Looking for more kind TV
January 2, 2021 6:45 AM Subscribe
2020 has ruined my ability to enjoy TV that is anything other than gentle and kind. I’ve watched all the great British baking show that Netflix has to offer, same with Queer Eye and Schitt’s Creek. I’m looking for more shows in the same vein - ones that leave me with a smile on my face after watching. Any suggestions?
Sparked by a recent article I thought was here, on kindness in TV. But now I can’t find it?
Sparked by a recent article I thought was here, on kindness in TV. But now I can’t find it?
I think I found the post you mentioned: https://www.metafilter.com/189814/Parks-and-Rec-is-30-Rock-isnt -- I don't have any suggestions to add that aren't in that post. :)
posted by tybstar at 6:50 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by tybstar at 6:50 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Ted Lasso! It’s on Apple TV+ and is just the most charming, surprising show I saw in 2020. It’s about an American football coach brought in to coach a British football club. Everything about the premise suggests it could be mean spirited, but it subverts expectations at every turn.
posted by wsquared at 6:51 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by wsquared at 6:51 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I stumbled across “Full Bloom,” a competition show for florists, on my HBO Max trial. There are a few moments of interpersonal tension during team challenges in the first couple episodes, but overall I found it very warm and kind and loving. (And visually satisfying! Pretty flowers!!!)
posted by kwaller at 6:52 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by kwaller at 6:52 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: We Are the Champions on Netflix is both hilarious and comforting.
posted by EllaEm at 6:53 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by EllaEm at 6:53 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
nthing Ted Lasso
posted by wisekaren at 6:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by wisekaren at 6:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you're up for watching anime, you might enjoy what's called Iyashikei, or "healing" shows. TV Tropes has a long list: Iyashikei - TV Tropes. There are also a lot of manga in this same category.
The ARIA series, both anime and manga, is the pinnacle of this category. It is slow paced, healing, quiet, and gentle. The anime has three seasons, two movies, and a third movie on the way. The manga has 12 volumes.
posted by ralan at 6:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
The ARIA series, both anime and manga, is the pinnacle of this category. It is slow paced, healing, quiet, and gentle. The anime has three seasons, two movies, and a third movie on the way. The manga has 12 volumes.
posted by ralan at 6:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
I assume you've seen Downton Abbey, but if not, it's definitely gentle. Interesting without being unpleasantly suspenseful, and full of people largely being supportive to each other.
posted by ClaireBear at 7:27 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by ClaireBear at 7:27 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
I recommend Love Your Garden (probably available on Netflix). In each episode, they do a backyard makeover for someone who is having tough life challenges. They talk about what the person/family is going through (such as someone becoming disabled, dealing with a serious disease, etc.) and how a nice garden could help. A small group of plucky Brits with a can-do attitude design a nice garden for them and then they do all the work over the course of the show. At the end there's a reveal and a party in the new space with friends and neighbors. It would be easy for this to feel exploitative but they get the tone right and they do appear to genuinely care about the people they're helping.
Another nice garden makeover show is Big Dream Small Spaces where amateur gardeners do their own makeovers and celebrity gardener Monty Don helps them.
I'm not a gardener myself but these shows are quietly uplifting and soothing.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 7:31 AM on January 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
Another nice garden makeover show is Big Dream Small Spaces where amateur gardeners do their own makeovers and celebrity gardener Monty Don helps them.
I'm not a gardener myself but these shows are quietly uplifting and soothing.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 7:31 AM on January 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
Samurai Gourmet on Netflix is very sweet and funny, a retired salary man rediscovers his joy in food while timidly fantasising about being a brave samurai.
Midnight Diner is set in a late night diner where patrons come in and tell their stories.
The Repair Shop is lovely, real competence porn, people bring their treasured possessions to be repaired by incredibly kind experts.
posted by Zumbador at 7:37 AM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
Midnight Diner is set in a late night diner where patrons come in and tell their stories.
The Repair Shop is lovely, real competence porn, people bring their treasured possessions to be repaired by incredibly kind experts.
posted by Zumbador at 7:37 AM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
Best answer: The Great Pottery Throwdown on HBO Max is basically Great British Baking Show but with pottery. I've watched a few episodes of Forged in Fire (blade smithing) and Blown Away (glass blowing) on Netflix for the same artisans do challenges type of show. I have a soft spot for Nailed It (Netflix) where bad bakers in good humor try to replicate complicated baking techniques.
