My friends and I have a particular way of talking about our favorite TV shows. Instead of asking, “Hey, have you watched the latest episode of This Is Us?” we might say, “Have you visited the Pearson family this week?” Or, when all we could think about was watching the latest season of Love Island, we’d check in with each other (in our best British accent) about whether we’d been “pulled for a chat.”
Yes, this is a thoroughly ridiculous way of talking about movies and TV shows, but it hints at something more earnest. When we tune in—whether to a movie, sitcom, or reality series—we’re choosing to spend time with these fictional characters and public personas. Like it or not, they run the risk of becoming imaginary friends. This quality time with movie characters and sitcom friends has only become a bigger part of so many of our lives because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has mean many of us are spending more time away from our actual friends and relatives.
Below, you’ll find 29 movies and TV shows people watch when they’re feeling lonely. We hope the recommendations help you find some new imaginary friends or, at the very least, revisit some old favorites.
1. This Is Us
This award-winning NBC drama revolves around the lives of the Pearson family. Told through disjointed narrative and multiple timelines, this show manages to hover above melodrama. Somewhere within the first three episodes, you begin to fall in love with this family and see yourself in every character. “It makes me feel,” Nikki C., 44, tells SELF. “I love sentimental TV shows.” If you’re in need of a good cry, This Is Us won’t disappoint.
Where to watch: Hulu
2. Dawson’s Creek
Dawson’s Creek is peak ’90s angsty teenage drama. “Seeing Pacey, Joey, Jen, and Dawson navigate coming of age instantly distracts me from frustration or boredom in my own life,” Reese S., 41, tells SELF. Whether you’re Team Dawson or Team Pacey, Reese says that low-stakes teen drama has a way of helping you forget about your adult problems. “Sometimes, we all need a visceral trip down memory lane to a time when things were simpler,” she says.
Where to watch: Hulu
3. Black Monday
“Everything is so heavy right now,” Nicole D., 38, tells SELF. “I’ve been looking for shows that help me recharge. Black Monday delivers on this and more.” The show centers around the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street, but it’s a dark comedy that Nicole says “is a highly cynical take on historical events.” A show about a stock market crash might sound stressful, but, Nicole says, “it’s a throwback to simpler times…when not everyone had a cell phone and ’80s fashion was cool for the first time.”
Where to watch: Showtime
4. Tiny House Hunters
There’s something deeply soothing about watching (and judging) people with intense expectations choose a new home. “Being lonely happens to the best of us, even when we’re in a room surrounded by people,” Dee B., 27, tells SELF. “TV won’t solve your problems, but I promise you, watching a six-foot-tall couple who want a porch fitted onto a tiny house for their seven dogs will surely ease your worries,” Dee says.
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Where to watch: HGTV
5. Friends
“After all these years, this show still makes me laugh,” Tess D., 30, tells SELF, adding that she finds comfort in the voices of Chandler, Rachel, Joey, Ross, Phoebe, and Monica. “There were times I watched this show every day (and still watch it very often) just to feel better, safe, and at home.” This sentiment becomes even more poignant during the pandemic when we can’t visit friends on a regular basis, Elaine C., 32, tells SELF. “During these times when we can’t see each other, I can count on Friends to be my friend and make me laugh,” she explains.
Where to watch: HBO Max
6. Sex and the City: The Movie
If you were a fan of the TV show, then the first Sex and the City movie will have everything you love—friendship, fashion, and a picturesque Mexican resort. “I know how much my girlfriends mean to me, and the bonding moments captured on that show and movie make me remember how great we are together,” Nicole R., 48, tells SELF. “[I] can’t beat the glam, romance, and the fun-filled moments that take me away from everyday life,” she explains.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
7. Family Feud
The classic game show where two families battle it out for prize money combines awkward family dynamics and, well, Steve Harvey. “You can always expect a good laugh,” Tiani K., 30, tells SELF. “The contestants come up with the most ridiculous responses, and even the host is left speechless.” Great jokes aside, the way these family members support each other—even when their answers are wrong—might warm your heart.
Where to watch: Hulu
8. The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory revolves around a group of friends (who are all scientists) and their relationship with their decidedly average neighbor. “The humor is just really smart, and honestly it makes me feel smart to watch it,” Yael B., 30, tells SELF. “Also, Sheldon’s character development is probably my favorite out of any show I’ve watched.” If you love to laugh and are a self-proclaimed geek, Yael says this is the show to help you feel less alone.
