13 Best Feel-Good Shows on Netflix Right Now, Ranked

After a hard day, week, or even a year, sometimes all you need to do is stick your eyes into your laptop screen and spend the entire night laughing, snorting, and crying over a comforting TV series or a feel-good film and teleport yourself into the fictional world where your everyday worries and issues don’t exist or matter.

Thankfully, Netflix is filled to the brim with heartwarming TV shows that envelop you like a hug whenever you want to abandon all your duties and tasks and just binge a show with ice cream, popcorn, or takeout to keep you company. There’s no shortage of these comforting shows that viewers can choose from at any given time.

13 ‘Kim’s Convenience’ (2016 – 2021)

Developed by Ins Choi and Kevin White

It’s TV’s favorite Korean-Canadian family in Kim’s Convenience. Set in the urban landscape of Toronto’s Moss Park neighborhood, Mr. Sang-il Kim (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Mrs. Yong-mi Kim (Jean Yoon), a.k.a. “Appa” and “Umma”, run a quaint little convenience store by the corner of a busy street, where they greet customers from all walks of life. As first-generation immigrants, their endearing lack of generational/cross-cultural knowledge sometimes puts them in hilariously awkward situations. From giving the memorable “gay discount” to not offering tips to service workers, despite having settled in Canada for quite a while, the two still have a lot to learn.

A show that strives for Asian-American representation, Kim’s Convenience injects Korean cultural references while keeping it fun and fresh, such as Appa demonstrating Hapkido and certain superstitions in Korean culture (e.g. writing your name in red ink is only for the deceased). But what makes Kim’s Convenience endearing is how, like most people of older generations, Appa and Umma genuinely want to keep up with the modern times. With two Canadian-born children, the estranged son Jung Kim (Simu Liu) and artsy photography student Janet Kim (Andrea Bang), there are bound to be clashes along the way. But at the end of the day, they all learn to forgive each other and are willing to learn from their mistakes. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

12 ‘Dash & Lily’ (2020)

Created by Joe Tracz

As bright and cheery as Christmas lights, Dash & Lily is a holiday teen rom-com based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn‘s book Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. The Netflix series follows the budding romance between two New York teens, Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis). Although they’ve never met, they keep fortuitously trading a notebook back and forth, sending each other on dares around the city during Christmastime.

The holiday season doubles the magic of this whimsical tale of two teenagers discovering themselves and their love for each other, though it’s still fun to watch during any other time of the year. With the power to lighten up the grumpiest Grinch with the coldest and smallest of hearts, Dash & Lily is the secret to feel-good shows on Netflix.

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11 ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015 – 2020)

Created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock

After being freed from being held captive by a doomsday cult leader for 15 years, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) is left with a large sum of money and her entire life to figure out. Instead of going back to her Bunker Memories in Indiana, she decides to stay in New York City. When a penny-pinching, in-need-of-a-roommate Broadway actor, Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), takes her in and teaches her necessary life skills, the sky’s the limit for Kimmy.

Produced by Robert Carlock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt clings to 30 Rock‘s goofy sense of humor and drops the cynicism. Kimmy emerges as one of television’s most likable characters yet, as she goes through each day with infectious optimism and a unique curiosity that inspires viewers to embrace similar traits in themselves.

10 ‘Jane the Virgin’ (2014 – 2019)

Developed by Jennie Snyder Urman

The incredibly ridiculous story of an accidentally artificially inseminated virgin, Jane (Gina Rodriguez), raising a baby while simultaneously scampering between two vertices of a love triangle, Jane the Virgin is one of the funniest and most accurate shows on Netflix. The show demonstrates and emphasizes controversial topics like immigration reforms without moralizing.

Set in a world filled to the brim with drug lords, secret twins, evil professors, and a police department conspiracy, the show is simply adorable and makes you want to continue watching long after you’re so sleepy you could doze off standing. Jane the Virgin deserves immense praise for its bilingual storytelling and strong female relationships, as well as Rodriguez’s unforgettable performance as the title character, who has earned a loyal fanbase.