I'm not sure where these shows are, but would recommend Bob's Burgers (loving family that owns a burger joint making it through the day in funny ways), Better Off Ted (gentle shenanigans in corporate America), Raising Hope (loving family helps their son raise his daughter as a single parent).
Not a TV series, but I found Happy People: A Year in the Taiga and Antarctica: A Year on Ice to be interesting and soothing.
posted by ellerhodes at 7:46 AM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
I'm not sure where these shows are, but would recommend Bob's Burgers (loving family that owns a burger joint making it through the day in funny ways), Better Off Ted (gentle shenanigans in corporate America), Raising Hope (loving family helps their son raise his daughter as a single parent).
Not a TV series, but I found Happy People: A Year in the Taiga and Antarctica: A Year on Ice to be interesting and soothing.
posted by ellerhodes at 7:46 AM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
I wouldn't say Downtown Abby is particularly kind- and there is a rape plotline. But yes, Repair Shop is lovely!
posted by emd3737 at 7:48 AM on January 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by emd3737 at 7:48 AM on January 2, 2021 [11 favorites]
Parks and Recreation and The New Girl fill this niche for me.
posted by mjcon at 7:49 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by mjcon at 7:49 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Jacque Pepin did several shows with Julia Child, they are great alone and very sweet together.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [9 favorites]
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [9 favorites]
There's also the Great Canadian Baking Show, which is darling.
posted by stray at 7:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by stray at 7:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Our family has been really enjoying Station 19. It's got all the usual Shonda Rhimes shenanigans like everyone sleeping with people they shouldn't, but it really does have the kindness vibe down, with a lot of emphasis on relationships from friendship to mentor/mentee to parent/offspring. Really warm and lovely.
posted by Orlop at 7:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Orlop at 7:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Detectorists. The sweetest, most charming show ever. The final episode is as kind and lovely as it gets.
posted by Dolley at 8:02 AM on January 2, 2021 [20 favorites]
posted by Dolley at 8:02 AM on January 2, 2021 [20 favorites]
Best answer: Came in specifically to suggest Detectorists and now just need to say SECONDED. It's just lovely.
posted by cooker girl at 8:03 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 8:03 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Monty Don's Gardeners World has a few seasons on Amazon. It is fantastic, and he is the calmest loveliest TV host ever.
He's like the Bob Ross of gardening.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:17 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
He's like the Bob Ross of gardening.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:17 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
"The Big Flower Fight" is like Great British Bakeoff, but the teams are building huge flower sculptures.
"Kim's Convenience" - a Korean-Canadian family runs a small convenience store.
posted by belladonna at 8:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
"Kim's Convenience" - a Korean-Canadian family runs a small convenience store.
posted by belladonna at 8:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
The Dog House was really nice - a rescue dog shelter interviews people to find their best match. You get to see them meet the dogs, and learn the dogs and people's backstories. I found it very heartwarming! The people are often dealing with challenges themselves, and seeing a dog and person who were both having a rough go of it vastly improve each other's lives is lovely.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:31 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 8:31 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Seconding Midnight Diner! This was our favorite quarantine comfort watch. Each episode centers around different patrons of a late night watering hole in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The stakes are about mending relationships and living authentically and with decency towards others. The diner itself acts as a microcosm of community; there is something emotionally nourishing these days about watching very different people gathering around the same table night after night.
It's a quirky show. The eps are often very different tonally from one another, and the endings aren't always happy or perfectly satisfying, but I think it makes for a richer experience. Occasionally the writers push the Master character, the proprieter and cook of the diner, into acting as a bit of a Mary Worth busybody, but that is the worst thing I can say about it. That, and it will make you hungry!
posted by prewar lemonade at 8:32 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
It's a quirky show. The eps are often very different tonally from one another, and the endings aren't always happy or perfectly satisfying, but I think it makes for a richer experience. Occasionally the writers push the Master character, the proprieter and cook of the diner, into acting as a bit of a Mary Worth busybody, but that is the worst thing I can say about it. That, and it will make you hungry!
posted by prewar lemonade at 8:32 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Came in to recommend British gardening shows! They have been my go to anti depressant for years now. Seconding Gardener's World and anything with Monty Don in it is great. BritBox has two seasons of Gardener's World right now. This past season that just ended was especially good because they asked viewers to send in videos of their own gardens and some of them were really moving.
