11 of the Best Bedtime Shows

11 of the Best Bedtime Shows

We are big bedtime tv watchers.  There are three requirements for a great bedtime television viewing experience.  The show must have:

  • No drama
  • Low intensity
  • Require little commitment

I want to be able to fall asleep peacefully, so any of the above are going to mess with my ability to do so.  Basically, forget a bedtime viewing of Game of Thrones.?

 

 

Here are some of our bedtime favorites that help us to keep the peacefulness in our bedroom while we drift off to sleep.

 

THE OFFICE

We’re currently on our third, fourth or maybe seventh (who even knows?!) of watching The Office from the beginning.  We love the humor and the quirkiness.  It’s a comfy show for both of us to sit back and giggle at or doze off to.  If you’ve never sat through it from beginning to end, you’re seriously missing out.

 

ANDY GRIFFITH

I did not grow up watching Andy, but Matt did.  It took me years to get on board with watching it, but once I did, I loved it.  It’s comforting to both of us to watch the small town problems and Barney’s antics play out.  Another great one to fall asleep to.

 

WONDER YEARS

I grew up watching reruns of The Wonder Years and always enjoyed it.  Back a few years ago, Matt and I started at the beginning and watched the entire show and man oh MAN we loved it.  It makes you take a trip down memory lane remembering the things in your life that Kevin is experiencing throughout the series.

 

GOLDEN GIRLS

Y’all knew this one would be on here.  Some of my earliest memories of life was watching The Golden Girls on Saturday nights at my Mawmaw’s apartment with her.  She and I continued to watch reruns of it together for the rest of our years together.  To say that this show was special to me would be a gross understatement.  It’s witty, the writing and the acting are incredible, it’s a must watch for all adults.

 

DOWNTON ABBEY

The thing about Downton is that really nothing much ever happens in an episode, which makes for great bedtime tv.  It’s slower paced and clean.  I love everything about it.

 

I LOVE LUCY

Another of my all-time faves.  I grew up on this show and I want Kenny to do the same.  So much fun and so many laughs!

 

FRIENDS

You knew this one would be on the list too.  I can’t get enough!  And once you’ve watched it all the way through, it makes for great background or bedtime tv.

 

DESIGNING WOMEN

I grew up on this one too.  I rediscovered my love for it after I had Kenny girl.  Those late newborn nights were spent with my favorite girl tribe from Sugarbakers in Atlanta.  I still watch it often on Hulu.

 

REBA

I’ve been a fan off this show since it originally aired.  I can watch and rewatch it and never get tired of it.  Van and Barbara Jean just crack me up!

 

PARKS AND REC

Matt and I are new to this one.  We just started watching it and I’m not positive I’m totally invested.  I do love that it feels similar to The Office, which is why I think it should make this list.

 

BOB ROSS

Matt often turns on some Bob Ross if he can’t sleep and it has to be one of the most soothing shows ever created.  It’s mesmerizing to watch him create his masterpieces on canvas.

 

Your turn!  What do you vote as the best bedtime tv series?  Comment below!


Love this list of best bedtime shows? Check out these posts…

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79 Comments
  • Kylee Mather

    Dawson’s Creek!!!! It makes me laugh, I cry (a lot) but perfect to wind down in bed too.

  • Jennifer Alexander

    Now normally I don’t watch any TV before I got to bed but I LOVE Reba. Once Barbara Jean got skinny, I think she became even more funnier lol

  • Jessica Dowell

    Stick with Parks and Rec! I promise you it gets good, but it takes about a season and a half for everything to really gel. Once Ben Wyatt shows up the whole cast just clicks and it’s perfect, but you can’t skip the first season because of some important developments with other characters.

  • I watch Murder, She Wrote every night before I go to bed. I’ve seen them all at least 50 times each, so it’s not so bad if I fall asleep before it’s over. Lol! Also love the Golden Girls and most every show you listed.

  • Brittany Boisseau

    I usually don’t watch tv before bed but you picked some awesome shoes. I can watch friends and I love Lucy a hundred times. The best!

  • Brittany

    I have to watch TV to fall asleep! My top favorites are The Middle, Hart of Dixie, Gilmore Girls, Jane the Virgin or ANY Hallmark movie : )

  • Elizabeth

    First I have to say, yes stick with Parks & Rec! I agree it’s one that gets better as the characters gel and you see their friendships develop more. We’ve really enjoyed Impractical Jokers to just get in a really good laugh and ease our minds of all the days craziness and stresses.

