5 great comfort TV shows for 2017

Hey, so, this year was rough.

It's sort of no wonder, then, that it seemed people were turning to lighter fare when it came to fictional escapism. (Hulu said as much, noting comedy viewing was way up in 2017 compared to 2016)

Don't misunderstand: I'm not advocating to tune out. But if you're like me, reality television has never really cut it, and I don't know how to mindlessly have some television on in the background; I'm either watching TV with my whole heart or not at all. 

Next time someone's tweets are going to give you a meltdown, step away from social media and try one of these easy shows instead. (Exercise is overrated.)

1. Jane the Virgin This is my personal favorite show on television, and there is NO EASIER TIME than the holidays to finally see what all the fuss is about with this critical darling. The over-the-top telenovela plot makes some wrongly assume the show isn't for them, but anyone who loves a smart, heartfelt family dramedy featuring an ~insanely~ charismatic lead (Gina Rodriguez) should give it a chance. My tip: Watch the first two episodes. By the end of the second hour you'll be writing me a thank you note. Watch it on: The CW 

2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel There's a reason we made this show one of our picks for the best new shows of the year. From Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show follows a New York housewife in the 1950s who – when her marriage blows up – discovers herself as a stand-up comedian. It's a smart show about women, about families and, somehow, also about the stand up world. Delightful and decedent, with costumes that will make you want to go on a shopping spree asap. Watch it on: Amazon Prime

3. The Office Don't worry: 2017 isn't the first time I've checked out The Office. Anecdotally, however, it seems that many people decided that this year was the perfect time to try and re-watch, whether that's because just enough years have passed since the show went off the air, or because spending time with a bunch of goofs in Scranton seemed preferable to literally anything else about 2017. (Hulu thinks it's the latter.) Either way, delight in Michael Scott's obliviousness and be thankful he's only running a small company. Watch it on: Hulu

4. American Vandal In hindsight, a mockumentary about our collective obsession with true-crime was inevitable – the hilarious twist turned out to be that the spoof was actually an excellent whodonit all on its own. Buckle in for a pitch-perfect rendering of teenage angst and, between laughs, you'll discover that actually you're emotionally invested in #WhoDrewTheDicks. Watch it on: Netflix

5. Great News If you haven't checked out this 30 Rock successor on NBC, do yourself a favor. Katie (Briga Wheelan) is a successful local news producer whose overbearing mother (Broadway legend Andrea Martin) gets an internship at the station. The show runs like a well-oiled cog in the Tina Fey empire, from the cartoonish characters (John Michael Higgins and Nicole Richie are delightful as the station's odd-couple anchors) to jokes themselves, written by Rock alum Tracey Wigfield along with Fey, Robert Carlock, and more. -Proma Khosla Watch it on: NBC