Sometimes, all you need is a dose of pure joy and laughter to brighten your day. These TV shows are the perfect remedy, offering delightful escapism and feel-good moments that will leave you with a warm, contagious smile. So, sit back, relax, and let these shows be your ultimate source of comfort, providing much-needed respite from the everyday hustle. So here's to the joyous side of television and the best lighthearted TV shows that are guaranteed to brighten your day.
45 Lighthearted TV Shows to Watch Right Now
Read also:
45.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
If you have the patience to get through its rocky first season, Star Trek: Lower Decks proves itself to be an adult animated series that's deeply committed to getting significantly better with every season. What started as a sort of budget Rick and Morty riff with grating humor and stiff animation has turned into an effortlessly witty sci-fi show with plenty of life in the way it moves. It's still mostly concerned with having silly little adventures at the end of the day, but what's striking is how complete its adventures and sci-fi ideas are in the span of its 20- to 30-minute episodes.
And as it's found its footing, Lower Decks has also gained the confidence to begin telling more overarching stories by its fourth season, with an even stronger focus on character. These kinds of animated comedies could easily avoid any profound development for its protagonists—and this show doesn't exactly have the most deeply-written crew members in Trek history—but there's real heart in how the lower decks crew reflect on the modesty of their stations and how they view themselves within a larger institution. If it doesn't seem too groundbreaking, that's part of the appeal too; smaller stories still deserve to be told.
Our staff rating: 7.7/10
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Dawnn Lewis, Eugene Cordero, Fred Tatasciore, Gillian Vigman, Jack Quaid, Jerry O'Connell, Noël Wells, Tawny Newsome
Free Watching Options:
Watch Star Trek: Lower Decks on Amazon Prime for free
44.
English Teacher
STREAMING ADVICE Read the full list of the 15 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting
It’s always fun to see teachers in non-teacher mode, where they’re free to swear, complain, and engage in hookups (hey, this is FX!). But there’s something effortlessly absorbing and extra likable about English Teacher. It doesn’t spend too much time setting up a distinct world or fleshing out characters with complicated backstories. Instead, it’s happy to balance irreverent humor with fresh takes on culture wars and current events. The dynamic between the woke school Evan works in versus the conservative state in which it’s located provides endless prompts for all sorts of ridiculous but relatable shenanigans. Most of the insight it provides relates to queer and gender politics, the bumpy nuances of which Alvarez expertly explores. It’s equal parts smart and fun, a likely mainstay in TVs this fall.
Our staff rating: 7.7/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Brian Jordan Alvarez, Carmen Christopher, Enrico Colantoni, Sean Patton, Stephanie Koenig
Free Watching Options:
Watch English Teacher on Hulu for free
43.
Wellington Paranormal
Wellington Paranormal is a wry and highly entertaining mockumentary series that follows a special force unit and their adventures in quelling paranormal activity. Taika Waititi executive produces this cross-genre sitcom, which serves as a spin-off to Waititi’s cult classic What We Do in the Shadows.
While the film focuses on the creatures, Wellington Paranormal is decidedly about Officers Minogue and O'Leary and the hijinks that ensue as they encounter all sorts of supernatural beings, from vampires and werewolves to sea monsters and demons. The show is simple but deadpan funny: a chillingly breezy way to spend your binge time.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Fantasy
Actor: Karen O'Leary, Maaka Pohatu, Mike Minogue
42.
What We Do in the Shadows
STREAMING ADVICE Read the full list of the 15 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting
Based on the 2014 film of the same title, this mockumentary series manages the difficult, Seinfeld-ean task of being about nothing in particular and still being funny. Sure, the show's episodes usually revolve around its core cast of vampires' unfamiliarity with the real world, but the stakes are low—no pun intended—and the character relationships get to develop at a relaxed pace. Even when new monsters or more fearsome vampires are introduced, the show never loses its absurd, goofy tone. And from insecure Nandor and feisty Nadja, to exasperated Guillermo, monotone Colin, and sassy Laszlo, What We Do in the Shadows boasts one of the most robust ensemble of bumbling protagonists on TV today.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Actor: Harvey Guillén, Kayvan Novak, Mark Proksch, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou
Free Watching Options:
Watch What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu for free
41.
Shrinking
In Shrinking, Jason Segel plays Jimmy Laird a newly-widowed therapist who’s trying to make amends with his loved ones after isolating himself for so long. It sounds depressing, but Shrinking has the delightful buoyancy of a show like Ted Lasso (which makes sense given that they’re created and directed by the same person) and even Trying, that other Apple TV+ show that masterfully balances seriousness and silliness. Like them, Shrinking is warm and affecting, but it has one undeniable advantage: Harrison Ford. Ford plays Segel's boss, and if you aren't onboard yet, Shrinking is definitive proof that Harrison is actually, objectively hilarious.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Christa Miller, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Lukita Maxwell, Michael Urie
40.
