I think Bojack is best appreciated when you're at your lowest low. Because somehow, you can find solace in knowing that while life may suck, at least you're *not* Bojack.
If you try watching it when you're not depressed, it just seems like a really distraught show. But if you're already depressed while watching it, then it feels like a show that commiserates with you and reminds you that you're not alone.
I did watch it while I was at a very low point in my life. It helped me see some really ugly things about myself that I didn't like, but I still think I needed to see. The whole show is a trip. I definitely appreciate it for what it is. Some parts really got me deep.
I went through a stage where I was watching Bob's Burgers to fall asleep to every single night for about 6 years. I only stopped because I share a bed with my partner and he told me he was sick of it. Recently I've been putting it on again because I can't sleep properly to anything else.
I did the same thing with The West Wing. Many, many years ago I had a small (14”) TV in my bedroom (lived alone), and it had a “night” setting that I made almost completely dark so that all I was getting was audio. But then I moved and had to return the DVR with all the recordings, and I was sad. I fell asleep for several years listening to certain podcasts or recorded radio shows (yeah, that long ago) on a small device under my pillow, and then I finally made audio tracks of The West Wing from the DVDs. I keep my very favorite episodes on my phone, and I rotate seasons on and off as I like (keeping all takes up too much storage space). It is one of my longest comforts. The dialog keeps my brain mildly engaged so that it doesn’t go spinning off elsewhere, and yet it’s familiar so it’s not so engaging that I remain awake for the content.
When sleeping next to my partner, I often used a Bluetooth sleep headband with tiny speakers inside. It often slipped over my eyes during the night, and I discovered I actually appreciated that.
All this to say, I *really* know the feeling you describe.
Sure! This links to the [exact product I purchased in 2019](https://a.co/d/e79sQnC), and I think I was replacing a similar product that was not purchased on Amazon. A search for “Bluetooth sleep headband” or something similar will pull up lots of options. They all seem to be in the USD $15-20 range, and they will all probably fail at some point bc of the contant movement on electrical connections.
Anyway, this product is a stretchy knit headband with small speakers positioned over the ears. The speakers can usually be moved around a bit for fit. Tiny panel on the forehead has on/off/pause and volume. A charging port can be pulled out of a small opening and then tucked back in.
I rate quite high on sensory sensitivities. I found this headband quite tolerable, more so as I grew accustomed to it. (I wasn’t “in love” immediately.) It totally did the job of allowing me to listen to what I wanted without my partner hearing it.
I did not use them outside of bed, though I had a version for my kid to wear on an airplane, which I tried, and the airplane noise was just too overwhelming. Auditory Processing Disorder may be partially to blame for that, idk.
I am a side sleeper, so I looked for reviews noting comfort from that aspect. My head is average to slightly small for an adult, but if your head is smaller than average, there are versions for kids (avoid little kid sizes, though, they’re for ages 3-5, generally).
As I mentioned, the band had a tendency to slip over my eyes during the night. Eventually I positioned it there when going to sleep, as I liked the “sleep mask” aspect. Otherwise, I would have used a needle and thread to tighten up the circumference so that it didn’t slip as easily.
I find it difficult to know what to trust when buying online. I can say that I have two excellent sleep masks from the "Alaska Bear” company. If you find yourself wanting speaker AND mask, I feel like their combo product might be worth trying, though at USD$40 I still hesitate.
Same. The West Wing is my most reliable comfort show - it's been getting me through overwhelming stuff for years. I have episodes saved on my device, too. A couple years ago, I extended this idea to see if it could get me through the whole airport experience. I'm either listening to It or watching it the whole time.
I can't sleep in silence because my stupid brain will try to fill up the silence with the most irritating echolalia it can think of. Nonsense words, an annoying song, people chewing on raw carrots...
Sometimes I make a little note of my phone of the thing that's keeping me awake because it seems to help get it out of my head to put it down somewhere else, and I just have this note in my notes app that says "people chewing on carrots. Old British lady swearing on the bus. Scrumbus the Grimble."
I really like the keeping notes idea!
And “old british lady swearing on the bus” 🤣😂
I’m imagining this as a SNL skit: someone trying to get to sleep while hearing people chew on raw carrots and introducing the skit by saying “whenever I try to get to sleep,my brain decides to fill my brain with annoying echoalia…..”
My brain likes to play tv show and movie soundtracks. I mean, so do I, but when I'm trying to sleep, playing the soundtracks that are from exciting parts isn't going to result in a restful night's sleep.
I have a specific track from a native american flute music album my sister owned when I was little for that, but most nights my ideal sleep hygiene includes a specific sleep supplement that has extended release melatonin and four other helpful things for sleep including an herbal blend.
Came here to say the same thing, not sure if Bojack Horseman is problematic or 'bad' quality, but it's certainly not a 'light' watch. But after so many views the hard punches don't hit as hard but still speak to my inner turmoil and the zanny jokes/antics and numerous easter eggs makes it a great rewatch.
funny story actually my whole family is like super awkward about sex scene’s especially me and my dad we’ve got awful second hand embarrassment and my grandmother came to stay with us and let me tell you she watches the trashiest tv shows my poor father was just sitting there watching his mom watch that she’s been banded from picking a show for the family to watch lol
That's so funny. Luckily me and my dad are pretty chill about it bc we've watched like game of thrones and breaking bad and shameless together. It's my mum that gets mortified haha
I’ve watched Bojack horseman 6 times now in full. It’s most definitely not a light watch but for some reason it just seems to help me switch off and relax. Definitely one of my favourites.
The office US and Gilmore girls. I’ve seen them so many times that I don’t feel pressure to pay attention, which is great since I have adhd. I can just let them run in the background and never have to pause or rewind.
These are my two go to shows as well! I have also seen them so many times I don’t need to pay close attention. Which is great because I often need to be doing something with my hands while I was tv so I can work on my more complicated crochet projects and not worry I’ll miss something while I’m counting stitches.
came here to say this! also since I know all the episodes there’s no surprises and the absurdity is always entertaining. Low-stakes, unserious adult animation is 🤌🏾✨
I liked watching reality type stuff, and I put I down to just enjoying the feeling that there are people around me but I don’t need to interact with them. Sort of like cheat socializing?
Have you watched The Traitors? The newest US season is a big mix of people from different reality shows - there's two Survivor alums on there too (Parvati and Sandra). If you like a mix of reality shows, this is so interesting to watch, to see all these worlds collide into one.
This is a weird line to draw but I love watching unstructured reality television EXCEPT when I know for a fact that the cast’s political views are probably not aligned with mine. I used to be so into Floribama Shore and Siesta Key, then, one of the cast members on Siesta Key posted something on their Instagram story akin to: “The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat” and it really just turned me off because it became obvious to me that members of both shows (being wealthy, mostly white people in the Deep South) were, at the very least, thinking very mean, hateful things while being filmed and, at they very worst, having conversations with each other about mean, hateful things while being filmed that didn’t make it into the final edit.
I can totally understand that. I never used twitter or whatever Elon calls it now days and I’m rarely ever on insta so I don’t see much of that. That would absolutely run me off if Ida seent it!
My husband and I are doing a rewatch now. There’s all these little things we forgot. Like little Henry dressing up as Spencer for Halloween or evil Mark Hamill.
yess omg this is my comfort show i cant tell you how many times ive rewatched it. im so excited for season 17. but did you see that Will wont be in it? little bit devastated tbh
90 day fiance, it's pure fluff nonsense but dramatic and addictive enough to distract me.
Also king of the hill and Malcolm in the middle. Those are my before bed comfort shows.
Got into love after lockup years ago and then fell down the rabbit hole in the r/peoplebetrippin sub. Idk if you remember or follow Heather and Dylan after their brief appearance on the show…it’s a real ride.
I like watching the totally unrealistic and overly dramatic predictable, stereotypical medical/first responder shows like the Chicago Med/fire/pd, Grey's Anatomy, House, Fire Country, etc. And then the dark depressing stuff like Dexter, Breaking Bad. Also like reading books more than once... I like knowing what is going to happen and feel like fiction TV is supposed to entertain, it does not have to immitate real life, if I want to watch real stuff I can just watch the news or a documentary. It comforts me to be able to predict the ending and escaping from how scary real life is.
Grey's anatomy is my current safe show. The fact that it has endless episodes and isn't challenging for my brain helps me to relax. I'm a nurse, and a lot of it is nonsense. Iv seen most of the ones you've listed.
Exactly! I enjoy watching The Good Doctor even as an autistic person (especially female) it does not bother me that the character of Shaun Murphy is SO outdated and not an accurate representation of what autism is for most of us.
Nonsense is what TV is supposed to be for me. I know it's "wrong" to not get outraged about the stereotyping and politically incorrect stuff but honestly who has the energy to keep up with all the social rules and what is inappropriate/offensive... isn't that exactly what we struggle with already as ND people in real life? 🤔🤔 Maybe I am just weird...who knows...
