The Most Comforting TV Shows to Watch on Netflix

For when you're in a need of warm and fuzzy feelings.

heartstopper
'Heartstopper' | Netflix
'Heartstopper' | Netflix

What is comfort? In English, the word takes on various connotations, traveling back and forth from active to passive: You comfort a loved one, or you're comforted by a bit of good news. How, then, does a television show become "comfort television?"

We're after something closer to the zeitgeisty Danish word, hygge, which describes an overall feeling of well-being, coziness, and comfort, all rolled into one. The shows below may not share a genre, subject matter, or much of anything besides a place on Netflix's streaming platform, but they all help create a sense of hygge; you can curl up on the couch under a warm blanket, steep some tea, and drop into any of the following comfort TV shows on Netflix.

ALSO READ: The funniest TV shows on Netflix and the best teen shows on Netflix

jessica walter in arrested development
Netflix

Arrested Development (2003–2019)

There's always money in the banana stand, and there are always laughs to be found in Arrested Development, Mitchell Hurwitz's sly, self-aware family sitcom. While the recent Netflix-produced seasons occasionally devolved into discursive, indulgent meta-humor, the show's original three seasons established a freewheeling comic sensibility that many of your favorite sitcoms—Parks and Recreation30 RockCommunity, ArcherKroll Show—were influenced by. Don't hold the show's obnoxious fans against it. After watching a few episodes, you'll feel right at home in the dysfunctional Bluth family, and you might find yourself quoting Tobias Fünke, too.

kier gilchrist in atypical
Greg Gayne/Netflix

Atypical (2017–2021)

Robia Rashid's ambitious family dramedy centers on an 18-year-old on the autism spectrum named Sam (It Follows' Keir Gilchrist) who's seeking a girlfriend and independence. The writers carefully employ therapy sessions and asides to shed light on autism, moves that are always more enjoyable than didactic. The humor sprinkled throughout rarely comes at the expense of its protagonist (N.B. great fun facts about penguins and Antarctica). And the show touts a message of inclusion and compassion, no matter the circumstances, to which all viewers can relate. It's an emotional ride, one that might get off to a clunky start, but one that's ultimately worth the investment, especially considering the bite-size runtimes and the heft that sucker-punches you at the end.

business proposal
SBS/Netflix

Business Proposal (2022– )

The "fake dating contract" to "actually, we're in love now" conceit is no doubt ridiculous, but the webtoon-turned-Netflix Korean rom-com Business Proposal makes all of the construct's predictability downright addictive. The focused president of a major food conglomerate Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop) works too damn much and so his grandpa, hoping he'll find love, sets him up on blind dates, where he meets his own company's quirky food researcher Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong). Neither like each other very much, but to get his grandpa off his back, Tae-moo enlists Ha-ri into being his (fake) fiancée, where they bicker and bristle and, oops, fall for each other, though Ha-ri tells herself it'll never work because of their power dynamic.

chef's table
Netflix

Chef's Table (2015–2019)

With an explosion of food television comes elevated standards; Netflix's Chef's Table forages for those standards, brings them to the restaurant for dinner service, treats them with respect, turns them into a whimsical play on a dish remembered from childhood, and earns a couple Michelin stars and the admiration of its peers in the process. The point is that Chef's Table, from creator David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi), is an exceptional food show that manages to make humans the centerpiece.

eddie murphy in comedians in cars getting coffee
Netflix

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (2012–2020)

Jerry Seinfeld has a shitload of expensive cars lying around, so he decided to film himself giving other funny people rides in them (and others that he rents out to match the energies of specific celebrities). It's pretty entertaining, as far as celebs chatting over normal stuff and the essence of "comedy" goes. 

alison brie in community, community tv show cast
Sony Pictures Television

Community (2009–2015)

There's a reason Dan Harmon's community college ensemble comedy amassed a devoted cult following for its six-season run, despite it nearly always being on the brink of cancelation. The series focuses on a lovable study group of misfits played by both comedy veterans and those then just on the brink of breaking out—including consummate cool guy Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), lovable ditz Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), TV-obsessed Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), anxious genius Annie Edison (Alison Brie), tough-but-firm mother Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), high school jock Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), and the baffling, bored, former CEO Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase)—as they navigate their way through Greendale Community College. It’s a sitcom that’s goofy and delirious, but forever a lesson in how to become a better person.

crashing phoebe waller bridge
Channel 4

Crashing (2016)