Netflix had Big Dreams Small Spaces, as well as some of his other documentary/ history of gardening / gardening in other cultures programs. I don't think they do now but a search on youtube will turn up some things.
Garden Rescue is what has been getting me through the pandemic, with 5 seasons that can all be found on youtube. The garden owners have less back story than in Love Your Garden, they choose from two designs and have a budget, but everyone is aiming to please and the owners have interesting problems.
posted by maggiemaggie at 8:43 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Netflix had Big Dreams Small Spaces, as well as some of his other documentary/ history of gardening / gardening in other cultures programs. I don't think they do now but a search on youtube will turn up some things.
Garden Rescue is what has been getting me through the pandemic, with 5 seasons that can all be found on youtube. The garden owners have less back story than in Love Your Garden, they choose from two designs and have a budget, but everyone is aiming to please and the owners have interesting problems.
posted by maggiemaggie at 8:43 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Another vote for The Good Place. It's almost aggressively kind, wonderful cast, funny, and makes you think.
If you're willing to delve into TV that's not on streaming, check out Soap and WKRP. The first season of WKRP is occasionally on streaming, but both shows would require buying a DVD set (or other means). They are, however, wonderful and kind. Few, if any, actual "bad" people and both are a lot of fun.
I find The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Gilmore Girls to be kind and funny. There are a few sharp-tongued characters but really overall have a kind spirit.
Finally, if you want the grand master of kindness, Hulu has a few seasons of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.
posted by jzb at 8:43 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you're willing to delve into TV that's not on streaming, check out Soap and WKRP. The first season of WKRP is occasionally on streaming, but both shows would require buying a DVD set (or other means). They are, however, wonderful and kind. Few, if any, actual "bad" people and both are a lot of fun.
I find The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Gilmore Girls to be kind and funny. There are a few sharp-tongued characters but really overall have a kind spirit.
Finally, if you want the grand master of kindness, Hulu has a few seasons of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.
posted by jzb at 8:43 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Nthing anything with Monty Don gardening...in Big Dreams Small Spaces he was so kind even when people were making stupid decisions.
posted by Preserver at 8:47 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Preserver at 8:47 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: If you have access to The Great British Sewing Bee, it’s delightful and uplifting, without being saccharine
posted by JJZByBffqU at 8:53 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by JJZByBffqU at 8:53 AM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Better Off Ted (corporate drones trying to thwart capitalist corp to be human to each other)
The Durrells in Corfu (family loses patriarch & moves to Greece pre-WWII)
Modern Love (anthology of little romances, some sad but all nice)
Miss Fisher's Mysteries (has a bunch of murders, but mostly it's a rich lady going around being liberal)
The Unicorn (widow gets back into the dating scene with the help of friends)
Bob's Burgers (family runs burger shop)
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (woman hears people's inner thoughts as musical numbers)
Jane the Virgin (virgin college student finds herself pregnant)
Brooklyn 99 (diverse detective squad in NY)
posted by typetive at 8:57 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
The Durrells in Corfu (family loses patriarch & moves to Greece pre-WWII)
Modern Love (anthology of little romances, some sad but all nice)
Miss Fisher's Mysteries (has a bunch of murders, but mostly it's a rich lady going around being liberal)
The Unicorn (widow gets back into the dating scene with the help of friends)
Bob's Burgers (family runs burger shop)
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (woman hears people's inner thoughts as musical numbers)
Jane the Virgin (virgin college student finds herself pregnant)
Brooklyn 99 (diverse detective squad in NY)
posted by typetive at 8:57 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: In a different vein, American Ninja Warrior. The competitors actively root for each other (or at least convincingly pretend to).