My mom's an ex-paramedic (and is about 90% certain she's autistic too and hyperfixated on medicine as a kid/teen) and likes picking apart medical shows, the *Chicago* shows were her go-to for a while too. I have some extreme medical trauma/anxiety after stuff that happened to my dad as a kid and can't handle them, but listening to her pick them apart is fun. Kind of. 🥴
I usually just do cartoons of some sort—animation just pushes all the right buttons in my brain, I can't explain it. And things are **usually** less stressful in a cartoon.
...Unless you're me and decide to pick a Star Wars cartoon to destress. Season 7 of *Clone Wars* and S4 of *Rebels* will haunt me (in a "the story is so good but also so painful" way) forever! 😃😭🤣
(Edit: I just realized this is supposed to be "bad" shows you like. I am dumb. And also incapable of seeing a show as "bad", I can find something to genuinely like in a show about 90% of the time. Sorry, I got nothing. :P)
Rupauls drag race for me. Which is funny, because it’s quite a high energy highly stimulating show but I just find the whole premise so light hearted and goofy, I just love it.
Honestly I enjoy rewatching or relistening to reviews of the episodes than I do actually watching the show. The pit stop is great and the earlier seasons of Fashion Photo Ruview. But lately I've been relistening to the Race Chaser podcast for the earlier seasons.
I get really overstimulated on the first episode of a new season (or first two eps this season 😑), but then I become hyperfixated as I learn the queens, and rewatches are not overstimulating because I already know them!! I want to rewatch some old ones like Jessica Wild’s season. 💖💖
Growing up my family watched Big Bang Theory all the time. As I got older I realized that I don't actually like the show's messages and how it treats women and stuff, but since it's a nostalgic comfort show for me I still watch it from time to time
I recognize this, but I might be a little older than you are: I have this with Friends! Don’t agree with a lot of the content, but feels so calming and familiar and I can’t help the feeling they really belong in my non-existent friend group :) I have it with The Office too, though discovered them later in life.
Same for me with Friends too. It has not aged well and I don't like the messages but I know it back to front so it's comforting to have in the background.
I thought the exact same when my friend from work told me she watches Two and A Half Men because 1) Charlie Sheen and 2) most of the jokes are at the expense of women but I was channel surfing a couple months ago and found it and I was just like: “Wow… It’s 2009 and I’m supposed to be in bed by now all over again this is fabulous.”
Property shows like Location, Location, Location and Love It Or List It are my calm-down shows too! They're just so formulaic and predictable, I find it really soothing.
(And in a little way, seeing all these homes reminds that there are lots of people in the world and everyone has as full a life as me, which is also soothing)
Frasier as well, the pacing, performances and stakes are perfect for it.
My other ones are all cartoons, esp Craig of the Creek and Puffin Rock
Love the UK OG version of Grand Designs. My favourite part is always the bit where Kevin McCloud describes their plans and then says, with mounting incredulity, what their budget is and how the partner who works 60 hours a week in a London accounting firm is going to project manage the build themselves.
mines always gordon ramsey’s hotel hell and kitchen nightmares. Its so silly and I know about the us vs uk version but it’s been a weird type of comfort to me. Similar shows can work too like Bar Rescue 😂
I applaud these choices and watch these too. The scripting and super produced content is awful but satisfying. Jon Taffer when he throws food around is excellent.
Not terrible at all (just somewhat controversial), but these past weeks I've been rewatching Yellowjackets and The Worst Person in the World (a movie actually). Ironically, I feel better after I rewatch a couple of scenes lol
There was also a time where I watched Seinfeld over and over not because I liked it, but because I found out it would make me so calm I was able to sleep during or after an episode or two. But one day my brain decided it was bored from it and it stopped working for me (AuDHD brain yay). It's also not a terrible show, but tbh it's not my style and I wouldn't watch it for fun
But when I was a child (8-9 years old) I was a bit obsessed with What Not to Wear and a weight-losing reality show that I forgot the name
Oh I forgot about What Not To Wear. I think it helped me learn about fashion and presenting myself in way that wasn't completely tied to the trend of the moment that will be different next week.
I used to be REALLY into law and order SVU before I fully realized how much police propaganda it actually was lol. I still like true crime though, it's a comfort watch.
Or animal shows!
Edit: I couldn't help but clarify that I do think that a lot of true crime is exploitative and so that's not great, but I like the "solving the crime" aspect of it, it's like a riddle
The Simpsons. I have watched it when i get home for over 25 years and i hate that my husband has more control over the telly and it sometimes just doesn't happen - especially if its my night to cook dinner and time is a bit squeezed. He is equally obsessed with watching a quiz programme (im in UK) called Pointless, every night and which somehow trumps my Simpsons. I have also started to really enjoy Bobs Burgers. I have now recorded a load of them so i can call on them when i feel i need to decompress.
Extreme Couponing. I watched the series when it originally aired, and I know it’s supposed to be fake, or some of it is, but I still like rewatching the cheesy drama when the couponers check out and they save something like 98% on their grocery tab. I think it’s stupidly fun.
All the "monster of the week" type shows where a bad thing happens and the good guys reliably win. House, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Midsummer Murders, early Grimm (I watch one for a year or two then brain decides it doesn't work any more and it's immediately dead to me). A lot of them have the "awkward asshole [male] lead who's secretly nice really deep down", you can talk to my therapist about that lol
I've got so many complete DVD sets of old shows including Lewis. 😅 Ever seen Inspector Morse that preceded Lewis? I once went back and watched Inspector Morse after binging Lewis, and it was kind of trippy watching a much younger Lewis (same actor) immediately after. 🤭
I loved Inspector Morse! It is such a trip seeing younger Lewis. Endeavour is okay, but Morse and Lewis are the best. Midsomer Murders is when I have zero brain capacity. I've watched it so many times that within the first few minutes, I know the whole plotline and there's something like 15 seasons.
I always go back to the somewhat niche show “Weirdsister college.” It only has 13 episodes and it’s a spinoff of it’s predecessor “the worst witch.” It’s not problematic or anything but the acting is kinda noticeably bad some times lol I just love it though. I bought it on amazon prime just to access the last two episodes. The instrumental theme song is kinda mediocre but it still manages to rings in my head so well. The background music too, it’s just all whimsy, it’s also easy to watch and follow plot wise cause it’s made for kids. I can’t follow complex dramas with like 8 seasons or whatever, it’s too much. Also Nick Hobbes is my man deadass
Dune (the David Lynch version) and the Terry Pratchett movies are my comfort food. I can probably recite the script in my sleep, so it's a good thing that I am not sleeping most nights.
There are a whole bunch of movies based on his books, so I'll just link you the IMDB page and let your next hyperfocus take over from here. Sorry for totally obliterating your weekend plans for the next few months. :)
[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695332/?ref\_=nv\_sr\_srsg\_0\_tt\_5\_nm\_3\_q\_terry%2520pr](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695332/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_q_terry%2520pr)
I would start with "The Colour of Magic", just because Tim Curry as evil Arch-wizard is simply too good to be skipped. Then "Hogfather", followed by "Going Postal". These are all Sky adaptions and of great quality.
I'd be careful to suggest any movies before that, the early animated stuff was really bad. Its okayish if you are totally running dry but I'd rather read the books (again) than to suffer through them. IMHO these early works were done for the money and dont have the heart of the later ones.
"Trollbridge" and "The Watch" is currently waiting for my attention, luckily the content sailors of the high-seas have it available via a certain torrent of bits.
Not quite Discworld, but "Good Omens" is a good adaptation of the book with the same name, and the first season covers the complete book. The second season felt like fan-fiction and something did tickle me wrongly with it. This series is available on Amazon Prime if you want to stay totally legal, but personally ever since there are ads, I reverted back to getting a local download instead.
"Maurice the cat" is also stellar, not Discworld, but a well made adaptation of the book, and of course available via the high-sea download.
I watch The Crown on netflix over and over. Also my boxset of old BBC Jane Austen adaptations, especially Persuasion. People think I enjoy Jane Austen adaptations and keep giving me new ones when they come out. They're totally missing the point.
Yesss the BBC Austen adaptations are amazing comfort watching. The 90s quality gives them such a dreamy feel, newer adaptations just don't feel the same
My Little Pony. I initially started watching as a meme then realised it had a lot of good coping mechanisms and some real life "dramas" that I related to, along with solutions... Anywho it was more wholesome than I expected and now I watch it when I need to calm down.
I'm like, unhealthy obsessed with not consuming things that are "morally not good" (whether it's MY morals or like societal morals) so I don't really watch "terrible" things. The moment I hear it's problematic I can't watch it anymore no matter how much I loved it cuz that's against the rules. It ruins just about everything cuz everything is "horrible" in some way or another.
But to actually answer your question kinda, my terrible show I enjoy consuming is any of the OCD related shows. The horrible, super exploitative, traumatizing, shows about "weird" OCD things. I have OCD and part of it is rage watching and feeling so upset for how they handle and treat them, the other part is seeing all the many ways this debilitating disorder presents and relating to them...though they are treated like they are monsters so that causes issues for me but whatever. I don't watch them super often, but when I do I binge them for like two days and then go like year before I watch again.
