Personally I *always* need happy shows, so I'm forever on the lookout for more streaming series to watch. (I like shows better than movies.) So here come my Top 3 I've binged in the last few months:
1) Glow Up (Netflix)
Most reality shows have too much drama for me, but Glow Up is British, so there's none of the usual American nastiness. Plus it features incredible make-up art! It's not quite as jaw-dropping as Face Off (remember that gem?), but after a slow start with the first episode, Glow Up serves up some seriously stunning looks. We get to see the makeup the entire episode, too, not just for the last 30 second reveal, which I love. I also like that Val, one of the judges, makes the contestants cry from happiness more often than not. Val is so over the top that she could rub you the wrong way, but I enjoyed her kooky vibe and the fact that she yells "DING DONG, DAHLING" when she loves something, hah. Plus by the end of the season Val is more human, more relatable, and even cries over some of the eliminations. So sweet!
One big caveat with Glow Up: be prepared to disagree with the judges a lot. Some of their eliminations are straight up CRIMES, and the only thing that kept me going was the fact that everyone WAS so sweet. So you'll have to let your sense of justice go, and just enjoy the pretty visuals and lovely interactions.
2) Star vs The Forces of Evil (Hulu)
I've been wanting to watch this show for ages, ever since I met a reader cosplaying as Star (Hi, Rebecca!) - and recently found I could stream it on Hulu!
This is a fast-paced show (each episode is really two-in-one, so they're short) of non-stop action and zaniness, so it took me a minute to adjust after binging the slower-paced The Repair Shop. The animation is fun, the characters are sweet, and the jokes are laugh-out-loud funny - and sophisticated enough for adults. If you love Phineas and Ferb and Gravity Falls, this is on that level. HIGHLY recommend.
I have a caveat for this show, too, and a question for those who've seen all of it: The second season... does it get better? Because I've been dragging myself through it, and... bleh. Star isn't even in several episodes, which is a big part of the problem, and it's gotten surprisingly violent and depressing for a cartoon. So, yeah, Star fans, should I keep going? Should I skip ahead? Or do I just re-watch Season 1 and enjoy it as a stand-alone season?
3) The Repair Shop (Netflix)
On the other side of the spectrum, The Repair Shop's second season is even BETTER than the first. Which isn't to say the first season is bad by any means, but it does get repetitive and forgets to focus on the actual repairs. John and I were Statler and Waldorf-ing it through a lot of the first season, but that all gets better in season two! So if you tried Repair Shop but turned it off for either of those issues, skip ahead. It's better, I promise!
Oh, and if you have no idea what I'm talking about, The Repair Shop is another charming British reality show where a group of tradesfolk repair broken antiques, everything from clocks to teddy bears. It's sweet, slow, and soothing like a nice cup of tea. Also if you don't cry every time a delightful British grandmother is reunited with her childhood teddy bear, then you're missing out. (Seriously, Netflix, give the Teddy Bear Ladies their own show, I love them so much. The way they handle the dolls so respectfully, and refer to them by name? MY HEART.)
I could spend ages listing classic shows we love to binge repeatedly, but I think you guys know all the usual suspects. (Friends, Frasier, 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, etc.) So instead, let me recommend Avatar: The Last Airbender again, since I know some of you haven't seen it yet. It's the perfect blend of silly adventures and unexpected punches of heartfelt story, so that entire series is like a warm soak for the soul. Plus it's an American show, despite the anime look, so you don't have to worry about dubbing or subtitles or language barriers to the humor.
I can't wait to watch this again. Right now it isn't streaming anywhere I can find (boo), but Amazon has all 3 seasons on DVD for $25 Prime.
And finally, I probably don't need to tell you this, but The Great British Bake-Off on Netflix is the ultimate binge-worthy chill-fest. Sweet people, hilarious baking innuendo, drool-worthy goodies. Best of all: lots of seasons! John and I've watched them all twice, and I'm sure we'll go back and watch them a third time some day.