Where to watch: HBO Max
9. Titanic
An epic movie about an ill-fated ship (we all know what happens, right?) might seem less than comforting, but the love story between the characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet make the journey worthwhile. “I know it’s sad and long, but my heart will always go on and on and on for Leo circa 1997,” Charlese L., 39, tells SELF. “It’s iconic. It’s important. And [it’s good] to get the tears out,” she adds.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
10. RuPaul’s Drag Race
If you love a good competition show, you’ll enjoy RuPaul’s search for “America’s next drag superstar.” Beyond the amazing talent and the stunning challenges the contestants face during each episode, Karima G., 44, tells SELF that the show helps her “reflect and remember that vulnerability is strength.” Even though Karima says the show helps her remember the beauty of the human spirit, she admits that there’s another very clear message: “Tired drag will never cut it,” she says.
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Where to watch: Hulu
11. National Treasure
“Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? Or a global foot chase? Or both?” Shaunda H., 38, asks SELF. Nicholas Cage stars as Ben Gates, a treasure hunter who tries to find his wares without being caught by the United States government, but Shaunda says each of these movies is an irresistible way to spend a few hours. “If I’m walking by the television and it’s on, the next two hours are shot (or four, if it’s a marathon),” she explains. “I love a good dose of history and comedy. It checks all the boxes for me,” she says.
Where to watch: Disney+
12. Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica, the 2004 reboot of the classic 1978 television show, enjoys an intensely devoted fanbase. For the uninitiated: Why reach for a science fiction series about the search for Earth when you’re feeling lonely? It’s surprisingly hopeful, Malaika A., 36, tells SELF. “If you want to escape into another postapocalyptic world, but one with space ships and technology you wish you had today, this is your show,” she explains.
Where to watch: Syfy.com
13. The Simpsons
With more than 30 seasons to watch, regular viewers of this show might’ve spent more hours with the Simpson family than they have with their own. “It reminds me that there is plenty of fun and goofiness in the world to find as long as I’m willing to go looking for it,” Dan H., 34, tells SELF. “You should watch if you are feeling lonely because it is a show with humor [and] heart,” he explains. In a world that’s constantly in flux, there’s also something soothing about the fact that these cartoon characters never age.
Where to watch: Disney+
14. The Wedding Planner
A rom-com about a lonely wedding planner who can’t seem to make her own romantic fantasies come true? Yes, please. “I am a wedding planner, and it always cracks me up that when people ask me what I do…they say, ‘Oh, like the movie,’” Kristin S., 49, tells SELF. “The wedding industry has taken a huge hit during COVID-19,” she explains. “I’m living vicariously through the movie these days—I miss weddings and planning.”
Where to watch: Hulu
15. The Durrells in Corfu
“It’s just so easy to watch.,” Maddie S., 37, tells SELF. “A single mum takes her family to live in Corfu in the 1930s, and madness ensues,” she says. For Maddie, The Durrells in Corfu has it all. The scenery is breathtaking, and there’s a “good dollop of romance and comedy” in every episode.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
16. Lost
The show has all the makings of an immersive experience: a plane crash, a deserted mysterious island, and the mysterious Dharma Initiative. Yes, there are plot holes, but it’s the perfect show to slip into when you need an escape. “If you start to feel down about your life or yourself in general, the show is about a group of flawed humans who realize life isn’t about just our mistakes. It’s how we move forward past those mistakes and find our purpose,” Brie J., 36, tells SELF. In short: Watch for the journey, not the destination.
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Where to watch: Hulu
17. Insecure
Molly and Issa. Issa and Lawrence. Issa and Issa in the mirror. “I find comfort in this show because it feels like I’m hanging out with friends as I watch the characters navigate very relatable scenarios,” Danielle F., 34, tells SELF. “You should watch this show because it just feels good. It’s well done from a cinematic standpoint. The characters offer depth that is so relatable, and the show tackles serious and complicated issues like relationships and friendships in a way that really inspires reflection.”
Where to watch: HBO Max
18. Gossip Girl
It remains a mystery why posh Upper West Side teens weren’t concerned that there was essentially a stalker in their midst writing about their lives, but Gossip Girl is still a wonderful escape from the everyday. “It’s the perfect mix of indulgent and aspirational, with endearingly flawed characters that you love and the most beautiful NYC backdrop,” Lauren P., 30, tells SELF. “You want to lose yourself in something completely out of your own world, but it’s equally [worth the watch] just for Blair Waldorf’s style,” Lauren explains.
Where to watch: Netflix
19. The West Wing
“The writing is brilliant, and it takes me to a happier version of Washington, D.C., where President Bartlet occupies the White House,” Rachel F., 41, tells SELF. “If you like politics or just care about policy and need to be carried away to a place where principled people work to make the country better…this is the show for you. I’m genuinely jealous of anyone watching it for the first time,” Rachel explains.