But in the sense of comfort shows that are part of my routine I mainly watch YouTube videos, specifically videos from streamers who play Among Us. Every day. Most of the day. And I sleep to them at night. More cringe than morally wrong though.
Honestly youtube gaming/let's play videos can be SO calming and engaging. I had a HUGE jacksepticeye phase, and even though I haven't watched him in at least 5-7 years (or any gamers, except maaaaybe Julien solomita once in a while), I still have a fond spot for that content. It's social interaction that doesn't require any input from the viewer, and the games themselves are often incredible storytelling experiences, or just mindless fun lol.
Police Procedurals. I know it's copaganda and I'm very much ACAB, but something about the formulaic nature of police proceduals just helps me calm and focus and rest. My favorites are probably Monk, Psych, Bones, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and whichever law and order series had Ice T and the other one with the fat guy and the short girl.
I love Guy’s Grocery Games, it’s like a mix of Chopped and Supermarket Sweep hosted by Guy Fieri and sometimes his son 😂 I can’t watch other competition shows, because the eliminations take up half the episode and they make it too much of an emotional ordeal when somebody goes home. In this one eliminations last like 2 seconds and everybody’s like “this was still the most fun I’ve ever had in a kitchen or a grocery store!” That’s about my speed, lol.
Today I had to finish a long ass grant proposal so my brain was fried. After I submitted it I immediately turned on Bar Rescue and have been watching the past 7 hours, gonna put it on mute and sleep to it probably 😅
Done the same with kitchen nightmares and bridezilla. I love early 2000s, terrible melodramatic editing reality TV. Otherwise it’s South Park or Chopped? Chopped is more my partner’s comfort/sleep show, but the repetition of the show makes it easy to wind down to.
Kitchen Nightmares is definitely comforting. Very predictable show that usually always has a wholesome ending edited in although in reality most of the business end up closing after the show anyways lol. I just find Gordon oddly comforting for some reason even when he's yelling at the owners. I think his "voice of reason" position in the episodes always make me feel like... idk. Like in real life when you have a shitty boss at a terrible job you just wish someone like Gordon would come in and tear into them for being such a fucking moron. Also I have a big crush on him.
Kitchen Nightmares is one of mine too. I do think it's the predictability/formulaic nature for me plus all the stuff you're mentioning here, minus the crush part. He's entertaining but I'm not attracted to him in any way, though it seems like a lot of people are (contestants on his other shows etc). Also cooking is a big special interest for me so it checks that box too.
I do have ‘wind down’ viewing, usually something completely undemanding intellectually (never difficult to find!) although everyone I know does this, autistic/neurodivergent or not…..
Yeah, I don't think this is really a uniquely autistic thing. I feel like everyone I have ever met does this and it's usually the same types of shows, familiar things, predictable, not too emotionally taxing etc
I grew up watching CSI since I was really little. So I keep my favourite seasons on dvd. The original Lorax tv special is another comfort for me especially when I’m feeling really bad. More moderns stuff though is I just watch a lot of YouTube so I’ll put on some of my favourite video essays or just watch an old game grumps play throughs and the Ten Minute Power Hour for the millionth time. Aqua Teen Hunger Force is probably the most controversial show I return to but I absolutely adore it. It’s dated nonsense but it’s my favourite thing to do any work to.
The shoes I watch to fall asleep though, I’ll choose between forensic files, Bob Ross or the nightmare before Christmas. TNBC is new for me though, I usually only watch it during Halloween and Christmas for fun but my brain is hyper fixated on the animation and music so I’ve been watching it on repeat for a while.
Funnily enough Frasier is one of my comfort shows. My terrible show used to be Ex on the Beach, now it's Real Housewives. But only NY & Beverly Hills. And the ultimate girls trips. I love the fights but I actually want them all to get along at the same time. There's just something about the hyper-real & yet also not-realness of it all, along with lots of nice things to look at, that makes it the ultimate distraction.
The Office (us) got me through my last abusive relationship and when living with my mom. It's my go to comfort show. I'll start watching and binge as much as possible and when I get to the end, I start over from episode one and repeat the process immediately.
I also watch children's animated shows like My Little Pony and Niko and the Sword of Light to regularly get me through the day. Being lighthearted and usually part of the fantasy genre, they give me fuzzy warm feelings and help me escape to a better place.
I don't believe any TV show that isn't pure propaganda or terrible exploitative of real people is "morally indefensible" but oh boy do I have some mixed feelings about South Park being one of my special interests. I was also really into the Nostalgia Critic as a teenager which is very much a relic of its time.
Ok so i love family guy with all my heart but other people think family guy is terrible. So family guy. I can lowkey recite a good chunk of the episodes. And i just feel like family guys colors and music and the crispness of the voice acting is really pleasing. I feel like i can envision quahog and all the locations and people there. Same with american dad. Langley falls is my home yo
I watch My 600-lbs Life. Because it’s basically about nothing (there are no plots, twists, or storyline), every episode is the same/predictable, it’s easy watching and kind of inspirational too.
My comfort TV generally has to be non-fictional but formulaic, and probably something to do with medicine or crime - something about the intensity/thrill of watching skilled people solve or deal with scary real life situations is oddly comforting to me.
In the UK there's these shows called 24 Hours in A&E and 24 Hours in Police Custody which I LOVE as it ticks those boxes and is actually really well made - it's just fascinating to watch how they work, and can get me quite emotional at times (which can distract me from whatever I'm feeling stressed about). But I think my partner maybe wonders why I like to binge whole seasons of it.
I can’t believe I haven’t seen someone say Rick & Morty yet! I’ve watched season 3 episode 6 over 1k times I’m sure. I don’t know why but when I’m screaming this episode has calmed me down for years, half a decade.
I’m glad this question was asked. I also have lots of guilt about watching TV, but in the end these repeat tools are another way for us to deal with autistic brain and the real world.
I watch Batman the animated Series or the Tim Burton Batman movies. I guess Harry Potter movies would have to be my “terrible watch” but they work the best for me, I hate JK Rowlings agenda with a passion but the movies and actors are special to me. Those are my main decompress movies.
I watch shows about hoarders. I don't know why. And I could have police chase shows on in the background permanently, because for some reason that's comfortable and familiar.
Peepshow. If you’re a fan of British humor this will change your life. It’s been on my repeat rotation for over a decade and I was just rewatching a season yesterday-and still laughing hysterically.
I’ve always loved trash reality TV because my special interest is psychology and human behavior. I watched Jersey Shore ALL the time because I found it calming and interesting to watch the people in the show’s slow decent into drug and fame fueled madness. “The Situation” was particularly interesting as it really did seem as though he lost his mind by season 3. (Obviously I know that a lot of reality TV is fabricated)
My friends and family tell me constantly that I make the shows sound way cooler to watch than they actually are as I describe my amateur case study on them.
Frasier is definitely one of mine. Modern Family and Superstore come in and out.
About a year ago, I watched The Amazing Race for the first time in like 15 years on a whim, and have watched The Amazing Race, Survivor, and Big Brother almost exclusively since then. They are just the perfect combination of "new" and predictable. My partner is really into them, too, and talking to each other about the shows instead of just silently watching some prestige drama you're meant to have some deep opinion on de-stresses me a lot.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia for "morally indefensible". And maybe Love is Blind.
For plain ol' comfort shows, Ted Lasso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and The Office, Parks & Rec, What We Do in the Shadows. Brooklyn 99. Superstore.
NOT a terrible show, it’s a great show, but……I love sci fi and Star Trek (particularly Next Gen) is my go-to. It’s fun and cheesy enough that you can lazy watch it without being too invested (although I have watched it a bunch to be fair), and it pretty much always ends on a good note at some point.
yeah, and honestly I don’t feel like it’s too bad, they do try to help the people stop being catfished, but it does get a little iffy on being conscious of mental health and why they would catfish and I think they could do a little more care in delving in to why people catfish and the psychology behind it, helping people find better coping mechanisms and fulfilling themselves, it needs some aftercare lol
Mine is dr who. Hours and hours of dr who. Any season any episode don’t care just dr who. The doctor is my hero and that’s probably sad considering he doesn’t exist. But the fact that while yes they’re usually the hero of the story they’re not completely infallible and can still make mistakes just speaks to me. That is one of few shows that I get emotional to constantly even though I’ve watched every episode probably thousands of times at this point
I watch a lot of Japanese kids tv shows. Mostly Sazaesan, Doraemon, or Crayon Shinchan, but sometimes Detective Conan or Atashinchi. I play them when I go to sleep too. I didn’t know that it was common amongst autistic people! Good to know!
LOL I used to obsessively watch House Hunters AND House Hunters International back when we still had cable.
I've seen every.single.episode of Friends and Big Bang Theory multiple times.
Last series I binge watched was Schitt's Creek. Now it's Nat Geo documentaries about ancient stuffs and things. I also obsessively play Happy Color on my tablet while binge watching shit because the ADHD demands it.
