Keep Your Spirit Up With These Feel-Good Shows

From the widely beloved Brooklyn Nine-Nine to the criminally underrated Anne with an E, here are some of our favourite feel-good shows for your binge-watching consideration.

Published 09 Jul 2020

Keep Your Spirit Up With These Feel-Good Shows - Feature-Image

While we all want to do our part by staying inside, it’s understandable if the prolonged social isolation has affected you in a negative way.

So here are some of our favourite feel-good TV shows that will leave you with warm, fuzzy feelings.

#1. The Good Place

The series follows Eleanor Shellstrop, a not-so-decent woman who, by some weird mishap, ends up in the good part of the afterlife. In order to continue her stay in The Good Place, Eleanor must make amends and prove herself worthy.

Essentially, it’s a show about what it means to be a good person. This, combined with its light-hearted humour, makes The Good Place an entertaining and sophisticated show perfect for family viewing.

The Good Place ended its run early this year with its fourth season, making it the perfect show to start binge-watching.

#2. Kim’s Convenience

Kim’s Convenience tells the story of Korean-Canadian Mr and Mrs Kim (affectionately referred to as Appa and Umma), their daughter, Janet (a photography student), and estranged son, Jung as they navigate life in Toronto, Canada.

Most of the show, which takes place in the fictional Kim’s Convenience store, follows the antics of the Kim’s family members as they deal with issues like finding their own identity, tackling relationships with friends and loved ones and, most important of all, learning what it means to be a family.

With a recently released fourth season, the series shows no sign of slowing down. If you’re looking for a feel-good family sitcom, Kim’s Convenience is perfect for you.

#3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, the show follows Jake Peralta and his team of officers led by the gentle Lieutenant Terry Jeffords and the overly serious Captain Raymond Holt.

Critically acclaimed and widely beloved, the show is praised for its thoughtful humour and adorkable characters. It treats its viewers with respect by artfully balancing between humour and respect even when addressing serious social issues.

The show was so dearly beloved, that when Fox decided to cancel it, a number of celebrities, including Star Wars’ Mark Hamill and Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda, took to social media to express their frustration. Thankfully, it’s now back and more lovable than ever.

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#4. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Kimmy Schmidt had spent a good portion of her life as a captive in a cult. So when she finally escaped, she decided to start a new life in New York. With a little help from her newfound friends, Lillian, Titus and Jacqueline, Kimmy is determined to take back control of her life.

Brought to life by the charming Ellie Kemper, Kimmy’s Schmidt unwavering optimism makes her an unconventional character in this modern landscape, one you can’t help but to cheer on. When it’s easy to feel demotivated, the unyielding resilience of Kimmy Schmidt is exactly what we need.

Throughout its four seasons, the show has been nominated for 18 Primetime Emmy Awards so this is one show you don’t want to miss.

#5. The Office US

An adaptation of a UK-based programme of the same name, The Office (US edition) is a mockumentary style sitcom following the lives of the Scranton branch employees of Dunder-Mifflin, a fictional paper company.

While things can get a tad too awkward and some moments a tad too cringy (we’re looking at you Scott’s Tots), the show balances it out with heart and humour, perfectly personified with Jim and Dwight’s opposing personalities.

The series concluded in 2013 with 9 seasons (though we like to think it ended in season 7), so there’s plenty of fun moments for you to binge on.

#6. Anne with an E

This Netflix’s reimagining of the popular book series follows Anne Shirley, an orphan growing into her own as a young woman. She finds a family in Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert and they stay together at Green Gables. Although life does not automatically turn for the better for the young Anne, she faces the world armed with her ingenuity, strength and creativity.

Fans of the Anne of Green Gables book series will find that while this show deviates slightly from the books, there’s still plenty of the original soul left in it.

The show ended with 3 seasons when it was unexpectedly cancelled by Netflix. While fans are left heartbroken, many agreed that the show ended beautifully showing Anne coming into her own identity.

In a time where cynical characters and brutally honest stories flood our screens, it’s good to take a break from all the seriousness and have a good laugh alone. After all, who doesn’t want to escape into the funny world of convenience stores and police precincts?