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After a hard day, week, or even a year, sometimes all you need to do is stick your eyes into your laptop screen and spend the entire night laughing, snorting, and crying over a comforting TV series or a feel-good film and teleport yourself into the fictional world where your everyday worries and issues don’t exist or matter.
Thankfully, Netflix is filled to the brim with heartwarming TV shows that envelop you like a hug whenever you want to abandon all your duties and tasks and just binge a show with ice cream, popcorn, or takeout to keep you company. There’s no shortage of these comforting shows that viewers can choose from at any given time.
25
‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ (2023–)
Based on Ali Novak’s eponymous novel, My Life with the Walter Boys centers on the recently orphaned 15-year-old Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), who loses her entire family in a tragic accident and is forced to leave Manhattan and relocate to Colorado to live on a ranch with her mother’s best friend, Katherine Walter (Sarah Rafferty), her husband George (Marc Blucas), and their ten children. While she processes her loss and grieving, Jackie also develops a strong friendship with two of the Walter brothers, the reliable, nerdy Alex (Ashby Gentry) and the troubled Cole (Noah Lalonde).
With themes of grief, loss, and resilience, My Life with the Walter Boys makes for a wholesome, feel-good show about self-discovery and finding comfort and hope in friendships. As Jackie learns to fit herself within her new family and adapt to their charming community, the narrative also emphasizes her emotional challenges and the joys of newfound friendships.
24
‘XO Kitty’ (2023–)
A spin-off of the To All the Boys film series, created by Jenny Han, who also penned the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before novel trilogy, XO Kitty marks the first Netflix series based on a Netflix original film. XO Kitty follows the titular protagonist, Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart), the youngest of the Covey sisters (from the films), who leaves her home in Portland, Oregon, and sets off to attend the Korean Independent School of Seoul, reuniting with her long-distance boyfriend, Dae (Minyeong Choi).
A hearty mix of fun characters and a sweet underlying plot, XO Kitty is an adorable yet underrated coming-of-age series where Kitty embarks on a quest to find true love and find herself in a new place among new friends. Like the films, the spin-off series also offers comforting, feel-good moments, nicely balancing a fairytale-like love story with plot twists and turns and adolescent drama.
23
‘Virgin River’ (2019–)
Adapted from Robyn Carr’s novel of the same name, Virgin River follows the journey of Melinda “Mel” Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), a nurse who moves from Los Angeles to the titular town in Northern California to leave her past behind and start afresh. As Mel begins a new life in Virgin River, among new people, she realizes that the new town is different than what she had imagined and holds many surprises in store for her. Treading through the good, bad, and emotional, Mel learns to rediscover herself, and her stance on love and life, carving her own niche within the close-knit community of the river town.
A romantic drama from the creator of Good Witch, every season of Virgin River is similarly comforting, exploring interesting characters in a quaint small town. The Netflix original romance drama has been critically acclaimed for its emotionally and visually gratifying narrative, scenic settings, and the romanticism of life that would instantly lift your spirits.
22
‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000–2007)
Regarded as one of the best TV dramas of all time, Gilmore Girls follows the journeys of single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and her intellectual teen daughter, Rory, who steer through the ups and downs of family, love life, and ambitions, in the charming town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as the titular protagonists, the series explores the mother-daughter relationship from a unique and heartfelt perspective.
Gilmore Girls was widely acclaimed and became one of the most popular comedy shows of the 2000s, evolving as a cult classic in the genre. The comedy-drama has been praised for its distinct narrative style and compelling cast performances, especially that of Graham. Even though the series depicts a romanticized view of the classic small-town life, Gilmore Girls never loses its depth when dealing with strong themes like family, single motherhood, teenage pregnancy, and the complexities of teenage romance.
21
‘Survival of the Thickest’ (2023 –)
Based on actor-comedian-producer Michelle Buteau’s autobiographical essay of the same name, Survival of the Thickest narrates the story of a 38-year-old plus-size fashion stylist, Mavis (Buteau), whose life turns upside down after a breakup. When she discovers her supportive, long-term fashion photographer boyfriend and business partner, Jacques, is cheating on her, Mavis sets out on her own to fulfill her dream of becoming a lead stylist, with the help of her friends and family, a little bit of lip gloss, and a big body-positive attitude.
