You should keep the stakes low
Ages ago, Jeff told me that the difference in our taste in movies and television was that he loved complex stories and I preferred “simple” things. Jeff would tell you he didn’t say that and, if he did, that he certainly didn’t mean to imply that I was simple or not capable of understanding complicated plots. I would rebut that if it’s not true, why would I remember it and subsequently bring it up so often?
I personally feel like life is hard (both in general and mine specifically) and interpersonal dynamics are complex and I don’t need to give a moment of my time to anything that will scare me or creep me out or prevent me from online shopping simultaneously (should I so choose). Moreover, I’d prefer to give my time to seeing a world with clever dialogue or beautiful scenery or Colin Firth emerging wet from a lake (to be filed under: extremely beautiful scenery). I have been known to reread a favorite book and skip the sad/poor/dirty parts—“Gone with the Wind” becomes a real breezy read when there’s no war.
Recently, Jeff and I have been watching “Happy Valley” which is decidedly NOT happy and NOT low stakes but its intensity forced us to go hunt new and delightful low stakes watches to break up stressful episodes. This is made even more challenging when you realize the sociopath at the center of “Happy Valley” plays many kind and charming parts in other British programs. It all caused me to reflect a bit more on what best defines low stakes watches. Obviously, the number one piece of criteria for low stakes viewing is a happy ending, but not everything with a happy ending scratches the itch of being comforting, delightful or both.
Some caveats: first, this is heavier on shows than movies because movies are often too long to make the cut. I want comfort and low stress and I want it in under an hour. Also, I’d like to add that there’s probably a lot of sitcoms that you could call low stakes but they often include light cringe moments that are enough to keep them out of this bucket overall.
The below list is less comprehensive than illustrative and most great low stakes viewing hits multiple elements so don’t consider anything mutually exclusive! I hope if you have additions or proposals to add that you’ll share them with me/us all.
Key Elements of Quality Low Stakes Viewing
People are nice to each other and/or you root for everyone. This is so pivotal because obviously low stakes viewing is also low conflict but you also can’t have true villains or it introduces unnecessary stress in your life. You want dynamics on screen that are helpful, kind, endearing, earnest or any combination of these words. Best examples include:
“British Bake Off” (Netflix) - I mean, Bake Off is sort of the king of low stakes, comfort viewing in the first place (and comes back next week!) but it has everything needed for true comfort: pastels, British accents, people trying their best, people helping others when needed, bucolic b-roll and carbohydrates. It would all be ruined though if people were backstabbing or sabotaging or stealing the pea purée as American competitors in “Top Chef” are wont to do.
“Spellbound” (Amazon Prime) - This 2002 documentary about children competing in the Spelling Bee is such a winner. Again, you root for everyone (except one or two overly intense parents but you still love their kids). I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve watched this.
“Taskmaster” (YouTube) - I need to do an entire post on how much I love “Taskmaster,” how many times I’ve rewatched it and how it is not only the greatest thing Jack has introduced me to but I don’t think he’ll ever give me a greater gift (not that he shouldn’t try. Don’t worry, he won’t read this, he’s Gen Z and doesn’t understand email). DO NOT WATCH THE POORLY ADAPTED U.S. VERSION. I always recommend starting with Season 2 to get the concept because the best part of “Taskmaster” is how the cast comes together and how you end up wanting everyone to do well even if you have favorites. As we head into American presidential election season and all the hate that comes with that, I can offer you nothing better than the recommendation to watch “Taskmaster” to escape. Best seasons: 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15. Season 16 is about to start airing and they’ll be releasing in the U.S. on YouTube one day late. To be clear: every season is great. Except kind of season 6. BUT NOW I FEEL GUILTY SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THEY’RE LOVELY TOO. Also, highly recommend as a family watch if you have teenagers who are too cool for everything. (Sorry for the caps. Not appropriate for the tone of this piece.)
It’s just pleasant to watch visually. I don’t really have a lot to say on this except that even though that one Property Brother looks like a cartoon villain, having HGTV on muted in the background is generally low stress. In fact, HGTV is the only thing to have on when you’re at the dentist because you won’t really have anything to say but you can seem like you’re connecting with your dental hygienist through express facial reactions to what’s on camera. Unrelated: but why does the dental hygienist try to make conversation when your mouth is not only full of stuff but full of stuff that they have put in there? What an unnecessary stressor in an already terrible environment!
