WHY COMFORT TV SHOWS ARE TAKING OVER OUR EVENINGS
In a world that feels faster and louder every year, many of us want the same thing at the end of the day: a soft blanket, something warm to drink, and a TV series that makes us feel safe and understood.
These are the so-called “comfort TV shows” – the series we watch again and again, not for the suspense, but for the feeling of being at home.
🌙 WHAT MAKES A SHOW “COMFORTING”?
Comfort shows are not always the most spectacular or the most expensive productions.
What really matters is how they make us feel. Most of them share a few simple ingredients:
• Familiar characters that feel like friends
• Predictable storylines with low anxiety and happy or hopeful endings
• Warm, cozy settings such as small towns, coffee shops or family homes
• Light humor that never becomes too dark or aggressive
When life is stressful, our brain doesn’t always want surprises. Re-watching the same series calms us down because we know exactly what is going to happen, and that everything will be “ok” in the end.
🍿 THE ROLE OF STREAMING PLATFORMS
Only a few years ago, catching your favorite episode meant being in front of the TV at the right time. Today, thanks to streaming platforms like Hulu, Netflix and others, our favorite series wait for us 24/7.
We can pause them, rewatch a single scene, or leave them playing in the background while we cook, clean or scroll on our phones.
This constant availability is one of the reasons comfort shows have exploded in popularity. They fit into our routines the way radio or background music used to, but with faces and stories we already know and love.
đź’› WHY WE RETURN TO THE SAME COMFORT SHOWS
Ask someone which series they rewatch the most, and they usually have an instant answer.
It might be a comedy from their teenage years, a drama they watched with their parents, or a feel-good show they discovered during a difficult period of life.
We go back to these series because they are connected to important moments:
• A time when we felt safe and supported
• A relationship or friendship that meant a lot to us
• A specific period – like college, a first job, or a move to a new city
Rewatching becomes a small ritual of self-care. The episodes remind us of who we were and who we have become, without asking for any effort in return.
📺 HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN “COMFORT WATCHLIST”
If you feel overwhelmed or simply want to create a softer evening routine, building a personal list of comfort shows can be a great start. Here are a few ideas:
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Think of series that made you smile even on a bad day.
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Add at least one short comedy for when you are too tired to follow a complex plot.
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Include a series from your childhood or teenage years to bring back positive memories.
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Keep a couple of slow-paced dramas for weekends or rainy days.
You don’t need dozens of options. Even two or three carefully chosen comfort shows can become a powerful tool to relax your mind.
🌟 A SOFT PLACE TO LAND
In the end, comfort shows are not just “background noise.” They are a soft place to land when the outside world feels too loud.
They give us permission to slow down, breathe, and spend time with familiar stories that don’t demand anything from us.
So the next time you open your favorite app and scroll through the endless catalogue of streaming platforms, don’t feel guilty if you choose the same old series again.
Sometimes, the best choice for our mental well-being is not the newest or the trendiest show, but the one that feels like coming home.
