Feel-good TV shows to lift your spirits if the holidays aren’t really your thing

The holidays, for all the excitement about a time when calories seem to magically stop counting and gifts arrive from every direction, when the crowds in the city thin out and everything smells of mulled wine and cookies, can also be an extremely difficult period for many of us. During the holidays, various pressures emerge and unresolved issues surface, ones we may have been sweeping under the rug for months, and with all the resolutions, fresh starts, and expectations that we will somehow get ourselves together the moment the clock strikes midnight on December 31, we often end up feeling drained, unready for new beginnings, or simply lost in a sea of unrealistic expectations.

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The holidays are also often a time that demands togetherness, family, friends, and large, smiling groups of people, and when you do not have that kind of support system in your life, it is very easy to feel left out and lonely. Members of LGBTQ+ communities are, unfortunately, those for whom what I am talking about is often a reality every year, as are those who may have lost a loved one in the past year, for whom celebration and gathering take on a different shape. In moments like these, it is important to know that the new year and the holidays can look exactly the way that works for you at that time, and that no one and nothing should demand that you be someone you are not, or that you feel and present yourself the way others want and expect.

Ukoliko želite samo da nakon naporne porodične večere legnete i gledate nešto lagano, zabavno i poznato, nešto što ste verovatno gledali mnogo puta do sada i što vam daje osećaj tople kupke posle napornog dana, ili da u toplini svog doma dočekate novu godinu sami sa svojim kućnim ljubimcem, u nastavku donosim nekoliko feel-good serija koje će u ovom periodu godine pružiti komfor onima kojima je najviše potreban.

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Broad City

Broad City. Image: IMDb

Broad City is a series that both celebrates and pokes fun at the everyday lives of young adults in New York at the same time. It follows Abbi and Ilana, two best friends who navigate work, love, and life in the city that never sleeps through absurd, funny, and sometimes completely pointless situations. What makes it a true feel-good series is its honesty and warmth: even when things go totally wrong, the viewer senses that the characters are there for each other, supporting one another and laughing together, even when life hits hard.

Broad City is best watched when you want to relax and forget about stress, whether after a long day or when you need a dose of absurd humor and positive energy. The series celebrates the small, chaotic joys of life and friendship, and it is very possible that after an episode you will feel that the world is, after all, a slightly more fun place.

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Chewing Gum

Chewing Gum. Image: IMDb

Chewing Gum is the riotous debut of Michaela Coel, often overshadowed by her later hit I May Destroy You, but if you enjoy her style, this series absolutely belongs on your holiday watch list. It follows Tracey, a shy twenty-year-old from a London housing estate, who has decided to lose her virginity and is ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The series is packed with completely outrageous situations and humor that will keep you glued to the screen.

Chewing Gum is best watched when you want something short, explosive, and completely unpredictable, perfect for weekend evenings or whenever you need an escape from everyday routine, as the series carries an energy that will pull you fully into its wild world.

Feel Good

Feel Good. Image: IMDb

Feel Good is a perfect holiday series because it blends humor and warmth with honest, sometimes painful stories about love, identity, and working through past mistakes. It follows comedian Mae as they enter a new relationship with the previously straight George, while confronting their own past and a struggle with addiction. The series is both gentle and laugh-out-loud funny, and for many LGBTQI+ viewers it feels deeply familiar and close.

Feel Good is best watched when you want something that warms the soul, with a touch of laughter and emotional depth, ideal for long winter evenings or holiday days when you want to connect with stories about love, friendship, and personal growth.

Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry, Image: IMDb

Heated Rivalry has become a series people are talking about because it is fun, passionate, and different from most mainstream romances. It uses the tense dynamic of rivals in professional hockey to build emotional and physical attraction between the protagonists, Shane and Ilya, portraying queer love openly and without restraint, which many viewers find liberating and especially appealing. In the context of the holidays, this mix of intensity and warmth feels like pure fun and an ideal form of entertainment; the pace of the episodes and the strong chemistry between the characters easily dispel boredom and bring energy to winter evenings. Heated Rivalry celebrates not only romance but also the joy of watching people live and love with their whole hearts, which makes it a lovely experience to share and talk about during holiday gatherings.

Heated Rivalry is best watched in the evening or during holiday afternoons when you want something that will not take too much out of you, yet still gives you space to fully surrender to the rhythm of the series and the characters’ wild chemistry.

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Family Guy

Family Guy, Image: IMDb

This is a series I can watch anytime, at any point in the year, and it only takes putting on any episode, in no particular order and with no rules, for me to be ready to sink into an armchair with my favorite blanket and an oversized mug of tea. Family Guy is a classic animated series that, although often hilariously absurd and full of sarcasm, delivers that specific feel-good holiday mood through the ridiculous adventures of the Griffin family. The episodes are packed with comic situations, pop culture references, and unexpected twists that provoke laughter, while at the same time offering warmth through family moments and special holiday episodes that celebrate the spirit of Christmas, New Year’s, or other holidays in their own wild and original way.

