11 Comforting Shows To Binge When You Need To Escape Reality For A Moment

These shows never fail to cheer me up.

Getty Images

I love me some prestige TV, but when the world feels like it's going to shit, I want my entertainment to be...well, entertaining. Actually, not just entertaining, but comforting. I gravitate towards stories that make me feel like I'm slipping into a warm bath, or receiving a hug from a friend. If you're anything like me, and are craving TV that makes you feel good – if only for 25 minutes – then here's a list of shows I recommend.

1. Lovesick

Netflix

Originally called Scrotal Recall, the set-up for this romantic comedy sees Dylan (Johnny Flynn) learning he has chlamydia and going on a journey to inform all his ex-girlfriends and hook-ups, since he doesn't know when he contracted it. What follows is a non-linear narrative about friendship and finding love that is much sweeter and more heartfelt than the premise suggests.

Bingeability: Three seasons of between six and eight episodes. Each episode is less than 30 minutes long.

2. Good Girls

NBC

Good Girls is about three suburban mothers who all desperately need money for various reasons. They decide to rob a supermarket, and accidentally stumble into a money laundering operation. It's absolutely hilarious and also incredible moving at times, with great material allowing the stellar cast (Retta! Christina Hendricks! Mae Whitman!) to shine.

Bingeability: One season of 10 episodes that are each about 45 minutes long. Season 2 is currently in production.

3. Chewing Gum

Netflix

The brilliant Michaela Coel both writes and stars in Chewing Gum, a comedy about twentysomething Tracey, who is awkward and weird and totally endearing. Her quests to lose her virginity, find love and live her best life make for some truly wild and laugh-out-loud situations.

Bingeability: Two seasons of six episodes which run for around 25 minutes each.

4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The CW

Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom, also co-creator) is a successful lawyer who has a breakdown and follows her teen crush Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) to his hometown in a desperate attempt to find happiness. Through brilliant characterisation and hilarious musical numbers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend explores topics like mental health, female friendship and sexuality in a really smart and engaging way.

Bingeability: Three seasons of 13-18 episodes, which are each around 40 minutes long. The fourth and final season will premiere in October 2018.

5. Baby Ballroom

Netflix

Full disclosure: British reality TV is one of my favourite things in the world. It's usually much warmer and less mean than its American counterpart – and Baby Ballroom is the perfect example of this. It follows the students and teachers of Zig Zag Dance Academy as they prepare for various ballroom competitions. It's equal parts ridiculous and adorable – and just all-round delightful.

Bingeability: Two seasons – one of eight episodes, another of seven episodes, that are around 40-45 minutes each.

6. Jane the Virgin

The CW

If you haven't yet watched Jane the Virgin, now is the time to get on it. As the name suggests, it's about a woman called Jane (Gina Rodriguez) who is a virgin – and who accidentally gets artificially inseminated and becomes pregnant to her boss. Yes, it's as absurd as it sounds – the series is based on a Venezuelan telenovela, after all – but it's also completely heartfelt and tender.

Bingeability: Four seasons of 17-22 episodes, each with a runtime of around 42 minutes. The fifth and final season will air in 2019.

7. Imposters

Bravo

Ezra Bloom (Rob Heaps) discovers his new wife is actually a con artist when she abandons him after stealing all his money. When he meets two of her other victims, he teams up with them to find her and exact revenge. Their plans don't exactly go smoothly, resulting in many funny hijinks. But it's the friendship that develops between the three leads that forms the heart of this series, and what makes it so appealing.

Bingeability: Two seasons of 10 episodes, each running to about 42 minutes.

8. Younger

TV Land

Created by Darren Star, Younger follows Liza (Sutton Foster) as she lies about her age in order to get a job in the publishing industry. A lot of the jokes revolve around the fortysomething character pretending to be a millennial, but the most compelling parts of the show are Liza's friendships with other women and, of course, the love triangle she finds herself in.

Bingeability: Five seasons of 12 episodes that are each 20-25 minutes long. Season 6 will drop in 2019.

9. Nailed It!

Netflix

Do you find cake fails endlessly entertaining? Then you will love Nailed It!, which is basically a Pinterest baking fails board come to life. Amateur bakers try to recreate professional confections in a limited time period. They're deliberately set up to fail, and oh boy, do they deliver – but crucially, everyone is in on the joke, so the show avoids being cruel. Instead, it's just fun and easy viewing.

Bingeability: Two seasons, one of six episodes and one of seven episodes, each about 35 minutes long.

10. Upper Middle Bogan

ABC

This Aussie comedy focuses on uptight inner city doctor Bess (Annie Maynard) who discovers she was adopted. When she meets her biological family, she's shocked to discover they're, well, bogans (for the non-Australians – think rednecks/white trash). The humour is, for the most part, quite affectionate, with Bess and her snobby relatives frequently portrayed as just as ridiculous (if not moreso) than their newfound bogan loved ones.

Bingeability: Three seasons of eight episodes that run between 26-28 minutes.

11. Queer Eye

Netflix

If you're one of those people who hasn't gotten around to watching the new Queer Eye yet – first of all, what are you waiting for? And second of all, GO DO IT NOW. You will laugh, you will cry, you will fall in love with five gay men and you will cry even more. It's heartwarming and lovely and everything that is good in the world.

Bingeability: Two seasons of eight episodes (plus one special), which each range between 43-51 minutes long. Season 3 is currently in production.

What shows are your comfort watches? Share your recommendations in the comments below, or @ me on Twitter or Facebook.