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TV, radio, film, Arts

Do you have any favourite relaxing TV series or films?

(66 Posts)
FlowerFan Thu 18-Jun-26 07:42:52

Something that you like to sit down and watch when you badly need to relax from the stresses and strains of everyday life?

Something that has a really quiet, soothing atmosphere. It may even be one of the many nature-inspired videos on YouTube (which is what I tend to watch).

I think we could all do with de-stressing these days!

fancythat Thu 18-Jun-26 13:24:12

Beyond Paradise has done about 30 episodes so far?
Death in Paradise. About 150?
I watch them all.
There is an Australian version - 16 episodes so far?[prob my favorite].
And on a random channel there is a New Zealand version. 30 episodes? Not sure if part of the same company or franchise or not.

MissAdventure Thu 18-Jun-26 13:25:56

I never watched it, but The darling buds of May was popular as a relaxing watch.

Foxtail Thu 18-Jun-26 14:38:04

Easy to dip in and out is Robson Green's weekend escapes, most episodes are gentle, fun and interesting.

Fallingstar Thu 18-Jun-26 14:48:46

I love any wildlife documentaries, very relaxing, especially Springwatch. And the documentaries by Ben Fogle about people living alternative lives in various parts of the world.

MayBee70 Thu 18-Jun-26 14:53:32

I watch Wild Earth on Ch 91 or 2 ( it seems to vary). Live South African safari from the comfort of your own home. Does show kills etc sometimes but so do David Attenborough programmes sometimes.

TwiceAsNice Thu 18-Jun-26 14:56:43

ER and Grays Anatomy
Escape to the Country
Location Location Location
Casualty ( have watched from the 1st episode)

Films I have watched loads of times
To Sir with Love
Pretty Woman
The Shawshank Redemption

Deedaa Fri 19-Jun-26 22:13:15

I enjoy Alan Titchmarshe's Enjoy Your Weekend, He has some interesting guests and often has goats! I'm a sucker for the Joan Hickson Miss Marples and I'm watching Maigret and Doomwatch from the 60s and 70s on Talking Pictures. I recently watched Strangers On A Train and Dial M For Murder, and I couldn't believe how much they smoked! No one seemed to be able to move without lighting up a cigarette.

MollyNew Fri 19-Jun-26 22:17:08

Pride and Prejudice
Now Voyager
Brief Encounter
Poirot

Frasier if I need a good laugh - the characters are so familiar to me now.
Garden Rescue

Harris27 Fri 19-Jun-26 22:18:53

I love beyond paradise and death in paradise, but I always love heartbeat in the afternoon. I’ve recently semi retired and love the fact I can sit and knit and watch this pure pleasure for me.

REKA Fri 19-Jun-26 22:35:52

I like true crime. Maybe not the norm for relaxing for most but that is my choice!

merlotgran Fri 19-Jun-26 23:46:58

I like dramas with beautiful houses, stunning scenery and stylish fashions of the time.
Hotel Paradiso should never have been scrapped but thankfully Signore Volpe is going to return for a third series.

On a slightly different note, I could watch Foyles War for ever.

MT62 Sat 20-Jun-26 01:37:07

Upstairs, downstairs. Just watched 3 episodes. I think I preferred Downton Abby
Nice to see Rose though.

Basgetti Sat 20-Jun-26 03:12:37

Lucy Worsley Investigates
Who Do You Think You Are?
Anything with David Olusoga
Mandy

SpinDriftCoastal Sat 20-Jun-26 07:02:46

Anything to do with nature, villages, the sea, English countryside. Documentaries on BBC 4. Traditional British comedy series.

NotAGran55 Sat 20-Jun-26 07:16:00

Anything featuring Rick Stein or Lee Mack.

srn63 Sat 20-Jun-26 08:59:15

Practical Magic, love it, I've warched it loads of times.

shysal Sat 20-Jun-26 10:04:33

Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles on BBC iplayer.
Hamza Yassin is such a gentle knowledgeable man, and his films are lovely.

Witzend Sat 20-Jun-26 10:11:31

The Repair Shop for me too.
I especially love the Teddy Ladies!

Magenta8 Sat 20-Jun-26 10:21:00

Gardeners' World
George Clarke's Amazing Spaces
Michael Portillo - Railway Journeys
Abandoned Engineering

I try and avoid anything fly on the wall about police, doctors, ambulance paramedics, bailiffs etc. I also avoid anything about crime, particularly murder and the numerous programmes about WWII (except when it crops up in Abandoned Engineering).

M0nica Sat 20-Jun-26 12:25:01

Agatha Christie: Miss Marple (Joan Hickson version), Poirot and several that are neither Marple or Poirot
Campion
Any version of Peter Whimsey
Jane Austen novels, but not any produced since that dreadful one with Colin Firth.
a lot of other 19th century books adapted fot tv

Wyllow3 Sat 20-Jun-26 12:46:29

Calendargirl

The original ‘Miss Marple’, the Joan Hickson ones.

I feel like one of the cast, seen them so many times,
but the combination of the scenery, the language, the clothes, the houses, village life, plus the occasional murder, but nothing too gruesome or shocking.

The 1950’s, so evocative. The class system, still so evident, the aristocracy, the middle and working classes, the maids and cooks….

It's a "me too" on that one. And some of the old Poirots, the 1930's art deco et al.

And film wise of course the wonderful Gosford Park, very upstairs downstairs. (on Amazon Prime and Disney right now)

Portillo's rail journeys?
Or "Actor Bill Nighy is the beloved, distinctive narrator of the hit travel documentary series World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys
(produced for Channel 5 in the UK and available on Apple TV and Prime Video).

There is a great river series as well iirc.

Knitter43 Sat 20-Jun-26 12:59:00

Canal boat diaries
Pottery throwdown
Money for nothing ( surely a new series.must be due? )
Living the Skye life on Youtube

Sheba Sat 20-Jun-26 13:51:29

Roman Empire by train with Alice Roberts, it was brilliant.

Leavesden Sat 20-Jun-26 14:26:31

Gilmore girls, canal boat diaries,Mortimer and white house fishing, anything gardening.

Labradora Sat 20-Jun-26 14:54:35

I like to watch any crime or detective series ( true or fictional) and also A Place in the Sun and Sex and the City and the newer version of that which is "Girls" that is most entertaining.