Where to watch: Netflix
20. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
This show centers around a group of friends (known as the Gang) who run an unsuccessful bar in Philadelphia. They seem to delight in making each other miserable, which could have all the makings for the mood-boosting TV show you didn’t know you needed. “No one goes lower than the Gang,” Patrick G., 41, tells SELF. “You want to feel like things are going to be okay? If the Gang is still alive, anything is possible,” he explains.
Where to watch: Hulu
21. You’ve Got Mail
This rom-com about online romance ages in such a delightful way. “I love to see the synchronicity of events, and it’s inspiring to see the new path and relationships that emerge,” Whitney A., 35, tells SELF. She suggests watching two strangers (who hate each other IRL) fall in love if “you’re in a life transition, because it will show you there’s a master plan” and “life is moving you toward a new beautiful chapter.”
Where to watch: HBO Max
22. The Notebook
The classic movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel features a quintessential forbidden romance between a mill worker and a well-to-do woman. Beyond that, “this film instills so many heart-warming lessons, such as the notion that no matter how difficult times get—war, heartbreak, loss and grief, injury, deception, and broken trust—there is always the hope of a new, brighter day,” Hayley P., 36, tells SELF. “Loneliness can breed all sorts of thoughts and other emotions, so it’s super important to feel hopeful. The Notebook gives [me] that hope,” she says.
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Where to watch: Netflix
23. Shark Tank
If you’re not familiar with the show, hopeful entrepreneurs pitch their products and gadgets to a panel of “sharks” (successful venture capitalists) and hope to get funding for their ideas. “Seeing normal people summarize their passion in a few minutes and possibly change their lives forever is always an inspirational boost for an entrepreneur like me,” Mary Grace G., 36, tells SELF. “There are a few hits and several misses, but there is always a helpful lesson with every pitch.”
Where to watch: Hulu
24. Gilmore Girls
Honestly, the citizens of Stars Hollow—including Rory and Lorelai Gilmore—are a great group to get lost with when you’re feeling lonely. Orit K., 31, tells SELF that “watching Rory go through her awkward teenage phase with relationship challenges always comforted me through my own adolescence and helped me feel like I wasn’t alone. I’ve watched every season at least 10 times, so now it feels like hanging out with my alternate family.”
Where to watch: Netflix
25. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
The wildly successful Netflix movies follow an awkward girl who, after her love letters get mailed to literally all of the boys she has loved before, becomes the unlikely star of the romance novels she loves to read. “I eventually married my boy crush and lived happily ever after…but when I’m lonely or down, it brings the teenage girl in me great comfort to watch a strong, beautiful Asian American female lead hang with her friends, find herself, and be pursued by the popular boys,” Sarah Y., 45, tells SELF.
Where to watch: Netflix
26. Ever After
Ever After is the dramatic retelling of Cinderella, but “it’s about someone who took her fate into her own hands and benefitted as a result,” Maril V., 31, tells SELF. “She elevated her circumstances and found happiness in a world totally set against her because she was willing to take charge, break molds, be bold, think creatively, problem solve. It’s comforting to me. It means someone can fall for you organically for everything you think and are.”
Where to watch: Hulu
27. Game of Thrones
How does one begin to describe Game of Thrones, the epic series based on the popular fantasy novels by George R.R. Martin? “Not only does it have a storyline that will keep you hooked for hours, but it will leave you happy, sad, shocked, angry for days,” Deepshikha S., 36, tells SELF. “If you are watching it for the first time, don’t even try to guess what happens, because you can’t.”
Where to watch: HBO Max
28. Normal People
Attractive Irish adolescents who can’t keep their hands off of each other? This show is a good place to focus attention for a few hours. “It just hits you on so many levels,” Kelly W., 43, tells SELF. “The love affair between these two very intelligent young humans trying to find their way in the world…is just so interesting to watch.” Normal People illustrates the “power of human connection, and although these two have their issues, what they share with one another is undeniable,” Kelly says.
Where to Watch: Hulu
29. The Twilight Saga
This teen vampire saga has angst and supernatural powers, set against the lush scenery of Forks, Washington. “When I was going through infertility treatments, these movies took me out of the stress and into a fantasy,” Caryn R., 48, tells SELF. “I know I may be a little old for Y.A. movies, but when COVID-19 hit and we were stuck at home, I turned to them once again,” she explains. “Going to Forks for a few hours and looking at sparkling vampires and stunning wolves will take you out of whatever funk you’re in.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
