My favorite comfort shows, ranked

When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love television, sometimes to an unhealthy degree. We hit a rough patch last year, but we’ve been slowly rekindling our connection. It helps that some truly amazing series came out recently.

Paradise. The Pitt. The Studio.

As shiny as these new titles are, the best kind of media consumption, for me, has always been rewatching.

If I fall for a TV show, I fly through it. My enthusiasm makes me inhale it and often prevents me from appreciating the smaller stuff. The character beats, the set design, the recurring jokes. They become jumbled as I speed to the finish line. Rewatching ensures I slow down and process the details. It’s why I only tend to call a show a favorite after I’ve seen it at least two times.

On a similar note, the more I rewatch, the more I associate said show with comfort. I get attached to the characters, and knowing what happens eases my anxiety and allows me to enjoy the ride. Predictability soothes my brain.

I’m guessing it’s the same for most of us. It’s why the term “comfort show” has become a thing. While everyone’s definition of comfort varies, I would argue that there are a few things popular comfort shows like The Office or Friends have in common.

You enjoy hanging out with the characters. You don’t have to focus too hard to follow along. They give you a sense of nostalgia. They make you laugh. Alternatively, they make you feel seen by speaking directly to your soul.

My rewatches largely depend on mood. For instance, I’m currently spending my evenings with House M.D. because I’m disillusioned after the lead-up to the Romanian elections and drawn to the main character’s cynical worldview. If I feel good or long for romance, I stream New Girl. If I want something to run in the background as I scroll TikTok, I put on Criminal Minds.

I’m fond of all of my (many) comfort series. Yet, 10 of them reign supreme.

I resort to them when the situation is dire. When I’m struggling or overwhelmed. I’ve seen them so many times I’ve lost count. Today, I’m ranking them based on how warm and fuzzy they make me feel inside.

It’s been a tough few weeks. I need this.

10. The Big Bang Theory

Is The Big Bang Theory good? I go back and forth. At times, it’s quite sexist. Some of the humor aged badly. Later seasons can be frustrating, writing-wise.

Turns out, I don’t care much.

I used to watch this show when it was on the air, week to week. I spent my entire 20s with these characters. It’s consistently funny, even as it loses steam towards the end. More importantly, I have a soft spot for Sheldon. Jim Parsons did wonders with the role.

Even now, The Big Bang Theory makes me laugh. I rewatch it anytime I have a lot on my plate and want to turn off my brain after hours. It’s like a welcome escape into the past.

Favorite episode: The Loobenfeld Decay (Season 1, episode 10)

9. Ted Lasso

The most recent and shortest series on the list.

Ted Lasso is warm, optimistic, hopeful, wholesome. Everything I wanted to make fun of when I finally gave in to the hype. Instead, I was won over by the show’s earnestness. It’s hilarious without being cruel, and it celebrates emotional vulnerability. I’m secretly a marshmallow at heart.

The characters grew on me to the point that the sheer sight of someone tearing up a sign made me irrationally angry. That’s great writing. I rewatch it any time I need my faith in humanity restored. Excited it’s coming back.

Favorite episode: Make Rebecca Great Again (Season 1, episode 7)

8. Friends

I’m a millennial. I love Friends. I can quote entire scenes from memory. And I honestly don’t know what I could say about the show that hasn’t been said before. Perhaps only that Ross gets way too much hate. Sorry.

I rewatch it when I feel like my brain needs a factory reset. Don’t quote me on this, but it’s probably more soothing than a lobotomy.

Favorite episode: The One Where No One’s Ready (Season 3, episode 2)

7. Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley mocks tech culture. Given that tech has taken over our lives to such a staggering degree, I find that comforting.

It’s also incredibly funny, usually in a dry way that appeals to me. Plus, it highlights how one might start a company with good intentions, only to slowly get corrupted by ego and the pressure to disrupt.

Ending the show in 2019 was the right call. Fast-forward to 2025, and satirizing tech bros feels redundant. They do an excellent job of looking ridiculous all on their own.

I rewatch Silicon Valley exactly once per year, usually during summer when the heat becomes unbearable. Laughing out loud is an effective distraction from the end of the world.

Favorite episode: Two Days of the Condor (Season 2, episode 10)

6. Sex and the City

Substack’s go-to TV show makes my comfort list. Again, I’m a millennial. Don’t act surprised.

Sex and the City is just as influential as The Sopranos. I will die on this hill. With time, I think people forgot just how revolutionary it was. Seeing it as a teen helped me picture a different life for myself, one that doesn’t follow the traditional path. And while the show might have sex in the title, it’s primarily about friendship and the relationship you have with yourself.