Now it's your turn: what shows are your comfy burrito blankets? Tell me! I'm looking for happy shows, funny shows, and/or fascinating or calming shows. Bonus points if they're more obscure so the rest of us might not have heard of them. (Like Better Off Ted! Such an underrated comedy...) And extra bonus points if it's streaming online somewhere.
I also have a small list of Youtube shows that fall into the same "Warm Hugs" category, but I'll save those to post later. Hit me with your recommendations if you know any I should check out!
*****
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I've been reliving my childhood by watching Perfect Strangers on Hulu, it's VERY cheesy/80's and VERY sweet and I love all the physical comedy it has! I've rewatched the whole series twice since lat year and I still find myself belly laughing at a lot of the episodes!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Miranda (used to be on Hulu, not sure if it still is) is a great British show that will really trigger a person's 'second hand embarrassment' but you can't help but watch anyways because she is precious and hilarious!
Ohhh, I need to check out Perfect Strangers! I barely remember anything from it, though I think I liked the theme song... :D
DeleteMiranda Hart was and will always be my favourite pick for a female Doctor Who. Not only does she have the ability to make me cry with laughter or weep from my heart ("Call the Midwife" is still great, but not the same without Chummy!), but I LOVE the idea of The Doctor regenerating not into a "conventionally pretty and slim blond", but 6 feet tall and knocking stuff over with her knockers. BIG TALL GIRLS UNITE!
DeleteSUCH fun!
Storm the Klingon
"Miranda" is great and as you said, 'such fun'!
DeleteAnother vote for Miranda - such fun!
DeleteRed Dwarf :) British comedy, started in the 80's, finsihed in the 90's, came back again recently, all with the same cast.
ReplyDeleteFollows Lister, the last human being alive, whose only alive because he was in suspended animation when the mining ship Red Dwarf was exposed to a lethal radiation leak. 3000 years later, having been released from stasis, the only companions he has are Arnold Rimmer (a hologram of his dead bunkmate), a being who evolved from Lister's cat, a cleaning droid they picked up along the way and the ship's computer. Only this is comedy, so Lister is a complete slob, Rimmer is an absolute t**tbiscuit, the being is the Cat and is completely obsessed with his own beauty and wardrobe and the android is a martyristic cleaner on steroids. Oh, and the shipboard computer has gone a little doolally after 3000 years of waiting until it was safe for Lister to be let out of stasis so he/she (you'll get it later) is not always...reliable...
It's funny, it's silly, it is really very British (but not in the way other British comedies are British I think), and it features a very small cast who do their jobs marvellously :) You get to know all these characters and you get very fond of them, even Rimmer who's my personal favourite :) There are some episodes which are genuinely emotional too, as all the best comedies are.
If you can find it, enjoy :) Just maybe gloss chunks of series 7 & 8, whcih suffered from having lost a writer and a live audience and then go and properly watch the latest series :D
Oh Red Dwarf is so good! I've watched it many times and was just thinking I needed to start it again. I haven't watched the more recent seasons. In fact, when I first watched it, it was because I got the series collection as a Christmas gift... on VHS!
Delete"You ain't a God, Monkey! You a MONKEY, Monkey! OWWWW! Look so good, gotta lick myself!"
DeleteWatch it if for nothing else but Cat, Jenn. Danny John-Jules was also one of the Fireys "Hey Lady, where you goin' with a head like THAT?!"
Cheers!
Storm the Klingon
And he was also wonderful in "Maid Marian and her Merry Men"!
DeleteCount me in as loving Red Dwarf (especially Cat, who is like if James Brown and Maurice Day from the Time had a baby). I didn't know there were new seasons!! *Does happy dance*
DeleteJust a few days ago i tried The World According to Jeff Goldblum on Disney+.
ReplyDeleteIt is as kooky as you would expect, covers an array of topics and i learned some fun stuff.
Firefly!!!!!!! Captain Tightpants?! The guy is handsome, but the character is truly my dream guy. "I swear by my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you." The pity is, it's only one season plus a movie. But I've watched it all at least a dozen times.