HGTV/Magnolia/Ina Garten already covered. To be clear, Food Network does not make this list. Having Guy Fieri tell you you have 5 minutes to make a sandwich out of dog food on “Guy’s Grocery Games” is NOT comforting under any possible definition.
“Escape to the Chateau” (Peacock) - a British man with an elaborate mustache and his younger wife with the palest skin and reddest hair buy a chateau in France that they are turning into an event space and ç’est très charmant.
“Bridgerton” (Netflix) - obviously there’s some conflict in the Shonda Rimes story lines but the combination of beautiful people and, what must be the largest flower budget for any television show ever, makes for a delightful visual escape.
“Calm” (HBOMax) - I just can’t call it Max alone so here we are. Anyway, this is a layup but the Calm app people (home of my beloved Sleep Stories) have done a series with Max where it’s short episodes of beautiful photography and celebrity narrators using lulling voices. Lucy Liu tells you all about coral reefs and Keanu Reeves walks you through a forest and there’s absolutely no way your heart rate doesn’t decrease just watching these. If you’re like me, you briefly wonder if you’re being manipulated but it’s all so lovely… you don’t care.
People are just really really good at what they do. Watching people fail—even when it’s Max Verstappen last weekend—isn’t really the kind of low stakes watch I’m seeking. I want to see people excel and be able to applaud and admire their efforts. There’s a lot of competition reality and food television like this (“Chef’s Table,” Padma’s fantastic show “Taste the Nation,” etc). Separately, I’d highlight:
“Jiro Dreams of Sushi” (Amazon Prime) - learning that chefs have to massage octopus for 11 years before they can move on to making eggs is a really critical lesson in both patience and mastery.
“Coda” (Apple+) - I loved this movie so much and while it, again, touches on so many other things I outline here, it wouldn’t work if she couldn’t sing.
“Queer Eye” (Netflix) - This is about so much more than a happy ending, it’s about a full positive transformation thanks to the expertise and compassion of these five guys. It’s predictable, and yet, I still cry almost every time.
“Matilda the Musical” (Netflix) - This works on two levels because Matilda is a genius who is great at everything and simultaneously the cast is full of crazily talented children. Even Miss Trunchbull is such a terrible villain that you have even more respect for how Emma Thompson transforms herself.
The conflict is minimal or predictable. This one is key (I mean they all are which is why I didn’t make this a numbered list). Fine, I get that you can’t really have a plot without any conflict at all but conflict greater than a 2 out of 10 is too much to make this list. Some great examples are:
“Julia” (HBOMax) - Sarah Lancanshire is an international treasure and all it takes is knowing that she filmed Season 3 of “Happy Valley” right after her tour de force performance as Julia Child. We all know Julia gets a show and overcomes the stereotypes holding her back but even if you didn’t, you would simply from how this show is presented.
“Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again” (Hulu) - If I recall properly, the only conflict is whether or not it will rain on the day of a big party and then… it doesn’t rain. I don’t remember though because I really just rewatch the “Dancing Queen” clip again and again.
Most Disney animated classics and all cheesy Hallmark/Netflix/Lifetime/off-brand Canadian holiday movies also fall under this category primarily.
If there’s crime or anything of concern, there isn’t a single second when you doubt that there will be full and happy resolution. This is a bit of a build on the above where you don’t expect any conflict. Every cozy mystery ever fulfills this brief. I’m known to go to the bathroom while watching a movie with Jeff just so I can read the rest of the plot on Wikipedia to be prepared. The point of this list is that there’s no reason to ever do that because you don’t need to brace yourself for anything.
“Enola Holmes” 1 & 2 (Netflix) - goodness these movies are perfect. Millie Bobby Brown breaks the fourth wall with more charisma than I knew was possible (although still can’t believe she’s marrying Bon Jovi’s son at 19 — Millie, if you’re reading this, there’s no need to rush it!) and Henry Cavill is so handsome and Helena Bonham-Carter steals every scene she’s in. I so hope there’s a third film coming.
“Paddington” 1 & 2 (Netflix) - I actively dislike movies with talking animals and I don’t generally enjoy floppy hats but both Paddingtons are well-written, well-acted, quite clever and upbeat. If all bears were like this, I’d feel better about spending time in nature!
“The Parent Trap” (Disney+) - we just rewatched the Lindsay Lohan version recently with our youngest and it has aged surprisingly well plus Lindsay exudes even more charisma than Millie Bobby Brown (do I need to edit my above statement? Perhaps not as there were two Lindsays so she had double the screen presence). A little bittersweet to think about Natasha Richardson and I’m often defensive of maligned stepmothers but other than that, NO NOTES.