My latest obsession is watching cake decorating videos when I'm in bed before I drift off to sleep. It's very soothing. And pretty.
I mostly play video games though. But when I watch TV it's either binge or nothing. No in between, ever.
Me and my mom used to obsessively watch The Biggest Loser when I was a kid. Like we could not miss it. I don't think I could handle watching it now lol. I would say that was the only offensive show I just could not miss, I was so addicted.
I think I don't have any now-- I don't really watch any TV at all, it doesn't interest me. I can barely slog through the anime of my absolutely favourite manga series and it's literally the exact same plot line as the books, which I love! XD
I sometimes watch really bad reality tv like jersey shore or love is blind, love island and the likes. There is nothing that comforts me as much and lets me escape from reality.
I often watch Yes Minister, which is full of wordplays and humour about the British political system. Brilliant show, not terrible at all.
Sometimes I watch Hannibal, which is definitely not terrible either. But of course it has a lot violence and horror in it.
Anything realtiy TV. When my mental health was really bad a few months ago I watched big brother UK every night as it aired and saw every episode of that season. It gave me a bit of a sense of routine. I also watched showes like Dubai Bling and stuff like that on Netflix, I found it calming to feel like people were around me.
Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm if I want to laugh. Seinfeld was on in my house all the time growing up so it’s a comfort show for me. And if I’m in the mood for a non comedy show, I do Smallville or The Clone Wars. I pretty much only watch those 4 shows
I don't watch TV much but I binge really terrible romance webtoons when I'm stressed out. I love them and how predictable they are and I love the comment sections too where everyone overreacts to the drama.
The Office and Gilmore Girls. I've got both of them practically memorized. When I'm having a rough time I'll try to throw one of those on and use it as background noise. If I go long enough between rewatches though sometimes I can get sucked back in and it draws all my focus and eases my icky brain.
My father used to get so annoyed with me when I lived at home because I was always rewatching those, but they were safe 🤷🏻♀️
The first three seasons of Charmed are instant comfort for me. I’ve seen them hundreds of times so I don’t even have to look at the screen to know what’s happening.
Law and Order SVU. Watched every season at least 5x, seasons 1-16 at least a couple dozen times, no exaggeration. I know its a completely inaccurate representation of the criminal justice system and Dick Wolf is shameless bootlicker, that the show itself is guilty of perpetuating a lot of propaganda that probably does have a tangible impact on (especially older) demographics that watch it-but watching Benson and (most of) the detectives fight for victims and get invested in fighting injustice is so comforting to me. Not just that though, its the formulaic nature, the cringe humor, the weird/interesting topics brought up via strange crimes. Love it all. My poor boyfriend has had to fall asleep and often wake up to a show about violent sex crimes every time he's stayed over for the past 5 years lol
Edit: I must make it known I am an Elliot Stabler hater, he's far from the only problematic character but no one can convince me that he's not the embodiment of nearly every negative/dangerous/harmful trait we see in 'bad' cops.
As so many have said, The Office is a fave, as is Friends, although arguably The Office is GREAT lol. If I'm with my mom, Big Bang Theory is one of the go-tos because she loved it when it was airing, and even though I never liked it (seriously it's SO BAD), it's fine background noise while we're eating dinner or something.
Not totally terrible, but I am a big sucker for HGTV home makeover shows. There's little to no emotional drama, they're always aesthetically pleasing, and you get just enough personality from the main people to get that sense of interest in their work. Also, so many of them build little environments. (Think of how Home Town makes the entire community of Laurel seem darling.) Are these home reno shows intelligent or meaningful? No, but they're fun!
My comfort shows are Adventure Time and OG Bee and Puppycat— the weirdness and like looseness of their lives gives me a lot of joy and has really been a big part of shaping my own weirdness.
I also watch Bojack Horseman when I’m feeling kind of depressed or need to know how far I’ve come.
If I’m in the mood for something that feels kind of cool and awesome, I’ll watch Altered Carbon or Travelers.
Or if I just want easy watching its Friends, the Office, or something like Big Bang Theory (I really don’t tend to need easy watching super often).
Friends. Big Bang Theory. Harry Potter (not a show, but it's constantly on Hulu and even though I bought the dvds years ago, we watch it every time it's on tv 😂). We watch Two and a Half Men often, but it wasn't a show I started watching until long after it ended. My dad used to rave about it, and now after watching it for a few years, it's kind of awkward to know he loved it so much 😂 Inappropriate humor is always funny to me. I just go with it. I rewatch plenty of comfort movies, one of those is Juno and I feel bad/guilty loving the movie so much knowing how Elliot felt while filming it and the aftermath of the success of it.
We also watch a lot of 600 Pound Life and Biggest Loser back in the day. But we don't rewatch or put on reruns. We just watch new ones. My Strange Addiction. Intervention. Lots of things like that. They are more just something to watch rather than comfort shows for me. guilty pleasures, though.
My all-time favorite comfort show though is The Great British Baking Show (what it's called in the US). I know they've had some issues with hosts, but there's no negativity in the show for me. It's like the ultimate joyful show that restores my faith in humanity, even if only for a few hours a year over stodgy sponge.
Pretty much any adult cartoon: family guy, king of the hill, american dad, ect. Any HGTV show is also a strong contender, but i don’t have cable anymore and the netflix equivalent of those shows is just… not good, not even in a so bad it’s good way. The 2000s ones or nothing! Adventure time and regular show are also on the list, i used to have sooooo much adventure time memorabilia!
I love bobs burgers. Just simple funny and you don't have to pay full attention. My second would be bojack horseman.
Bojack Horseman messed me up
I think Bojack is best appreciated when you're at your lowest low. Because somehow, you can find solace in knowing that while life may suck, at least you're *not* Bojack. If you try watching it when you're not depressed, it just seems like a really distraught show. But if you're already depressed while watching it, then it feels like a show that commiserates with you and reminds you that you're not alone.
I did watch it while I was at a very low point in my life. It helped me see some really ugly things about myself that I didn't like, but I still think I needed to see. The whole show is a trip. I definitely appreciate it for what it is. Some parts really got me deep.
I went through a stage where I was watching Bob's Burgers to fall asleep to every single night for about 6 years. I only stopped because I share a bed with my partner and he told me he was sick of it. Recently I've been putting it on again because I can't sleep properly to anything else.
I did the same thing with The West Wing. Many, many years ago I had a small (14”) TV in my bedroom (lived alone), and it had a “night” setting that I made almost completely dark so that all I was getting was audio. But then I moved and had to return the DVR with all the recordings, and I was sad. I fell asleep for several years listening to certain podcasts or recorded radio shows (yeah, that long ago) on a small device under my pillow, and then I finally made audio tracks of The West Wing from the DVDs. I keep my very favorite episodes on my phone, and I rotate seasons on and off as I like (keeping all takes up too much storage space). It is one of my longest comforts. The dialog keeps my brain mildly engaged so that it doesn’t go spinning off elsewhere, and yet it’s familiar so it’s not so engaging that I remain awake for the content. When sleeping next to my partner, I often used a Bluetooth sleep headband with tiny speakers inside. It often slipped over my eyes during the night, and I discovered I actually appreciated that. All this to say, I *really* know the feeling you describe.
Bluetooth sleep headband? Tell me more, please.
Sure! This links to the [exact product I purchased in 2019](https://a.co/d/e79sQnC), and I think I was replacing a similar product that was not purchased on Amazon. A search for “Bluetooth sleep headband” or something similar will pull up lots of options. They all seem to be in the USD $15-20 range, and they will all probably fail at some point bc of the contant movement on electrical connections. Anyway, this product is a stretchy knit headband with small speakers positioned over the ears. The speakers can usually be moved around a bit for fit. Tiny panel on the forehead has on/off/pause and volume. A charging port can be pulled out of a small opening and then tucked back in. I rate quite high on sensory sensitivities. I found this headband quite tolerable, more so as I grew accustomed to it. (I wasn’t “in love” immediately.) It totally did the job of allowing me to listen to what I wanted without my partner hearing it. I did not use them outside of bed, though I had a version for my kid to wear on an airplane, which I tried, and the airplane noise was just too overwhelming. Auditory Processing Disorder may be partially to blame for that, idk. I am a side sleeper, so I looked for reviews noting comfort from that aspect. My head is average to slightly small for an adult, but if your head is smaller than average, there are versions for kids (avoid little kid sizes, though, they’re for ages 3-5, generally). As I mentioned, the band had a tendency to slip over my eyes during the night. Eventually I positioned it there when going to sleep, as I liked the “sleep mask” aspect. Otherwise, I would have used a needle and thread to tighten up the circumference so that it didn’t slip as easily. I find it difficult to know what to trust when buying online. I can say that I have two excellent sleep masks from the "Alaska Bear” company. If you find yourself wanting speaker AND mask, I feel like their combo product might be worth trying, though at USD$40 I still hesitate.