ReplyDeleteEverytime I watch this it feels like I've come home :)
DeleteI really enjoy watching Ru pauls drag race. its a casting show, so of course, theres drama and everything. But in the end, you have some very seasoned entertainers who know, that they are a role model for a lot of desperate young people and most of the time, they remember to behave accordingly. and its just so colorful and creative. thats great!
ReplyDeleteThe first season of Zumbo's Just Desserts was fabulous! Beautiful desserts, great story line, contestant you could love (mainly). Highly recommend. Sadly, the second season ended on the worst faked judgement ever, so you might avoid that one. :(
ReplyDeleteIf you like Hallmark movies and haven't seen "When Calls the Heart" you're missing out. Obsessed!
ReplyDeleteWhen Calls the Heart is SOOOO good! Definitely my favorite feel-good TV. And it's on Netflix. :)
DeleteOh, I *just* finished rewatching Avatar! It's just so, so good! I love it so much!
ReplyDeleteI also recently watched through Hilda on Netflix and I highly recommend it! It's super sweet and quirky with great little adventures. It's a British-Canadian show about a girl who is moving from the country to the city in a world *mostly* like ours except that there are lots of magical creatures around. The episodes are pretty short, so it's easy to watch even when you don't have a lot of time all at once. Hilda wants to help everyone she comes across, even the creatures that everyone else around her would rather avoid (giants, trolls, etc.) and although she's not great at risk assessment, everything always turns out for the best in the end. It's a charming show and I'm looking forward to the second season that's scheduled to come out this fall.
Hilda! Yes! I should have included that one, but I binged it so long ago I forgot, ha. Thank you for reminding me, I want to go watch it all again now.
DeleteI discovered Corner Gas while on vacation in Canada years ago and have been hooked ever since. You can watch it on IMDB TV via Amazon Prime. When I watch TV I like things that make me laugh (no drama tv for me). I also sometimes like watching the Dick Van Dyke show (if you like old shows), though there are a handful of episodes that are definite misses.
ReplyDelete"Corner Gas" is mostly great, I would flip Jen's advice for a few of the shows above, the last two seasons of CG were not as nice as the first few. THe humor got a little nastier, it was less jokes and more personal attacks.
DeleteBut the first few seasons were great!
Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog!
ReplyDeleteYES! I was just about to put this. Great music, hilarious and touching. Where's that sequel we've been waiting for? 8^)
DeleteSince we're on the topic of Canadian shows, Schitt's Creek is good. Or to go an entirely different way, I found Terrace House (from Japan) strangely calming. Subtitles though. Both on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteSchitt's Creek is the best answer! I couldn't even believe how warm-hearted and lovely it is, as well as being laugh out loud funny all the time. Everyone should watch it.
DeleteIf you like GBBO you should definitely see if you can find the other two British shows along the same format in different skills: The Great British Sewing Bee (home sewing people, be prepared to be floored by their skills and horrified by the pattern challenges from previous eras), and the Great Pottery Throwdown (pottery competition filmed in the historic centre of pottery production in the UK). In the same vein as GBBO all of the people are generally lovely to each other, there's a lot of the host making cups of tea for people and fretting over them getting behind, and yes obligatory puns about the topic of sewing/pottery and/or the theme of the week. As with GBBO both have moved the Channel 4 after originally being BBC and changed presenters, but they've stayed great.
ReplyDeleteAlso Keith of Pottery Throwdown gets super emotional about his judging and it's sweet.
Both available on YouTube, though missing an episode here or there. So good!
DeleteYes! I loved the Pottery Throwdown series - making working toilets? Garden water features? Chess sets? Awesome!
DeleteYes! I was about to say that. And if you like art, check out Portrait Artist of the Year (also on YouTube), not quite the same format, but in the same vein.
DeleteHello, Sewing Bee is still on the Bee Bee C (I'm on Painkillers. they make me haaaaaappppppyyy). Last week's turn a sleeping bag into food-themed fancy dress for children was very good. If you can find the one w/ make dog coats out of festival tents from last year, watch it... the liftable doggy is just happy making
DeleteLeverage, Warehouse 13, and Eureka are my go to happy places... In fact, I'm currently rewatching Leverage at the morning. Age of the geek!
