18 Best Smooth Brain TV Shows You Can Binge Mindlessly
When it comes to streaming TV, desperately uncool is the new cool. While the fashion crowd is buzzing about the new season of True Detective , most of the biggest streaming shows are something other than what we typically think of as prestige television: lawyer shows, police procedurals and medical dramas.
Everyone watches this stuff, including, especially , the Gen Z teens and twenty-somethings you’d expect to watch The Bear and The White Lotus . Instead (or at least in addition) they watch Suits , a show that’s been on for a long time, received lukewarm reviews from critics, and never trended on social media.
I have a theory why. Getting Prestige TV’s attention tends to be difficult and challenging. Keeping up with multiple shows with expanded casts and convoluted plots can be overwhelming given an already overloaded media diet. A more traditional episode structure doesn’t necessarily make a show bad or dumb… but it can make it a lot easier to watch. All the better if there are a lot of episodes and you can make watching them a comforting experience. routine. In an era of dark dramas with “cinematic” production values, these shows also tend to be brighter (literally), with dialogue more easily discernible, meaning you may not have to look up from what you’re doing as often , while you watch them (I’m a big fan of folding laundry). Here are 18 shows that aren’t necessarily mindless that you can mindlessly watch when you need a break.
Call the Midwife (2012 –)
This British historical drama (begins in 1957) is set in the Poplar area of London, which at the time was one of the most desperately poor areas of the city. When the National Health Service came into being, secularly trained midwives teamed up with the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent that had been providing medical care to the area’s poor for decades. Now in its 13th season, the series has long outlived the memoir it was originally based on, but still attracts a large audience with its truly touching stories of birth and death. Call the Midwife often openly tackles women’s health issues that other shows are still too timid to tackle, but the appeal here, I think, is the episodic format: ongoing storylines and character arcs take a backseat to narratives that are resolved – for better or worse – over the course of the episode as narrator Vanessa Redgrave neatly wraps things up.
Where to watch: Netflix, PBS.
Costumes (2011 – 2019)
When Suits left the air after an impressive nine seasons in 2019, one could be forgiven for believing that the show’s biggest contribution to the conversation in the US was the presence of Meghan Markle, but here we are, four years later, and Suits -majors” is the Top Streaming Show with nearly 60 billion minutes watched in 2023. It feels like a safer, soapier alternative to something like Hereditary , a legal drama that requires far less emotional investment.
Where to watch: Netflix, Peacock
Equalizer (2021 – )
Led by Queen Latifah, The Equalizer reboots the 1980s series (and bypasses Denzel Washington’s films) by taking the story in a slightly different direction: Latifah plays single mother Robyn McCall, an incredibly skilled former CIA operative who uses her talents to work for… who are in need. While the vibe of the original was more about cops being handcuffed by things like “rules” and “giving criminals their basic humanity,” this film is more about those who have been let down by systems that don’t care about them, and who It might be helpful to get help from a woman who can kick anyone’s ass. There’s action, violence, and the occasional dramatic stakes, but the stories mostly resolve themselves by the end of a given week’s episode, and it’s usually very satisfying to watch Robin and company spy and/or fight their way out of sticky situations to help the downtrodden.
Where to watch: Paramount+
Grey’s Anatomy (2005 –)
It’s not the longest-running drama on television, but at 19 seasons (and counting), the series, which began under the George W. Bush administration, still has good ratings… but the repeats are at the same level. Older episodes of the show have topped the streaming charts for several years running, their appeal nicely splitting the difference between traditional comfort TV and serialization, with the show offering some of the drama that’s common throughout the week. is not only the butter of medical dramas for decades, but also the truly juicy soap opera storylines that creator Shonda Rhimes has quickly proven herself to be a master at.
Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu.
All Creatures Great and Small (2020 –)
An update to the venerable British franchise based on the series of autobiographical novels by author James Alfred White (aka James Herriot), All Creatures takes us back to the rural Yorkshire Dales of the 1930s as a Scottish veterinarian moves to small-scale farming. town of Darrowby to apply for a job as a veterinary assistant. It takes some willingness to see endangered animals on a weekly basis, but a generous show rarely results in a gut punch. It’s mostly a charming domestic drama set in a bucolic landscape with frequent appearances of cows.
Where to watch: PBS.
Quantum Leap (2022 –)
The Joy of Quantum Leap (a sequel, albeit with mostly new characters, to the original) in an anthology format. As with any modern series, there are developing characters and storylines, but the relatively simple sci-fi premise is that time traveler Ben Song (Raymond Lee) lives through the life of a new character each week just long enough to help “set things right” ” that one day went wrong.” Individual stories play out like well-written mini-movies, sometimes with very real stakes, and the narratives are almost always wrapped up by the end of the hour, meaning the drama doesn’t carry over (much) from week to week. Plus, there’s Ernie Hudson…always a calming presence.
Where to watch: Peacock (original and revival)
NCIS (2003 –)
Rising up the list of longest-running dramas, NCIS has clocked up an impressive 20 seasons (and counting) and adds the cachet of spawning five (and counting!) spin-offs. It’s this kind of volume that has helped the series become one of the top five series on streaming, with literally hundreds of hours for people to watch. For most of the series starring Mark Harmon (he left at the end of Season 19), the series features fictional Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents who handle Navy-related crimes. Specifically, of course, but the series combines police procedural stuff (popular) with war drama (also popular), and it all maintains a fairly light touch.
Where to watch: Paramount+ (all current seasons), Netflix (all seasons except the latest).
