Comfort Companions: Our Favourite TV Shows for Recovery
A Note from Lulu
I believe recovery is made up of the little things.
A favourite mug. Fresh sheets. A walk in the sunshine. A nourishing meal. A phone call with a friend. And sometimes...
A television programme that quietly keeps you company when you don't have the energy for much else.
Looking back on my own recovery, it was filled with comfort TV. When I started talking to other women living with and beyond cancer, I realised I wasn't the only one. So many of us had our own favourite TV companions helping us through the harder times.
I found myself returning to the same familiar shows again and again over the years. They asked very little of me, but gave me so much in return. They made me laugh on difficult days, calmed a busy mind and, for a little while, easy escapism.
This is a collection of the television shows that have brought comfort to me over the years, alongside recommendations from the Lulu & Me community. I hope you discover one that becomes a comfort companion for you too.
Love,
Lulux
Why Comfort TV Matters
When you're recovering from cancer, your body and mind are doing an extraordinary amount of work. Even long after treatment ends, it's common to feel emotionally and mentally drained.
That's why so many of us find ourselves returning to familiar television. The characters we already know. The storylines we've seen before. The programmes that ask nothing of us except to sit back and press play.
If that's where you find yourself, know this: you don't need to feel guilty. Rest is healing too. Sometimes spending an afternoon on the sofa with a favourite series is exactly what your body and mind need.
There's comfort in knowing what's coming next. In laughing at the same jokes. In spending time with characters that feel like old friends.
Whether it's rewatching an old favourite for the tenth time or discovering a new series that simply makes you smile, these small moments of escapism can become an important part of healing.
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is pure comfort viewing and one of my personal favourites. Set in the picture-perfect town of Stars Hollow, it's filled with cosy cafés, autumn walks, quirky neighbours and the kind of small-town charm that makes you wish you lived there.
At its heart is the wonderfully close relationship between Lorelai and her daughter, Rory. Their fast-paced wit, love of coffee and unwavering support for one another make the series feel both comforting and familiar. It's also a nostalgic escape to a simpler, pre-smartphone world, where life moves at a gentler pace and nothing bad happens.
Why it helps: Gilmore Girls offers a world that's warm, familiar and wonderfully predictable. It's the perfect place to disappear into when you need life to feel a little gentler.
The Office (US)
Set almost entirely within the ordinary walls of Dunder Mifflin, it's packed with brilliantly awkward humour, memorable characters and the familiarity of everyday office life.
Beneath the comedy is a genuine sense of friendship, alongside the wonderfully understated love story between Jim and Pam, gives the series its heart.
Why it helps: The Office reminds us that joy can be found in the ordinary. Its familiar routines, humour and lovable characters make it the perfect series to switch on when you need a laugh without having to think too hard.
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso has an infectious optimism that's impossible not to be swept along by. While it's set in the world of football, this much-loved series is really about people. Set against the charming backdrop of Richmond, it's full of kindness, hope and British humour.
At its heart are beautifully flawed characters who remind us that it's okay not to have everything figured out, and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Why it helps: Ted Lasso has a wonderful way of lifting your heart. It leaves you feeling lighter, more hopeful and quietly reminded that kindness still matters.
Schitts Creek
Schitt's Creek is the perfect reminder that sometimes life's biggest setbacks lead us exactly where we're meant to be. What begins as the story of a once-wealthy family losing everything quickly becomes a heartwarming tale of kindness, acceptance and finding joy in the unexpected.
As the Rose family slowly settles into their new life, their relationships deepen, their perspectives change and they discover that happiness comes from the people around us, not the things we own.
Why it helps: Schitt's Creek shows us that even after life's biggest changes, it's possible to find joy, belonging and a fresh start.
Bro
thers & Sisters
If you're looking for a family to escape into, you'll find one in the Walkers.
Set in sunny California, Brothers & Sisters is full of love, family chaos and the reassuring feeling that, no matter what life throws at them, they'll always find their way back to one another. At the heart of it all is Sally Field's wonderful Nora Walker, whose warmth, wisdom and unconditional love make every episode feel like coming home.
Why it helps: Even when life feels messy, the show reminds us that family and hope have a way of bringing people back together.
Please note: Brothers & Sisters includes storylines about cancer, which many viewers have found validating and comforting during their own experience. Others may prefer to save it for a later stage in their recovery.
Friends
Friends is one of those rare shows that never seems to lose its charm. Whether you're watching it for the fifteenth time or just catching a favourite episode, spending time with the gang feels like catching up with people you've known forever.