Unlike many sitcoms featuring young people who seem to have a remarkable number of resources at their disposal, Crashing centers on the relationships that develop among a makeshift community of young property guardians at an abandoned hospital. You'll see where Emmy-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge appeared ahead of Fleabag, and feel equally taken by the emotional woes that fill the time between partying. At only six short episodes, this lighthearted 20-something comedy definitely deserves a binge.

claire foy in the crown
Netflix

The Crown (2016– )

The Crown is quintessential comfort viewing, designed to cloister you off from the horrors of the real world and instead reside in the petty dramas of British royalty. The costumes and sets are designed with careful attention to detail, recreating the lush extravagance of monarchical life and its freedom from all worldly troubles. As a critical work, that can be to its detriment; it's remarkably disengaged with the macro geopolitical shifts that characterize Elizabeth II's long reign as Queen of England. Ultimately, though, The Crown is confident in its soapiness, opulent in every respect, and quite possibly Netflix's best escapism (using a subject that should probably be anything but). If you love royalist porn, this will be like a long, slow massage.

midori francis in dash and lily
Alison Cohen Rosa/Netflix

Dash & Lily (2020)

No show is as merry and bright as the holiday teen rom-com Dash & Lily—and it's seriously lovely for it. Based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn's book Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, the series follows the burgeoning romance between two NYC-based teens (Austin Abrams and Midori Francis), who've never met but serendipitously trade a notebook back and forth, sending each other on dares around the city during Christmastime. The holiday setting is only half the magic of this one, which is really a whimsical story of two young people learning to come into their own. It has the power to lighten up even the grumpiest of Scrooges.

derry girls
Channel 4

Derry Girls (2018– )

Set against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the mid-1990s, British network Channel 4's most popular show since Father Ted centers on a group of teen girls living in Derry and attending Catholic secondary school Our Lady Immaculate College, navigating dramas both interpersonal and political and generally getting into mischief while trying their best to stay out of it. The show will engage lovers of teen comedy-dramas, scholars of history, and fans of Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan. 

connie britton in friday night lights
NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Friday Night Lights (2006–2011)

Sure, the television adaptation of the movie adaptation of the book veers frequently into sentimentality, outright conservatism, and cheap melodrama, but it's these qualities that make it an essential piece of American television. High-school football serves as the perfect medium to explore the 21st-century American experience, and the qualities above are part of the deal. With knockout performances from Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, it's almost too easy to get sucked into the Dillon Panthers' football life.

lauren graham in gilmore girls
Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Gilmore Girls (2000–2007; 2016)

Netflix gave Gilmore Girls the reboot treatment in 2016—but before you watch the four-episode follow-up, you can catch up with the entire series that started it all. The show takes place in the quirky small town of Stars Hollow and features a dynamic supporting cast so fully fleshed, you'll feel like a local after your first hour. When Lorelai and Rory slip into their rapid-fire banter, it's like slipping on your favorite robe, familiar and exciting all at once. For extra credit, the Gilmore Guys podcast dissects the series episode by episode, providing a more contemporary watercooler for your thoughts on a 17-year-old show.

tracee ellis ross in girlfriends
CBS Television Distribution

Girlfriends (2000–2008)

Everyone wishes they had a crew like Joan, Lynn, Maya, and Toni. While we may not get the luxury of embracing Joan's maternal instincts or the opportunity to laugh at Maya's sassiness IRL, the warmth and the hilarity of the series and its characters (including honorary girlfriend William) from Mara Brock Akil (Moesha, Being Mary Jane) makes us feel like we're part of the bunch. The beloved comedy, which was recently added to Netflix among other classic Black series, is a riot of a sitcom and an update to the format with its multidimensional Black women characters. 

kristen bell in the good place
NBC

The Good Place (2016–2020)

In this sneaky afterlife comedy from Mike Schur (Parks and Recreation), Kristen Bell's deceased cretin Eleanor is erroneously given a berth in a Heaven-esque afterworld. Once the high-concept show gets past establishing its characters and premise, you'll enjoy watching her do whatever she can to avoid being found out and sent to the Bad Place, where she belongs, by her friendly neighborhood architect, Michael (Ted Danson), including forcing her "soulmate," Chidi (William Jackson Harper), to teach her everything there is about being a nice and good person. Pretty soon, it becomes evident that the so-called Good Place is a lot more complex than we’re first led to believe, but throughout it's made clear that watching the series will feel like you've been sent to TV Heaven.

