40 Feel-Good Shows to Watch When You Need a Mood Boost (2024)

There’s a time and a place for shows with unlikeable anti-heroes, high drama, post-apocalyptic zombie hordes, and heartbreaking losses. But maybe here and now isn't right for you. You’re looking for something a little less stressful to stream, whether you want a soothing show to get you sleepy or a cheerful comedy to help lighten your mood.

You’re in luck, because there are a ton of feel-good shows just a click away, including cool comedies, mood-boosting reality shows, and even the softer side of history. Check out 40 of our favorites to add to your watch list when you need a little joy in your life.

Heartwarming Workplace Shows

Work can be stressful for pretty much everyone. But you can take a break from your own office dramas by enjoying the camaraderie and comedy at these fictional (and feel-good) workplaces.

Ted Lasso

The ever-optimistic football-turned-soccer coach series returns for a new season March 15th—so now’s the perfect time for a rewatch (or a first watch) so you're ready to go.

Where to watch: Apple TV

Night Court

The new reboot of the classic comedy series features the same wacky defendants (and the same, ever-ridiculous John Laroquette as former prosecutor-turned-defense-attorney Dan Fielding), plus heart-of-gold judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch) trying to fill the shoes of her kind-hearted judge dad Harry Stone. (P.S. Prime members can catch the original on Amazon while they wait for new episodes to drop.)

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Parks and Recreation

The do-gooder crew in the Pawnee, Indiana Parks Department (led by the ultimate do-gooder, Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope) give off friends-made-family vibes as they support each other through it all, from turning an empty pit of a lot into a park to Congressional runs and career crises.

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Abbott Elementary

There’s a reason this mockumentary-style comedy, set in a woefully underfunded Philly public school, has racked up all the awards. Its heartwarming and hilarious depiction of try-hard teachers who genuinely care about their students will leave you feeling happier after just a single episode.

Where to watch: Hulu

Extraordinary Attorney Woo

This popular Korean series follows Woo Young-woo, a brilliant attorney with autism, as she struggles and succeeds as a new lawyer with the help and support of her colleagues and friends—and her passion for whales and dolphins.

Where to watch: Netflix

Our Flag Means Death

We never had “pirate workplace comedy” on our wish list, but this charming tale of a nobleman whose midlife crisis draws him to the high seas (where he’s a little too nice to pirate successfully) may be just the antidote to your real-life crises.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Cop shows tend to be on the gritty side, but this zingy cop comedy (featuring former SNLer Andy Samberg) definitely breaks the mold.

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Scrubs

The feel-good cure for hospital dramas (either in real-life or TV) is this classic featuring the doctors, doctors-in-training, and nurses at Sacred Heart Hospital.

Where to watch: Hulu

NewsRadio

This 1990s newsroom series features comedy greats Phil Hartman and Dave Foley with enough absurdist, over-the-top hilarity to help you chase away the blues.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Party Down

Aspiring entertainers serve as cater waiters in this funny cult classic that launched a ton of stars (Jane Lynch, Megan Mullally, Adam Scott, and Lizzy Caplan, just to name a few). It's getting a fresh season right now—and definitely worth adding to your watch list.

Where to watch: Starz, Hulu

Funny Family Shows

Families can be major sources of drama, trauma, and tears (think Succession and This Is Us). But they can also be pretty darned funny, as these comedy classics can attest. P.S. Most of these are good for watching with your kids, too.

Gilmore Girls

The series, which focuses on a mother-daughter pair and their quirky, Hallmark Channel-worthy small town of Stars Hollow sings with zingy lines and top-notch characters.

Where to watch: Netflix

Schitt's Creek

This fish-out-of-water tale of a super-rich family who ends up penniless in podunk Schitt’s Creek offers a village of delightfully offbeat inhabitants, and the redemption of the Rose clan as they grow to become kinder, gentler versions of their formerly selfish selves.

Where to watch: Hulu

Modern Family

You'll probably find yourself relating to one (or more!) of the members in this loving—if slightly loopy—TV family that clearly just amped up some real-life shenanigans to create comedic greatness. (And yes, it may make you want to call your parents or your kids when you're through.)

