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Phil Rosenthal samples pastries in Rio de Janeiro in Season 4 of Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil.”
Netflix
Need a distraction?
Election night (and perhaps beyond) promises to be nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing for many people. So for those looking to escape the news, here are 20 streaming picks that should at least get your mind off things for a little while.
Comfort food
Well, many of us are going to be stress-eating anyway…
There are a million food and cooking shows out there, and almost all will work wonders as a distraction (“What’s the latest news from Pennsyl — oooh, that looks tasty!”). The best of the bunch may be “The Great British Baking Show” (Netflix NFLX, +1.76% ), which offers multiple seasons of kind-hearted competition, where the worst outcome is merely a “soggy bottom” or something Paul Hollywood calls “interesting.” It’s beloved on multiple continents specifically for its gentle approach, and is sure to lower your blood pressure. Pro tip: If you’re new to the show, go back a few seasons, as its quality has slipped a wee bit in recent years. Season 6 (which is called Collection 3 on Netflix) is seen by many as its best season, and is an excellent place to start.
Also worth sampling: “Chef’s Table” (Netflix), the premiere food-porn show, with each episode highlighting a different brilliant chef around the world, and their inspired creations. Or on the lighter side, “Somebody Feed Phil” (Netflix), a food/travel show hosted by the creator of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” as he travels the world and delights in local food and makes new friends. Phil’s absolute sincerity and niceness is almost jarring at first, but you’ll soon discover it’s the streaming equivalent of a warm blanket.
Classic TV
Sometimes you just want to go back in time, before… well, everything. Like, say, a bar where everybody knows your name. “Cheers” and its spinoff, “Frasier” (both are on Hulu and Peacock CMCSA, -1.98% ), were the best sitcoms of their era, and they mostly hold up today, thanks to razor-sharp writing and iconic characters. Both are can’t-miss bets for a little escape and a needed laugh.
Also see: Monthly streaming picks at What’s Worth Streaming
Another pick from deep in the library: “A Different World” (Amazon Prime), the “Cosby Show” spinoff that’s far enough removed from that show that you don’t have to think about that now-creepy link. The college comedy wasn’t even available for syndication for years, and revisiting it can be a nostalgic joy. Keep an eye out for appearances from a young Marisa Tomei and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Aw, puppies!
The scope of cute-animal TV is more vast than you can possibly imagine, featuring pretty much any animal you can think of, as well as the vets and volunteers who care for them.
If you just want to crumble and make squeaky noises, try “Too Cute” (Hulu) or “Unlikely Animal Friends” (Disney+ DIS, -0.92% ). Their titles say it all: “Too Cute” focuses on puppies and kittens, as they explore their worlds, learn to play, and eventually find families to live with, while “Unlikely Animal Friends” show the crazy real-life bonds between dogs and cats, cats and birds, rhinos and sheep, and many more. They’re all freakin’ adorable.
If that’s not enough, Disney+ has a ton more cute-animal shows.
Wanna get away?
OK, because of the pandemic, we can’t really get too far away. But through the magic of TV, we can pretend at least.
For a birds-eye view, try “Aerial America” (CBS All Access VIAC, +3.60% ), and its spinoffs such as “Aerial New Zealand” and “Aerial Africa.” It’s just aerial photography of various states, cities and countries, with soothing voiceover describing the area’s history and natural beauty. It’s super boring, but in a good way.
Or if you prefer to just go, go, GO, there’s “Top Gear” (Amazon Prime Video AMZN, -1.04% ), a long-running car show with stunning cinematography that will make you lust after a Bugatti Veyron, or some such sports car that you hadn’t even heard of five minutes earlier. Pro tip: Stick with the older, British version, with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Their banter and antics are always entertaining, there are stupid races and crazy challenges, and there’s just something hypnotic and calming about the purr of a high-powered engine. (Sorry, EV crowd.)
Just need to laugh?
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+ AAPL, -0.08% ) is a surprisingly sweet sitcom about an overly positive American football coach who takes over an English soccer team. You don’t need to be a sports fan to be won over by its charms. There’s also “Betty” (HBO Max T, +1.18% ), a slice-of-life series about a diverse crew of young, female skateboarders in New York City. It’s a fascinating, gorgeously shot peek inside a subculture that captures the magic and freedom of being young and having the city at your feet.
Or dive into “Drunk History” (Hulu), where despite the hilariously drunk efforts of the guest stars, you’ll usually learn some fun facts about history, or “I Think You Should Leave” (Netflix), a bizarre, uncomfortable but very funny sketch show that will leave you wondering “WTF did I just watch?”
Get the rage out
Or maybe you just want to break something. You’ll probably find it cheaper in the long run to do that vicariously, rather than by trashing your place. So for some righteous violence, check out “Hanna” (Amazon Prime), about a teenage girl made into a super-soldier who fights back against her black-ops creators. It’s a pulse-pounding thriller with some excellent fight scenes, that is much better than it needed to be. There’s also “Harley Quinn” (HBO Max), the very-much-NOT-for-kids animated series about the budding super-villainess in Gotham City. It’s shockingly fun, full of profanity, sexual innuendo and violence that you don’t normally get in an animated superhero series. Or for a more PG-13-rated kick-ass show, there’s always the classic “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (Amazon Prime).
We’ll just call this ‘other’
A few final suggestions that fall outside these categories: “A World of Calm” (HBO Max), which features celebrity voiceovers and mesmerizing imagery, almost like an immersive screensaver, from the makers of the Calm app; “Making It” (Hulu and Peacock), a warm-hearted “Great British Baking Show”-like competition for craft makers, hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman; and “Grand Designs” (Netflix), a British show chronicling people who are attempting to build their crazy dream homes — and these projects put any HGTV renovation show to shame.
Still looking? Here are more comfort shows to binge during a pandemic.