jane fonda and lily tomlin in grace and frankie
Ali Goldstein/Netflix

Grace and Frankie (2015–2022)

The lives of Grace and Frankie are both turned upside down when the longtime frenemies learn that their husbands are leaving them... for each other. Soon after learning of their husbands' infidelities, the two women form an unexpected bond with each other that's an absolute joy to watch on screen.

the great british baking show judges
Netflix

The Great British Baking Show (2010– )

Of the culinary competition shows out there, GBBS (known as The Great British Bake Off across the pond) is the least cutthroat, most low-key you will ever have the pleasure of watching. Though the hosting lineup has changed—Mel and Sue have been replaced with Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, and Mary Berry with Prue Lieth—the banter remains spirited and goofy, including some extra ribbing of the notoriously hard-to-impress Paul Hollywood. The bakers develop such camaraderie over the season that when one of their pals leaves, everyone else cries. Imagine that!

heartstopper
Netflix

Heartstopper (2022– )

Inspired by a young adult webcomic and graphic novel series bearing the same name, Heartstopper follows Charlie (Joe Locke), a recently outed British teen who develops feelings for Nick (Kit Connor), a jock at his grammar school. Against his friends' advice—Nick is straight, as far as they know—Charlie leans into the crush, unlocking something inside of Nick that he didn't know existed. The saccharine tale is a modern one, incorporating characters of every gender and sexuality, and featuring emotional appearances by Olivia Colman, who plays Nick's mom. The show's immediate popularity pushed Netflix to quickly order a second and third season, so expect these characters to stick around a while.

miranda cosgrove and jennette mccurdy in icarly
Viacom Media Networks

iCarly (2007–2012)

Every once in a while, Twitter likes to reference iCarly as one of the main pipelines of irreverent millennial humor when people post clips of the series (that scene of Spencer in the elevator with a llama being a common favorite). It's easy to see why, considering the Nickelodeon show, about a teen who lives with her man-child brother and launches a successful web series, was one of the most ridiculous, yet actually funny, sitcoms tweens tuned into in the late aughts. With Nick being the goofier sibling to Disney Channel, the kids' show blasts off multiple oddball jokes a minute and has a whole crew of hysterical characters (Carly's loud-mouthed BFF Sam, the smoothie shop guy T-Bo, their creepy No. 1 fan Nevel, and, of course, their pal Gibby). Whenever you feel like letting nostalgia wash over you, iCarly and all of its randomness is sure to be the show you grew up with to actually bring on the laughs.

the it crowd
Channel 4

The IT Crowd (2006–2013)

If you've been itching to get into British comedy TV but have no clue where to begin, there are few better shows than The IT Crowd to start with. The sitcom stars Chris O'Dowd and Richard Ayoade as socially awkward tech specialists of Reynholm Industries, who, with their clueless manager played by Katherine Parkinson, reside in the basement of the office building and don't really get out much. Matt Berry appears as the trio's irritating boss Douglas Reynholm and Noel Fielding's goth technician occasionally pops out of the cavelike server room. 

gina rodriguez in jane the virgin
The CW

Jane the Virgin (2014–2019)

Yes, the title, the premise, the plot lines on this CW series are all ridiculous. But it's a telenovela—it's supposed to be over the top. What's truly unbelievable about Jane is how many serious, controversial issues it makes palatable without moralizing (#ImmigrationReform). Somehow, a melodrama about an accidentally artificially inseminated virgin raising a baby while flitting back and forth between the vertices of a love triangle, which takes place in a world populated by drug lords, secret twins, evil professors, and a police department conspiracy—manages to strike the simplest emotional and comic beats week after week. Jane deserves praise for its bilingual storytelling, strong female relationships, and uncommon mastery of a narrator's chryons... but ultimately, we watch it because it's just plain fun.

kim's convenience
CBC Television

Kim's Convenience (2016–2021)

If you weren't already a fan or didn't catch the show's second wave of popularity after one of its stars, Simu Liu, became a Marvel superhero, it's past time for you to start watching Kim's Convenience. The series is a hilarious sitcom that follows a Canadian-Korean family who run a convenience store in a Toronto neighborhood. Praised for its depiction of immigrant families and its diverse cast, not to mention its wry humor, the show is a gem that gets better with every season. 

brandy in moesha
CBS Television Distribution

Moesha (1996–2001)