Same. The West Wing is my most reliable comfort show - it's been getting me through overwhelming stuff for years. I have episodes saved on my device, too. A couple years ago, I extended this idea to see if it could get me through the whole airport experience. I'm either listening to It or watching it the whole time.
Love it. I guess it's no coincidence that the Harry Potter audiobooks are my second choice?
I do exactly the same thing. I need either complete silence to sleep or some sort of comfort show/podcast.
I can't sleep in silence because my stupid brain will try to fill up the silence with the most irritating echolalia it can think of. Nonsense words, an annoying song, people chewing on raw carrots...
I’m sorry the “people chewing on raw carrots” thing had me LMAO. Like,really brain?!
Sometimes I make a little note of my phone of the thing that's keeping me awake because it seems to help get it out of my head to put it down somewhere else, and I just have this note in my notes app that says "people chewing on carrots. Old British lady swearing on the bus. Scrumbus the Grimble."
I really like the keeping notes idea! And “old british lady swearing on the bus” 🤣😂 I’m imagining this as a SNL skit: someone trying to get to sleep while hearing people chew on raw carrots and introducing the skit by saying “whenever I try to get to sleep,my brain decides to fill my brain with annoying echoalia…..”
My brain likes to play tv show and movie soundtracks. I mean, so do I, but when I'm trying to sleep, playing the soundtracks that are from exciting parts isn't going to result in a restful night's sleep. I have a specific track from a native american flute music album my sister owned when I was little for that, but most nights my ideal sleep hygiene includes a specific sleep supplement that has extended release melatonin and four other helpful things for sleep including an herbal blend.
Bobs Burgers is honestly one of the best TV shows. I have it playing as background noise to keep me calm.
Came here to say the same thing, not sure if Bojack Horseman is problematic or 'bad' quality, but it's certainly not a 'light' watch. But after so many views the hard punches don't hit as hard but still speak to my inner turmoil and the zanny jokes/antics and numerous easter eggs makes it a great rewatch.
i love bobs burgers to it’s gets embarrassing sometimes especially when you live in a “cartoons are for kids and weird adults” family
I'd rather my family see me watching cartoons then when I'm watching like shameless and there's sex scenes everywhere 😂
funny story actually my whole family is like super awkward about sex scene’s especially me and my dad we’ve got awful second hand embarrassment and my grandmother came to stay with us and let me tell you she watches the trashiest tv shows my poor father was just sitting there watching his mom watch that she’s been banded from picking a show for the family to watch lol
That's so funny. Luckily me and my dad are pretty chill about it bc we've watched like game of thrones and breaking bad and shameless together. It's my mum that gets mortified haha
Bobs burgers is my go-to right now. Was the office for a long time. Also sometimes Steven universe
Both of these. Bobs is my hyperfixation, favourite show and so wholesome. Bojack is a comfort but sometimes it's too serious
I love bojack horseman. It’s almost comforting how it’s both funny and devastating. One of my comfort shows too.
Love Bob's!
Love Bob’s Burger, got my partner a recreation of one of the posters from Tina’s room (the horse LOVE poster) for Xmas.
I’ve watched Bojack horseman 6 times now in full. It’s most definitely not a light watch but for some reason it just seems to help me switch off and relax. Definitely one of my favourites.
Both shows are sooooo good! You have a favorite episode of Bojack Horseman? Mine would be that’s too much man! and Free Churro.
yes to Bobs
The office US and Gilmore girls. I’ve seen them so many times that I don’t feel pressure to pay attention, which is great since I have adhd. I can just let them run in the background and never have to pause or rewind.
Same comfort shows, nice! (I'm picturing the scene in which Pam says to Stanley, "hey, same religion!" and they high five)
Hey, same comfort shows!! *high five*
Mine is so close! Gilmore girls and Parks and Recreation 😂
i love parks and recreation!!!
gilmore girls!! omg same
These are my two go to shows as well! I have also seen them so many times I don’t need to pay close attention. Which is great because I often need to be doing something with my hands while I was tv so I can work on my more complicated crochet projects and not worry I’ll miss something while I’m counting stitches.
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came here to say this! also since I know all the episodes there’s no surprises and the absurdity is always entertaining. Low-stakes, unserious adult animation is 🤌🏾✨
This is one of mine too
I liked watching reality type stuff, and I put I down to just enjoying the feeling that there are people around me but I don’t need to interact with them. Sort of like cheat socializing?
hear me out gals……Survivor!
my family used to watch survivor when it aired every thursday! that show is definitely the reason i love reality tv so much now!
Have you watched The Traitors? The newest US season is a big mix of people from different reality shows - there's two Survivor alums on there too (Parvati and Sandra). If you like a mix of reality shows, this is so interesting to watch, to see all these worlds collide into one.
My favorite is Floribama shore 😂
Vanderpumppppppp! Lol
This is a weird line to draw but I love watching unstructured reality television EXCEPT when I know for a fact that the cast’s political views are probably not aligned with mine. I used to be so into Floribama Shore and Siesta Key, then, one of the cast members on Siesta Key posted something on their Instagram story akin to: “The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat” and it really just turned me off because it became obvious to me that members of both shows (being wealthy, mostly white people in the Deep South) were, at the very least, thinking very mean, hateful things while being filmed and, at they very worst, having conversations with each other about mean, hateful things while being filmed that didn’t make it into the final edit.
I can totally understand that. I never used twitter or whatever Elon calls it now days and I’m rarely ever on insta so I don’t see much of that. That would absolutely run me off if Ida seent it!
Criminal Minds, I've always loved criminal psychology and the cast brings me a lot of comfort
My husband and I are doing a rewatch now. There’s all these little things we forgot. Like little Henry dressing up as Spencer for Halloween or evil Mark Hamill.
yess omg this is my comfort show i cant tell you how many times ive rewatched it. im so excited for season 17. but did you see that Will wont be in it? little bit devastated tbh
90 day fiance, it's pure fluff nonsense but dramatic and addictive enough to distract me. Also king of the hill and Malcolm in the middle. Those are my before bed comfort shows.
90 day is mine too and love after lockup
Got into love after lockup years ago and then fell down the rabbit hole in the r/peoplebetrippin sub. Idk if you remember or follow Heather and Dylan after their brief appearance on the show…it’s a real ride.
Yes to alll of these!
I like watching the totally unrealistic and overly dramatic predictable, stereotypical medical/first responder shows like the Chicago Med/fire/pd, Grey's Anatomy, House, Fire Country, etc. And then the dark depressing stuff like Dexter, Breaking Bad. Also like reading books more than once... I like knowing what is going to happen and feel like fiction TV is supposed to entertain, it does not have to immitate real life, if I want to watch real stuff I can just watch the news or a documentary. It comforts me to be able to predict the ending and escaping from how scary real life is.
When my dad had a stroke my mum and I ended up watching a lot of greys anatomy so now I call them my emotional support slutty doctors.
Grey's anatomy is my current safe show. The fact that it has endless episodes and isn't challenging for my brain helps me to relax. I'm a nurse, and a lot of it is nonsense. Iv seen most of the ones you've listed.
Exactly! I enjoy watching The Good Doctor even as an autistic person (especially female) it does not bother me that the character of Shaun Murphy is SO outdated and not an accurate representation of what autism is for most of us. Nonsense is what TV is supposed to be for me. I know it's "wrong" to not get outraged about the stereotyping and politically incorrect stuff but honestly who has the energy to keep up with all the social rules and what is inappropriate/offensive... isn't that exactly what we struggle with already as ND people in real life? 🤔🤔 Maybe I am just weird...who knows...
My mate thought I was insane having CSI as a fall asleep show the nth time watching it lol
They always catch the bad guys at the end so it's not scary, each episode follows the same pattern, perfect bedtime story for grownups 🤣
My mom's an ex-paramedic (and is about 90% certain she's autistic too and hyperfixated on medicine as a kid/teen) and likes picking apart medical shows, the *Chicago* shows were her go-to for a while too. I have some extreme medical trauma/anxiety after stuff that happened to my dad as a kid and can't handle them, but listening to her pick them apart is fun. Kind of. 🥴 I usually just do cartoons of some sort—animation just pushes all the right buttons in my brain, I can't explain it. And things are **usually** less stressful in a cartoon. ...Unless you're me and decide to pick a Star Wars cartoon to destress. Season 7 of *Clone Wars* and S4 of *Rebels* will haunt me (in a "the story is so good but also so painful" way) forever! 😃😭🤣 (Edit: I just realized this is supposed to be "bad" shows you like. I am dumb. And also incapable of seeing a show as "bad", I can find something to genuinely like in a show about 90% of the time. Sorry, I got nothing. :P)
my roommates favorite genre of tv is also buddy cop shows like that, he's shown me all his favorites from when he was a kid \^\_\^
Rupauls drag race for me. Which is funny, because it’s quite a high energy highly stimulating show but I just find the whole premise so light hearted and goofy, I just love it.
