Currently, I’m recovering from a total knee replacement. Comes with a bit of downtime afterwards, and it was quite a surprise to discover that I quickly ran into a wall regarding new things to watch. Nothing seemed interesting somehow…I’d start watching something and then stop after 10 minutes. This may have been due to the pain; I just wanted to lose myself in something soothing. There was nothing left to do but to return to the oldies but goodies. You know, the rewatchables.
Here’s my list of shows that I’ve watched multiple times and find soothing. They range in genre but they are all compelling and, to my mind, comforting.
- Schitt’s Creek
- Sherlock
- Grace and Frankie
- Orphan Black
- The Magicians
- The Office
- Gilmore Girls
- The Other Two
- Silicon Valley
- The Good Place
- Only Murders in the Building
- Hacks
What are your favorite rewatchables? I could use some recommendations!

I hope you’re feeling better by now. My favorites are Murder She Wrote and Magnum PI –the original. We watched Magnum every evening during the lockdown. I’m sure that justice always being served helps with whatever I have on my mind.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Mary! And those are great suggestions. Just had a flashback to watching Murder She Wrote with my Mom back in the day. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I inherited giant box DVD sets of both Murder, She Wrote and Magnum PI from my mom! We used to watch them together.
LikeLike
Oh Lisa, I love that so much!
LikeLike
Sending best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery. Some ones I go back to are Midsomer Murder, Murder She Wrote, the movie Armageddon, and probably a bunch I can’t remember right now. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Appreciate the kind wishes, Katherine! And the recommendations…I was just searching up the movie Armageddon the other day to see if I could record it for future viewing. We are on the same wavelength! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
David Suchet’s Poirot
Masterpiece Mystery’s “Lewis.”
Sherlock
Right now we are re-watching Amazon’s Jack Ryan series with John Krasinski so we are in the right place to watch the new movie.
Hope the pain is better soon!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ooh, good ones, Liz, and thank you! Also love John Krasinski.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a big recovery from that one! I had it done quite a few years ago, but I do remember all the pain. That, and the pain meds, all mess with your concentration. The new Harlan Coben, I WIll Find You, was very good, IMO. Maybe the best of his adaptations. I record Modern Family reruns and watch those when I need somethning light. Do your PT! And best wishes for recovery!!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Kaye, thank you very much–and you are so right! It’s been a struggle to do anything other than PT and rewatches. Hope you had a great outcome with your knee.
And Modern Family–yes! Forgot about that one. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My knee replacement was an ordeal, but at the end I had a knee that doesn’t hurt and can go up and down steps!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is very inspirational (sorry you had to go through the pain but what a great result)!
LikeLike
I always get a chuckle out of Frasier reruns. The clever story lines they come up with are a hoot.
May each day find you feeling better and better! 🌺
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yes! Such a witty show, Debra. And thank you for the kind wishes!
LikeLike
I can watch Monk over and over, also a big fan of Midsomer Murders, Fr. Brown and Grantchester. Hope you heal well and soon!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Great list. And MONK! I’m definitely in the mood for that. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great list, Cyn! And I hope your recovery is going well–I know that’s a tough surgery. But here’s to those long walks you’ll once again be able to go on when it’s all over!
I’ve been catching up on all the Star Trek shows I’ve missed over the past few years: the end of Discovery (pretty good), Strange New Worlds (great!), and now Starfleet Academy (meh). But as for ones I could go back to over and over, that would be Frasier, West Wing, and The Sopranos.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh, I loved West Wing! Wednesday must watch TV! Oh to have more President Bartlett now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. Sigh…
LikeLike
Thank you Leslie–cannot wait for those walks! And how fun to catch up on the Treks! I tried to talk my family into watching the Marvel films in order from the beginning this summer (I have missed a lot of those) but didn’t have any takers.
We did Sopranos last summer–still need to watch West Wing for the first time and your rec moves it up the list. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I’m kinda jealous that you’ll get to watch The West Wing for the first time! You’re in for a treat!
