‘I’ve watched the show over 60 times’: Your favorite comfort TV | television

Toast of London

I truly believe that Toast of London is Matt Berry’s best work. He’s hilarious. The plots are silly and the cameos are often left field but they work well and have a lot of great gags that don’t make sense. It’s a prime example of a sitcom with an unlikable protagonist that you can’t help but root for anyway. I must have watched it from start to finish at least 15 times. Every friendship and relationship in my life eventually comes to a crossroads: Will they like my toast or not? Rhys, 24, Cardiff

Lark Rise to Candleford

I discovered Lark Rise to Candleford just in time to take me away from the nightmare of living in the current political climate. I avoid all news shows and reality shows, preferring to settle in a simpler, kinder world. Tim K, 60, Brooklyn, New York, United States

Mab and Lucia

The 1985 film adaptation of E.F. Benson’s novels has an impeccable cast. The location, sets and costumes are immaculate and the story is so detached from modern life that it makes it a perfect place to retreat to. I watched it for the first time with my husband and introduced it to my friends. We must have seen it dozens of times over the 38 years we’ve been together. Watching with a friend was comforting when I lost him to cancer two years ago. Still standing. The perfect fantasy retreat. Penn, Bedfordshire

Saving lives at sea

I find watching the RNLI documentary series Saving Lives at Sea strangely comforting. It’s a combination of danger – people underestimating or being overwhelmed by the power of water and weather – with the courage and commitment of the volunteer lifeboat men and women who, at least in the series, always rush there in time to pull them out of the waves. The comforting feeling of having people ready to rescue you in extreme situations is what attracts all realistic hospital and ambulance shows. The difference with SLAS is that I’m unlikely to find myself on a boat in the middle of a storm any time soon! Maddy Paxman, 67, London

Detectors

Every winter, my wife and I religiously rewatch the detectors. When it’s cold and wet outside, it promises us the sights and sounds of long, hot summer evenings in the country that now seem so far away. It’s difficult to parse, but the detail and humor are so rich, layered and subtle that we often notice new visual tricks and threads every time. It’s built on slow-burn humor that gently teases rather than offends the eccentric, escapist hobbies we all have. The Suffolk countryside is a beautiful backdrop to Andy and Lance’s adventures, and Johnny Flynn’s great score alone always turns me on. Sam, Ellie, Cambridgeshire

Schitt’s Creek

Schitt’s Creek is my perfect comfort offering. I knew I would love it; Catherine O’Hara is always amazing. I started watching it with Eugene Levy at Second City Television (SCTV) in the 1970s. I was in tears by the end of it, but good tears. I’m surprised no Guardian writers have chosen this gem. Meg, 58, Sussex

Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin

Michael Palin’s Around the World in 80 Days combines a sense of adventure and nostalgia. When I first saw it 30 years ago, the possibility of seeing places I had not yet been or might never be able to visit loomed large. Watching it now, there’s a palpable nostalgia for what travel was like before smartphones became ubiquitous. The shot that sums it all up for me is Palin watching the sun set over the Bay of Bengal while trying to record the scores of the football matches on the BBC World Service. The beauty of the world and its worldly pleasures. A travelogue that feels more spontaneous than all the imitators it has produced. Robert Smith, 59, Newcastle-under-Lyme

Perry Mason

Perry Mason (original TV series, 1957-1966) is the template for most television legal dramas (particularly Law & Order): suspects and murder in the first half hour, and courtroom drama in the second half. The stories are generally smart and engaging, if formulaic, but the cast is great. They’ve all worked as supporting players in noirs and B-movies and play their roles that way; That is, as if they all support the players in a group. All performances are in service of the story. It does not hurt that truth always triumphs and justice is always served. You know: the world of fantasy. Phil Hundley, Chicago, USA

Gilmore Girls

“Gilmore Girls” came into my life, as many things do nowadays, through its transfer to Netflix. Acerbic, sassy, ​​and just past its prime despite some outdated references (though certainly less so than Friends ), it features strong but brilliantly flawed women in the unbelievable heart of Connecticut. Pumpkins, picturesque winters, and then bright, hopeful American sunshine take us through the years. And the male leads waiting for these women to notice them aren’t diminishing either. It’s fair and romantic and sure, it brings joy to both my daughter and me who look nothing like the mother-daughter duo depicted but perhaps wish we were a little more so. Jane Steed, York

Poirot

We’ve watched every series of this TV series based on Agatha Christie’s detective investigations at least twice and are watching it again. There’s always something else to look out for – Miss Lemon’s hairstyles, Hastings’ Shetland sweaters, Poirot’s mustache. The sets are great. We can never remember who committed the murder, perhaps because sometimes that’s the least interesting part of the show. Carol Bloomfield, 67, Durham

Big store

Since I primarily work from home, I have the luxury of being able to take a nap in the middle of the day. I always put on Superstore and follow a pattern of watching one episode, sleeping during the second (about 20 minutes) and waking up during the third. Hearing those beloved characters talking in the background is very comforting and is like having family close to you. I wonder what people at Netflix would think if they found out someone rewatched the show over 60 times? Elizabeth Kaplan, Vienna, Austria

Planets

I’m not a fan of just any space documentary, but I find myself coming back again and again to Brian Cox’s series. I think it’s amazing that every time we learn more about these places we find that they are more fascinating and more diverse. It’s also excitingly far-fetched. There’s also a contrast with nature documentaries (which I also love), which necessarily come with a sense of loss and guilt about what we’ve done to these habitats. The planets remain perfect, and our exploration of them (at least so far) highlights what is best in humanity – working together to connect and learn. Tom, 48, Brighton

How with John Wilson

How to With John Wilson is an original, unique and interesting docu-series that is at times funny, philosophical, sad, whimsical and downright weird. It is never boring, despite its mundane, everyday themes. It sounds so easy and simple, but I have to imagine there are hundreds of hours of footage to be edited, and a lot of hard work to bring each different subject to our screens. I have recommended it to everyone I know. I love him. Matthew Grundy, Manchester

First dates

I love watching Fred Sirieix’s dating show. It has an essential feel-good factor – it’s always a relaxed, happy show, set in beautiful surroundings. You get to meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds, and it reminds me of when I was younger and found my first dates very exciting and happy. There aren’t many activities that match the excitement that a first date brings, and the show embodies that feeling, for me at least. Plus, you have the wonderful Fred and Merlin to guide you through this journey. Lowry, West Midlands

friends

I don’t usually rewatch TV shows (or movies) but I do make an exception for Friends. Over the years, I’ve watched reruns on TV, and last year when I was going through a tough time in my life, I rewatched all seasons from the first episode on Netflix. I remember the first time I watched the pilot and thought it was ridiculous, but I quickly became a fan. Decades later, it makes me feel less lonely, like I have real friends around me. Vanessa, Dorset

Time team

I have always followed archaeology. I discovered Time Team in the US during the pandemic and watched them all – thank you YouTube. It’s still the show that comforts me: Tony, Karenza, the cool Mick with his shirts and wine, and Phil, my hero. My husband is very tolerant and knows that Time Team is my happy place. For an American preparing to return home, I need a happy place. Patty Powell, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Richard Osman’s Toy House

Richard Osman’s House of Games is a place where “little” celebrities gently compete against each other for a freaky trophy. Richard is very good at reading the room and encouraging those who fall behind in points. It’s so nice to see such kind contestants who never get rash or shout. Perfect end to the day. Pamela Limeager, 78, Buntingford, Hertfordshire