Gilmore Girls (2000–2007, 2016)
Gilmore Girls did well during its first seven seasons, but mostly because it became the flagship show (along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer ) for the tiny, now-defunct The WB. It’s impossible to predict how well this (mostly) smart and funny series would perform on a major channel, but it’s currently the most popular show on streaming. None of this has anything to do with its undeniable quality (at least until a change in network and showrunners results in a rocky final season). Like most shows like this, it’s a good reminder that smooth-brained TV doesn’t have to be dumb. Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are just fun to hang out with.
Where to watch: Netflix
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
Aboard a spaceship that looks and feels like a luxury hotel, we set out on a journey through the universe with a crew of smart, competent and likeable people who almost all get along with each other. If we don’t want to live on the USS Enterprise (1701-D, of course), then I certainly wouldn’t mind working there – well, except for the “almost destroyed every few weeks” part. But that’s all part of the fun. Star Trek: Voyager also ticks all the boxes for a comfortable watch, while Deep Space Nine is the more sophisticated serialized next step.
Where to watch: Paramount+
Full House (1987–1995)
What happened to predictability? The eight-season staple TGIF (ask your parents) was so beloved that it was revived in 2016 with a Netflix series that was itself one of the most popular streaming sitcoms—and in doing so, started a wave of sitcom revivals with mixed results. However, the revival (2016–2020) succeeded in much the same way as the original; Both shows promise pure goofy sitcom fun, with just enough relationship drama to keep things going. It’s easy to see why audiences, old and young, were drawn to the vibrant world of Danny, DJ, Jesse and the rest of the gang.
Where to watch: Max, Hulu, Vudu, Apple TV+, Prime Video (original), Netflix (revival)
The West Wing (1999–2006)
The Martin Sheen-starring show was certainly popular when it first aired, but its ripped-from-the-headlines style gave it an edge, even as it allowed us to imagine smart, thoughtful people getting government jobs. Seeing reasonably smart people discussing political issues and the country’s problems on a weekly basis has always been something of a balm, especially at this point – the show’s final seasons include an election battle between the relatively sensible Republican Alan Alda and the relatively sensible Democrat Jimmy Smits. Imagine! The world of the show may be a little disappointing compared to our more horrifying world, but it is nonetheless a very enjoyable fantasy.
Where to stream: Max
Here’s a Crow (2003–2007)
Even though Raven Symoné’s Disney Channel teen sitcom only lasted four seasons, it had one of the longest runs of any series, with spin-off Cory in the House doing well for a couple of seasons in the aughts and a modern revival ” Raven” “Home” has been published since 2017. The original series focused on the high school antics of Raven, whose secret psychic powers complicate his already difficult high school life. The sequel shows her raising a couple of children as a single mother, focusing on both Raven and the new generation of teenagers.
Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu (original), Disney+ (revival).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
There was plenty of drama during Buffy’s original run, with plot twists that made us laugh as often as we cried. But even the most emotional television can be comfort food when time and impact are taken into account, and with advance knowledge of the twists and turns, deaths and dismemberments, we can relax a little and enjoy the show’s unique blend of humor, action and high school drama. Even with the series’ final twist – the fact that its once beloved creator turned out to be a huge jerk – returning to Sunnydale is still surprisingly calming. I keep waiting for Gen Z to discover this and spread it all over TikTok.
Where to watch: Hulu
The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
One of the smartest sitcoms of the 1980s is again a reminder that comfortable television can still be as fast as a smart retired lady. Fans (raise both hands) have watched episodes of the series so many times that they’ve memorized them, meaning it’s easy to put the show on in the background while we do other things. Time may have dampened the girls’ jokes a bit, but the show remains as cool as ever, even if its age and classic sitcom trappings might lead you to think otherwise.
Where to watch: Hulu
When Calls the Heart (2014 –)
Another show where the beauty is in getting what you’re promised: The Hallmark series, beginning in 1910, is about a young teacher, Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), who leaves her relatively wealthy family to take a job in a rural school. Canadian mining town. There’s romance, drama and triumph in the female cast of characters, with a gentle tone and big heart, as you’d expect given the title.
Where to stream: Peacock
Living Single (1993–1998)
One of the best and most underrated sitcoms of the 1990s ( of course, having nothing to do with its all-black cast), Living Single stars Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Kim Fields and Erica Alexander as four friends leading single lives in New York. City. It replicates some of the same dynamics that worked on shows like The Golden Girls before it (i.e. four women with different personalities), and certainly served as inspiration for subsequent shows (including Friends ). Living Alone adds some still-relevant social issues to the comedy (and silliness), as well as serialized relationship drama that never lets things down, even as it makes the series a total binge watch. Revival when?
Where to watch: Max, Hulu
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–)
If you had told me back in 1999 that one of the longest-running dramas in history would revolve around a particularly disgusting and disturbing sex crime, and that it would even become some kind of binge/comfort viewing… well, I wouldn’t have put it down money for the offer. But thanks to an attractive cast (Mariska Hargitay and, most of the time, Christopher Meloni and Richard Belzer), the series does what all the best cop dramas do: offer the comfort of knowing it in a world filled with terrible crimes. , there are conscientious people working to close cases and get the worst criminals off the streets.
Where to watch: Hulu, Peacock
Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996)
In the coziest of cozy murder series, Murder, She Wrote, charming and eminently down-to-earth writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) somehow found herself at the scene of a brutal murder every week for 12 seasons. Not at all suspicious. The series makes murder fun, with a light touch, a sense of humor, and support from the charming eccentrics living in Jessica’s rustic hometown of Cabot Cove, who stuck around to spice things up when Jessica wasn’t traveling or meeting with the group. guest stars in the style of Love Boat . It’s a funny sight, but if Jessica Fletcher comes to your town, get out of there.
Where to stream: Peacock