ReplyDeleteLeverage!!! That is one of my all time favorites. If you haven't watched it, The Librarians is made by some of the same people and is another good, fun, cast show.
DeleteWe are also loving Horrible Histories right now too. It's like a sketch comedy show, but it's true stories from history.
Yes, the Librarians is so good! Cassie is my favorite!
DeleteYe to Leverage! Plus, it has the added bonus that bad people get their just desserts. A good fantasy world to visit. The commentaries on the DVD are very fun, too.
DeleteIs Leverage streaming anywhere? I was just getting going when it was pulled off Netflix.
DeleteI really like The Librarians *except* the last episode of every season, so I usually just skip those.
You can watch all of Leverage for free (with ads) through IMDBtv and PlutoTV!
DeleteI love repair shop....it's so soothing! I can't believe the number of times it has made me tear up, people being reunited with their family treasures. It's so easy after a rough day to sit and let the banter and tears ease the stress away.
ReplyDeleteAnother British show I love to watch are the farming documentaries, where a trio of historians try to get a feel for what life was like in certain eras. My fav is wartime farm and victorian farm...I don't think they're streaming anywhere atm, so I watch them on youtube.
My favorite comfort food show is 'Pushing Daisies'. It even has real comfort food.
ReplyDeleteNow I want pie.
Best. Show. Ever!! Lee Pace makes everything better, ever! And, it's got Kristen Chenowith.
DeleteLove that one!
DeleteIf you're okay with subtitles, I recommend the Japanese animated show Laid-Back Camp (aka Yuru camp). It's only one short season, but it's so lovely. It's about a group of high school girls who learn to camp and then go camping. That's it, that's the show. It's really an excuse for friendship feels and paintings of beautiful scenery.
ReplyDeleteI really liked where StarVtFoE went, but they do not shy away from the potential dark side of magic, and the fact that Star's people are fantasy-world colonizers. Star never loses her optimism for long, but she has to deal with a lot.
I agree! Yuru Camp is the coziest show ever.
DeleteMy kids and I enjoy the Kid's Baking Championship on Food Network. The kids are great and the judges are very positive with only constructive criticism. You have probably already seen Good Omens on Prime, but if you haven't I think you will love it! If you like adventure and learning about culture, I highly recommend Expedition Unknown. The host is funny but respectful of different cultures. My son and I laugh a lot and talk to the tv when it is on. We usually learn something too....
ReplyDeleteHave you watched that show Making It with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman? Seems up your alley but also it’s just a happy, sweet show.
ReplyDeleteI second this whole-heartedly. Both seasons.
DeleteMaking it! I third it! Contestants who rival GBB for sweetness and team spirit, beautiful crafts/builds, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman are genuine supporters of the contestants, and everyone competes for patches! There are two seasons at the moment and they are amazing.
DeleteWe've watched the first season, yes! We weren't as wowed as we thought we'd be, so we haven't checked out the second yet, but I'm sure we will.
DeleteBBC This Farming Life is another sweet, affirming, soothing show. You really get invested in the families who love what they do. There are one or two people on the show that come off as unlikable but they aren't monsters. I have learned a great deal watching this show.Plus there are lots of cute farm animals.
ReplyDeleteTreehouse masters on Hulu! Building masterful treehouses with a lot of silliness!
ReplyDeleteAlso flea market flip: competition where two teams of two thrift items then upcycle them. Biggest profit wins!
We have found the "Secrets of the Zoo" series on Animal Planet/Nat Geo Wild, to be amazing.
ReplyDeleteThey go behind the scenes at the Bronx, Columbus, and San Diego zoos in the US, in Chester, UK, and in Australia.
Now, you see ALL the parts, so sometimes it can get a little sad, but at the same time, you get penguins and otters, and baby EVERYTHING, and also how they are trying to save species.
Basically, fuzzy things, yay!