Where to watch: Hulu, Peaco*ck

I Love Lucy

No matter how many times you've seen Lucy and Ethel's wild attempt to keep up with the chocolate conveyor belt, you'll still laugh every time. You can catch these vintage (and totally kid-safe) comedic gems whenever you need a quick pick-me-up.

Where to watch: Pluto TV

Friendly and Romantic Comedies

If you love rom coms and friend-focused stories, these happy series will be the perfect addition to your pick-me-up watch list.

Ghosts

A couple moves into a historic home, which comes complete with an array of goofy ghosts from its past. Whether you choose to watch the British original or the CBS American remake (or both!), it’s a cozy charmer.

Where to watch: Paramount+ (American version) HBO Max (British version)

The Good Place

This afterlife comedy has more twists and turns than a soap opera and drops a lot of philosophical knowledge in between its numerous jokes—but its focus on how (and why) to be good people will have you feeling and wanting to do better after every watch.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Sex Lives of College Girls

Relive those awkward college days with the four funny and frank freshman women who are figuring out life on their own in this Mindy Kaling-produced comedy series. Fair warning: If you have college students of your own, steer clear: You may find yourself stressing about what your kids are up to away from home.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Schmigadoon

Broadway musical fans will get all the in jokes (and love all the current Broadway legends) in this comedic confection about a couple who inadvertently winds up in an old-fashioned musical—and can’t figure out quite how to escape. Watch it so you're up to date when the new season—which appears to have Chicago and Cabaret as inspiration—drops in April.

Where to watch: Apple TV

Friends

You probably already know all the words to “Smelly Cat” and have well-thought-out opinions of whether Ross and Rachel were truly on a break. But when you’re looking for comfort food TV, this fan favorite will be there for you.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Emily in Paris

Some viewers find themselves laughing more at the ridiculousness of the plot than the actual written dialogue, but for lovers of everything fashion and French, Emily in Paris is a guilty keep-your-mind-off-your-worries pleasure.

Where to watch: Netflix

Cozy Mysteries

Skip gritty and grim (we’re looking at you, Mare of Easttown and Broadchurch) in favor of the lighter side of crime solving with a cozy mystery series to curl up with.

Only Murders in the Building

Comedy masters Martin Short and Steve Martin join forces with Selena Gomez as a triumvirate of amateur sleuths-cum-crime-podcasters in this charming cozy mystery series, set in a spectacular New York apartment building. Binge the show now, and you’ll be all caught up when season three (with guest stars Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep!) drops sometime in summer 2023.

Where to watch: Hulu

Murder She Wrote

This legendary show is the textbook definition of a cozy mystery. Watch as Angela Lansbury plays famous mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, who solves real-life mysteries regularly in and around the hopelessly quaint Cabot Cove, Maine.

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Pushing Daisies

This magical series is one of the sweetest bits of eye candy to ever grace the screen. Pie maker Ned has the mysterious ability to bring anything back to life with a single touch—but only for a few moments without serious repercussions. He uses that ability to resurrect his childhood sweetheart Charlotte “Chuck” Charles from her untimely death—and to help private eye Emerson Cod solve a series of very outlandish and silly murders. (You’ll be as bummed as we were that we only have two seasons to enjoy.)

Where to watch: HBO Max

Poker Face

While not exactly cozy in terms of a tea and scones type of mystery, this new series starring Natasha Lyonne (and created by Knives Out filmmaker Rian Johnson) features an on-the-run human lie detector who sniffs out whodunit and how by the end of each episode. P.S. We’re totally digging the in-vogue 1970s visual style.

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Happy Histories

Historically based shows like The Crown and The Gilded Age show that life can be full of heartbreak—even if you're royal or rich. But you can still take a light-hearted look back in time—and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

Julia

The story of the grande dame of cooking TV's rise to fame gets a sweet retelling here, with a focus on the friends and her beloved Paul who helped make it happen.

