.
Where to stream? Netflix
Gilmore Girls
Sometimes when anxiety hits, you crave a slice of familiarity. Watching Gilmore Girls feels like being hugged, drinking a hot chocolate and snuggling up under a blanket. It’s hard to believe it has been 15 years since the show first debuted, but the good news is there are seven series ready for you to watch, plus the 2016 limited series for good measure.
Where to stream? Netflix
Friends
Yes you have watched all 236 episodes at least twice and could pass any quiz on Friends with flying colours, but that is exactly what makes it so comforting. And let’s face it, will we ever get bored of watching Jennifer Anniston?
Where to stream? Netflix
Selling Sunset
What better way to get over the troubles in your own life by becoming completely consumed by what’s going on in the lives of real estate agents in LA? You might not be a fan of reality TV, but we can almost guarantee the show will have you sucked in after one episode one. We can also guarantee you’ll be team Chrishell pretty soon, too.
Where to stream? Netflix
Dream Home Makeover
If you finish Selling Sunset and want more beautiful houses and flawless interiors, switch on Dream Home Makeover. The show takes place in an alternate universe where absolutely nothing goes wrong, not as much as a glass is broken and the houses never look anything less than perfection. Pure stress-free heaven.
Where to stream? Netflix
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Fans of RuPaul in the UK can rejoice, because Drag Race has landed in the UK. And even better news, the second series returns on 14 January after a slight delay (you know why, we don’t need to say it.) Celebrity judges Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton are back together for round two and we can’t wait.
Where to stream? BBC Iplayer