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:59 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:59 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
Somebody Feed Phil On Netflix is one of those shows where someone travels the world and tries the local food in various cities and locales. Phil himself is in a continual state of childlike wonder, amazed by everything he experiences and tastes. There’s an emphasis on the friends he makes along the way, abd he always has a video call with his loving wife and funny dad to tell him how it’s going. Very sweet and uplifting.
posted by ejs at 9:04 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by ejs at 9:04 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Maybe I am merely marking myself as "even more so" but I am not so sure about Good Place. I am trying to watch it and can see how well done it is, and how the big arc is towards kindness and gentleness. But there is a lot, at least in the first half of the first season, that is neither kind nor gentle in the moment. YMMV.
posted by sheldman at 9:05 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by sheldman at 9:05 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Bobs Burgers after the first season has become my "happy place" during covid. The first season they made some attempts at being edgy & cringe which annoy me but it smooths out after that to just being a nice story about a family. There are 11 seasons so lots to watch.
posted by wwax at 9:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by wwax at 9:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Call the Midwife, some sadness but overall kind people helping each other, and lots of joy. Not for anyone bothered by graphic childbirth scenes.
Forged in Fire, there is competition but the bladesmiths are also helping each other, no nastyness or snark.
Lots of things on the Japan station, beautiful scenery and interesting customs and very calm.
posted by mermayd at 9:25 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Forged in Fire, there is competition but the bladesmiths are also helping each other, no nastyness or snark.
Lots of things on the Japan station, beautiful scenery and interesting customs and very calm.
posted by mermayd at 9:25 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Some of the old "Masterpiece Theater" type shows come up as recommendations in these types of threads for a reason. We just rewatched the full run of All Creatures Great and Small . There is also a new version starting on PBS imminently. Also, Lark Rise to Candleford.
The Japanese movie Our Little Sister comes to mind.
posted by gudrun at 9:29 AM on January 2, 2021
The Japanese movie Our Little Sister comes to mind.
posted by gudrun at 9:29 AM on January 2, 2021
Best answer: Anyone intereseted in gardening, in particular English kitchen gardens, that will also leave a huge smile on your face, I highly recommend The Victorian Kitchen Garden. A thirteen part series producted by BBC2 the NYT calls ..a soothing pleasure.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 9:35 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 9:35 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Came here to recommend the Great Pottery Throwdown. There are a lot of episodes on YouTube.
Also on YouTube is the family of British history reality shows comprised of Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, Tudor Monastery Farm, Victorian Pharmacy, etc. Supersizers is in the same vein and also on YouTube.
I also recently stumbled across Evacuation, which takes modern city kids out to the country to recreate the experience of WWII evacuees.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:35 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Also on YouTube is the family of British history reality shows comprised of Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm, Tudor Monastery Farm, Victorian Pharmacy, etc. Supersizers is in the same vein and also on YouTube.
I also recently stumbled across Evacuation, which takes modern city kids out to the country to recreate the experience of WWII evacuees.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:35 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Say I Do on Netflix is like Queer Eye, but for weddings.
posted by Fuego at 9:43 AM on January 2, 2021
posted by Fuego at 9:43 AM on January 2, 2021
The post that people refer to here (https://www.metafilter.com/189814/Parks-and-Rec-is-30-Rock-isnt) is alright, but the inclusion of "The Sound of Metal" is an odd choice that doesn't really fit into the category of entertainment the author is arguing for.
posted by Kinski's Ghost at 9:52 AM on January 2, 2021
posted by Kinski's Ghost at 9:52 AM on January 2, 2021
Best answer: Also on Netflix, All Together Now is a movie in which a homeless teen who is extremely kind to others struggles to accept kindness in return. I ugly-happy cried last night watching it.
posted by Fuego at 9:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Fuego at 9:54 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Absolutely n'thing The Repair Shop - nice people doing nice things for other nice people. Not as saccharine as it sounds. The repairs that the craftspeople undertake really matter to the people who bring the items in. I have happy cried a number of times. Even the craftspeople cry sometimes, it's that gentle a programme.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:02 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:02 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding Durrells in Corfu.
Jacque Pepin did several shows with Julia Child, they are great alone and very sweet together
Dishing with Julia Child is a really nice update from PBS where other top chefs watch old Julia reruns and comment along. But it's all done with 100% love for her and it's really a great watch.