I still love it, and I rewatch it whenever I lose my spark and must relearn how to act like the main character. Carrie might be occasionally insufferable, but she’s great at reminding you that it’s okay to want what you want. Even when what you want doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

Favorite episode: The Real Me (Season 4, episode 2)

5. Fringe

While I dig a good plot, I’m a character girlie. The ones populating this show have settled deep into my heart. Walter especially.

They’re flawed and make dumb decisions and have regrets and express their love awkwardly. In a show that embraces ambitious sci-fi concepts, their humanity is what pushes the narrative forward.

I also appreciate how Fringe explores identity in emotional and philosophical ways. I rewatch it whenever living with myself starts to feel like a burden. It’s so well-crafted that it gets me out of the funk.

Favorite episode: Peter (Season 2, episode 16)

4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

When Brooklyn Nine-Nine was first making waves, I was busy rolling my eyes. Not another show about cops, ugh. After I streamed my first episode, however, I was a goner. Again, because of the characters. It’s a recurring theme.

The jokes are plentiful and rarely mean-spirited. The show has a lot of heart, and the found family vibes make you feel like part of the ensemble. The chemistry between the cast is insane.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is sweet but not corny. It also features my favorite fictional couple of all time, Jake and Amy. Their relationship is goals in every way I could think of. I don’t need a particular reason to rewatch this, but I usually do it when I want to feel less alone.

Favorite episode: HalloVeen (Season 5, episode 4)

3. The West Wing

My favorite show. It ranks only third when it comes to comfort because of the contrast between the presidential administration in the series and what’s been increasingly happening in real life. That discrepancy is infuriating.

(Also, just because I don’t find a show comforting doesn’t mean it’s not on my best list. BoJack Horseman is my second favorite, but watching it is like getting one long hard kick in the urethra. In a good way!)

The West Wing is smart, and the characters are trying their best. They work together for the greater good. I adore Bartlet, even when he fumbles. Told you I’m a softie, my temporary cynical outlook be damned.

I rewatch The West Wing when I need a reminder that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.

Favorite episode: Celestial Navigation (Season 1, episode 15)

2. Elementary

Crime procedurals are the pinnacle of comfort. In my eyes, this one is the best. It’s the perfect show to fall asleep to. I realize that may not seem like a huge selling point on the show’s quality, so let me emphasize: Elementary is very good.

The cases are intriguing and go in unexpected directions. I love the set design and often find myself admiring the décor when characters visit crime scenes. Above all, the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson is what makes the show stand out. They evolve from reluctant roommates to friends/partners to family.

Romance is never on the table. They understand and respect each other. They show up for each other. Their bond is heartwarming and admirable. I’m in awe. I rewatch Elementary every couple of years, when I begin to miss them.

Favorite episode: Heroine (Season 1, episode 24)

1. Supernatural

A show filled with demons, apocalypses, and death tops my comfort list. Figures.

I’m never not watching Supernatural. Not really. I haven’t seen an episode in months, but HBO Max tells me I’m on season 10. That’s usually when I start it over from the beginning. Seasons 1 to 5 are the best.

I watch it in between other media. When I’m sad. Happy. Bored. Whatever. It’s due to the core relationship. The bickering, sacrificing, brotherly love.

That’s not all. The meta episodes are irresistible. Most of the side characters compelling. The way in which the writers adapt religious concepts/storylines to modern times inventive. Jensen Ackles is the hottest man alive. I’m old enough that no fresh internet boyfriend will change that.

The show is far from perfect. It was initially marketed toward a male demographic with its horror elements, only to end up with a predominantly female fanbase. Yet, the writers regularly lost track of that fact and tried to “fix” it by making Dean overly alpha. Or by ignoring his obvious chemistry with Cass. I find that amusing.

Similarly, the narrative becomes repetitive. In later seasons, the antagonists are outrageous, and the stakes so insane it’s difficult to take the show seriously.

That’s fine. Supernatural doesn’t take itself seriously either. We got a crossover with Scooby-Doo. It’s part of the charm.

Play Carry On Wayward Son in public, and I’ll act like a sleeper agent who just got activated. I’m in the family business for life.

Favorite episode: The Monster at the End of This Book (Season 4, episode 18)

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What is your ultimate comfort show? And how do you decide when it’s time for a rewatch? I find this type of insight fascinating. Let me know.

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I got this post idea from Soph. Featured photo by MART PRODUCTION. Show pics from official social media accounts.