(There's also a series on the Georgia Aquarium, but that involves less fuzzy things.)
PLEASE KEEP WATCHING STAR. It is incredibly complex in its' character development. Very surprising for a "children's show" ♥️
ReplyDeleteTime Team, another BBC show. Sir Tony Robinson (yes, Baldrick from Blackadder) hosts. The team goes to various sites in the British Isles and does an archaeological dig. Interesting and addicting.
ReplyDeleteLego Masters is a new program that's being released on Hulu as each episode airs. Will Arnett is the host and it's amazing what the teams build each week.
ReplyDeleteI have such a soft spot for reality TV competition shows where people are just... Nice to each other. It's a reason why I adore GBBO.
ReplyDeleteI have recently fallen in love with Great Interior Design Challenge on Netflix. It's nice British people designing rooms for other nice British people, and the judges are lovely. It's on Netflix right now, and if you like it, Interior Design Masters is basically just an additional season.
Forged in Fire on Hulu is always a great one, as everyone seems to help each other and respect each other's skill even if you don't really care about knife forging.
Blown Away is a neat glass blowing competition show where you get to see AMAZING work, and giggle that one of their tools is a glory hole.
I binged Forged in Fire whilst doing night feeds with a newborn, it made getting up at 3am vaguely ok
DeleteI'm currently binging The Middle and loving it.
ReplyDeleteAlbion: The Enchanted Stallion on Netflix is a movie, but it checks all the boxes for the horse/fantasy obsessed nerdling in my soul that too often gets crushed/drowned out by adult life.
ReplyDeleteMystery Science Theatre 3000 is my go to comfort/insomnia show. Some is on Netflix, and some is on a 24 hour Twitch channel, which shows old episodes. Also GBBO, Making it, old Mythbusters episodes,and The Secret Life of the Zoo, which is another British show. Oh, and most recently, I've gotten into Galavant.
ReplyDelete"The Marvelous Mrs. Maizel" on Amazon Prime is smart, beautiful, and so, so funny! I'm almost done with season 3 and I'm looking forward to season 4.
ReplyDeleteIf you want some gorgeous costume drama, I highly recommend "Versailles" on Netflix. It's set in the court of King Louis XIV. The costumes (and wigs) are a feast for the eyes. Yes, it's a drama, so it's not 100% happy all the time, but it's historical drama, so it's mostly either political, religious, or romantic (who is sleeping with whom).
Another one I'd like to recommend is "Samurai Gourmet". It's this quirky little show (only 12 episodes) about a retired Japanese career man who goes around eating stuff and imagining himself as a samurai. It's mostly food p0rn, but it's more about the eating of food than the making of it. The show is on Netflix and is in Japanese with English subtitles.
I second Samurai Gourmet!!! It's SO good and soothing. Sweet, gentle older man going out to lunch on his own and getting used to his new life and reminiscing about where he's been. And check out Samurai Cat on Prime. A samurai is hired to kill a cat that's supposed to be a demon, instead he is charmed by the cat (because who wouldn't be?) and hides the cat. I haven't finished all of it but the first few episodes I have seen have been fun and silly.
DeleteIf you haven't found it yet, The Big Family Cooking Showdown is another British cooking show, focused on family cooking rather than on baking. It features teams of bakers from the same family, with really some yummy-looking food produced, and it has the same "everybody's nice to each other even in competition" vibe of GBBO - in fact, you'll see a familiar face from GBBO as a host in season 1 (one of the winning bakers).
ReplyDeleteI should say that season 1 and season 2 are completely different in their setup, pace, setting, and challenges. I liked both, but if you don't like one, try the other. It's streaming on Netflix.
Yes, that's a great one!
DeleteI just finished binging the newest season of Great British Bake Off on Netflix; definitely a warm-hug show! (And I also endorse The Last Airbender, a magnificent series. There are some graphic novels that extend the story, too, filling in things like the fate of Zuko's mother, and how the Gaang got along in between the Last Airbender events and those of next-generation Avatar Korra.)
