17 Movies, TV Shows, And Books To Turn To When You Need A Little Pick-Me-Up
Now that the temperatures are dropping and it’s getting dark wayyyyyy too early, there’s nothing better than cozying up under a blanket to read a good book or watch a comfort movie or TV show. In a recent discussion question posted on our homepage, the BuzzFeed Community ran to comment on what brings them comfort during the change in seasons, during times of distress, or when they just feel like they need a hug.
Here is what people shared:
2. “My comfort show right now is Love in the Big City, a Boys’ Love series based on an award-winning novel chronicling a young gay man’s journey of love and acceptance in modern-day Seoul. I highly recommend this show because the author Sang Young Park wrote all eight episodes, and it marks the first major queer series produced by a major company in South Korea. It’s only gained popularity because detractors tried to prevent the show from airing. American viewers can watch it on Viki if you’re interested. I guarantee you’ll never forget this poignant drama series and its relatable characters. I can’t wait to read the book now.”
“As for my comfort book this year, I just finished The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, an illuminating prequel to her novel Practical Magic. A saga brimming with magical realism and romance, readers follow siblings Frances, Bridget, and Vincent Owens as they navigate the mid-twentieth century while outwitting their family’s curse of doomed love. READ. THIS. BOOK.”
3. “I can’t explain why, but Wanda Vision became my comfort show, and I’ve rewatched it at least 10 times.”
4. “I know that it has been on for probably too long, and many people are sick of it, but I was really happy to see a new episode of Grey’s Anatomy last night. I have watched it from the beginning, and I have been there for all of the bad and cheesy moments.”
5. “I’m all for a good 30-minute comedy: Ted Lasso, Schitts Creek, New Girl, Raising Hope, Cougar Town. Harry Potter is a comfort rewatch or read. I’ve been listening to lots of Green Day, Rise Against, Bad Religion, Hole, Bring Me the Horizon, and The Birthday Massacre. Whatever you need to get you through the dark days, friends.”
6. “Avatar: The Last Airbender is still my comfort show, and the good guys win in the end.”
7. “SVU is a top comfort show for me. If I want something less heavy, it’s the earlier seasons of Ghost Adventures. Recently, I’ve been listening to the Radio Rental podcast, which has Rainn Wilson as Terry Carnation, owner of a VHS rental store that shares listener spooky stories and scary encounters. It helps take my mind off things.”
8. “My book best friend is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I first read (part of) it at age ten and continued reading it every year or so, getting further into the story each time until I was in my late teens. Then, I started re-reading the entire thing every couple of years. It was the first book where I felt ‘seen’ since Francie and I are extremely alike — too smart for our peers and couldn’t fit in with them, so books became our emotional support.”
9. “The Good Place. Not only is the show hilarious, with tremendous actors, but also imagining an afterlife where you’re given the opportunity to grow, become a better person, and spend all the time you need with the people you love, doing the things you never had time to do, and then, when you are ready, peacefully ‘returning to the wave’ is SO comforting.”
10. “Friends, Will & Grace, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, entourage, Californication, Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill, Father of the Bride, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and Uptown Girls for me.”
11. “I know it sounds funny, but any of the Law and Order episodes. They are my go-to comfort — they’re going to catch that bad guy in an hour, and all will be right in the world. Lennie Briscoe, Jack McCoy, and Olivia Benson will forever have my heart.”
12. “Star Trek: The Next Generation. My parents loved this show and frequently rewatched episodes, so it’s a comfy staple from my childhood. There’s something very comforting about the lack of made-up drama. It’s a crew of experts in their field who all respect each other and understand that they have a job to do in light of unforeseen circumstances.”
“There’s little to no drama that a simple conversation could have resolved. Everyone is fairly reasonable. Also, the emphasis on psychology as a field of science makes this series a little more emotional than the other series. And whoever included stained wood and wall-to-wall carpeting in the ship is a genius. It’s so nostalgically cozy and a big contrast to modern-day sci-fi ships that are just shiny metal. The ship feels like people want to be there and are at home there.”
