The first cold snap hits and your couch suddenly feels like the best place on earth. You want a blanket, a hot drink and a show that asks nothing of you. No cliffhangers. No grim twists. Just good people and low stakes. That is what a cozy show does. It feels like a warm sweater. You put it on after a long day and everything slows down. Some of these shows are old favourites. Some are newer. All of them are easy to love.
Here are ten to binge when the weather turns. Grab a mug and pick one.
1. Gilmore Girls
Stars Hollow is the town everyone wants to live in. It has a gazebo, a diner and a festival for every season. The show ran from 2000 to 2007. That is seven seasons and 153 episodes, so you will not run out of things to watch.
At the center are Lorelai and Rory, a mom and daughter who talk fast and drink a lot of coffee. Amy Sherman-Palladino created the show. She is known for rapid-fire dialogue, and the scripts ran long because of it. Netflix brought the story back in 2016 with four feature-length episodes called A Year in the Life.
Fall is the best time to watch. The show treats autumn like a main character. Think scarves, leaves and pop culture jokes at lightning speed.
2. Schitt’s Creek
A rich family loses all its money. The only thing left is a small town they once bought as a joke. So they move there and share two motel rooms. It sounds grim, but it is very funny.
Dan Levy created the show with his dad, Eugene Levy. It ran from 2015 to 2020 for six seasons and 80 episodes. It started quietly, then found a huge audience once Netflix picked it up.
In 2020, the final season won all seven major comedy Emmys. No comedy had done that before. Moira Rose and her wigs are a big reason why. The show gets warmer every season. By the end, you will want to hug your own family.
3. The Great British Bake Off
A tent. A field. A dozen nervous amateur bakers. That is the whole setup, and it works every time. The show started on the BBC in 2010. It moved to Channel 4 in 2017. In the US, it streams on Netflix as The Great British Baking Show.
Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were the original judges. Prue Leith replaced Berry in 2017. Nobody screams here. When someone’s cake falls apart, the other bakers jump in to help.
There is a little drama, of course. In 2014, a baker threw out a rival’s Baked Alaska. Fans still call it Bingate. It is about as wild as this show gets, and that is the charm.
4. Ted Lasso
An American football coach gets hired to manage an English soccer team. He knows nothing about the sport. He wins people over anyway, mostly with kindness and a good attitude.
The idea began in 2013 as a promo for NBC Sports. The network was showing Premier League games in the US and wanted a funny ad. Jason Sudeikis played the coach in those short clips. The character was so popular that it became a full series on Apple TV+ in 2020.
There are three seasons and 34 episodes. The show won the Emmy for best comedy in 2021 and again in 2022. Keep tissues nearby. It is funny, but it also gets emotional. And yes, you will start saying “believe” a lot.
5. Parks and Recreation
Leslie Knope loves her small town of Pawnee, Indiana. She also loves waffles, binders and her friends. Her energy is endless. The show follows her quest to improve the town, one small project at a time.
It aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015. That is seven seasons and 125 episodes. Greg Daniels and Michael Schur created it. Amy Poehler leads the cast, which also includes Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt.
Here is a tip. The first season is a bit shaky. Stick with it. The show finds its heart in season two, and it only gets better. Ron Swanson alone is worth the trip.
6. Call the Midwife
This one is a gentle period drama. It is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a nurse and midwife. The story starts in 1957 in Poplar, a poor area of East London. Young nurses ride bikes through the streets and deliver babies in tiny homes.
The BBC has aired it since 2012. Vanessa Redgrave narrated the early seasons as an older version of the lead character. The Christmas specials have become a tradition for many families in the UK.
A fair warning. Some episodes are sad. But the show always comes back to community, friendship and hope. You will cry a little and feel better for it.
7. Heartstopper
Charlie and Nick meet at a British school. They become friends. Then something sweeter starts to grow. That is the whole story, and it is lovely.
Alice Oseman wrote the series for Netflix. It is based on her own books, which started online as a webcomic before becoming bestselling graphic novels. The show premiered in 2022 and has three seasons so far.
Oliow also adds tiny drawn leaves and sparks on screen during big moments. It is a cute touch. Heartstopper is gentle, kind and very easy to finish in a weekend
8. Detectorists
Two friends spend their weekends in the English countryside with metal detectors. They hope to find buried treasure. Mostly they find old bottle caps and ring pulls. That is the joke, and it never gets old.
Mackenzie Crook wrote and directed the show. He also stars in it, alongside Toby Jones. It aired on BBC Four from 2014 to 2017 for three series. It was filmed in Suffolk, and the fields and skies look gorgeous.
The pace is slow on purpose. Not much happens, and that is the point. Johnny Flynn wrote the music, and the theme song will get stuck in your head. This is the show to watch when you want your brain to rest.
9. Bluey
Yes, it is a kids’ show. Adults love it anyway. Bluey is an Australian cartoon about a family of dogs. It was made by Ludo Studio in Brisbane and premiered in 2018.
Each episode runs about seven minutes. That makes it easy to watch a few in a row. Bluey and her sister Bingo invent games all day long. Their parents, Bandit and Chilli, play along, even when they are tired.
Parents everywhere say the show makes them cry. Try the episode “Sleepytime” if you want a good example. Then try “The Sign,” a special 28-minute finale for season three. Keep a blanket handy.
10. Abbott Elementary
A group of teachers work at an underfunded public school in Philadelphia. They do not have much. They make it work with humor and stubborn hope.
Quinta Brunson created the show and plays Janine, the eager second-grade teacher. The idea was inspired by her mother, who was a teacher. The show premiered on ABC in December 2021 and is shot like a documentary, with characters talking straight to the camera.
In 2022, Brunson won an Emmy for writing. Sheryl Lee Ralph won one for her role as Barbara. The show is quick, funny and full of heart. Every episode feels like a small win.
Cold weather will be here for a while. These shows will keep you company the whole time. Now go make some chai or coffee, whatever suits your fancy.
- film recommendations