ReplyDeleteMy current binge: the Cells at Work anime on Netflix. It's based on a marvelous manga series about anthropomorphized blood cells, and is both highly accurate re the science and thoroughly entertaining. And there's a bonus: a series of YouTube podcasts, Dr. Hope's Sick Notes, in which a young British doctor comments on the medical aspects of a variety of media, including old (and new) medical TV shows - and, yes, the Cells at Work series. Some of his fans begged him to give it a try, and he promptly fell in love with it; his glee whenever his own medical knowledge forecasts events in the show is almost as much fun as the show itself.
Now I need to go check on the Repair Shop series!
Cells at Work sounds fascinating. I'll look it up!
DeleteOne of my favorite feel good comfort shows I stumbled upon some time ago randomly on youtube. It's meant for young children, but it's so good-naturedly wholesome that I pull it up and watch it on those especially tough days with a cup of tea. It's a BBC stop motion series that features low-stakes 10 minute adventures with endearing, childlike stuffed animals exploring their playroom/house. The show is an award winning program called Old Bear and Friends based on a book series by the same name. The whole show is on youtube uploaded by the author herself, so it's guilt free watching that you don't have to pay a subscription fee for. I'm slowly working my way through all three seasons since I want to savor each episode as I watch it. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI highly, highly recommend it for people who want a warm, gentle, and comforting family friendly show for those days when you just need to take your mind off of things. :)
Right now I'm re-watching Eureka for the third time. Happy, funny, ridiculous. I love it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Community is coming to Netflix on April 1st. The humor has a sharper edge most of the time but it's surprisingly heartwarming.
Silver Spoons anime features a doofy guy who finds his place at... A Japanese agricultural high school. There's loads of very light interpersonal drama combined with things like learning how to make cheese and race draft-horses.
ReplyDeleteAlso sweet is Detective Conan. Only the first few seasons are available dubbed, and there are... 23? 25 total. The shtick is that Shinichi (Jimmy) Kudo is an ace high school detective, with everything going for him, including an absolute peach of a sweetheart when he crossed paths with a sinister gang who give him an experimental drug that doesn't kill him but instead reverts him to a 9 year old.
To keep his loved ones safe he goes undercover as Conan Edogawa, solving crimes (!) in the hopes of regaining his life. You can drop in anywhere in the story because after 25 years, almost nothing has been resoved! It's mainly the most original and fun Sherlock Holmes twist ever.
Finally, if you can find it, The Middleman series. Only one season. Funny, great SF action plots, and just Jen's style of fandom quirky. Then you too, will understand why the best boy band ever is an alien plot.
Love The Middleman.
DeleteWe keep defaulting to Nailed It! because Nicole is just so hilarious! Also enjoy Zumbo's Just Desserts.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for Youtube....BobbyDukeArts is absolutely hilarious! After watching a few of his crafting adventure you'll be saying his little catch phrases too. "I want that." "Lets get some wewd!"
DeleteI *LOVE* Bobby Duke, he's hysterical. John and I were just watching his latest video last night. The way he walks to the shed gets me every time!
DeleteBritish TV Shows I can only find on youtube: 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Taskmaster, Big Fat Quiz of The Year and Would I Lie to You. Any British panel show is fun, start watching them and you'll get to know all the UK regulars if you aren't from the UK already :)
ReplyDeleteI second Corner Gas, I love love love that show. Soothing and calm with just the right amount of humor, jackass! Letterkenny is also Canadian but has a very different vibe, charming in its own way with witty wordplay but not a family show if you have kids.
Only on DVD but maybe try Youtube: Northern Exposure and The Nanny
Will make you realize Carrie Bradshaw is actually total self absorbed trash and a garbage friend but worth a re-watch because it's fluff of the era: Sex and The City
Any Cary Grant, Rock Hudson or James Gardner movie
The BBC version of Pride and Prejudice is one of the most exquisite creations ever and must be re watched regularly, Colin Firth!