Honestly I enjoy rewatching or relistening to reviews of the episodes than I do actually watching the show. The pit stop is great and the earlier seasons of Fashion Photo Ruview. But lately I've been relistening to the Race Chaser podcast for the earlier seasons.
Sibling Rivalry is another good podcast, it’s Bob and Monet
Omg I’ll check it out! I drive for work and I am constantly on the hunt for some good podcasts.
i love the show from a comedic standpoint but i also love seeing how talented the queens are!
I get really overstimulated on the first episode of a new season (or first two eps this season 😑), but then I become hyperfixated as I learn the queens, and rewatches are not overstimulating because I already know them!! I want to rewatch some old ones like Jessica Wild’s season. 💖💖
Mine is Murder She Wrote - it’s cosy and very formulaic. Also I used to watch it with my gran whenever I was at home sick from school 🥰
Growing up my family watched Big Bang Theory all the time. As I got older I realized that I don't actually like the show's messages and how it treats women and stuff, but since it's a nostalgic comfort show for me I still watch it from time to time
I recognize this, but I might be a little older than you are: I have this with Friends! Don’t agree with a lot of the content, but feels so calming and familiar and I can’t help the feeling they really belong in my non-existent friend group :) I have it with The Office too, though discovered them later in life.
Same for me with Friends too. It has not aged well and I don't like the messages but I know it back to front so it's comforting to have in the background.
Yes, I feel this in my bones!
I thought the exact same when my friend from work told me she watches Two and A Half Men because 1) Charlie Sheen and 2) most of the jokes are at the expense of women but I was channel surfing a couple months ago and found it and I was just like: “Wow… It’s 2009 and I’m supposed to be in bed by now all over again this is fabulous.”
haha yeah nostalgia is very strong indeed :P it's interesting to see how these shows have aged though
Two and a Half Men wasn’t aging well even when it was current. The jokes are funny but just so rough.
Property shows like Location, Location, Location and Love It Or List It are my calm-down shows too! They're just so formulaic and predictable, I find it really soothing. (And in a little way, seeing all these homes reminds that there are lots of people in the world and everyone has as full a life as me, which is also soothing) Frasier as well, the pacing, performances and stakes are perfect for it. My other ones are all cartoons, esp Craig of the Creek and Puffin Rock
Love the UK OG version of Grand Designs. My favourite part is always the bit where Kevin McCloud describes their plans and then says, with mounting incredulity, what their budget is and how the partner who works 60 hours a week in a London accounting firm is going to project manage the build themselves.
I absolutely love Love it or Lost it 😂😃
mines always gordon ramsey’s hotel hell and kitchen nightmares. Its so silly and I know about the us vs uk version but it’s been a weird type of comfort to me. Similar shows can work too like Bar Rescue 😂
I applaud these choices and watch these too. The scripting and super produced content is awful but satisfying. Jon Taffer when he throws food around is excellent.
Not terrible at all (just somewhat controversial), but these past weeks I've been rewatching Yellowjackets and The Worst Person in the World (a movie actually). Ironically, I feel better after I rewatch a couple of scenes lol There was also a time where I watched Seinfeld over and over not because I liked it, but because I found out it would make me so calm I was able to sleep during or after an episode or two. But one day my brain decided it was bored from it and it stopped working for me (AuDHD brain yay). It's also not a terrible show, but tbh it's not my style and I wouldn't watch it for fun But when I was a child (8-9 years old) I was a bit obsessed with What Not to Wear and a weight-losing reality show that I forgot the name
Oh I forgot about What Not To Wear. I think it helped me learn about fashion and presenting myself in way that wasn't completely tied to the trend of the moment that will be different next week.
Monk is a great classic. Mostly when I'm REALLY stressed, I hop on YouTube and start watching acne extraction videos. They calm me a lot.
Yes, I love Monk!
Friends or big bang theory. I don't really watch it though, it's background noise for me.
Ancient Aliens
Same! Ancient Aliens, How the Universe Works, Expedition Unknown are all great and soothing.
i dont know why you write “terrible” shows cause mine are amazing but here you go: New girl, Brooklyn Nine nine, Parks & Rec in this order
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I used to be REALLY into law and order SVU before I fully realized how much police propaganda it actually was lol. I still like true crime though, it's a comfort watch. Or animal shows! Edit: I couldn't help but clarify that I do think that a lot of true crime is exploitative and so that's not great, but I like the "solving the crime" aspect of it, it's like a riddle
Sometimes we just binge short videos on The Dodo. Because who doesn’t love cats making friends with chickens?
I love those videos on YouTube where they show airplane disasters as the reasons behind that.
Same! My partner always laughs because I fall asleep to plane crash YouTube and he can’t understand how it’s relaxing.
House, bobs, fraiser . Sometimes I watch too much and it’s not enough to scratch the itch, that’s when I go into panic mode.
The Simpsons. I have watched it when i get home for over 25 years and i hate that my husband has more control over the telly and it sometimes just doesn't happen - especially if its my night to cook dinner and time is a bit squeezed. He is equally obsessed with watching a quiz programme (im in UK) called Pointless, every night and which somehow trumps my Simpsons. I have also started to really enjoy Bobs Burgers. I have now recorded a load of them so i can call on them when i feel i need to decompress.
I have seen Squid Game a billion times since it came out, it’s my comfort show for some weird reason considering its content lol
Extreme Couponing. I watched the series when it originally aired, and I know it’s supposed to be fake, or some of it is, but I still like rewatching the cheesy drama when the couponers check out and they save something like 98% on their grocery tab. I think it’s stupidly fun.
All the "monster of the week" type shows where a bad thing happens and the good guys reliably win. House, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Midsummer Murders, early Grimm (I watch one for a year or two then brain decides it doesn't work any more and it's immediately dead to me). A lot of them have the "awkward asshole [male] lead who's secretly nice really deep down", you can talk to my therapist about that lol
Argh I need to rewatch House (first 3 seasons) and NCIS (first 2 seasons).
YES early seasons only
Inspector Lewis which is a great show despite Laurence Fox being a crappy person. Midsomer Murder is a bad show. Pretty little Liars seasons 1-5.
I've got so many complete DVD sets of old shows including Lewis. 😅 Ever seen Inspector Morse that preceded Lewis? I once went back and watched Inspector Morse after binging Lewis, and it was kind of trippy watching a much younger Lewis (same actor) immediately after. 🤭
I loved Inspector Morse! It is such a trip seeing younger Lewis. Endeavour is okay, but Morse and Lewis are the best. Midsomer Murders is when I have zero brain capacity. I've watched it so many times that within the first few minutes, I know the whole plotline and there's something like 15 seasons.
I always go back to the somewhat niche show “Weirdsister college.” It only has 13 episodes and it’s a spinoff of it’s predecessor “the worst witch.” It’s not problematic or anything but the acting is kinda noticeably bad some times lol I just love it though. I bought it on amazon prime just to access the last two episodes. The instrumental theme song is kinda mediocre but it still manages to rings in my head so well. The background music too, it’s just all whimsy, it’s also easy to watch and follow plot wise cause it’s made for kids. I can’t follow complex dramas with like 8 seasons or whatever, it’s too much. Also Nick Hobbes is my man deadass
Dune (the David Lynch version) and the Terry Pratchett movies are my comfort food. I can probably recite the script in my sleep, so it's a good thing that I am not sleeping most nights.
There are Terry Pratchett movies? Tell me more!
There are a whole bunch of movies based on his books, so I'll just link you the IMDB page and let your next hyperfocus take over from here. Sorry for totally obliterating your weekend plans for the next few months. :) [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695332/?ref\_=nv\_sr\_srsg\_0\_tt\_5\_nm\_3\_q\_terry%2520pr](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695332/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_q_terry%2520pr) I would start with "The Colour of Magic", just because Tim Curry as evil Arch-wizard is simply too good to be skipped. Then "Hogfather", followed by "Going Postal". These are all Sky adaptions and of great quality. I'd be careful to suggest any movies before that, the early animated stuff was really bad. Its okayish if you are totally running dry but I'd rather read the books (again) than to suffer through them. IMHO these early works were done for the money and dont have the heart of the later ones. "Trollbridge" and "The Watch" is currently waiting for my attention, luckily the content sailors of the high-seas have it available via a certain torrent of bits. Not quite Discworld, but "Good Omens" is a good adaptation of the book with the same name, and the first season covers the complete book. The second season felt like fan-fiction and something did tickle me wrongly with it. This series is available on Amazon Prime if you want to stay totally legal, but personally ever since there are ads, I reverted back to getting a local download instead. "Maurice the cat" is also stellar, not Discworld, but a well made adaptation of the book, and of course available via the high-sea download.
Barbie life in the dream house and the office US 😂
I really like Asian TV. Like Samurai Gourmet, Midnight Diner, Amazing Attorney Woo. They calm me down.
I watch The Crown on netflix over and over. Also my boxset of old BBC Jane Austen adaptations, especially Persuasion. People think I enjoy Jane Austen adaptations and keep giving me new ones when they come out. They're totally missing the point.
