WELP. It’s looking especially caucasian outside in Ohio today. That means I’ll be staying put this weekend and watching more episodes of Golden Girls while I work on another collage. I might rewatch Living Single for the 10th time.
What television series do you return to for comfort? Any idea WHY you stick with certain shows?
Schitt’s Creek, King of the Hill, Designing Women, Living Single, Seinfeld. Also GG for life! These shows are like a comforting hug from someone who gets you. I really enjoy watching the camaraderie of flawed people dealing with one another with grace and/or humor and these shows do that well for me.
It depends on the kind of comfort I need, I think. Supernatural, because, ultimately, good triumphs over evil and I get to be cathartic in my yelling at the characters when they're being dum-dums. Law & Order/Law & Order CI, same deal, minus the yelling. Drag Race, but I avoid a couple seasons (3 and 8, especifically). Like that.
Does Family Feud count? I have never liked the tv on while eating dinner, but right before the holidays we started watching FF with Steve Harvey. It was a challenging time in my marriage, and having something else to focus on seemed like a good stopgap measure. We've resolved the challenge, but kept Steve, loving his goofiness, his facial expressions, and the dumb, dumb answers of the guests. We have conversations around it, but it is comforting to have Steve join us for dinner every night.
Apocalypse adjacent plot with universal and timeless storylines, Edward James Olmos, philosophical trolley problems out the ass, Edward James Olmos, comical profanity substitutions, Edward James Olmos, sexy robots and even sexier human pilots, an ultimate fuckboy, and did I mention EDWARD JAMES OLMOS?
I am always in the middle of a re-watch of Schitt's Creek (on my...21st time?) but the true revelation has been (re)watching Columbo. The 70s aesthetic, the predictable yet upside down format, Peter Falk, and the amazing 70s star guests who play the murderer in each episode. It's the best.
I’ve been watching Murder She Wrote and LOVING it. Literally EVERYONE who was in tv in the 80’s is in this shit. There are many aging divas with young male lovers. And in one episode Angie plays Jessica’s British vaudeville cousin and the it’s a MESS. Plus Tom Bosley doing an inexplicable southern-mid-Atlantic accent is the cherry on top.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, American Gods, and for movies Lilo & Stitch and The 5th Element. I think it's because they're (mostly) normal people dealing with bigger than themselves Chaos but pulling through. Well, mostly. They definitely get bumps and bruises and deal with some shit along the way which feels more authentic than everyone walking away unscathed.
You are my people, Saeed! Golden Girls and Living Single are my go to shows. I'm talking laugh out loud belly laughs. I cannot tell you how many times I've watched them both. Currently, I am midway through season 6 of GG and Blanche and Dorothy now speak St Olaf from time to time. I die!
So far, during the pandemic, I've rewatched Golden Girls 4 times, Living Single 4x, Cheers 2x, 227 2x, Frasier 1x, and Martin 1x.
I think I recognize that 80s & 90s sitcoms give me *great* comfort. Same w/ 90s R&B (New Jack Swing stays in rotation). Pretty much anything pre-9/11 b/c #trauma.
On the 2nd time watching Golden Girls, I realized that Sophia Petrillo is why I love The Godfather trilogy so much. If you pay close attention to Sophia's lines, they illuminate TF outta The Godfather (especially Part 3 that everybody hates).
The Expanse, now on Prime. The writing and portrayal is what I always need. I still shout and talk back to the screen. And I find watching things in space settles me.
I have used the Great British Bake Off as therapy since 2016. The people are kind and talented, the hosts are supportive, and I live for Nadiya’s journey and for Nancy calling Paul Hollywood “the male judge.” I was genuinely stricken when Netflix removed a bunch of seasons this year. I’m going to look at other people’s responses in hopes of finding something else that works the same way.
Ted Lasso and Great British Bake Off (Nadiya's season). They're so soothing and I know how they will end and I *like* the characters/bakers.
"Gilmore Girls," because it reminds me of the time when my estranged son was still in my life. And the writing slaps.