Movies: French Kiss, Moonstruck, While You Were Sleeping
Every Eddie Izzard Stand up special ever
Second RuPaul's Drag Race, the shift to VH1 was obvious because I love the grit of the earlier season so start at the beginning and move forward
Futurama, Bob's Burgers, Will & Grace, 30 Rock, Schitt's Creek, Portlandia, Stan Against Evil, and Haven all soothe me.
I LOVED Clean House with Niecy Nash and it soothed me to no end but I can't find episodes anywhere, am bummed.
And finally, the very best show of all time: The IT Crowd. Must see!
I like Fake or Fortune, a BBC production that looks at whether a piece of art is a fake or worth a fortune. They use high tech science and research to authenticate paintings. It is a little stressful as they leave the big reveal until the last minute of the show and the results sometimes crush the owners but it is fascinating! I saw a few episodes on Metflix and have found the rest on You Tube.
ReplyDeleteOn Youtube, I highly recommend Baumgartner Restoration. He's an art conservator who makes both calming and informative videos, and seeing the transformation that the paintings in his care go through is amazing.
ReplyDeleteHe's one of our favorites! I'll include him in my YouTube list for sure.
DeleteDerry Girls is hilarious and adorable - (2 seasons so far, available on Netflix. I liked The Inbetweeners too! (3 seasons on Netflix and a couple of movies hanging about somewhere).
ReplyDeleteIf you REALLY have a high tolerance for British hijinks, you can't beat The Vicar of Dibley, starring the inimitable Dawn French. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_FwTpL4LQQ Unavailable on any streaming service but can be found on youtube and daily motion!
I can't remember if you've mentioned Steven Universe before, but I think you might need to watch Steven Universe. The first few episodes seems simple and cute, but the worldbuilding is all there, and the older Steven gets and the more he starts to understand the world around him, the more we learn and see how everything fits together. It's amazing and beautiful and full of love and acceptance.
ReplyDeleteI *LOVE* Steven Universe. So chuffed to see the first 4 seasons are on Hulu now! (I've lost track, not sure what season they're up to?)
DeleteKim's Convenience is a lovely family show, there's a little language but nothing serious. We've watched all the seasons available on Netflix and are waiting for the next one to drop.
ReplyDeleteYes!!!!
DeleteIf you like British reality competition shows (and you don't mind You Tube) try The Great Pottery Throwdown. There are a few others on there, but that's my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI've been watching Abstract on Netflix, people who are the best at their crafts talking about them and it goes from actual art to toys to Ruth Carter and costume design, the last one I watched was about typefaces. Beautifully filmed, each one hour episode is like a mini documentary that clearly the people involved had input into how they were presented.
ReplyDeleteJeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, on Youtube, don't know where else and hijinks though there can be some profound second hand embarrassment but hilarious.
The How to Train Your Dragon tv series, it gets different names but they're all really good. I think they're all on Netflix at this point.
I'm also thinking about rewatching some old favorite cartoons like Talespin from Disney Afternoon as I have the DVDS and the library I work at is closing for two weeks.
I'm watching Star Trek: the Next Generation since I've only seen them out of order and maybe half or less, and I want to go into Picard fully ready. But also watching Easy on Netflix for a fun short show that can get deep too.
ReplyDeleteI love GBBO(and the Canadian one)! Also great British reality shows are The Great British Sewing Bee, Time Team(archaeology), Mud Men(follows members of the Mudlarks Society looking for items on the shore of the Thames and then learning about what they find), Victorian Bakers(4 modern bakers experience what their profession was like back in Victorian times) and Money For Nothing(they politely introduce themselves to people at the local skip and ask if they can have the item they're meaning to throw away and then they refurbish it or make into something entirely different and sell it and then they give the profit to the original owners). Oh! And I'm 2 seasons into the current 3 of The Deep. It's a nice little Australian/Canadian cartoon about a family of 4(and the son's adorable, resourceful pet goldfish, Jeffrey!) underwater explorers who live on a fancy high-tech submarine and their adventures as they search for the lost city of Lemuria. It makes me happy. :) Um, and I may have bingewatched my way through Trollhunters and 3Below...both in a row. They were awfully good and I can't wait till Netflix finally drops the 3rd in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy series, Wizards.