If you can get MHz Choice, this is a great new underrated streaming service that carries a lot of shows from the Europe that BritBox and Acorn are not carrying. We've recently fallen in love with Der Tatortreiniger (Crime Scene Cleaner), a comedy from Germany, which sounds awful but is really charming and sweet by the end of each episode.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:06 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Jacque Pepin did several shows with Julia Child, they are great alone and very sweet together
Dishing with Julia Child is a really nice update from PBS where other top chefs watch old Julia reruns and comment along. But it's all done with 100% love for her and it's really a great watch.
If you can get MHz Choice, this is a great new underrated streaming service that carries a lot of shows from the Europe that BritBox and Acorn are not carrying. We've recently fallen in love with Der Tatortreiniger (Crime Scene Cleaner), a comedy from Germany, which sounds awful but is really charming and sweet by the end of each episode.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:06 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The long-running British show Time Team (team of archeologists investigate a section of land - it's more compelling and gently exciting than it sounds, though there is sometimes the brutal tension of trying to finish before it rains!) has put years of episodes up on their youtube channel, and much of the newer years are in excellent HD.
We're almost exclusively watching youtube now, because I just can't deal with TV drama meanness or conflict at all (I can take like one great but difficult show at a time, currently it's Discovery - and even that is 80% meaningful kindness and 20% explosions and fighting). It's a lot of cooking and making things with a smattering of travel-under-the-circumstances:
- Refika's Kitchen - English-language channel of a well-known Turkish cooking youtube channel. Super warm and charming, recipes are do-able anywhere in the world.
- Minimal List - full-time narrowboating on the UK canal system (note: their videos are about 6 months behind, so you will see them in and out of UK quarantine tiers unsynchronized to current events)
- Lost In The Pond (a Brit living in the US talking about differences in cultures)
- A Simple Swedish Life - no speaking, captions only; daily life of a Korean man living in Sweden with his wife and their toddler
- Evan and Katelyn - craft/diy, funny, cat content
- How To Cook That - generally baking/candy oriented, some instructional and some debunking of awful youtube craft content mill videos
- Beryl Shereshewsky - used to be a travel producer at now-defunct channel Great Big Story, now stuck at home. She makes and tries simple recipes for foods from around the world (recommended by viewers) and it's always big positive love rather than "ew this is weird".
If you have a smart TV, it is pretty quick work to assemble yourself a playlist on a computer/phone and then access it from the TV using the youtube app.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:12 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
We're almost exclusively watching youtube now, because I just can't deal with TV drama meanness or conflict at all (I can take like one great but difficult show at a time, currently it's Discovery - and even that is 80% meaningful kindness and 20% explosions and fighting). It's a lot of cooking and making things with a smattering of travel-under-the-circumstances:
- Refika's Kitchen - English-language channel of a well-known Turkish cooking youtube channel. Super warm and charming, recipes are do-able anywhere in the world.
- Minimal List - full-time narrowboating on the UK canal system (note: their videos are about 6 months behind, so you will see them in and out of UK quarantine tiers unsynchronized to current events)
- Lost In The Pond (a Brit living in the US talking about differences in cultures)
- A Simple Swedish Life - no speaking, captions only; daily life of a Korean man living in Sweden with his wife and their toddler
- Evan and Katelyn - craft/diy, funny, cat content
- How To Cook That - generally baking/candy oriented, some instructional and some debunking of awful youtube craft content mill videos
- Beryl Shereshewsky - used to be a travel producer at now-defunct channel Great Big Story, now stuck at home. She makes and tries simple recipes for foods from around the world (recommended by viewers) and it's always big positive love rather than "ew this is weird".
If you have a smart TV, it is pretty quick work to assemble yourself a playlist on a computer/phone and then access it from the TV using the youtube app.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:12 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
Emd3737 is right that there are some unpleasant plotlines in Downton (including arguably two rapes). What I meant by gentle is that it depicts a world where things are fundamentally good, people are fundamentally kind to each other, and things fundamentally turn out ultimately as they should. It has the problems of reality, but seen through a more golden lens.
I also agree with the suggestions of Call the Midwife and The Good Place.
posted by ClaireBear at 10:12 AM on January 2, 2021
I also agree with the suggestions of Call the Midwife and The Good Place.
posted by ClaireBear at 10:12 AM on January 2, 2021
Best answer: I agree with Bob's Burgers.
