From 'Gilmore Girls' to 'Parks and Rec' these are our fireside faves.
12 Must-Watch TV Shows for a Cozy Fall Night In
From 'Gilmore Girls' to 'Parks and Rec' these are our fireside faves.
As much as we love the feeling of finding a new TV show to sink our teeth into, there is something so comforting about revisiting the shows you already know and love – especially when the temperature starts to drop.
This phenomenon of rewatching a TV show is called 'security blanket streaming', and it's something many of us find solace in. Perhaps it's the familiarity of reentering an environment you know well, or the predictable escape your comfort show offers, giving you a sense of control in an otherwise unpredictable world.
Whatever your reason for watching the same episodes over again is, we’ve rounded up 12 of the most popular security blanket streaming shows for you to sit back, relax, and press 'play' on this fall.
1. Gilmore Girls
Where can I watch it? Netflix
Gilmore Girls remains some of television’s greatest comfort food, a series that is so easy to watch and warm that it’s like spending time with some of your best friends. Following the life of Lorelai Gilmore, a young mum who gave birth to her daughter Rory at 16. After years of estrangement from Lorelai’s ritzy parents, who didn’t support her when she became a teen mum – Lorelai and Rory begin to rekindle those relationships, now that Rory is attending a posh high school and being thrown into the world her mother thought she had left behind in order to make a new life in the quaint Connecticut town Stars Hollow.
2. Friends
Where can I watch it? Netflix
Press play and switch off. If you're after a throwback show that was ahead of its time in terms of shrewd cultural commentary, this isn't it. Friends is like a time capsule and is best appreciated for its silliness, as well as the comedic performances of its six leads. There's a sweet spot if you're looking to binge just a few seasons – start in season four and stop after seven and you'll get the best of the show's writing and the most laughs.
3. Arrested Development
Where can I watch it? Netflix
This cult comedy classic created by Mitchell Hurwitz follows the dysfunctional Bluth Family, who are mostly made up of Orange County socialites that run a housing development company. The star of the show is Michael Bluth (played by Jason Bateman), who’s desperately trying to keep the family business afloat after his father George is sent to prison for embezzlement. If you’re looking for a show which will have you in stitches and doesn’t require your whole attention span, Arrested Development is a perfect choice.
4. Schitt’s Creek
Where can I watch it? Netflix
For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure of attending the Rosebud Motel party, we think you may have just found your new favourite show. If you’re looking for some witty, mostly wholesome, truly lol-inducing light-hearted comedy, then it’s time to head up Schitt’s Creek without a paddle. The cast of characters is so endearing that it’s impossible to pick a favourite, and the only time this show has ever made us feel sad is when we found out the sixth season will be its last.
5. New Girl
Where can I watch it? Disney+
After enduring a rough breakup, our favourite awkward gal Jess (Zooey Deschanel) is in need of change, and moves in with three single guys. Forming an unlikely, dysfunctional family, Jess and her new roommates get to know each other's quirks and idiosyncrasies, all while living under the same roof.
6. Gossip Girl
Where can I watch it? Netflix
The OG and maybe still some of the best high school television out there, we recommend going back and doing a re-watch of the original Gossip Girl for the nostalgia alone. It might not be as gritty as Euphoria, but what it lacks in realism it more than makes up for in drama, high stakes and intensity, given the soap opera-level schemes unfolding in season one alone. The reboot is watchable too, but there’s nothing like the original, especially if what you’re looking for is a teen drama with real sex appeal – never forget, Gossip Girl stars Blake Lively and Penn Badgley dated for several years while making this show – and naughtiness.
7. The OC
Where can I watch it? Prime Video
Dive into the affluent and often tumultuous world of the Orange County community. Following the life of Ryan Atwood, a troubled teenager who is taken in by well-off family the Cohen. The OC is loved for its blend of drama, humour, and compelling character development from its air time between 2003 to 2007. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of watching The OC back-to-back, we recommend blocking out a weekend, turning your phone on silent, and treating yourself to the glamourous yet troubled world that awaits.
8. The Simpsons
Where can I watch it? Disney+
Ah, our favourite family – no, not the Kardashians (although, they are up there). Disney+ has all 34 seasons of The Simpsons available to stream – that’s 750 episodes ready for you to hit play on. Starring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, each episode follows a different storyline that will leave your belly sore from laughing, and your hand ready to hit play on the next episode.
9. Grey’s Anatomy
Where can I watch it? Disney+
This is it. The motherload. There are a phenomenal 18 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, comprising an astonishing 388 episodes – and it’s still going. That’s right, Grey’s might have premiered more than 15 years ago, but it’s still going strong, with star Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey still at its very centre. Creator Shonda Rhimes says that as long as Pompeo continues to want to make the medical drama that turned her into a global household name, then she will keep writing it, and it looks like Pompeo will want to keep wearing surgical scrubs at Seattle Grace for many, many years.
10. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Where can I watch it? Disney+
The definition of a cult classic, Buffy still has die-hard fans and newcomers alike obsessed – and it's been nearly two decades since it ended. Our hero is Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a California high schooler who discovers she's been chosen by fate to be the slayer of vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Academics have done PhDs on this seminal text, and yet it is irresistibly fun to watch (and rewatch), with incredible '90s fashion and iconic lines that will quickly become part of your vocabulary.
11. Parks and Recreation
Where can I watch it? Prime Video
This American political satire mockumentary sitcom follows Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler), a dedicated member of the Indiana Parks and Recreation Council as she navigates suburban issues with her dysfunctional team. She has one goal – to beautify the town – and boost her reputation while she does it. Watch Leslie and her team run into unforeseeable obstacles that prevent Leslie from reaching her dream of becoming known for saving the fictional city of Pawnee.
12. Emily in Paris
Where can I watch it? Netflix
Emily In Paris follows Lily Collins’ character Emily Cooper, a marketing executive who is seconded from Chicago to Paris to add 'an American perspective' to a French marketing firm. Emily finds herself in the middle of new friendships, new romances, and new work and life experiences. There are ridiculous outfits, spicy love triangles, and plenty of je ne sais quoi. If you're looking for a light-hearted show to fall in love with, we think you've just found your match.
