Watching your favorite show after a crap day can feel like heaven. And while you’ve heard all about how too much screen time can be bad for you, sometimes, it can be just what the (wellness) doctor ordered.
“TV shows can provide a positive emotional experience when we are feeling stressed and just need a break from the overwhelm of the world,” says life coach Jasna Burza. “TV has a unique ability to transport us to different worlds, a sort of escape from the pressures of everyday life. It offers a sense of familiarity, routine, and companionship, especially during challenging times.”
With a plethora of streaming services, we can all find something that we can all seek comfort with. Television showcases the vast range of human emotions. We can indulge in our favorite fandoms for hours, or try to crack a case with the latest legal drama. It’s also a place where we can find ourselves.
To that point, the best type of media for mental health is often the kind where you can reflect on yourself—and validate your experiences, explains psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center. “This is especially true for clients who have past or present trauma, and they can view themselves in the story,” she says. “TV is also a way that people can readily distract themselves from present unpleasantness or uncomfortable life stressors. TV may have the capacity to transport people from their current world to a world beyond their reach and provide brief relief from distress.”
Watching certain types of horror can even, studies show, reduce anxiety. In essence, you’re able to work through feelings by scaring yourself in a safe place. Comedy is also a simple answer to making you feel better. Just even watching a couple minutes of a funny show can be a healthy dose of optimism and get you through your day.
But like everything in life, escapism through content consumption is best done in moderation. “Binge-watching for extended periods can lead to sedentary behavior, sleep deprivation, and decreased social interactions,” Burza confirms. “Setting limits on TV time, incorporating physical activity, and engaging in real-life experiences are crucial for mental and physical well-being.”
If you’re in need of some feel-good shows or ones that’ll definitely get you looking forward to life, here are some titles that could help you through a rough patch.
Teeming with butt jokes and philosophy, The Good Place will make you laugh about and ponder your life choices (in a good way). The show follows a group of four dead people in the afterlife as they try to find out why they were placed in the Good Place, where the world is filled with blissful rewards, and not the Bad Place, where people are tortured for eternity. Each season is easily digestible and ends with the most viral cliffhangers in TV history.
A classic comedy made by the same minds who created The Good Place, Parks and Rec follows the folks down at the Pawnee, Indiana Parks and Recreation Department and their everyday antics. Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Audrey Plaza, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, and the rest of the crew will guarantee laughs in such a wholesome way. It’s definitely the show that sparked the “Treat Yo Self” movement, so why won’t you go ahead and treat yo’self with this show?
Creator and star Quinta Brunson introduces us to the inner workings of a Philadelphia public school in the Emmy Award-winning Abbott Elementary. Her character Janine Teagues is overly optimistic and tries to find a solution to everything that gets in her way. No matter how big or small, she’s up to the challenge. She’s adorably awkward and, along with the band of teachers, is passionate about delivering students the best education no matter the circumstances. It’s refreshing to see someone withstand the odds against her, with a bunch of people who believe in her as well. With the incompetent and funny principal Ava Coleman, each day at Abbott is an adventure awaiting.
Project Manager Ronald Gladden became one of 2023’s most viral small-screen stars because of this social experiment. In this reality show, everyone knows they’re an actor except for one person: Gladden. (Imagine The Truman Show, but real.) You might be thinking, that’s evil! But this reality show is actually quite light-hearted, and—without spoilers—just know that Gladden turns out to be a champ. And, for a lot of fans, restores faith in humanity.
The trials and tribulations of being a Gen Z teenager could not be more real and true than on Never Have I Ever, created by Mindy Kaling. The Netflix original series follows Devi (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and her coming-of-age escapades with lovers, high school drama, and dealing with inner trauma and grief. It’s a colorful insight into family life and at times, helps its audiences reflect on identity politics and their own genuine feelings.
Laughter and…death? Yes, they come together cleverly in this comedy-thriller-mystery starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. The cameos, including Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd, are jam-packed in the third season—and if you think that one suspect is the murderer, all your expectations will go down the elevator. Like the characters, the mystery will keep you guessing.
What happens when your past catches up to you? A twist on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, this horror-thriller series gave me goosebumps when I first watched it. Not just from the spooky happenings that appear on every corner. When the Crain family reunites at their old cursed family home after a tragic loss, their paranormal and supernatural pasts revisit them. The show tackles trauma and familial relationships in a haunting, but digestible way.
Whenever I turn to a pile of junk at the corner of my room, a little Marie Kondo appears in my head to ask me, “Does it spark joy?” It’s the Japanese cleaning expert’s catchphrase, which she asks the people she visits to help determine whether they should keep or toss items gunking up their space. As she goes from home to home, she teaches people her organizational tools—also known as the KonMarie method—to help them in their daily lives. Now, don’t expect yourself to become a mini Marie just by watching. And if throwing things out causes you angst, this show could either be stressful or helpful. But if the strategies speak to you, great. Get decluttering!
K-Dramas have been my family’s niche for quite a while. The cheesy tropes or intense emotions that appear in each episode explore deep feelings that Western shows sometimes don’t show. When I came down with a bad COVID cold, my family and I watched Hometown Cha Cha Cha together in quarantine, and, reminded me about the joys of community bonding. A dentist from the city moves to a coastal town and teams up with the town’s do-it-all handyman. Together, they help the citizens with little tasks and even find themselves in a wholesome romance. The show reminded me to romanticize my life just a little bit, and that fate can land us in the most unexpected circumstances.
