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| The Wine Show host Joe Fattorni |
With the coronavirus outbreak
forcing people to “socially distance” and in some cases self-quarantine, we’re
all likely to have a lot more idle time on our hands as we stay at home in
hopes of slowing the illness’s spread. But how to fill that extra time? By
binge-watching comfort shows, of course.
Here are 25 series — some old,
some newish — that should help the hours pass. These series offer something
more comforting — humor, heart, fun and in some cases, just plain relaxation.
We’re in for some trying times ahead: Hopefully these shows can offer some
relief, if only for a few hours at a time.
“Terriers” (Hulu, one season): Few series
fit the “brilliant but canceled” description as well as this one. This 2010
neo-noir follows a pair of scruffy unlicensed private eyes (Donal Logue and
Michael Raymond-James) solving crimes and slowly unraveling a conspiracy in a
Southern California beach town. While at times dark (it’s not called “noir” for
nothing), the series’ sharp sense of humor and underdog attitude keep it from
becoming too bleak. It’s hard to describe exactly why it’s so great — maybe
it’s the completely lived-in world the characters inhabit, and Logue and
Raymond-James’ easy chemistry — but it IS definitely great.
“Lodge 49” (Hulu, two seasons): A quirky,
surreal, thoroughly warmhearted comedy/drama starring Wyatt Russell about lost
souls finding community through a social club amid the wreckage of
late-stage-capitalism in America. Another weird one to describe — it’s almost
more of a vibe than a show, but it really sticks with you.
“Halt & Catch Fire” (Netflix, four seasons):
Painfully under-watched when it ran on AMC, this drama about tech entrepreneurs
in the ’80s and ’90s realized midway through its first season that its two
female side characters (played by Mackenzie Davis and Kerry Bishé) were more
interesting than the male leads (Lee Pace and Scoot McNairy), then shifted its
story to focus more on them, and the series was much better for it. It’s about
innovation, visionaries and balancing creativity with cold-hearted business,
and it’s utterly, devastatingly brilliant.
“Justified” (Hulu, six seasons): In a word:
rollicking. Timothy Olyphant stars in this Elmore Leonard-inspired modern-day
Western about a U.S. marshal in rural Kentucky. The first season is fine, but
it’s the second season where the show rises to something special. The villains,
who in various seasons include Margo Martindale, Jere Burns and Walton Goggins,
are tremendous.
“Money Heist” (Netflix, three seasons, with
Season 4 coming in April): Totally ridiculous and featuring more twists than a
phone cord, this Spanish heist drama about an “Ocean’s 11”-type crew robbing
the Royal Mint in Madrid is also ridiculously fun and cliffhanger-ey,
reminiscent of a peak season of “24.”
“The Good Wife” (Hulu and CBS All Access, seven
seasons): Probably the best drama on network TV in recent years (that’s not
saying much, but…). Friends turning into enemies (and sometimes vice versa),
legitimately shocking twists and cliffhangers, consistently high stakes and an
always winking sense of humor make this legal drama starring Julianna Margulies
extremely binge-worthy.
“Jane the Virgin” (Netflix, four seasons): A twist
on a classic telenovela, this lovable, twisty rom-com starring Gina Rodriguez is
so, so full of heart. If you walk away with dry eyes, you’re a monster.
“Tremé” (Amazon Prime, HBO Now,
four seasons): David Simon’s love letter to post-Katrina New Orleans. There’s a
plot, but it’s secondary to a deeply immersive peek into the richly drawn lives
of the characters, along with fantastic music. There’s sadness and tragedy, but
there’s also triumph and redemption and a real sense of rebirth and hope.
“The Good Place” (Netflix and Hulu, four
seasons): It’s rare for a show to be THIS nice, and THIS clever, and THIS
perfect. But the sharply written afterlife comedy, starring the always
delightful Kristen Bell and the somehow even more delightful Ted Danson, is
just that — perfect.
“Happy Endings” (Hulu, three seasons): Looking
for a modern “Friends”? This ensemble comedy took a few episodes to gel, but
once it did, it was one of the funniest things on TV. Though a traditional
sitcom at its core, it’s so much more twisted and weird and wacky, and with a
cast that somehow remains immensely likable despite their characters’ worst
efforts.
