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And also:
These are pretty weird, but also pretty special. I'm mostly captivated by the ones where he is the creator and storyteller, e.g. Grizzly Man and Encounters at the End of the World
I think there might be 8 — I recently rewatched them and they’re really surprisingly good
(though don’t be fooled; they’re not really for children—even the first is pretty scary and it escalates pretty quickly)
TV Shows
Reality (good for binging without the emotional investment/strain):
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (short episodes, light hearted vibe)
Chef's Table (portraits of exceptional chefs, shot beautifully -- my favorite is the Korean nun, but there's also a spin-off specifically for BBQ which is what I found first, and now also pizza)
Parts Unknown (Anthony Bourdain -- accessible travel/history/culture that feels really authentic)
Say Yes to the Dress (the original if you can find it)
Tidying Up w/ Marie Kondo
What Not to Wear
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (the original if you can find it, though the most recent cast is growing on me)
The kids version of the great British bake-off? (Newly licensed to Netflix)
Comedy:
Parks & Rec
Glee (musical)
30 Rock?
Simpsons?
South Park?
Futurama?
Modern Family?
Schitt’s Creek
Quirky (not really dramatic in the serious way):
Ted Lasso (people generally making good decisions/doing the right thing — though I can only vouch for season 1)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Kipo (worth trying just for the fun music)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Northern Exposure (an oldie but goodie)
Once Upon a Time (what the people who made Lost actually wanted to make)
Avatar the Last Air Bender (anime, but solid story and characters)
Star Trek (NG, Enterprise, etc.)
Agatha Christie’s Poirot (available via your library card & hoopla)
Grantchester (another PBS mystery program with a small town inspector and his surprising crime-solving partner: the handsome young vicar — should maybe be in the drama section with Poldark, but generally lighter fare)
Rick & Morty
Drama:
Friday Night Lights (not the main topic, but one of the best examples of a healthy marriage I’ve seen on TV)
Battlestar Gallactica
Fringe (sci-fi crime solving — each episode starts with something pretty disturbing, but the squad is ~”good people” and as a bonus, they have really great wardrobes)
MadMen
The West Wing (serious, but good people trying hard)
Studio 64 (30 Rock but by the West Wing people and not done as a comedy)
The Wire (also serious)
Sherlock
Nashville? (I like the inclusion of music without it being a “musical”)
TrueBlood? (This could maybe go up in the quirky section)
Dexter? (only ok because he’s weirdly a good guy — rumor has it that by the end of the series they break this 😕)
Virgin River? (soapy but basically wholesome)
Poldark? (Similar vibe to Outlander but way less violence/fear and also less steamy)
*I’m actually pretty interested in recommendations for anything on this page — either things I forgot to list or things I don’t know about (now that you’ve seen what I like and could maybe triangulate).
For movies and shows: I currently can’t handle suspense/tension/startle things and I have no interest in horror, sexual violence, or torture (Marvel type violence is about my limit). It’s best for me if the people are trying to do the right thing and aren’t cruelly punished for it.