Where to watch: HBO Max

Drunk History

If you’re looking for a little education along with your relaxation, this is the show for you. Watch historians and experts get tipsy on their co*cktail of choice, then slur their way through a retelling of a historic event, hilariously reenacted by comedic actors you’ll definitely recognize.

Where to watch: Hulu, Paramount+

Miracle Workers

This wonderfully weird show defies classification, starting in modern-era heaven as a pair of low-level heavenly staffers try to save the world from apocalypse, then transports the same actors (including Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi) into medieval England and on the Oregon Trail in subsequent series.

Where to watch: HBO Max

History of the World, Part II

We’re cheating a little bit, as we’ve only seen the trailer for this long, long-awaited follow up to the 1981 Mel Brooks classic film, History of the World, Part I. But with Mel Brooks writing and a crew of comedy stars involved, it looks like it’ll be a funny way to take a trip way down memory lane.

Where to watch: Hulu

Joyful Reality Shows

If you’re looking to relax and recharge, skip the catfights, tears, and trauma of cutthroat competitions and heartless housewives. These kinder, gentler contests and relaxing reality shows will definitely be your cup of tea.

Baking It

This warm hug of a baking competition features family-and-friend teams, and groan-worthy puns from hosts Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg or Amy Poehler, depending on the season. But the sweetest part of the show is the panel of grandma judges who find something to love in every dish, and give departing contestants big hugs before they go.

Fun fact: A one-off celebrity episode features our Game Changers cover model, Kristen Bell, as a contestant. (We won't spoil how she fared!)

Where to watch: Peaco*ck

Amazing Race

This race-around-the-world show may be a little more competitive than some of the others on this list, but the feel-good team tales, jaw-dropping scenery, and intriguing challenges should help you forget your own troubles for a little while.

Where to watch: Paramount+

The Great British Baking Show

Like many cooking competitions, The Great British Baking Show features a winner and a loser each week. But in this beloved competition, contestants regularly help each other out and cheer each other on, goofy hosts make bad puns, and the whole point is to make star baker or score a rare congratulatory handshake from hard-to-please judge Paul Hollywood. The soothing British accents and sweet stories about each baker make this a soothing Sunday afternoon watch (perhaps with a cup of tea and a few scones or other baked goods of your own).

Where to watch: Netflix

Old Enough

Adorable little kids tackle their first big errands by themselves (with a camera crew keeping tabs on them) in this charming Japanese import that’ll probably have you squeeing at the adorableness at least once every couple of minutes.

Where to watch: Netflix

Nailed It!

Very amateur chefs attempt (and generally, fail spectacularly) to copy world-class baking feats— think life-sized cake busts of the Black Panther or elaborate jungle landscapes. The judges are laughing with them at fondant fails and underbaked cakes—and cheering them on for creativity and any detail they get remotely close to the original.

Where to watch: Netflix

Queer Eye

The new Fab Five help transform the lives of deserving folks, from head to toe and heart to home. This show is practically guaranteed to help you feel good fast (and perhaps, snag a tip or two to help improve your own life).

Where to watch: Netflix

The Big Flower Fight

Pro teams build incredibly beautiful floral creations on this one-season-only competition that’ll give you soothing gardening vibes without leaving the house.

Where to watch: Netflix

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Now many, many seasons in, the iconic drag competition is an institution, sharing stories of acceptance and overcoming obstacles along with some wicked lip syncs and outrageously fabulous looks.

Where to watch: Hulu and Paramount+

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls

Perennially positive superstar Lizzo won three Emmys for this body- and life-affirming series that follows her search for the biggest and brightest dancers for her tour.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

La Pitchoune: Cooking in France

This reality series follows two couples who set up a cooking school in Julia Child’s historic French cottage (complete with the legendary chef's practically untouched kitchen), where the biggest dramas are an incorrectly sized greenhouse and aged electrical wiring. You’ll feel like you’re vacationing right along with each episode’s guests in one of the most lovely parts of France (even if you’re still in your PJs).

Where to watch: HBO Max