Family Guy is best watched on relaxed evenings or holiday afternoons when you specifically need entertainment and a bit of chaos on the screen, whether on your own or with company, alongside a warm drink and a festive atmosphere.

Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23

Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, Image: IMDb

A few days ago, I suggested to a friend that instead of our usual marathon of scrolling through TikTok in the same room, we watch Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, since social media had just reminded me of it. The series follows June, a naive young woman who moves from Indiana to New York in search of a job, and Chloe, a wild party girl who lives by her own rules and constantly tests the boundaries of her roommates. The two develop an unexpected friendship through hilarious situations and absurd schemes, which makes the series an excellent feel-good choice for the holidays.

Watch it when you want to feel encouraged to take matters into your own hands, while Chloe gives you ideas you might use to finally bring your holiday resolutions to life.

New Girl

New Girl, Image: IMDb

This is definitely one of my favorite series ever. I especially love how the characters gradually become more and more like a strange family in which an avalanche of unexpected events can be set off at any moment. Each character is a protagonist in their own right, even though the story mostly focuses on Jess, a woman who moves into an apartment with three other roommates. Her adventures become a guide to growing up, navigating adult life, and preserving that eternal child deep within us.

New Girl is ideal for those holiday evenings when you feel like you need an energy boost, a renewed belief in friendship, and a touch of chaotic high school energy from fully grown adults.

Schitt’s Creek

Schitt’s Creek, Image: IMDb

Schitt’s Creek is a series that highlights small-town life in a witty and unobtrusive way, following the wealthy Rose family as they suddenly have to manage without their luxury. Through their awkward attempts to adapt and unusual interactions with the local residents, the series shows how connections and friendships are built in unexpected ways. It is often hilarious, while also giving a sense of relief and satisfaction as we watch the characters navigate completely new circumstances.

It is best watched while sipping tea or hot chocolate and when you want to laugh out loud, perhaps through several episodes in a row. Perfect for moments when you need a little chaos and absurdity that entertains, yet ultimately leaves that sweet feeling that everything can still be sorted out, at least on television.

Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls, Image: IMDb

Gilmore Girls is a series you always return to because it’s like your favorite morning cup of coffee: familiar, quickly wakes you up, and always surprises you with a little detail you didn’t notice last time. It’s perfect for the holidays because Stars Hollow has everything you want from a small town where everyone knows each other, and the dialogue moves at lightning speed, full of sharp humor. Lorelai and Rory guide you through lives that are at once chaotic, funny, and utterly crazy, yet always sincere, and even after watching for the hundredth time, you still feel that there’s a place in that town where things make sense, and you’ll always wish there were at least one more place like it for yourself.

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It’s best watched when it’s cold, when snow is falling outside, or when you need an escape from the real world and any serious plans. Perfect for binge sessions, but also for those moments when you just want to settle into an armchair and get lost in dialogue that’s even more engaging than scrolling.

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl, Everett Collection

Ah, when I think about how much I wanted to be Blair Waldorf in elementary school. Having returned to this series at least twenty times at different points in my life, I’ve realized how unbearably annoying all the characters are, how terribly vain, and how some of them could really use a police intervention (Chuck Bass, I’m looking at you). Despite all that, I will never skip an episode if I come across it by chance or if someone invites me to rewatch this titan from my early teenage years.

The perfect time to watch this series is if you’re in your huge Manhattan mansion and dealing with problems with your boyfriend, best friend, or mom. Simply put, if you want to feel like a wealthy woman with an incredible number of daily fires to put out every hour. Lie down in your canopy bed, start the first episode, and enjoy. XoXo.

Nobody Wants This

Nobody Wants This, Netflix

Nobody Wants This has a title that sounds like an ironic remark, but the series is actually one of those rom-com gems that entertains you exactly when you need to step out of the holiday mood without any complications. The story follows Joanne, a podcast host who talks about relationships (and sex), and Noah, a young rabbi from a traditional family, as they both try to reconcile their worlds and start something that could become a real relationship. This very unexpected mix of characters and situations hits the heart of modern romantic comedy, exactly how a script should look that never loses its charm, even when the characters stumble into chaotic love misunderstandings.

After a few rewatchings, Nobody Wants This has that strange power to lift your spirits with loud, witty dialogue, while also making you laugh at “what just happened?” moments. That’s why it’s perfect for the holidays: the episodes are short, the pace is fast, and each one delivers that “just one more” feeling that keeps us going until we realize we’ve binge-watched the entire season. It’s best watched while settled with a night-time cocktail or a warm tea, when it’s cold outside, and when you want to laugh wholeheartedly without too many serious topics.

