8 underrated comfort TV shows to cozy up with this winter instead of ‘Friends’ reruns
OK, so you love watching “Friends” reruns all winter long. Maybe it provides comfort when the sun sets at 4:30 p.m. and it is too cold to justify spending any time outside. That’s fair. But maybe it is time to mix things up. Try a new comfort show — one you might even end up liking better.
Here are eight underrated comfort TV shows to cozy up with this winter.
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1. ‘Happy Endings’
At the core of this tight-knit friend group are Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave (Zachary Knighton). When Alex leaves Dave at the altar, the group’s dynamic is threatened — but Alex and Dave find value in staying friends. The group of six stick together in Chicago as they lose jobs, find love and learn the ropes of adulthood.
Where to watch: Hulu.
Rating: TV-14.
2. ‘Felicity’
Felicity Porter’s (Keri Russell) dad has made every major life decision for her — until she bails on her plans for Stanford and follows her high school crush, Ben Covington (Scott Speedman), to New York City. Finally free from the grips of her parents, Felicity has space to discover who she is and what her dreams are.
Where to watch: Hulu.
Rating: TV-14.
3. ‘Dash & Lily’
New York City teenagers Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) have almost nothing in common. Lily is a sheltered, Christmas-loving optimist. Dash is a jaded, antisocial grinch. But the pair connect when Dash discovers a red notebook hidden by Lily at a bookstore. They pass the notebook back and forth, filling its pages with dreams, dares and clues about who they are.
Where to watch: Netflix.
Rating: TV-14.
4. ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’
Amateur potters and ceramicists put their skills to the test in friendly ceramics competition. Contestants create a wide array of pieces — teapots, basins, chandeliers — and get sized up by the judges. Only the best will take home the title.
Where to watch: Max.
Rating: TV-PG.
5. ‘Never Have I Ever’
Desperate for a “normal” high school experience, first-generation Indian American teenager Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) spends her sophomore year attempting to rise through the social ranks, find a handsome boyfriend and navigate typical teenage drama.
Where to watch: Netflix.
Rating: TV-14.
6. ‘Monk’
When his wife’s murder case turns cold, Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) develops severe obsessive-compulsive disorder — he is terrified of germs, contamination and things being out of order. Though his condition costs Monk his job as a detective at the San Francisco Police Department, he harnesses his OCD to improve his detective skills and continues to solve crimes.
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Where to watch: Peacock, Amazon Prime.
Rating: TV-PG.
7. ‘Clarkson’s Farm’
English journalist Jeremy Clarkson knows nothing about farming. Despite his lack of skill, Jeremy buys a 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds and battles rough weather, unruly farm animals, crops that won’t grow and a pandemic.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime.
Rating: TV-PG.
8. ‘Pushing Daisies’
Ned (Lee Pace) is a pastry chef with a hidden talent. He can raise the dead. With just a single touch, Ned can bring people back to life — a power he uses to solve murder mysteries.
There’s only one complication: The moment Ned touches someone for a second time, they go back to being dead. When Ned resurrects his childhood sweetheart (Anna Friel), he knows he can never touch her again.
Where to watch: Max.
Rating: TV-PG.