Yes to ninja warrior, also the one that the rock hosts, those are positive.
If you like the british baking show, the american spring/holiday/halloween/kids/etc are also pretty positive and happy. I can't watch them much because then all I want to do is bake and eat. The kids ones are extra nice. The ones with Duff as a judge, not the ones with Gordon Ramsey.
Tia Mowry at home is also very nice. Similarly, barefoot contessa, martha bakes, etc. Can you tell I like cooking shows? These aren't competitions, just nice cooking.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 10:32 AM on January 2, 2021
Yes to ninja warrior, also the one that the rock hosts, those are positive.
If you like the british baking show, the american spring/holiday/halloween/kids/etc are also pretty positive and happy. I can't watch them much because then all I want to do is bake and eat. The kids ones are extra nice. The ones with Duff as a judge, not the ones with Gordon Ramsey.
Tia Mowry at home is also very nice. Similarly, barefoot contessa, martha bakes, etc. Can you tell I like cooking shows? These aren't competitions, just nice cooking.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 10:32 AM on January 2, 2021
Seconding Somebody Feed Phil. Totally flew under the radar, and ended up the most surprising show that is so kind and makes me so happy every single episode.
posted by General Malaise at 10:34 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by General Malaise at 10:34 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Face Off was the first reality show I watched where the contestants are pretty consistently kind and decent to each other. It is about special effects make up and it is fascinating to watch and really is about the artistry—no one wants to win because someone else had a bad day. It just feels so much nicer than most other American reality tv that I’ve watched.
posted by pie_seven at 10:46 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by pie_seven at 10:46 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
The Kindness Diaries, in which host Leon Logothetis drives around the world relying only on the kindness of strangers. At times it's a little contrived, but it's really quite lovely and on taking his leave Logothetis gives generously to many of those strangers to help them realize their dreams. On Netflix.
And thirding Somebody Feed Phil
posted by QuakerMel at 10:56 AM on January 2, 2021
And thirding Somebody Feed Phil
posted by QuakerMel at 10:56 AM on January 2, 2021
Best answer: Making It! It’s very clear that they watched GBBO and decided to make a craft show like it. It’s so so good.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:58 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by sleeping bear at 10:58 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Ghosts. My favourite TV find of this year, just lovely.
Another vote for The Repair Shop, and also one for Grayson's Art Club.
posted by penguin pie at 11:05 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Another vote for The Repair Shop, and also one for Grayson's Art Club.
posted by penguin pie at 11:05 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
I recommend Corner Gas, a Canadian sitcom that ran for 7 seasons beginning in 2004. It is available on Amazon Prime and IMDB Tv. It does have a bit of sarcasm from time to time, but nothing truly mean-spirited. It is closest to Northern Exposure (the old U.S. sitcom about a doctor moving to a small town in Alaska) which would also seem to qualify, but which doesn't seem to be available through streaming.
posted by statusquoante at 11:07 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by statusquoante at 11:07 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
I dunno if you want to do older shows, but I found that the old Billy Connolly world tours were great when I was in a dark spot. Billy natters away about whatever, and finds something charming wherever he goes.
Actually in that vein Two Fat Ladies was similarly non threatening; Jennifer and Clarissa drive around on a sidecar motorcycle, meet people, drink, cook and eat.
A River Somewhere; ostensibly centred around fly fishing but mainly showcasing beautiful rivers and the history etc. of the region?
Bush Mechanics; A group of Warlpiri men get wrecked cars working so they can drive around North/Central Australia and do the things they need to do?
Somewhat more recent but Hilda on Netflix has been pretty gentle; even when things get dark, like the depiction of depression, it resolves without significant unpleasantness.
I guess for a general take on this kind of thing I think that the 20 year rule is useful, after twenty years things are history; something that might upset you with a modern show feels less raw with an old show, and if you're significantly concerned the show might be upsetting, most likely someone will have written a critical article about it.
posted by fido~depravo at 11:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Actually in that vein Two Fat Ladies was similarly non threatening; Jennifer and Clarissa drive around on a sidecar motorcycle, meet people, drink, cook and eat.