Sex and the City

Sex and the City, Image: IMDb

I will always have a love-hate relationship with this series. At the same time, I hate them all, yet I can’t stop watching it at least once every year, and sometimes more. Carrie is someone I would avoid at all costs in real life, while for the other three I would probably later comment with friends on how arrogant, overly self-important, and strangely pushy they are. However, in that universe of beautiful shoes, exciting dates, and occasional trips to the Hamptons, Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha no longer seem so exhausting, but absolutely irresistible in all their flaws.

Sex and the City is best watched when you want to boost your confidence, feel glamorous, and get a very direct glimpse into an imaginary world of “ordinary people” who aren’t so ordinary after all. Tip: don’t ask how anyone in New York can make a living writing one column a week.

Alpha Males

Alpha Males, Image: IMDb

The series follows four friends in their forties who begin to notice that their privilege, as men, is diminishing due to social changes and the empowerment of women, forcing them to adapt in their own ways. In the first season, the group attends a “deconstructing masculinity” course, and how this affects their understanding and perceptions is a central theme throughout the series. The show humorously explores friendship, identity, sexism, and the shifting expectations of men and masculinity in contemporary society.

It is best watched in the evenings when you want to laugh out loud and see people you recognize from everyday life create absolute chaos, or in afternoon binge sessions when you need a quick dose of irony, sharp humor, and social satire that keeps you glued to the screen.

Brooklyn 99

Brooklyn 99, Getty images

The first thing I have to say about this series is don’t watch the last season, and the second is to let yourself fully immerse in a world where police officers have at least a gram of compassion and humanity. This is also one of my favorite comfort series; I’ve watched it in every phase of my life and I will never stop loving it. It has everything you need for the holidays: love, very specific and recognizable humor, incredibly unique and interesting characters, and human relationships.

Watch it when you need a break from everything, when you’re overwhelmed or tired. Trust me, you’ll feel at least a little more energized than before, or those might just be tears of laughter in your eyes.

Big Mouth

Big Mouth, Image: IMDb

Entering puberty was different for all of us, but one universal truth is that no one knew much about their body, needs, sex, or everything that comes with it. The characters in this series are kids whose stories will feel eerily familiar, and some will hold up a mirror directly to you. Big Mouth is a series you’ll keep returning to because it’s like a mental detox with a side of sexual tension. Honestly, it’s brutally funny and a little uncomfortable, but in that way that makes you laugh out loud and instantly realize you went through something similar in seventh grade.

It’s perfect for the holidays because it’s completely liberating, especially when snow is falling outside or when you want to laugh out loud while sipping cocoa. It’s best watched when you need chaos, laughter, and unexpected honesty about life and the body, whether in evening binge sessions or in afternoon moments when you want to disconnect from everything and simply surrender to the characters’ comedic disasters.

How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother, Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

This is also a series I have a complex relationship with, whose flaws I only noticed after several rewatchings. That won’t stop me from putting it on this list, because every time I return to it, it manages to entertain me (forget the debacle caused by the last episode; after a few years, you’ll somehow grow to love it). Following Ted and his search for love through future storytelling, the series is like mental entertainment that takes you back to those moments when friends are all you need, and each episode is a small explosion of laughter, irony, and unexpected emotional hits.

It’s perfect when you have a bit more time and plenty of space in bed, because with this series you’ll want to laugh, cry, eat, but also jump for excitement and dance along to some of the show’s recognizable songs.

The Office

The Office, Image: IMDb

The Office feels like a holiday show because in those episodes there’s something that isn’t just funny, but also a little warm in your stomach, like opening a gift you didn’t expect but that truly delights you. It’s worth returning to because no matter how many times you’ve watched it, there’s always a new detail that will make you laugh or hit right in the heart: Jim’s look at the camera, Dwight’s obsession, Michael’s awkward and strange love for everything and everyone. It gives us a sense of togetherness and familiarity in a world that is often chaotic and ironic. When you’re cold, need a break from real life, or have just come from work where everything feels like one of Scranton’s moments of chaos, The Office is there to bring back your sense of humor and remind you that we’re all a little awkward, but also a little wonderful.

Watch it when you need guilt-free laughter, a bit of empathy in the small things, and when you want to remember that an office can be like a playground, but warmer than you think.

Sex Education

Sex Education, Netflix

Sex Education is a series that will make you laugh and blush at the same time, like someone is whispering a secret you shouldn’t know, but can’t help being curious about. It’s worth returning to because no matter how many times you watch it, Otis and the gang always manage to show that teenage troubles are absurd, painful, and hilariously funny all at once. It gives you something few shows do today: honesty about what no one talks about, empathy for every adolescent’s awkwardness, and the sense that however complicated life feels, you’re not alone in your uncomfortable and strange thoughts. When you need to laugh, remember it’s okay to be confused, and that a little madness can be liberating, Sex Education is there.

Watch it when you need heartfelt laughter, a reminder that sexuality is normal and better talked about than ignored, especially if you have a younger brother or sister with whom you want to build a stronger bond by spending a few afternoons a week together with an educational and entertaining series. It will also take you back to the days when everything was new, frightening, and totally funny at the same time.