ReplyDeleteTime Team! It is the best, and it ran for like 20 season, almost all of which is up on youTube, including the specials. Hands down my favorite.
DeleteAlso, in that vein, there's a couple of series on historical farming practices. The Tudor Farm, the Victorian Farm, the Edwardian Farm and The War Time Farm. It's the same group of two archaeologists and an historian, and they're just all great doing experimental archaeology. I think that some of them also do a 1600's farm and build a Medieval castle.
They're all very good, well made and interesting.
Joe Perra Talks With You! It's on Adult Swim. It's a comedy show but it's also just nice. It's really hard to describe.
ReplyDeleteHave you tired Next In Fashion on Netflix's? The hosts are hilarious and like GBBO the contestants are known to help each other. There is some drama at the beginning, because some of the partners don't get along. But the drama gets over rather quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe Lizzie Bennet Diaries on youtube! It's a modern day adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, each episode is only about 5 min long so it's a pretty easy sit and just really relaxing!
ReplyDeleteI must recommend Detectorists! 3 seasons, 6 episodes each (with a bonus Christmas episode) The first two seasons are on Amazon Prime, the third you can find on the Roku Channel. A happy little show about two men and their friendship as they use metal detectors as a hobby.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was going to add that suggestion! Detectorists is a wonderful series, so funny and cozy.
DeleteI can't recommend spending that $25 on Avatar enough. we watched it non stop on nickelodeon back when my now 18 and 20 yr olds were young, and even dvr'd the entire series at one point. Now I have an 8 yr old, and we couldn't find it anywhere, so we bought the dvd and she LOVES it as much as the older kids did. It is moving, funny, and great for the entire family. She wants to be Ang for Halloween.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't watched Galavant on Netflix, you are totally missing out! It is HILARIOUS. Imagine a self-referential fairy tale turned on its head, complete with music by THE Alan Menken! Available on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteThat show was such a hoot!
DeleteSo. good. If you have an appreciation for musicals, corn, ham, and cheese, that is! LOL
DeleteKeep going with Star, the end is so worth it. Season 2 was a bit of a growing pains, but you learn about the characters and it pays out in the end... I love Star and Marco and all the gang, plus you haven't met Eclipsa.
ReplyDeleteWest Wing and Gilmore Girls are definite comfort food, besides Parks and Rec. We've also been catching up on Archer (it's on Hulu now) and re-watching How I Met Your Mother. ☺️
ReplyDeleteI have so many comfort shows/movies that I like to snuggle up to, especially during this time!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE The Office and their weird humor (though Jen, I know you've said it's too "cringey" for you) :D I like rewatching The Simpsons, Absolutely Fabulous, The Big Bang Theory, & I Love Lucy. In terms of movies, my husband & I rewatch all the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies, and I could rewatch Spirited Away and Amadeus until my face turns blue.
In terms of new shows that are streaming, I am HOOKED on Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salary Man on Netflix!!! What a delightfully strange and immersive show. I'm watching it again and would like to read the original manga. It's very silly & the protagonist has religious experiences with desserts. LOL! Right up Cakewrecks alley ;)
If you are interested in radio shows, I highly recommend a couple of BBC programs "Cabin Pressure" by John Finnemore (actually, anything by him) unreservedly and "Our First Planet", with some caveats about themes.
ReplyDeleteYou've got to try out True and the Rainbow Kingdom on Netflix! It's a kids show about a little girl (True) and her black cat Bartleby, and they save their town using wishes from a wishing tree. It's insanely cute, kinda feels like you're in a video game land, and is basically the only kids show I'll actually watch with my kids!
ReplyDeleteJust as a quick update, Avatar is on Netflix now.
ReplyDeleteTwo shows I recommend are Canada's Worst Handyman and Canada's Worst driver. Competition shows without drama really since the purpose of the challenges each week is to learn how to do something,and at times someone is eliminated because they have I!proved. Taught me how to do some things too.