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Created by Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld developed, directed, and hosted the online series and wholly unique talk showComedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Each episode shows Seinfeld driving about in a different classic car, picking up a fellow comedian, and then going out for coffee and chatting. What do they talk about? Everything and nothing. It all depends on who the lucky guest is.

With its innovative premise and engaging and hilarious host, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is a wonderful gem of a show. From Tina Fey to Barack Obama, the show has featured a number of the industry’s funniest and most intriguing personalities. The series, now streaming on Netflix, will have viewers laughing out loud and enjoying Seinfeld’s interaction with his guests. What’s not to love about a great combination of comedy, cars, and coffee?

8 ‘Cunk on Earth’ (2022)

Created by Charlie Brooker

Cunk on Earth is an award-winning British mockumentary series that follows Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) as she travels the globe and interviews real-world experts (who believe they’re making a legitimate documentary). Awkward pauses and bizarre questions will soon give way to gut-busting laughter, for audiences at least.

Morgan’s comedic prowess and deadpan delivery are at the heart of this series and have rightly earned her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance. Her performance makes the series a true standout, as she doesn’t shy away from truly cringe-worthy comedy that results in some hilarious scenes with confused interviewees. Any fan of cringe humor has likely already seen this meme-factory of a show, which has garnered significant buzz online for its distinct humor.

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7 ‘Murderville’ (2022)

Developed by Krister Johnson

Based on the British series Murder in Successville, Netflix’s Murderville is a procedural crime comedy starring Will Arnett as Senior Detective Terry Seattle. In charge of the Homicide Division, there’s never a quiet day in the office. Every day, Terry gets handed a new murder case to solve, from the death of a magician’s assistant who got sawed in half to the murder of a chief health inspector who digested poisoned soup. To keep things interesting, throughout the entire six-episode series, Terry is joined by a new celebrity guest star as his partner. But here’s the best part – these guest stars aren’t given a script.

Arnett alone is already a formidable, comedic force to begin with. Best known for his appearances in BoJack Horseman to Arrested Development, Arnett has the comedic chops to ad-lib his way through random scenarios and keep the improv up without breaking character. But when he’s paired with the likes of Conan O’Brien, Kumail Nanjiani, and even NFL legend Marshawn Lynch, these celebrity guests not only have to anticipate the shenanigans Arnett pulls out of his sleeves, but they also actually have to solve the murder case. From Nanjiani “ugly-walking” through a high school hallway, to O’Brien explaining the morbid concept of death to a small girl, it’s nothing but surprises in Murderville. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

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6 ‘The Good Place’ (2016 – 2020)

Created by Michael Schur

When Eleanor (Kristen Bell) discovers she has died and is now in a heaven-esque corner of the universe, she just knows it’s a mistake. When the neighborhood director Michael (Ted Danson) chooses her “soulmate” Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper), she is certain something is gravely wrong. Soon, it is made clear that The Good Place is much more complicated than she might think, and the group of unlikely friends she gathers try to figure it all out.

In comparison to other shows about death and the afterlife, The Good Place is incredibly lighthearted, and each episode might be the most heartfelt 20 minutes you spend on Netflix. Aside from being one of the best comedies on Netflix, it’s one of the ultimate feel-good TV shows that’s fun to watch over and over.

5 ‘One Day at a Time’ (2017–2020)

Developed by Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce

Based on the 1975 series of the same title, the revamped 2017 version of One Day at a Time follows the everyday life of a Cuban-American family residing in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Single mother Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado), a former United States Army Nurse Corps, tries to adjust back into civilian life all while raising two very different yet equally outspoken children: the opinionated, over-achiever Elena (Isabella Gomez) and the cool cucumber Alex (Marcel Ruiz). Helping Penelope out is her Cuban mother, Lydia Riera (Rita Moreno), whose old-school traditions sometimes buts head with the other millennial members at home.

