Positive, Positively Binge-Worthy Series
/Series? Serieses? I have no idea how to pluralize that word. Anyhoodles, if you’re like me, maybe you need some fun, fluffy, and/or fantastical entertainment to lift your spirits. I know I can’t consume anything dark right now, so here’s a list of what to watch and where to find it.
To Share With the Kiddos^
The Dragon Prince ~ I will never not recommend The Dragon Prince. This is one of Netflix’s original series and I LOVE IT! TDP takes a good, hard look at everything traditionally wrong with the fantasy genre (as well as most genres in general) and throws it out the window! You want representation, it’s got representation! You want cleverly written humor, TDP has you covered! Fantasy adventure, complex characters, pop culture references, it’s got it all!
Only available on Netflix.
My Little Pony ~ Confession, I am thirty-mumble years old and I still watch My Little Pony and it is awesome! Fight me. Specifically, I’m referring to the Friendship is Magic iteration here. It’s just sweet, wholesome entertainment and, honestly, I think if we all acted like Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the world would be a much better place.
Available pretty much everywhere, and everything but the movie is available on Netflix.
Ever After High ~ I guess this show is based on a line of dolls or something? I don’t know, but I enjoy seeing modern interpretations of classic monsters and fairytale creatures and whatnot. Pretty typical adventures and hijinks and high school drama, but basically enjoyable.
Only available on Netflix.
Hilda ~ Hilda is another Netflix show that has captured my heart. Hilda is brave, curious, and kind, and her adventures stem from Scandinavian folklore, which is really interesting and not an area of mythology that’s covered as much as, say, British or Western European folklore.
Only available on Netflix.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power ~ Where my fellow 80s kids at? Remember She-Ra in all its 80’s animation glory. Netflix has improved on it. {Gasp!} This new version of She-Ra is inclusive and complex and I love it! It even pays tribute to its original version in an episode or two.
Only available on Netflix^^.
Voltron ~ And speaking of resurrected 80s shows, there’s a new version of Voltron on offer too. This one doesn’t resonate with me as strongly because I was never really into Voltron, but I really enjoyed making my way through the series.
Only available on Netflix.
^Look, different parents approve of different stuff for different ages, okay? Just because my sister, mum of three, let’s her kiddos of varying ages watch something doesn’t mean someone else would do the same. Use your discretion as a parent. I’m just trying to help here.
^^Yes, most of what I’m recommend are Netflix-exclusive, but honestly, it’s the dozen or so bucks a month. I consume more Netflix content than anything else, and they put out really good stuff. If you don’t have an account and feel like you can’t afford it, ask around with your friends. Everyone I know shares their login with others.
More Grown-Up Stuff^^^
^^^Some of this is totally fine for younger viewers, and I’ve listed these in descending order of “cleanness” or “safeness” so to speak (I dislike both those descriptors but don’t know what else to use), but it also might bore the younger kiddos.
Bob Ross ~ Bob Ross is a treasure. If you don’t think watching a man paint for an hour can be soothing AF, then you need to sit yourself down and watch this wonderful human being at work. That is all.
Available pretty much everywhere, but there are a ton of episodes on Netflix.
The Great British Bake-Off ~ Or as it’s known in the US due to copyright reasons, The Great British Baking Show. And I’m definitely not talking about the American version. Only the British version will do in my house! Right, that said, this show is pure! It’s lovely and yummy and great inspiration for baking in your own home.
Available everywhere.
Queer Eye ~ Fun fact, I don’t like makeover shows. Never have, which is why I avoided this show for years. Until my bestie was like, “Look, you need to watch it. It’s all positivity and love and rainbows. Right up your street.” Or something to that effect. Anyway, we watched a couple together and winner, winner, chicken dinner! I loved it! Yes, they do makeover someone in each episode, but it’s not in a “we’re judging you and your lame clothes kind of way”. Rather, the Five are really encouraging and get to know their subjects and they build the “makeover” around each subject’s personality and life and needs and it’s really lovely. And that’s really strong praise coming from a makeover show hater like me.
Only available on Netflix.