When it aired in the '90s, Moesha was a much-needed sitcom about a Black teenage girl finding her way in the world, and after all this time it's remained one of the most beloved sitcoms to ever air on TV. Much of that is owed to the star power of R&B star/actress Brandy Norwood in the titular role, bringing a relatability to the high schooler as she navigates her widower father's new marriage to her high school vice principal and the typical woes of adolescence. While many sitcoms border onto treacly when they fumble through tougher issues, Moesha handles those moments with grace and remains as necessary a watch today as it was when it first hit UPN.

monty python
BBC

Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)

If you have a hankering for absurdist British humor, Monty Python remains the cream of the crop. Their original sketch comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus is where it all began, and the skits laced with innuendos, surrealist bits, and shockingly highbrow references are always worth a rewatch—the "It's" man and Pepperpots will never not be funny. And keep an eye out for the Pythons' classic films Life of Brian and Monty Python and the Holy Grail for something completely different. 

nicole byer in nailed it
Netflix

Nailed It! (2018– )

If you've ever attempted to bake a Disney princess cake that ended up looking more like a blob than anything else, then this one's for you, as it's quite possibly the only television show that actually celebrates your subpar baking skills. Hosted by Girl Code's Nicole Byer, Nailed It! is about as light-hearted as The Great British Baking Show, and it sees amateur bakers facing off against each other to recreate elaborate Pinterest desserts despite the fact that they can't even properly ice a cake. It's a wild and hilarious ride, and you can probably marathon through the first six episodes in one couch session.

new girl true american, new girl cast
FOX

New Girl (2011–2018)

Zooey Deschanel goes full-on manic pixie dream girl in this 20-something buddy comedy, playing the new roommate in an apartment full of bros. With freshly dumped elementary school teacher Jess Day moving into the home of several men who would rather do the bare minimum than make their apartment/lives function, New Girl is the quintessential setup for clashing personalities, burgeoning relationships, and ridiculous "mess-arounds." The cast is hysterical, and the individual bonds between characters keeps you coming back to apartment 4D—as the show goes on, the classic will they, won't they that unfolds between Jess and her curmudgeonly bartender roommate Nick (Jake Johnson) will have you desperate to find space in Winston's galactic-sex-portrait-painted closet to move on in, too. 

Justina Machado in one day at a time
Netflix

One Day at a Time (2017–2020)

One Day at a Time is a throwback family sitcom in a world that can be unkind to audience laughter, big comedic performances, and that stage-bound multi-camera look. But single-camera purists should get over their hang-ups. This clever remake of Norman Lear's '70s hit about a single mother raising two teenage daughters is more charming and funny than many of its seemingly "edgier" peers. Anchored by a lived-in performance from Justina Machado (Six Feet Under), the show finds familiar laughs in the way generations clash and families wage war, but it's also culturally specific, socially engaged, and leisurely paced in a way that makes it stand out from your average CBS family show—or Netflix's own dire Fuller House.

queer eye cast, the fab five
Ryan M. Collerd/Netflix

Queer Eye (2018– )

Netflix's most successful reality television series just keeps on going. A reboot of the early 2000s series Queer Eye for the Straight GuyQueer Eye features experts Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown traveling around and helping people get their lives together. No longer limited to just fixing up clueless straight men, the Fab Five provide help with personal grooming, home renovation, style, food, and life in general while also navigating issues of politics and identity. It's not always smooth sailing, but at its core Queer Eye is well-intentioned, heartwarming, and a joy to watch. Be warned, though: Even if you're not necessarily one to cry at TV, this one is undoubtably a tearjerker. You'll love it through the tears.

bayside high, saved by the bell gang
Rysher Entertainment

Saved by the Bell (1989–1992)

Hey, preppy! If you're looking for a neon-and-pastel-soaked nostalgia trip, head on over to Bayside High to hang with Zack Morris and the gang. While it may be dated and Screech may have always been extremely annoying, this is as classic of a teen sitcom as they come and an actually fun portrait of coming of age. (After your binge, you can even check out the recent reboot that has no right being as excellent as it is.)