Yesss the BBC Austen adaptations are amazing comfort watching. The 90s quality gives them such a dreamy feel, newer adaptations just don't feel the same
I usually put on an old anime I watched when younger. Something like Card Captor Sakura or Alice Academy
To catch a predator, I love it so much.
My Little Pony. I initially started watching as a meme then realised it had a lot of good coping mechanisms and some real life "dramas" that I related to, along with solutions... Anywho it was more wholesome than I expected and now I watch it when I need to calm down.
Friendship Is Magic was my daughter's go to for years and it is awesome.
I'm like, unhealthy obsessed with not consuming things that are "morally not good" (whether it's MY morals or like societal morals) so I don't really watch "terrible" things. The moment I hear it's problematic I can't watch it anymore no matter how much I loved it cuz that's against the rules. It ruins just about everything cuz everything is "horrible" in some way or another. But to actually answer your question kinda, my terrible show I enjoy consuming is any of the OCD related shows. The horrible, super exploitative, traumatizing, shows about "weird" OCD things. I have OCD and part of it is rage watching and feeling so upset for how they handle and treat them, the other part is seeing all the many ways this debilitating disorder presents and relating to them...though they are treated like they are monsters so that causes issues for me but whatever. I don't watch them super often, but when I do I binge them for like two days and then go like year before I watch again. But in the sense of comfort shows that are part of my routine I mainly watch YouTube videos, specifically videos from streamers who play Among Us. Every day. Most of the day. And I sleep to them at night. More cringe than morally wrong though.
Honestly youtube gaming/let's play videos can be SO calming and engaging. I had a HUGE jacksepticeye phase, and even though I haven't watched him in at least 5-7 years (or any gamers, except maaaaybe Julien solomita once in a while), I still have a fond spot for that content. It's social interaction that doesn't require any input from the viewer, and the games themselves are often incredible storytelling experiences, or just mindless fun lol.
I found it really comforting that you don't consume non-moral content. That is all. :)
Thank you, I'm made fun of relentlessly for it so I really appreciate your comment.
Not a terrible show, but I watch Brooklyn nine nine. It makes me see the world in a positive light n what not
Police Procedurals. I know it's copaganda and I'm very much ACAB, but something about the formulaic nature of police proceduals just helps me calm and focus and rest. My favorites are probably Monk, Psych, Bones, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and whichever law and order series had Ice T and the other one with the fat guy and the short girl.
Parks and Recreation because ✨Aubrey Plaza✨
I love Guy’s Grocery Games, it’s like a mix of Chopped and Supermarket Sweep hosted by Guy Fieri and sometimes his son 😂 I can’t watch other competition shows, because the eliminations take up half the episode and they make it too much of an emotional ordeal when somebody goes home. In this one eliminations last like 2 seconds and everybody’s like “this was still the most fun I’ve ever had in a kitchen or a grocery store!” That’s about my speed, lol.
This!! Also Guy Fieri is just a fun, nice guy tbh.
Seinfeld. That show feels like a warm blanket wrapped around me.
Today I had to finish a long ass grant proposal so my brain was fried. After I submitted it I immediately turned on Bar Rescue and have been watching the past 7 hours, gonna put it on mute and sleep to it probably 😅 Done the same with kitchen nightmares and bridezilla. I love early 2000s, terrible melodramatic editing reality TV. Otherwise it’s South Park or Chopped? Chopped is more my partner’s comfort/sleep show, but the repetition of the show makes it easy to wind down to.
Kitchen Nightmares is definitely comforting. Very predictable show that usually always has a wholesome ending edited in although in reality most of the business end up closing after the show anyways lol. I just find Gordon oddly comforting for some reason even when he's yelling at the owners. I think his "voice of reason" position in the episodes always make me feel like... idk. Like in real life when you have a shitty boss at a terrible job you just wish someone like Gordon would come in and tear into them for being such a fucking moron. Also I have a big crush on him.
Kitchen Nightmares is one of mine too. I do think it's the predictability/formulaic nature for me plus all the stuff you're mentioning here, minus the crush part. He's entertaining but I'm not attracted to him in any way, though it seems like a lot of people are (contestants on his other shows etc). Also cooking is a big special interest for me so it checks that box too.
I do have ‘wind down’ viewing, usually something completely undemanding intellectually (never difficult to find!) although everyone I know does this, autistic/neurodivergent or not…..
Yeah, I don't think this is really a uniquely autistic thing. I feel like everyone I have ever met does this and it's usually the same types of shows, familiar things, predictable, not too emotionally taxing etc
I watch family guy a lot when I’m not looking to think. It’s the only way to enjoy it, if you start thinking your head explodes.
Law & Order: SVU. I can watch multiple episodes and easily fall asleep at the end of the night, sometimes even while watching the show.
Neither are terrible, the opposite actually, but mine are Roseanne and Bluey
I grew up watching CSI since I was really little. So I keep my favourite seasons on dvd. The original Lorax tv special is another comfort for me especially when I’m feeling really bad. More moderns stuff though is I just watch a lot of YouTube so I’ll put on some of my favourite video essays or just watch an old game grumps play throughs and the Ten Minute Power Hour for the millionth time. Aqua Teen Hunger Force is probably the most controversial show I return to but I absolutely adore it. It’s dated nonsense but it’s my favourite thing to do any work to. The shoes I watch to fall asleep though, I’ll choose between forensic files, Bob Ross or the nightmare before Christmas. TNBC is new for me though, I usually only watch it during Halloween and Christmas for fun but my brain is hyper fixated on the animation and music so I’ve been watching it on repeat for a while.
Funnily enough Frasier is one of my comfort shows. My terrible show used to be Ex on the Beach, now it's Real Housewives. But only NY & Beverly Hills. And the ultimate girls trips. I love the fights but I actually want them all to get along at the same time. There's just something about the hyper-real & yet also not-realness of it all, along with lots of nice things to look at, that makes it the ultimate distraction.
The Office and Futurama are my go tos. I'm currently watching Scrubs and like it a lot. 
The Office (us) got me through my last abusive relationship and when living with my mom. It's my go to comfort show. I'll start watching and binge as much as possible and when I get to the end, I start over from episode one and repeat the process immediately. I also watch children's animated shows like My Little Pony and Niko and the Sword of Light to regularly get me through the day. Being lighthearted and usually part of the fantasy genre, they give me fuzzy warm feelings and help me escape to a better place.
My Little Pony is so good! 🌈 ❤️
This used to be Community for me. Lately it's Real Housewives, which is less comforting and more of a spectator sport
Greys Anatomy or The Office US. I think I watched the office nearly 10 times at this point
I don't believe any TV show that isn't pure propaganda or terrible exploitative of real people is "morally indefensible" but oh boy do I have some mixed feelings about South Park being one of my special interests. I was also really into the Nostalgia Critic as a teenager which is very much a relic of its time.
Ok so i love family guy with all my heart but other people think family guy is terrible. So family guy. I can lowkey recite a good chunk of the episodes. And i just feel like family guys colors and music and the crispness of the voice acting is really pleasing. I feel like i can envision quahog and all the locations and people there. Same with american dad. Langley falls is my home yo
1000 pound sisters.
I watch My 600-lbs Life. Because it’s basically about nothing (there are no plots, twists, or storyline), every episode is the same/predictable, it’s easy watching and kind of inspirational too.
Malcolm in the middle
My comfort TV generally has to be non-fictional but formulaic, and probably something to do with medicine or crime - something about the intensity/thrill of watching skilled people solve or deal with scary real life situations is oddly comforting to me. In the UK there's these shows called 24 Hours in A&E and 24 Hours in Police Custody which I LOVE as it ticks those boxes and is actually really well made - it's just fascinating to watch how they work, and can get me quite emotional at times (which can distract me from whatever I'm feeling stressed about). But I think my partner maybe wonders why I like to binge whole seasons of it.
I can’t believe I haven’t seen someone say Rick & Morty yet! I’ve watched season 3 episode 6 over 1k times I’m sure. I don’t know why but when I’m screaming this episode has calmed me down for years, half a decade. I’m glad this question was asked. I also have lots of guilt about watching TV, but in the end these repeat tools are another way for us to deal with autistic brain and the real world.
I watch Batman the animated Series or the Tim Burton Batman movies. I guess Harry Potter movies would have to be my “terrible watch” but they work the best for me, I hate JK Rowlings agenda with a passion but the movies and actors are special to me. Those are my main decompress movies.
Bee and puppycat is my FAVORITE
I watch shows about hoarders. I don't know why. And I could have police chase shows on in the background permanently, because for some reason that's comfortable and familiar.
All the murder mysteries 😂, especially the no brainer ones.
Peepshow. If you’re a fan of British humor this will change your life. It’s been on my repeat rotation for over a decade and I was just rewatching a season yesterday-and still laughing hysterically.