  • I’m a tv before bedtime girl as well. It just helps whine down and relax at the end of the day. Those are some good picks! I love Reba. I use to watch the reruns when they were on in the afternoon. Such a funny show!

  • Growing Pains (on the Roku channel) surprisingly still holds up and makes my husband and I laugh every time, and Kim’s Convenience on Netflix is a more modern feel-good choice that always leaves us in a good mood. And I agree with the above comment on Parks and Rec – I was lukewarm about it when it started, but it picks up steam in season 2/3, and it turned into my favorite comedy ever. Hands down.

    • Another Kim’s Convience fan. I love that show. My only problem, I blow thru the episodes and then am sad it’s over

    • __elizabethmae__

      YESS!! It needs time to gel. I felt the same with the office-didn’t enjoy the first season that much but it got SO GOOD!
      Golden girls and Andy Griffith are also faves❤️

    • Angela Lanter

      Thanks, Jena!!

  • Jessica Armstrong

    Right now I’m watching scandal and will fall asleep to it … but my usual go to bedtime shows are friends or full house!

  • Elizabeth P

    Good bedtime shows for me are ones I’ve seen several times before, so I won’t get hooked and need to watch just one more! So things like Stargate SG-1, Supernatural, Leverage, MacGyver (both old & new)& Longmire come to mind. But I totally agree with you on Reba, it’s awesome!

  • American pickers puts me to sleep ? and Friends sometimes if Hubby falls asleep first.

  • Lori Leung

    I do love a good show before bed. I bought Mork and Mindy, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie for the family to watch when the boys were young. I wanted clean family shows for the boys to watch and we still enjoy them today. I have never seen Reba, Parks and Rec or the Office, so maybe I will add those to my list. My mom and I used to watch Designing Women and Golden Girls together and those shows bring back to many memories for me, but I did love them.

  • Candice LaPierre

    I love Gilmore girls, its one of my favorites to have on whenever.

  • Kathleen

    This is such a great list! I just watched Parks and Rec last fall/this spring and although it also took me a little while to get into the show, I LOVED it! Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy, and Downton Abbey are some of my favs as well- I’m just starting season 3 of Downton Abbey:)

  • Jennifer Searls

    I love so many of these shows. My normal go to bed show is Friends- because I have seen every episode multiple times and if I fall asleep- I miss nothing. So- I love it.
    I discovered Reba when I had my first baby almost 13 years ago and watched during late night breastfeeding sessions and I loved it! Can watch that all the time too.
    Golden Girls, Wonder Years and Designing Women are classics!
    I think I could do some Growing Pains and some Family Ties too! Those were great shows.
    I have not checked out Downton Abbey yet- but am thinking I should. Sounds like we have similar tastes.

    • Jennifer Searls

      Oh and Bob Ross will for sure lull you to sleep. Love watching him!

  • Kristi Campbell

    I think this is a great list but I would add Murder, She Wrote. I know it’s a show about murder (so, drama) but it’s old enough that it’s not a real drama displayed.

  • Mindy Diegel

    Bob Ross!!! HAPPY trees!!!!!!! He makes me happy. Funny story if I wake up with nightmares, yes I’m a grown women who still gets nightmares on occasion, i watch Bob Ross to help me calm down. He is the best!!

  • Erin Core

    Love watching The Office and Friends! My friend got me into Killing Eve! I binged the first and second season. Now I am trying to figure out how to watch the third season. I have also been watching Schitt’s Creek!!

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ve heard a lot of great things about Killing Eve! We need to add it to our list.

  • Hubby and I definitely watch shows before bed. Hubby likes true crime, documentaries and various comedies. I like more sitcoms or a well-loved movie or show to watch before bed. We’ve been binging Brooklyn 99 on Hulu, though when Hubby’s on night shift I get to watch more of my shows. I recently finished Timeless and now am rewatching Smallville.

    I feel like Parks and Rec gets better in later seasons and the Office is classic.

  • Britney Allen

    That’s like my perfect list of shows. I rotate Gilmore Girls and Hart of Dixie too.
    Fun Fact: My Aunt went to high school with Delta Burke!

  • Milene M.

    Gilmore Girls and Friends are my favorite to watch before bed!
    I’ve never watched The Office or Golden Girls, but after reading your post, they’ll definitely be on my list!