With three generations of Cuban Americans living under one roof, there’s bound to be chaos in every corner. Not only. But if there’s one thing about One Day at a Time, is that there is so much heart infused in its humor. In between slapstick comedy and tongue-in-cheek jokes, the series delivers a story of persistence, resilience, and forgiveness. The Alvarez isn’t a perfect family – every one of them has their own flaws and issues to work out. From Penelope acknowledging her PTSD, and the reappearance of the children’s estranged father, to Elena coming to terms with her sexuality, whenever the tides get rough, they’ll always have each other to rely on. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

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4 ‘Queer Eye’ (2018 – )

Created by David Collins

Queer Eye is unequivocally Netflix’s most successful reality television series. A reboot of the 2000s series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer Eye hosts the Fab Five: experts Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown, who travel around the world and help people get their lives together with fantastic advice and their skills to transform.

From advising about personal grooming, home renovation, style, food, and life, the show isn’t smooth sailing but is always well-intentioned. Each member of the Fab Five has become iconic in their own right, as they each contribute something vital to making the series the success that it is. Full disclosure: Gather your tissues and get ready to love this show through the tears, as some episodes are truly moving.

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3 ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015 – 2020)

Developed by Eugene Levy and Daniel Levy

“Bebe!” Schitt’s Creek follows the nouveau riche Rose family who lose every bit of their fortune after being defrauded by their accountant. Well, not all is lost. Video store magnate and family patriarch Johnny (Eugene Levy) still has one asset under his portfolio: a ramshackle of a small town called Schitt’s Creek – which Johnny bought as a joke for his son David (Daniel Levy) years earlier. Together with his former soap opera actress wife Moira (Catherine O’Hara) and his jet-setting, party-girl daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy). From living life in a mansion to making do in a run-down motel, the Roses have a lot of adjusting to do, all while acquainting themselves with the “less sophisticated” townsfolk of Schitt’s Creek.

Let’s admit it: it’s oddly satisfying to watch the downfall of the snooty, uber-rich – especially if they’re anything like the Roses. Most of the time, audiences will find themselves either laughing or just plain flabbergasted at how out of touch these family members can be. But throughout the six-season series, Schitt’s Creek shows that even the most self-absorbed individuals have room in their hearts to change. The feel-goodness of the series stems from the family’s slow yet consistent growth. Initially lost and clueless, over time, everyone’s carved out their own paths in the small town. Johnny helps to revamp the motel into a proper establishment, Moira becomes more involved in the town council, Alexis obtains her qualifications, and David becomes an entrepreneur just like his dad in his own right. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

2 ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013-2021)

Developed by Dan Goor and Michael Schur

“Nine-nine!” There’s always a new case or an outrageous shenanigan in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police, Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), famous for his stellar arrest record and infamous for his disgusting personal hygiene, is the department’s favorite darling. Not everyone is pleased though, especially his Type A, super competitive work rival, Detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero). But the precinct is about to get the shock of their lives with the arrival of its new commanding officer, Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher). Let’s just say, Holt isn’t the biggest fan of Peralta’s questionable work ethic.

Every episode feels like a skit, and there’s nothing to complain about that. With zany ensemble characters like the hapless chap Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) and the macho-but-huge-softie Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a workplace comedy that not only follows detectives tackling different cases (which are just as wacky), but also their personal lives outside of the department. Top it off with memorable cold openings, running gags (e.g. Halloween heists), and the occasional guest star appearances, it’s no wonder why the show has become a pop culture staple of the 2010s. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

1 ‘Heartstopper’ (2022 – )

Created by Alice Oseman

The modern tale of saccharine love, Heartstopper, quickly became part of the best feel-good Netflix shows when it premiered in 2022. It follows Charlie (Joe Locke), a recently outed British gay teen who develops an unrequited crush on Nicholas “Nick” Nelson (Kit Connor), a straight jock at his all-boys grammar school. Despite his friends’ warnings, Charlie continues to lean into the crush, unlocking something in Nick he didn’t know existed.

Inspired by a webtoon and graphic novel of the same name, the show features characters of every gender and sexuality. The novel is squeal-worthy, and its Netflix TV adaptation has people of all ages swooning over Nick and Charlie. Fans were not disappointed by Heartstopper Season 2, which introduced more endearing characters each with their own well-written arcs, proving enduring interest in Netflix’s hit series.

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