Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
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Curious
Romantic
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Every now and again after a challenging week you’re just like, “You know what? Nope!”
We all need the occasional break from the helter-skelter chaos of reality every once in a while, so Decider’s here to help you find the perfect title to stream when you need to quiet the noggin for a few hours.
For optimal relaxation, we suggest finding solace in familiarity. The fact that we’ve seen every single episode of Friends multiple times makes it so much easier to truly unwind. No surprises, just the comfortable warmth of the well-known. From a fun teen film like 10 Things I Hate About You (which is now streaming on Netflix) to a romantic comedy you’ve watched 100 times (Runaway Bride is available to watch on Hulu), sometimes you just need to hit the ol’ mental reset button.
With that in mind, here are 10 titles to stream when you want to shut off your brain!
'Parks and Recreation'
When I want to hit the off switch and forget about the travails of the day to day, I like to rewatch one of my favorite sitcoms. Nothing new. Just a fun series I know I’ll enjoy. For me, that show is the cheery Parks and Recreation. Amy Poehler’s delightful NBC series is *Rob Lowe voice* literally one of my favorite things to stream on a cruddy day.
'Chill With Bob Ross'
I’ve yet to encounter a problem that the dulcet sound of Bob Ross’ voice couldn’t help me ignore for 22 glorious minutes. A simple yet mesmerizing program, Chill with Bob Ross features the renowned artist having informative, instructional conversations about life and art, all while painting a host of beautiful landscapes.
Simply put, Chill with Bob Ross is the most relaxing show you’ll never finish.
'She's All That'
“Am I a bet?”
Pensive silence.
“Am I a bet? Am I a F*CKING bet?”
*10 seconds of incredible facial expressions by Freddie Prinze Jr.*
She’s All That is the perfect ’90s teen comedy.
The cool guy dating the secretly hot outcast, random dance sequences, overwrought acting, Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me”?! It’s everything you could ever want in a teen comedy. If you’re going on mental “do not disturb” for a few hours, you want to watch a movie you’ve seen dozens of times. For me, that movie will now and forever be She’s All That.
'Encino Man'
Brendan Fraser portrays a freaking caveman in the teen comedy Encino Man. A caveman! Trust me, your brain will shut itself down.
The cherry on top of this deliciously mind-numbing ice cream sundae? Pauly Shore also appears in the movie as a hippie named Stoney.
'Law & Order: SVU'
Life just doesn’t make sense sometimes.
I can’t pretend to understand why watching episodes of Law & Order SVU, a procedural about sex crimes, is so comforting, but we’ve all lost a lazy Saturday to the formulaic hypnosis of the long-running series. Many a problem has been put on the back burner thanks to the oddly soothing charms of Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson.
'Top Chef'
Reality television can be exceptional escapism. As Decider’s Meghan O’Keefe explains, Top Chef is the perfect binge-watch.
“Top Chef might celebrate the best in culinary creations, it might implore you to see food as something to be craved, savored, and discussed, but Top Chef the show is designed to be dumped into your body like a jumbo bag of Cooler Ranch Doritos.”
'One Tree Hill'
When life gets to be a little much, I like to immerse myself in the fictional problems of fictional people by watching the soapy delight known as One Tree Hill. Revolving around love, drama, and basketball, the first few seasons of OTH are so much fun. The angst! The brooding! The male protagonist who loves basketball and quotes John Steinbeck! Gavin freaking DeGraw!
One Tree Hill is the perfect “Nah, not now, LIFE” show.
'Grease'
Even the most persistent stress and anxiety can be thwarted by a little “Grease Lightning.”
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s musical dance towards happily ever after is a silly way to calmly say “NOT NOW” to your brain when it hasn’t been your day, week, month, or even your yeeeeear.
'Iron Man'
Superhero movies are a welcome distraction from reality. The Avengers films, while entertaining, can be a bit much when you’re in shutdown mode, so I suggest kicking back with the original Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr.’s sarcastic snipes are as delightful as they are acerbic as Tony Stark slowly transforms into Iron Man.
'Cheers'
Making your way in the world today damn near takes everything you got. The opportunity to take a bit of a break from all your worries? Sure, that would help a whole lot.
Enter Cheers. There’s just something so soothing about late ’80s early ’90s television. Not only is Cheers one of the best sitcoms of all time but it’s familiar. Downright cozy, even. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the gentle comradery of Cheers.
