The Best Comfort TV Shows To Watch In Lockdown

Living in lockdown is no fun, but the good news is there are plenty of hilarious, heartfelt and genuine TV shows currently streaming in Australia to bump those blues away. If you’re in the mood to be entertained, but you don’t want any of those gloomy, covid-heavy vibes to get in the way, there are so many great TV shows you can check out to lift your spirits.

From recent hits like Ted Lasso to enduring favourites like Community, these are the shows that’ll have you smiling ear-to-ear, even when lockdown is cramping your style.

Here are Gizmodo Australia’s picks for the best comfort TV shows around.

Schitt’s Creek

Schitt’s Creek really is an incredible TV show filled with great performances, stories and wholesomeness. While the first season introduces you to a cast of characters who are rarely likeable, the growth of the Rose family over each season is incredible to watch and so well-written.

If you’re looking for a show where you’ll really fall in love with the characters and every wacky scenario they find themselves in, Schitt’s Creek is the perfect comfort TV show that really earns its laughs.

Schitt’s Creek is currently streaming on Netflix in Australia.

A.P. Bio

A.P. Bio is all about a gloomy professor learning to love the group of kids he’s saddled with teaching. Like Schitt’s Creek, the show draws you in with an excellent portrayal of how people can change and how everyone can learn from their mistakes.

Glenn Howerton’s Jack Griffin doesn’t have quite the change of heart that Alexis or David Rose do, but the journey he goes on over the course of A.P. Bio and the way he connects with his classes is so fun and heartfelt.

The newest seasons of A.P. Bio are streaming on Stan in Australia, but you can also catch the first two seasons on Netflix.

Ted Lasso

There’s a reason everybody’s been talking about Ted Lasso lately, and it’s not because one of the main characters appears to be CGI. No, it’s because it’s one of the most wholesome, endearing and engaging shows on TV.

You don’t have to be a football fan to get involved in Ted Lasso‘s tale — all you really need is a heart. The show’s first season is a massive triumph in comfort TV, and while the second was slightly rockier, both tell worthwhile, beautiful stories.

Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV+.

Community

Community is a bit older than other shows on this list and some of the jokes haven’t aged well, but for the most part it remains one of TV’s best modern comedies. Every character in this cast is a real gem (not you, Pierce) and seeing how their college group comes together is a real blast.

By the later seasons, Community had mastered its wacky hyper-real tone and made everyone fall in love with the adventures of Troy, Abed, Britta, Jeff, Shirley and Annie. Revisiting this show now is like receiving a warm hug from friends.

Community is streaming on both Stan and Netflix.

The Great Celebrity Bake Off

The Great Celebrity Bake Off (also known as The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off) is the purest form of comfort TV you can have, really. It’s basically a bunch of celebrities doing some cooking, being goofs and messing up — what more do you want? While many of the celebrities may be unknown to Aussies (British media personalities frequent the show), everyone is having a blast, and it’s a real joy to watch.

Later seasons also have appearances from ‘Hollywood’ celebrities like James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley, so there are plenty of familiar faces running around.

Of the comfort TV shows on this list, The Great Celebrity Bake Off is probably the easiest, funniest watch of all.

Select seasons of The Great Celebrity Bake-Off and The Great British Bake-Off are now streaming on Binge.

Taskmaster

Taskmaster is a funny little TV show about funny little people doing funny little challenges. It’s also very, very addictive. In Taskmaster, a bunch of British celebrities (mostly comedians) compete in a series of increasingly weird challenges while judges Alex Horne and Greg Davies watch on in horror. There are watermelon-eating tasks, painting tasks, eggcup tasks… the list goes on.

It’s silly, it’s wonderful and it’s the perfect show to binge-watch over a weekend if you’re looking for a sweet little escape.

Taskmaster is now streaming on Binge in Australia.