Heartstopper
STREAMING ADVICE Read the full list of the 15 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting
Life should be difficult for Charlie Spring, an openly gay student in an all-boys high school. And it is, to be sure—he's mocked, ridiculed, and at times literally shoved to the sidelines. But Hearstopper doesn't just dwell on misery; rather, it shows us the many colors, the multifaceted wonders, of Charlie's life. His friends, family, and newfound crush, Nick, help keep him afloat in the murky waters of teenhood.
Like the show itself, Charlie and Nick are insistently sweet and charming, which can feel bold in a world that is driven by so much cynicism and hate. It's this glowing sensitivity, coupled with the show's inclusive characters and levelheaded insight, that make Hearstopper a heartwarmingly good watch.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Drama
Actor: Kit Connor, William Gao, Yasmin Finney
39.
Pokémon Concierge
Pokémon is one of the world’s most popular franchises, and it’s mainly centered around the idea of cute, colorful creatures with special powers to be caught, trained, and put into battles. Pokémon Concierge is a different side to the franchise, but instead of the high-octane action and world-ending fights, the four-episode series contemplates the idea that maybe these cuddly creatures need to rest too. As anxious newbie Haru adjusts to the laidback, paradisal resort, and acquaints herself with felt-fabric versions of the familiar cartoon creatures, Pokémon Concierge is an excellent reminder to enjoy yourself once in a while.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Animation, Family
Actor: Eita Okuno, Fairouz Ai, Non, Yoshiko Takemura
38.
Ready, Set, Love
STREAMING ADVICE Read the full list of the 50 Best Streaming Services With Free Trials
With the success of Squid Game and Black Mirror, the concept of a game show as a makeshift solution to a dystopic world is interesting, but it led Netflix to create reality competitions to capitalize on the hype (Looking at you, Squid Game: The Challenge). This time, however, Thai Netflix takes a more unique approach with Ready, Set, Love. It’s more humorous, as Day fumbles each time she meets Son, and with the reality show being a dating show, there’s surely some romantic mishaps that would happen. But the show doesn’t forget the stakes behind the campy, candy-colored world– with Day doing all she can to secure her chronically ill sister’s healthcare and with Son dissatisfied in the utopic cage that is The Farm. Ready, Set, Love has plenty of the fun shenanigans expected for its romcom approach, but it remembers to empathize with the desperation and hardships that make reality game shows so compelling.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Anongnart Yusananda, Chayapak Tunprayoon, Jaytiya Naiwattanakul, Kemisara Paladesh, Kunchanuj Kengkarnka, Nalinthip Phoemphattharasakun, Natthaweeranuch Thongmee, Neennara Boonnithipaisit, Nichapalak Thongkham, Nipaporn Thititanakarn, Ohmi Ryota, Panadda Wongphudee, Phutharit Prombandal, Pongtiwat Tangwancharoen, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Tharathorn Bhumirat, Trisanu Soranun
37.
Maamla Legal Hai
With the stakes involved in plenty of cases, legal dramas tend to be more serious and dramatic. However, sometimes, ludicrous events can happen in these courts, and they have, in real life. Maamla Legal Hai may not be 100% factual, but the way they mix and match real life legal headlines gets into unexpected, hilarious ways, poking fun at how ridiculous the Indian legal system can be. It might shy away from the serious cases, but Maamla Legal Hai smartly depicts the legal ecosystem, from the wily higher ups, to the idealistic newcomers, with unique charm and witty humor.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Anant Joshi, Anjum Batra, Naila Grewal, Nidhi Bisht, Ravi Kishan, Yashpal Sharma
Director: Rahul Pandey
36.
Vanity Fair
STREAMING ADVICE Read the full list of the 15 Cheapest Live TV Streaming Services for Cord-cutting
British period dramas usually tend to fall under two categories: traditional or contemporary. The former risks being boring while the latter risks being obnoxious. Vanity Fair, the miniseries, thankfully falls somewhere in the middle. It sticks to the source by presenting Emma Sharpe as an unapologetic social climber, but expounds her character so that we sympathize with her circumstances. Of course she’s cunning, she has to be in order to survive. Of course she’s a flirt, she wasn’t raised to be as conservative as her contemporaries. Because of updates like these, the series feels invigorating and refreshing to watch, even though rags-to-riches and princess-and-the-pauper-like stories have been told many times. Often, it veers towards soapy territory, but it’s nonetheless fun and engaging.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Charlie Rowe, Claire Skinner, Claudia Jessie, David Fynn, David Ross, Ellie Kendrick, Frances de la Tour, Frances Grey, Jeremy Swift, Johnny Flynn, Martin Clunes, Michael Palin, Nathaniel Parker, Olivia Cooke, Philip Glenister, Robert Pugh, Sian Clifford, Simon Russell Beale, Tom Bateman
Director: Marc Munden
Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.
More lists
Lists on how to save money by cutting the cord.