LikeLike
Many years ago, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Frye made a series of “Jeeves and Wooster.” I think we first saw it when we lived in England. I don’t know where it can be accessed now (we bought the DVD boxed set more than a decade ago), but if you can find it, I strongly recommend it. Absolutely hilarious! (Might be hard to imagine “House” and “Night Manager” Hugh Laurie as funny, but trust me!)
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Robin! Yay for hilarious…I have enjoyed Hugh Laurie and Stephen Frye in other things so will do some searching for this.
LikeLike
Cyn, hope your recovery goes smoothly and you’ll be pain-free soon! I generally re-watch all the movies I have lying around. But I also appreciate a good reminiscent sitcom: Frasier, Friends, Seinfeld, etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jen! And yes to sitcoms! When I was in the hospital, I pretty much watched Friends around the clock. 😀
LikeLike
You aren’t going back nearly far enough. What about I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Newhart, Cheers…. I just rewatched season 10 of Murder, She Wrote. And I finally am watching the first season of The Golden Girls (I know, I know.)
And I have to give a shout out to my favorite show of all time, and the one I’ve rewatched the most – Babylon 5. But that one takes a while to truly get going, but it probably won’t fit your current mood.
There’s also Once Upon a Time, which is high addicting, especially in season one. It fizzles out, but I still enjoyed it through season six.
Hope you have feeling better every day.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh wow, yes! These are excellent. Especially love Cheers and Golden Girls. I haven’t ever watched Babylon 5 so will add to the list for later. And Once Upon a Time might be just the ticket for now. Thank you, Mark!
LikeLike
Cynthia, echoing Mark that I hope you’re feeling better every single day! Hopefully we’ll be resuming our coffee walks very soon. I have a comfort show I watch over and over: Hudson and Rex. Human and adorably expressive K9 partner (German Shepherd), also featuring female forensics expert-turned-detective AND a young IT guy with grumpy chief. Set in St. John’s, Canada–SJPD is fictional but St. John’s isn’t. A little hokey but they get the detective work and forensics right–and it’s peaceful and polite, other than the murders. Recommend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, coffee walks, yay! We will be able to go farther (or faster) in the future, hopefully! Thank you, Lisa. And I have not ever heard of Hudson and Rex…will look for it. Sounds super comforting.
LikeLike
I hope you fully recover soon. I have been going through childhood favorites these days
Dark Shadows
The Monkees
Plus newer stuff like My Life Is Murder
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Sybil: Thank you so much and those are great suggestions. I haven’t heard of My Life Is Murder…will check it out.
LikeLike
I’m not much of a rewatcher these days, but some faves include Star Trek:The Next Generation, MASH, and Psych.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Totally forgot about Psych! That has just the right mood. And the others are great too. Thank you, JC!
LikeLike
Cyn, I’m so sorry about your operation! I’ve heard that’s a tough one to get through.
I’m afraid I don’t rewatch anything. But I’m catching up on shows I missed. We have the PBS Passport app, which I recommend, and are loving Foyle’s War. I’ve watched every Miss Scarlett and will soon wtch the final season of Grantcheser.
And I did cave and sign up for BritBox, where I’m watching a lot of shows I missed that other people raved about, like every Vera episode. Silent Witness is good, although I don’t love the lead. For Agatha Christie-ish shows, there’s Father Brown and Sister Boniface. But also, there are actual film/tv versions of Dame Agatha’s books on BritBox.
Oh, and huge, HUGE recommendation for Slow Horses!! We watched the first season because I was on an LCC panel with Mick Herren in 2022 and he was such a nice guy that I told Jer, “Let’s watch his show to support him.” And it turned out to be a favorite.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, El. So far, it’s been a bear but I hear the first few weeks are the worst, so hopefully we’ll turn a corner soon. 🙂
Love these suggestions! Really want to watch Miss Scarlett. And Slow Horses has Gary Oldman, right? Loooooooooooooooooove him.
LikeLike