From Buteau’s charming on-screen persona and incredible comedy delivery to a highly inspiring narrative on body positivity, Survival of the Thickest is a cozy slice-of-life comedy with relatable characters. While humorous, the series never forgets where its true essence lies. Mavis’s struggles as she sets out to build her life on her own terms can make you emotional, and her outlook on life can make you laugh in the same breath.
20
‘Kim’s Convenience’ (2016–2021)
It’s TV’s favorite Korean-Canadian family in Kim’s Convenience. Set in the urban landscape of Toronto’s Moss Park neighborhood, Mr. Sang-il Kim (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Mrs. Yong-mi Kim (Jean Yoon), a.k.a. “Appa” and “Umma”, run a quaint little convenience store by the corner of a busy street, where they greet customers from all walks of life. As first-generation immigrants, their endearing lack of generational/cross-cultural knowledge sometimes puts them in hilariously awkward situations. From giving the memorable “gay discount” to not offering tips to service workers, despite having settled in Canada for quite a while, the two still have a lot to learn.
A show that strives for Asian-American representation, Kim’s Convenience injects Korean cultural references while keeping it fun and fresh, such as Appa demonstrating Hapkido and certain superstitions in Korean culture (e.g. writing your name in red ink is only for the deceased). But what makes Kim’s Convenience endearing is how, like most people of older generations, Appa and Umma genuinely want to keep up with the modern times. With two Canadian-born children, the estranged son Jung Kim (Simu Liu) and artsy photography student Janet Kim (Andrea Bang), there are bound to be clashes along the way. But at the end of the day, they all learn to forgive each other and are willing to learn from their mistakes. – Dyah Ayu Larasati
19
‘Dash & Lily’ (2020)
As bright and cheery as Christmas lights, Dash & Lily is a holiday teen rom-com based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn‘s book Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. The Netflix series follows the budding romance between two New York teens, Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis). Although they’ve never met, they keep fortuitously trading a notebook back and forth, sending each other on dares around the city during Christmastime.
The holiday season doubles the magic of this whimsical tale of two teenagers discovering themselves and their love for each other, though it’s still fun to watch during any other time of the year. With the power to lighten up the grumpiest Grinch with the coldest and smallest of hearts, Dash & Lily is the secret to feel-good shows on Netflix.
18
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015–2020)
After being freed from being held captive by a doomsday cult leader for 15 years, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) is left with a large sum of money and her entire life to figure out. Instead of going back to her Bunker Memories in Indiana, she decides to stay in New York City. When a penny-pinching, in-need-of-a-roommate Broadway actor, Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), takes her in and teaches her necessary life skills, the sky’s the limit for Kimmy.
Produced by Robert Carlock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt clings to 30 Rock‘s goofy sense of humor and drops the cynicism. Kimmy emerges as one of television’s most likable characters yet, as she goes through each day with infectious optimism and a unique curiosity that inspires viewers to embrace similar traits in themselves.
17
‘Firefly Lane’ (2021–2023)
Based on the eponymous novel by Kristin Hannah, Firefly Lane, follows two childhood friends and their lifelong friendship. Starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalk, Firefly Lane focuses on Tully Hart (Heigl) and Kate Mularkey (Chalke), and their friendship for over three decades as they navigate the ups and downs in various aspects of their lives. A series focuses on the two women and their friendship, which progresses and evolves through college life, marriage, parenthood, and midlife crisis, joining the list of similar shows about female friendships that will warm your heart.
The drama series has been well-received by fans and critics alike and has been praised for touching upon important issues like addiction, ageism, and sexual abuse. Firefly Lane is a touching, emotional, and understated portrayal of female friendships, and addresses several realistic topics. With only two seasons, it is a short and sweet series with strong narrative and powerful characterizations, portrayed brilliantly by Heigl and Chalke.
Jerry Seinfeld developed, directed, and hosted the online series and wholly unique talk show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Each episode shows Seinfeld driving about in a different classic car, picking up a fellow comedian, and then going out for coffee and chatting. What do they talk about? Everything and nothing. It all depends on who the lucky guest is.
With its innovative premise and engaging and hilarious host, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is a wonderful gem of a show. From Tina Fey to Barack Obama, the show has featured a number of the industry’s funniest and most intriguing personalities. The series, now streaming on Netflix, will have viewers laughing out loud and enjoying Seinfeld’s interaction with his guests. What’s not to love about a great combination of comedy, cars, and coffee?
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