“Cougar Town” (Hulu, six seasons):
Another one that took about half a season to really get going, but once its
incredible cast — including Courteney Cox, Christa Miller and Busy Philipps —
meshed, it became an unstoppable comedy machine.
“Better Off Ted” (Hulu, two seasons): The best
unseen workplace comedy ever? This surreal, deeply satirical series aired more
than a decade ago, but its anti-corporate take is still spot-on.
“What We Do in the Shadows” (Hulu, one season, Season
2 coming in April): A clever and hilarious adaptation of the movie of the same
name by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, this is a mockumentary about
arguably the lamest vampires on Earth, living as roommates in Staten Island.
Warning: Watch it, and you’ll start noticing Energy Vampires everywhere.
“Bored to Death” (Amazon Prime, HBO Now,
three seasons): Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson star in
this charmingly offbeat private-eye show that never gained more than a cult
following when it ran from 2009-’11. But it was a goofy and literate cult, at
least.
“Enlightened” (Amazon Prime, HBO Now,
two seasons): Pretty much no one watched this. But they should have. Laura Dern
stars as an annoying exec who has a mental breakdown and becomes an irritating
do-gooder. But it’s so much more than that, a meditation on modern life that’s
ultimately uplifting and oddly inspiring. You might not feel it right away, but
this show will sneak up on you.
“I Think You Should Leave” (Netflix, one season): If
you just want to laugh a lot and wonder “what did I just watch?” this sketch
comedy is the ticket. Starring Tim Robinson, it’s bizarre, absurd and stupid,
in the best possible way.
“Derry Girls” (Netflix, two seasons): A
funny and full-of-heart sitcom about a group of teenage friends growing up
during The Troubles in 1990s Northern Ireland. Pro tip: Turn on the subtitles.
“Bob’s Burgers” (Hulu, 10 seasons available):
This animated family sitcom is consistently hilarious and oddly (emphasis on
oddly) heartwarming. Stay for the awesome musical sequences in the closing
credits.
“Superstore” (Hulu, five seasons): On one
hand a goofy workplace sitcom. On the other, a pointed satire about the working
class in modern America. Together they make one of the best and most
warmhearted broadcast comedies of recent years.
“Letterkenny” (Hulu, eight seasons): A
ridiculously weird Canadian sitcom about life in a small town. It’s intensely
profane, and 90% of the comedy is in its language — the delivery, the slang,
the cadence. It is truly like nothing else on TV.
“The Wine Show” (Hulu, two seasons, Season
3 coming soon): A surprising gem, with hosts Matthew Goode (”Downton Abbey”)
and Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) in Season 1, and James Purefoy (“Rome”)
taking Rhys’s place in Season 2. Along with wine expert Joe Fattorini, they
quaff bottles from around the world, banter in beautiful locales, and
ultimately demystify wine. It’s like the TV equivalent of a good pour: Smooth,
relaxing, delicious (aurally, at least). You’ll probably learn something, and
it’ll definitely make you want to drink more.
“Making It” (Hulu, two seasons): Miss “Parks
& Recreation”? Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman reunite to host this reality
show for crafting. It’s so freakin sweet and everyone involved is immensely
talented. It’s just ridiculously nice.
“The Great British Baking
Show” (Netflix,
seven seasons available): Speaking of nice. If you haven’t seen it, you’ve at
least heard about it. It’s everything you’ve heard: a simple,
low-stakes-yet-dramatic, outrageously pleasant, supremely kind baking
competition. And it is mesmerizing.
“Instant Hotel” (Netflix, two seasons): An oddly
addictive reality show about couples competing for the best Airbnb in
Australia. It’s got the house-porn of HGTV combined with the scheming social
plotting of “Survivor” — plus Aussie accents.
“Grand Designs” (Netflix, two seasons
available): HGTV has nothing on this show, which follows the planning and
construction of subjects across Britain building their dream homes, sometimes
over the course of years. There are construction disasters, mental meltdowns,
the threat of financial ruin, and — usually — an amazing new house at the end.
Of
course there are plenty more out there — add your favorite comfort shows to
binge in the comments section.
Mike Murphy is a MarketWatch editor and former TV blogger who
still watches way too much TV. Follow him on Twitter at @mmmmurf or email your streaming questions to
mmurphy@marketwatch.com.
MarketWatch is an American financial
information website that provides business news, analysis, and stock market
data. It is a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company, a property of News Corp,
which also owns The Wall Street Journal and Barron's.
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