Takashi Kasumi in samurai gourmet
Netflix

Samurai Gourmet (2017)

Samurai Gourmet is a show about eating, but in no way that you might expect. Hazy around the edges, the fictional series follows the culinary adventures of the newly retired businessman Takashi Kasumi, who often falls into daydreams motivated by the premise: What Would A Great Samurai Do? Often, that boils down to drinking a beer in the middle of the day or saying yes to another serving of rice. There's tranquil food porn aplenty in this mostly solitary journey inside the head of our guy Takashi.

dan levy and catherine o'hara in schitt's creek
Pop

Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

Any time you have the chance to watch a comedic genius flexing the full range of her abilities, you should take it, and Catherine O'Hara flexes hard as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek. The story of the formerly wealthy Rose family's struggle to adjust to life running a motel in a small Canadian town they bought for their son back in the early '90s gives her and co-star/series co-creator Eugene Levy ample material to work with. Also living with their grown children David (Daniel Levy, the show's co-creator and Eugene's real-life son) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), who still share a room in the motel—it's the perfect vehicle for the cast's sharp comedic instincts, while doubling as a roast of the extremely wealthy.

elaine and jerry, george costanza laughing
Columbia Pictures Television

Seinfeld (1989–1998)

Will any sitcom ever really compare to this NYC-set classic? You can always count on Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George and their many conundrums fueled by their neuroses to crack you up. (We dare not mention the finale.)  As the "show about nothing," there's no better way to do nothing than by putting on your favorite episodes and seeing where the night takes you.

tia and tamara in sister sister
CBS Television Distribution

Sister, Sister (1994–1999)

For many non-twins of the world, the idea of having a built-in best friend who was just like you was the ultimate fantasy. For '90s kids everywhere, the comedy Sister, Sister made that wishful thinking that much more reasonable, about a pair of identical twins played by Tia and Tamera Mowry who were separated at birth and coincidentally reunited as teenagers. As family comedies go, this one, anchored by the lovable performances by the Mowry sisters, their parents, played by Tim Reid and Jackée Harry, and even their pesky neighbor Roger (Marques Houston) ("Go home, Roger!"), is funny as it is wholesome, seeing two families come together to make one. One rewatch of an episode for nostalgia's sake and you'll be smiling ear to ear (and with the theme song stuck in your head). 

terrace house opening new doors cast
'Terrace House: Opening New Doors' | Netflix

Terrace House (2012–2020)

The long-running series faced a reckoning after the suicide of Tokyo star wrestler Hana Kimura, but this Japanese reality show is, at its essence, a more polite version of MTV's Real World: Six strangers—three men and three women—live together, while going about their normal lives. No new jobs or challenges; just livin' life. The twist is that a panel of another six people watches the same cuts of their days as we do and provides commentary, predicting villains and rooting for budding couples. It's kind of like Netflix Xanax, but that's not to say there's no drama. It's just that it's usually more muted, philosophical, and existential than the senseless screaming you see elsewhere.

marie kondo in sparking joy
Kit Karzen/Netflix

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (2019) and Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo (2021– )

If you have a penchant for label makers and those Pinterest images of color-coordinated closets or organized pantries put you at ease, Netflix's slate of reality programming starring expert organizer Marie Kondo will absolutely spark joy in you. The phenom from Japan has popularized a home organizing technique called KonMari that favors ditching what takes up unnecessary space and puts everything in its rightful place, and finding enlightenment in doing so. Her series can be a stressful watch, depending on whose home or business she's applying her principles to (people's homes in Tidying Up and small businesses or organizations in Sparking Joy), but her sunny attitude is infectious. You'll get a good binge out of it and find yourself inspired to finally clean out your closet.

tina fey in 30 rock
NBCU Television Distribution

30 Rock (2006–2013)

Tina Fey's workplace sitcom was so good for so long that it's easy to take it for granted. Since it went off the air in 2013, comedies have gotten stranger, more dramatic, and more formally ambitious. But have they gotten any funnier? We'd argue no. Between Jack Donaghy's Bush-era conservative zingers, Tracy Jordan's endlessly absurd one-liners, Kenneth's disturbing hillbilly antics, and Jenna Maroney's deranged celebrity narcissism, the show delivered perfect jokes at an exhilarating pace. What's more innovative than that?

ellie kemper in unbreakable kimmy schmidt
Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2019)

Tina Fey and 30 Rock producer Robert Carlock's comedy tracks the adventures of an Indiana naïf after she is freed from being held captive by a doomsday cult leader for 15 years—what a premise! Ellie Kemper plays the freed kidnapping victim, who heads to the Big Apple without a clue on how to exist in the modern world. Luckily, Titus, a penny-pinching, Broadway-belting man in desperate need of a roommate, takes her in and trains her in the art of living. Kimmy Schmidt clings to 30 Rock's goofy sense of humor and drops the cynicism. Beware: It'll take three binges just to catch all the jokes.

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