Round Planet ~ Who wants to learn and laugh at the same time? Round Planet is a nature documentary that makes fun of nature documentaries. It’s like Planet Earth meets MST3K. And speaking of MST3K…
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 ~ Both the original and the new version of this classic riff show is great, though the old one is a touch problematic at times. My favorite episode of the old one, though, is the Werewolf one. That’s the name of the film—Werewolf. Super creative there, guys. In the new one, there’s a gem called Starcrash, which was meant to compete with Star Wars and has a bit part for David Hasselhoff.
The new version is only available on Netflix, but you can find the old ones everywhere.
Brooklyn 99 ~ By far my current favorite TV show. I don’t really like Andy Samberg and so gave this one a miss until, once again, the bestie steered me right. It’s hilarious, inclusive, and thoughtful.
Available everywhere.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ~ Sing it with me, females are strong as hell! This is a silly, delightful show that deals with some tough issues without getting too dark.
Available everywhere.
Parks and Recreation ~ Give this show until about episode six to find its legs and then you’re off! It has that sort of lovely small-town charm, but also gets into the hilarity of small-town drama. It also has great characters, though I blame Rob Lowe for popularlizing using the word “literally” in every sentence.
Available everywhere.
One Day at a Time ~ This is apparently a remake of an older show, but it passed me by, so I didn’t get any of the references to the original. Still, the writing is clever and funny and, again, it deals with some tough issues—including but not limited to PTSD, depression, anxiety, family pressure, LGBTQ+ issues, veterans’ issues, and substance abuse—with a deft hand and a great blend of humor. Highly recommend.
Only available on Netflix.
Psych ~ Quite possibly my favorite sitcom of all time. I loves me a murder mystery and humor, so this is perfect for me. Gus and Shawn make such an amazing team and there are some amazing one-liners. And keep an eye out for pineapples. There’s one in every episode.
Available everywhere.
The Grand Tour ~ The infamous offshoot of the first twenty or so seasons of BBC’s Top Gear (also totally binge-worthy), or as I call it, Three Older Dudes Who Really Like Cars Get into Shenanigans. TGT is basically the same show as what May, Hammond, and Clarkson were doing before. I honestly don’t know how they haven’t gotten arrested.
Only available from Amazon Prime.
That’s it. That’s the whole show (Black Books). And it’s glorious.
The IT Crowd ~ The show for all of us nerds! Basically, two IT support staff, their boss who knows nothing about IT, and her boss who knows… well, nothing. If you’ve ever dealt with the internet, computers, or IT support, you will relate to this show.
Available everywhere, but I watched the whole thing on Netflix.
Black Books ~ This is an old BBC show I ran across on Netflix and I adore it. Basically, it starts out with a possibly-insane, usually-drunk, poorly functioning bookshop owner by the name of Bernard Black trying everything humanly possible to avoid doing his taxes—I feel you Bernard. The situations are totally unrealistic, as are the characters, and I don’t care. It’s hilarious and silly and ridiculous and highly rewatchable.
Available everywhere, but I watched the whole thing on Netflix.
Schitt’s Creek ~ Yet another show the bestie turned me onto. A super rich family loses everything and moves to a small town called Schitt’s Creek, which is everything you might imagine. The humor is by turns sharp and awkward, but it’s also sweet as they all learn to become real human beings (without losing what makes them hilarious). Also, I love Dan Levy aka David.
Available everywhere.
Bonus…
For funny audio sitcoms, I turn every time to Cabin Pressure, written by the incredibly talented John Finnemore. I’ve listened through this series about seven times and still laugh every time. Featuring the voice talents of Benedict Cumberbatch, Roger Allam, Stephanie Cole, and John Finnemore himself. Plus others like Anthony Head (Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
If you’re looking for some funny short stories, how about some PG Wodehouse? The stories are charming, funny, sarcastic, and delightful. Hikinks abound, and it’s got a similar vibe to PG Wodehouse. There are a ton of short stories out there, but The World of Jeeves has a ton of them. And even the forward, written by Wodehouse himself, is worth reading.
If you’re okay with some heavier stuff, I recommend Fleabag on Amazon Prime. I think the second season is better than the first, but the first is really good too. Fair warning, this show deals with grief. A lot of grief. And bad decisions because of it.
Hopefully, these shows lift your spirits and put some laughter into your life. Thanks for reading!
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