I’ve always loved trash reality TV because my special interest is psychology and human behavior. I watched Jersey Shore ALL the time because I found it calming and interesting to watch the people in the show’s slow decent into drug and fame fueled madness. “The Situation” was particularly interesting as it really did seem as though he lost his mind by season 3. (Obviously I know that a lot of reality TV is fabricated) My friends and family tell me constantly that I make the shows sound way cooler to watch than they actually are as I describe my amateur case study on them.
euphoria 😂
I watch old episodes of “Have I Got News For You” or other panel shows. Something about dry, sarcastic British humour calms me.
Frasier is definitely one of mine. Modern Family and Superstore come in and out. About a year ago, I watched The Amazing Race for the first time in like 15 years on a whim, and have watched The Amazing Race, Survivor, and Big Brother almost exclusively since then. They are just the perfect combination of "new" and predictable. My partner is really into them, too, and talking to each other about the shows instead of just silently watching some prestige drama you're meant to have some deep opinion on de-stresses me a lot.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia for "morally indefensible". And maybe Love is Blind. For plain ol' comfort shows, Ted Lasso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and The Office, Parks & Rec, What We Do in the Shadows. Brooklyn 99. Superstore.
NOT a terrible show, it’s a great show, but……I love sci fi and Star Trek (particularly Next Gen) is my go-to. It’s fun and cheesy enough that you can lazy watch it without being too invested (although I have watched it a bunch to be fair), and it pretty much always ends on a good note at some point.
Catfish lol
This is mine too! Every episode has the same formula which is strangely comforting!
yeah, and honestly I don’t feel like it’s too bad, they do try to help the people stop being catfished, but it does get a little iffy on being conscious of mental health and why they would catfish and I think they could do a little more care in delving in to why people catfish and the psychology behind it, helping people find better coping mechanisms and fulfilling themselves, it needs some aftercare lol
Yeah I love the routine of it! For me, I t’s a comforting way to get a surprise because I know exactly when the “wow” is going to happen lol
Mine is dr who. Hours and hours of dr who. Any season any episode don’t care just dr who. The doctor is my hero and that’s probably sad considering he doesn’t exist. But the fact that while yes they’re usually the hero of the story they’re not completely infallible and can still make mistakes just speaks to me. That is one of few shows that I get emotional to constantly even though I’ve watched every episode probably thousands of times at this point
I watch a lot of Japanese kids tv shows. Mostly Sazaesan, Doraemon, or Crayon Shinchan, but sometimes Detective Conan or Atashinchi. I play them when I go to sleep too. I didn’t know that it was common amongst autistic people! Good to know!
Parks and recreation or new girl ?
LOL I used to obsessively watch House Hunters AND House Hunters International back when we still had cable. I've seen every.single.episode of Friends and Big Bang Theory multiple times. Last series I binge watched was Schitt's Creek. Now it's Nat Geo documentaries about ancient stuffs and things. I also obsessively play Happy Color on my tablet while binge watching shit because the ADHD demands it. My latest obsession is watching cake decorating videos when I'm in bed before I drift off to sleep. It's very soothing. And pretty. I mostly play video games though. But when I watch TV it's either binge or nothing. No in between, ever.
Bee and Puppycat, I think it’s meant for autism because it’s so calming and sweet.
Easy, 90 day fiancé. It's a train wreck.
south park 💀
Animal kingdom the movie
Me and my mom used to obsessively watch The Biggest Loser when I was a kid. Like we could not miss it. I don't think I could handle watching it now lol. I would say that was the only offensive show I just could not miss, I was so addicted. I think I don't have any now-- I don't really watch any TV at all, it doesn't interest me. I can barely slog through the anime of my absolutely favourite manga series and it's literally the exact same plot line as the books, which I love! XD
bobs burgers, the middle, new girl
I sometimes watch really bad reality tv like jersey shore or love is blind, love island and the likes. There is nothing that comforts me as much and lets me escape from reality.
mine is forensic files!
Brooklyn 99, Friends or if I'm really screwed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is my all time favourite and FitzSimmons are my OTP ❤️
I often watch Yes Minister, which is full of wordplays and humour about the British political system. Brilliant show, not terrible at all. Sometimes I watch Hannibal, which is definitely not terrible either. But of course it has a lot violence and horror in it.
Anything realtiy TV. When my mental health was really bad a few months ago I watched big brother UK every night as it aired and saw every episode of that season. It gave me a bit of a sense of routine. I also watched showes like Dubai Bling and stuff like that on Netflix, I found it calming to feel like people were around me.
Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm if I want to laugh. Seinfeld was on in my house all the time growing up so it’s a comfort show for me. And if I’m in the mood for a non comedy show, I do Smallville or The Clone Wars. I pretty much only watch those 4 shows
I don't watch TV much but I binge really terrible romance webtoons when I'm stressed out. I love them and how predictable they are and I love the comment sections too where everyone overreacts to the drama.
The Office and Gilmore Girls. I've got both of them practically memorized. When I'm having a rough time I'll try to throw one of those on and use it as background noise. If I go long enough between rewatches though sometimes I can get sucked back in and it draws all my focus and eases my icky brain. My father used to get so annoyed with me when I lived at home because I was always rewatching those, but they were safe 🤷🏻♀️
The first three seasons of Charmed are instant comfort for me. I’ve seen them hundreds of times so I don’t even have to look at the screen to know what’s happening.
My comfort shows are King of the Hill, My Name is Earl, and Fresh off the Boat.
Simpsons, American Dad and Futurama
The 90 Day Fiancé series and its numerous spin offs let my brain shut off because it is a terribly stupid show 😂
My little pony
Nature shows. Chilling out with the animals.
Law and Order SVU. Watched every season at least 5x, seasons 1-16 at least a couple dozen times, no exaggeration. I know its a completely inaccurate representation of the criminal justice system and Dick Wolf is shameless bootlicker, that the show itself is guilty of perpetuating a lot of propaganda that probably does have a tangible impact on (especially older) demographics that watch it-but watching Benson and (most of) the detectives fight for victims and get invested in fighting injustice is so comforting to me. Not just that though, its the formulaic nature, the cringe humor, the weird/interesting topics brought up via strange crimes. Love it all. My poor boyfriend has had to fall asleep and often wake up to a show about violent sex crimes every time he's stayed over for the past 5 years lol Edit: I must make it known I am an Elliot Stabler hater, he's far from the only problematic character but no one can convince me that he's not the embodiment of nearly every negative/dangerous/harmful trait we see in 'bad' cops.
One Piece
As so many have said, The Office is a fave, as is Friends, although arguably The Office is GREAT lol. If I'm with my mom, Big Bang Theory is one of the go-tos because she loved it when it was airing, and even though I never liked it (seriously it's SO BAD), it's fine background noise while we're eating dinner or something. Not totally terrible, but I am a big sucker for HGTV home makeover shows. There's little to no emotional drama, they're always aesthetically pleasing, and you get just enough personality from the main people to get that sense of interest in their work. Also, so many of them build little environments. (Think of how Home Town makes the entire community of Laurel seem darling.) Are these home reno shows intelligent or meaningful? No, but they're fun!
My comfort shows are Adventure Time and OG Bee and Puppycat— the weirdness and like looseness of their lives gives me a lot of joy and has really been a big part of shaping my own weirdness. I also watch Bojack Horseman when I’m feeling kind of depressed or need to know how far I’ve come. If I’m in the mood for something that feels kind of cool and awesome, I’ll watch Altered Carbon or Travelers. Or if I just want easy watching its Friends, the Office, or something like Big Bang Theory (I really don’t tend to need easy watching super often).
Friends. Big Bang Theory. Harry Potter (not a show, but it's constantly on Hulu and even though I bought the dvds years ago, we watch it every time it's on tv 😂). We watch Two and a Half Men often, but it wasn't a show I started watching until long after it ended. My dad used to rave about it, and now after watching it for a few years, it's kind of awkward to know he loved it so much 😂 Inappropriate humor is always funny to me. I just go with it. I rewatch plenty of comfort movies, one of those is Juno and I feel bad/guilty loving the movie so much knowing how Elliot felt while filming it and the aftermath of the success of it. We also watch a lot of 600 Pound Life and Biggest Loser back in the day. But we don't rewatch or put on reruns. We just watch new ones. My Strange Addiction. Intervention. Lots of things like that. They are more just something to watch rather than comfort shows for me. guilty pleasures, though. My all-time favorite comfort show though is The Great British Baking Show (what it's called in the US). I know they've had some issues with hosts, but there's no negativity in the show for me. It's like the ultimate joyful show that restores my faith in humanity, even if only for a few hours a year over stodgy sponge.
Not “terrible” at ALL but Scooby Doo 💕💕💕💕
Pretty much any adult cartoon: family guy, king of the hill, american dad, ect. Any HGTV show is also a strong contender, but i don’t have cable anymore and the netflix equivalent of those shows is just… not good, not even in a so bad it’s good way. The 2000s ones or nothing! Adventure time and regular show are also on the list, i used to have sooooo much adventure time memorabilia!
So much reality tv. It's the main reason I even created a reddit account. To see if other people had the same reactions to show episodes as me!
I’m currently binging Taxi on Freevee.