  • Love these! I recently started rewatching vampire diaries, love ending my crazy work day with a few episodes but I just had a dream last night and Damon was at my job ? still one of my favorites!

  • I love watching One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek, Once Upon A Time, Friends, etc. But, if I can’t choose a show to watch then I choose a movie from my DVD collection to watch instead.

  • Parks and Rec is my go to bedtime show. I’ve also been watching Boy Meets World too and I love it!

  • Currently I’m re watching According To Jim, but some of my favorites are Home Improvement I can never get tired of re watching it , Everybody Loves Raymond, Mad About You and I would have say golden girls too it was so cute when my dog was a puppy I would watch it before bed and she could be in a deep sleep but as soon as the theme song came on she would sit up and watch it then go right back to sleep and I thought that was the cutest thing. There are a few shows on your list I haven’t seen so the next time I need a new show I’ll know where to look 🙂

  • Lilly Hassan

    I love them all, but my first pick is Golden Girls and second is Reba.

  • Love them all!! My first choice is Golden Girls??

  • OMG!!!!! I AM WATCHING THE OFFICE for the FIRST time and I’m just on s9 and I am loving it so if you guys are watching it for a multiple time yes!!! cause its so good and I watch it before bed too so Perfect
    Yes to Golden Girls and Friends. I want to check out Parks and Recs
    uh, other shows light and easy before bed – Modern Family – love it!! Brooklyn Nine Nine {which is produced from the people behind the office and parks and recs} 30 Rock is another good one and after the office I plan to watch Schitt’s Creek!

    • Angela Lanter

      Isn’t it amazing?! So glad you’re loving it!

  • Definitely Golden Girls. I used to watch that when I would spend the night with my grandmother – so it gives me ALL the good feels. Gilmore Girls is definitely one I fall asleep to a lot!

  • Lisa Winward

    King of Queens and Seinfeld

  • Gemma Louise

    I love a good comedy panel show like Qi or Mock the Week. No plot, doesn’t matter what’s happening I can just listen and fall asleep happily.

    • Angela Lanter

      I haven’t heard of those! I’ll have to look them up!

  • Ok. This could be a long one. LOL! YES! I LOVE quite a few you mentioned. My favorites you mentioned are Friends, Golden Girls, Andy Griffith and Designing Women. My mom and I used to watch Designing Women together. I thought it was funny you mentioned it because I do not know many girls who know that show if I mention it. I used to watch Hee Haw on Saturday nights with my grandma and paw paw LOL! I loved the pretty girls in the pretty dresses. Other great shows worth trying are of course Big Bang Theory, Hot in Cleveland (has Betty White and Valerie Bertinelli in it. SOOO good), Family Matter, Modern Family, Mary Tyler Moore, That 70’s Show, The Jeffersons. OH! The list could go on and on especially shows from 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. Anybody watch the show Moonlighting with Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd? Mom and I would watch the reruns of this together. I was only 4 when it came out but once I was a little older we watched the reruns. So many great shows back then! Great post Angela. It was fun to read everyone’s favorite shows and reminisce about some of them.

    • Angela Lanter

      I need to rewatch so many of those! I forgot about Hot in Cleveland!

  • It’s always been Friends for me, or the Big Bang Theory.

    Would love to watch the Office, but it’s not on Netflix here 🙁

  • Maxanne Clark

    Oh my gosh, I love Designing Women!! Started watching it on Hulu thanks to this post. Reminds me of my childhood, watching it with my mom.

    Our show that we just started watching before bed is How I Met Your Mother. My husband actually laughs out loud! Good for the soul ☺️

  • the office, friends, how i met your mother, Hart of dixie, parks and recs, new girl

  • I’m going to say Gilmore Girls, mainly because it’s my afternoon nap show if I want to nap haha. And I’ve seen it SO many times that it’s just easy to listen to it and fall asleep. Also I Dream of Jeanie, Bewitched, Gilligans Island, I Love Lucy for sure! All of the old classics. My main one has always been Friends though. I used to fall asleep listening to it every night!

  • I agree with so many of those shows! The office, new girl, friends, Jane the virgin, Reba, new girl, Dawson’s Creek, Golden Girls. Saved by the Belll, Beverly Hills 90210, 90210, boy meets world, gossip girl, Gilmore girls! I know there are more and I guess some of these aren’t for before bed but they are so good!

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