“Queens of Mystery” (Acorn via Prime) - Amazon’s algorithm recommended this cozy and cliché mystery series that is not particularly well-acted nor particularly well-written and kind of feels a bit like a “poor man’s” Enola Holmes but we’ve enjoyed every minute. A younger female detective with three aunts (brainy, wild and artsy, respectively) solves crimes in her picturesque village with the aunts regularly jumping in to “help.” I wouldn’t subscribe to Acorn just for it but we will likely finish the series.
The show or series is found on or produced by PBS or Masterpiece Classics. Totally goes without saying but Masterpiece really knows what they’re doing in the world of perfect low stakes watches.
“The Durrells in Corfu” (Prime) - A delightful family moves to a Greek island and deals with such adversity as: one kid keeps adopting donkeys to make a zoo and they don’t have much money and the house is rundown.
“All Creatures Great and Small” (Prime) - Unless you count “understanding a Scottish accent” as a challenge, there’s little to struggle with here either. You have a city boy who moves to the countryside to be a vet and has to learn that sheep and cows are tougher patients than Yorkies and housecats.
“Call the Midwife” & “Last Tango in Halifax” (both on Netflix) - these start perfectly and then later seasons get dark so the minute something bad happens to a character you like, just stop watching and remember the happy times.
The source material is written by Jane Austen. I know there’s heavy overlap with this and Masterpiece but I couldn’t ignore the queen.
All of the versions of “Emma” — even “Clueless” (despite the Monet hate) and especially the 2020 film starring Anya Taylor-Joy (available on Peacock).
All of the “Sense & Sensibilities” — especially Emma Thompson’s 1995 classic but NOT including “Scents and Sensibility” which is a 2011 Hallmark film where two daughters make their own way by creating scented lotions after their Bernie Madoff-esque father goes to jail. The stakes are low in that but so are the production standards.
All versions of “Pride & Prejudice” — see below for more detail.
Then we have the true GOATS of Low Stakes Viewing:
The BBC’s 1995 “Pride & Prejudice” (Hulu) - even the “Barbie” movie knew enough to call out elder millennials for turning to this classic in times of need. Had I been watching it while packing for the vacation where I ended up seeing the “Barbie” movie? Yes.
CBC’s “Anne of Green Gables” and “Anne of Avonlea” - anyone who fell in love with Gilbert Blythe is a kindred spirit of mine. Bonus points if that person also had to perform in “Anne of Green Gables” the musical and shouts “p-p-p-p-p-puffed sleeves” when the topic comes up in the CBC classic. Don’t waste your time with “Anne with an E” on Netflix. I mean, you can, but it’s not the original. Not sure where to find them on streaming? There’s an obscure Canadian app called Gazebo where you can purchase both.
“You’ve Got Mail” (Netflix) - Jeff wanted me to add other rom-coms but lots of other rom-coms include cringe-y moments of bad-decision-making and, other than Tom Hanks eating the garnish like a hobo at a cocktail party, I find very little else to fault with Joe Fox. The conflict over whether her shop will stay in business doesn’t even feel very serious because she, quite clearly, has no concerns regarding financial stability.
“The Sound of Music” (I can’t figure out where it’s streaming but also I already bought it and you probably should to) - The only villains are Nazis (I will defend the Baronness forever since she left quickly and quietly and caused minimal drama and her dress was so fabulous) and you have singing children and I don’t even hate the goat puppets that much!
Lastly, I want to call out: Things You Might Assume are Low Stakes but are NOT
“Friday Night Lights” (Peacock) — are there great heroes and mostly happy endings and people you’re rooting for? Yes. But there are also just too many villains and too many bad plot points for the entirety of Season 2 and it’s, frankly, very dusty in West Texas.
“Gilmore Girls” (Netflix) — honestly, I can’t stand Rory most of the time or Lorelei a lot of the time. Not to mention, they treat their grandmother horribly while Emily is unfairly painted to be the villain when she’s almost always right.
“Downton Abbey” (Peacock) - this makes a lot of similar lists for the “Masterpiece Classics” of it all but it’s often too much. That said, it’s a great contender for my “fast forward through the sad/poor parts” strategy even if that means you miss the bulk of the Bates/Anna story.
Now tell me why anyone would rather watch “Bladerunner” than the above?