A River Somewhere; ostensibly centred around fly fishing but mainly showcasing beautiful rivers and the history etc. of the region?
Bush Mechanics; A group of Warlpiri men get wrecked cars working so they can drive around North/Central Australia and do the things they need to do?
Somewhat more recent but Hilda on Netflix has been pretty gentle; even when things get dark, like the depiction of depression, it resolves without significant unpleasantness.
I guess for a general take on this kind of thing I think that the 20 year rule is useful, after twenty years things are history; something that might upset you with a modern show feels less raw with an old show, and if you're significantly concerned the show might be upsetting, most likely someone will have written a critical article about it.
posted by fido~depravo at 11:18 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Whilst I’m a huge, huge fan of Call the Midwife, and it’s a really important drama for the way in which it centres stories that often aren’t told, I don’t think it fits the brief here. It often deals with difficult and challenging issues.
The gentler version, which scratches a similar itch but in a more light (and very charming) way is the 2020 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small - 1930s Yorkshire vet. Not sure if those not in the UK will have access to it though.
posted by JJZByBffqU at 11:39 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
The gentler version, which scratches a similar itch but in a more light (and very charming) way is the 2020 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small - 1930s Yorkshire vet. Not sure if those not in the UK will have access to it though.
posted by JJZByBffqU at 11:39 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
Best answer: There's 3 seasons of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on DailyMotion. It's not so much a fishing show - Bob Mortimer had a very serious emergency heart surgery and some depression following it, so an old friend Paul Whitehouse proposed this project to get Bob taking part in some healthy outdoor activity. It's quiet comedy, scenic wonder, men's health, cooking, glamping, and some gentle catch-and-release.
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:39 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:39 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: PBS in the U.S. is starting to show the 2020 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small on January 10.
posted by gudrun at 11:59 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by gudrun at 11:59 AM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
To add:
Central Park (singing in the park, but there is an evil landowner)
Anthony Bourdain - Parts Unknown (real people showing off their food and its context in their lives)
Calm on HBO Max (not really nice people, but nice, as in a bunch of birds or noodles or trickling water)
One Day at a Time (nice multi-gen, mostly female family)
posted by typetive at 12:09 PM on January 2, 2021
Central Park (singing in the park, but there is an evil landowner)
Anthony Bourdain - Parts Unknown (real people showing off their food and its context in their lives)
Calm on HBO Max (not really nice people, but nice, as in a bunch of birds or noodles or trickling water)
One Day at a Time (nice multi-gen, mostly female family)
posted by typetive at 12:09 PM on January 2, 2021
Friday Night Lights and Parenthood are focused on people who are always trying to do the right thing.
posted by metasarah at 12:10 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by metasarah at 12:10 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Last Tango in Halifax
Available on Amazon Prime and possibly elsewhere
posted by scorpia22 at 12:41 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Available on Amazon Prime and possibly elsewhere
posted by scorpia22 at 12:41 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: I will go through and best answer - you all are so helpful! I forgot to mention that I would include The Good Place and Bob Ross painting videos and The Repair Shop and Kim’s Convenience in my list of stuff that’s exactly right. Cannot wait to check out the rest of these!
posted by House of Leaves of Grass at 12:52 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by House of Leaves of Grass at 12:52 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Nailed It! is surprisingly kind and good-natured. Got me through Election Week.
posted by bq at 1:47 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 1:47 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Nthing Somebody Feed Phil.Such wonderfully good vibes from that show.
Also, Nailed It is super silly but extremely sweet and positive.
posted by gnutron at 2:25 PM on January 2, 2021
Also, Nailed It is super silly but extremely sweet and positive.
posted by gnutron at 2:25 PM on January 2, 2021
Pushing Daisies (⬅︎ link to JustWatch for availability & trailer)
posted by D.Billy at 2:43 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by D.Billy at 2:43 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Best answer: We’ve found so much comfort with these pair of shows suggested above — The Repair Shop and Great British Sewing Bee. We also love Portrait Artist of the Year. The participants are a mix of amateurs and professionals; the competition (barely) is soothing and gentle.