Set in a simpler time, it's packed with unforgettable one-liners, everyday mishaps and the kind of humour that never tries too hard. It's the perfect series for slow afternoons or those snoozy days when you just want to smile.
Why it helps: Friends is one of those shows you can happily have on in the background. It keeps you company and makes the quieter days at home feel a little less lonely.
Finding Your Own Comfort Companion
Not every show will be the right fit for everyone. The best ones are the series you find yourself returning to time and time again. The ones that help you switch off, make you smile, or simply keep you company when you need them most.
If you're looking for your next comfort companion, here are a few things to look out for:
Trust your instinct. If a show makes you feel calm from the very first episode, that's usually a good sign.
Avoid Intense Drama: Steer clear of anything filled with heavy conflict or emotional turbulence to protect your peace.
Look for Positive Themes. Kindness, community, humour and hope make the best comfort shows.
Read Reviews. Words like heartwarming, uplifting, gentle and feel-good are always worth looking out for.
Give yourself permission to switch it off. If a show isn't bringing you comfort and joy, simply try another one.
One Day at a Time
One Day at a Time follows three generations of one family and is filled with warmth, humour and the everyday moments that quietly hold us together.
The series gently explores life's modern challenges with honesty and compassion, while never losing its sense of humour. Its wonderfully relatable characters, uplifting spirit and close family bonds make it the kind of show that leaves you smiling.
Why it helps: One Day at a Time is powered by a cast of strong, funny and fiercely supportive women. Their energy is infectious, reminding us that even life's hardest chapters can still be filled with love and laughter.
Great British Bake Off
The Great British Bake Off is one of television's simplest pleasures. A celebration of creativity and the joy of baking. Unlike most competition shows, there's no drama for the sake of drama, just genuine encouragement, light humour and contestants cheering one another on.
It's a lovely programme to settle down with at the end of the day. In the Bake Off tent, the biggest worry is a sunken sponge or a soggy bottom—and sometimes that's all the drama we need.
Why it helps: The Great British Bake Off is a reminder to slow down, put the kettle on and savour life's quieter moments. Oh, and eat cake
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey is one of Britain's most loved feel-good series, celebrating family, friendship and all the wonderfully ordinary moments in between. From Barry Island to Billericay, it's full of unforgettable characters, warm humour and the kind of affectionate chaos that makes every episode feel like coming home.
At its heart, it's a story about love in all its forms - romantic love, family love and the friendships that become family. It's funny, familiar and endlessly rewatchable, it's one of those shows you'll happily return to time and time again.
Why it helps: Gavin & Stacey reminds us that life's happiest moments are often found in the people who know us best. It's guaranteed to leave you laughing.
Grace & Frankie
Grace & Frankie is a joyful reminder that life doesn't stop reinventing itself. When two very different women unexpectedly find themselves starting over later in life, what unfolds is a funny, heartfelt story about friendship, resilience and discovering new possibilities when you least expect them.
With its beautiful Californian setting, sharp humour and wonderfully lovable characters, the series celebrates ageing with honesty, warmth and optimism. It embraces life's challenges without ever losing its sense of joy, making it feel both uplifting and refreshingly real.
Why it helps: Grace & Frankie is full of laughter and the reassuring reminder that it's never too late to begin again.
Sex And The City
SATC is pure escapism. From the glamorous New York backdrop to the iconic fashion, beautiful restaurants and nights out, it's a chance to immerse yourself in a world that feels exciting and stylish.
During recovery, when getting dressed or leaving the house can feel like a challenge, there's something uplifting about watching Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha embrace life with confidence. We might not have the energy to join them, but for a little while, we can live vicariously through them.
Why it helps: SATC reminds us that there will be a time when we'll dress up again, meet friends for dinner and feel like ourselves again. Until then, it's the perfect dose of glamour and escape.
Fraser
Frasier is like stepping back into the comforting rhythm of the '90s. Before social media and the constant demands of modern life, there's something wonderfully calming about returning to Seattle, where life's biggest dilemmas are usually solved over a coffee or a sherry.
With its sharp wit, familiar characters and cosy settings, Frasier is the kind of series that never dates and one you can happily dip into time and time again.
Why it helps: Frasier offers a gentle dose of nostalgia, reminding us of a slower time when life felt just a little less complicated.
We'd Love Your Recommendations
Which comedy film never fails to make you laugh?
We're already working on the next Comfort Companions Guide, sharing the comedy films that lift our spirits on the tougher days, because sometimes laughter really is healing for the soul.
Share your favourites below, we'd love to include recommendations from the Lulu & Me community.