Schitt’s Creek, King of the Hill, Designing Women, Living Single, Seinfeld. Also GG for life! These shows are like a comforting hug from someone who gets you. I really enjoy watching the camaraderie of flawed people dealing with one another with grace and/or humor and these shows do that well for me.
It depends on the kind of comfort I need, I think. Supernatural, because, ultimately, good triumphs over evil and I get to be cathartic in my yelling at the characters when they're being dum-dums. Law & Order/Law & Order CI, same deal, minus the yelling. Drag Race, but I avoid a couple seasons (3 and 8, especifically). Like that.
Does Family Feud count? I have never liked the tv on while eating dinner, but right before the holidays we started watching FF with Steve Harvey. It was a challenging time in my marriage, and having something else to focus on seemed like a good stopgap measure. We've resolved the challenge, but kept Steve, loving his goofiness, his facial expressions, and the dumb, dumb answers of the guests. We have conversations around it, but it is comforting to have Steve join us for dinner every night.
Bob's Burgers. It's funny, warm, comforting. And has amazing original music.
I think I watched the series Schitt's Creek 3 times in 2020/2021. The entire arc always brings me so much joy.
The Great British Bake Off w/ Paul Hollywood’s blue eyes & sausage fingers have been the intense mid season tv show palette cleanser i need.
Detroiters and recently South Side because they're optimistic goofy and don't suffer fools lol
Battlestar Galactica (2004)
Apocalypse adjacent plot with universal and timeless storylines, Edward James Olmos, philosophical trolley problems out the ass, Edward James Olmos, comical profanity substitutions, Edward James Olmos, sexy robots and even sexier human pilots, an ultimate fuckboy, and did I mention EDWARD JAMES OLMOS?
Parks & Rec, Insecure, and Veronica Mars. More times than I care to admit.
I am always in the middle of a re-watch of Schitt's Creek (on my...21st time?) but the true revelation has been (re)watching Columbo. The 70s aesthetic, the predictable yet upside down format, Peter Falk, and the amazing 70s star guests who play the murderer in each episode. It's the best.
I’ve been watching Murder She Wrote and LOVING it. Literally EVERYONE who was in tv in the 80’s is in this shit. There are many aging divas with young male lovers. And in one episode Angie plays Jessica’s British vaudeville cousin and the it’s a MESS. Plus Tom Bosley doing an inexplicable southern-mid-Atlantic accent is the cherry on top.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, American Gods, and for movies Lilo & Stitch and The 5th Element. I think it's because they're (mostly) normal people dealing with bigger than themselves Chaos but pulling through. Well, mostly. They definitely get bumps and bruises and deal with some shit along the way which feels more authentic than everyone walking away unscathed.
You are my people, Saeed! Golden Girls and Living Single are my go to shows. I'm talking laugh out loud belly laughs. I cannot tell you how many times I've watched them both. Currently, I am midway through season 6 of GG and Blanche and Dorothy now speak St Olaf from time to time. I die!
So far, during the pandemic, I've rewatched Golden Girls 4 times, Living Single 4x, Cheers 2x, 227 2x, Frasier 1x, and Martin 1x.
I think I recognize that 80s & 90s sitcoms give me *great* comfort. Same w/ 90s R&B (New Jack Swing stays in rotation). Pretty much anything pre-9/11 b/c #trauma.
On the 2nd time watching Golden Girls, I realized that Sophia Petrillo is why I love The Godfather trilogy so much. If you pay close attention to Sophia's lines, they illuminate TF outta The Godfather (especially Part 3 that everybody hates).
The Expanse, now on Prime. The writing and portrayal is what I always need. I still shout and talk back to the screen. And I find watching things in space settles me.
I have used the Great British Bake Off as therapy since 2016. The people are kind and talented, the hosts are supportive, and I live for Nadiya’s journey and for Nancy calling Paul Hollywood “the male judge.” I was genuinely stricken when Netflix removed a bunch of seasons this year. I’m going to look at other people’s responses in hopes of finding something else that works the same way.