posted by lemon_icing at 4:06 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by lemon_icing at 4:06 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Is MASH too raw? So good though.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 5:07 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by Lawn Beaver at 5:07 PM on January 2, 2021
Victorian Farm! It’s available on Amazon Prime. Three people show you how life looked on a farm, with visits from outside experts to help with the tricky bits of building stone walls, handling giant Shire horses, all that. A lovely and educational show and good for helping a quarantined person appreciate things like washing machines and gas stoves.
posted by Vatnesine at 5:36 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Vatnesine at 5:36 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
AJ and the Queen? RuPaul has more patience than anyone I know.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:31 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:31 PM on January 2, 2021
Penn & Teller: Fool Us. It makes me smile and also has a strange way of lulling me to sleep. (I can't explain that as it's not a boring show.)
posted by bananana at 7:34 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by bananana at 7:34 PM on January 2, 2021
King of the Hill
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:09 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:09 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Nthing Kim's Convenience. I thought Kath and Kim was one of the funniest, well-written shows I had seen in a very long time.
Also Anne with an E has warm-hearted all over it.
posted by jtexman1 at 6:35 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Also Anne with an E has warm-hearted all over it.
posted by jtexman1 at 6:35 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
muppets. all muppets. well, not so much post-disney muppets, though "A Muppet Christmas Carol" is an exception. (definitely NOT the muppet tv show that aired on abc a little while ago imo.) fraggles. Reruns of the Muppet Show are shorter than the films and abundant. all fraggles. sesame street. all sesame street. mr roger's neighborhood, all episodes.. especially before bed. So soothing and the slow pace I find is very sleep inducing. Amen.
posted by elgee at 10:47 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by elgee at 10:47 AM on January 3, 2021
I cannot recommend these two enough:
Joe Pera Talks With You - HBO Max
How To with John Wilson - HBO Max
Also, Ted Lasso. The Repair Shop. The Great Pottery Throw-Down on HBO Max.
posted by getawaysticks at 4:26 PM on January 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
Joe Pera Talks With You - HBO Max
How To with John Wilson - HBO Max
Also, Ted Lasso. The Repair Shop. The Great Pottery Throw-Down on HBO Max.
posted by getawaysticks at 4:26 PM on January 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
Reading about American football coach brought in to coach a British football club reminded me of a Youtube streaming series on the Self channel. It has gymnasts learning parkour, parkour practitioners learning gymnastics, and several other combinations (ice skating/hokey, rock climbing/pole dancing, water polo/synchronized swimming). At the end of the lessons they comment on what they thought of the other sport and what the teachers (the athletes of the other sport) thought of the athletes trying the new sport.
It would be really cheap and easy to criticize a different sport or someone trying and failing a new sport. They don't explicitly say it but it quickly becomes apparent that they were following these rules:
1. No criticism of the athletes trying the new sport--only encouragement, and at the end, comments on what they did well.
2. No criticism of the alternate sport--only comments of similarities and interesting differences what was challenging and what they liked about it.
The positive approach lead to some amazing results and made me impressed by all the athletes challenging themselves with something new and even made me think about trying some new sports.
posted by eye of newt at 8:56 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
It would be really cheap and easy to criticize a different sport or someone trying and failing a new sport. They don't explicitly say it but it quickly becomes apparent that they were following these rules:
1. No criticism of the athletes trying the new sport--only encouragement, and at the end, comments on what they did well.
2. No criticism of the alternate sport--only comments of similarities and interesting differences what was challenging and what they liked about it.
The positive approach lead to some amazing results and made me impressed by all the athletes challenging themselves with something new and even made me think about trying some new sports.
posted by eye of newt at 8:56 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Nailed It
Travel Man with Richard Ayoade
Taskmaster NZ and Taskmaster UK
posted by jojo and the benjamins at 12:28 AM on January 4, 2021
Travel Man with Richard Ayoade
Taskmaster NZ and Taskmaster UK
posted by jojo and the benjamins at 12:28 AM on January 4, 2021
DRAG SOS
Betty (2019)
Soul Eater
Star Trek: Lower Decks
posted by jojo and the benjamins at 12:35 AM on January 4, 2021
Betty (2019)
Soul Eater
Star Trek: Lower Decks
posted by jojo and the benjamins at 12:35 AM on January 4, 2021
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:48 AM on January 2, 2021 [18 favorites]