Haha that seems to be a very common thread with How I Met Your Mother fans. I cannot stand the ending it just makes me so mad. I have the dvd release though so it has the alternate ending
Movies: the entire LoTR trilogy, followed by The Hobbit trilogy because at that point I'm committed to the theme and I manage to still find it entertaining
Robinhood: Men in Tights! Any time I'm sick with a cold or flu I go and get some food and chill out in front of the TV to watch it. No matter how bad I'm feeling it always makes me laugh.
There's not really many - if any (I can't think of any off hand) - shows like it. It's got a bit of adventure and/or intrigue, but also drama, decent acting (most of the time), and most importantly a hopeful, non-violent message. Not even the newer ST shows (or the horrible JJ Abrams movies) can make that final boast. It's definitely in my top three go-to shows.
For a generation that has nothing but existential threats and anxiety, TNG is a great show to watch. It's nice seeing something on TV that's actually hopeful for humanity.
I like having background noise, and find that I focus better when something is running that I can follow without paying full attention to it. I’ve seen these 3 all the way through over 20 times, at least so they’re useful for that. I also just plain love the shows… Shoresy S2 can’t land soon enough.
I know this will sound strange, but Battlebots got me through some dark moments during the pandemic. Something about watching robots rip each other to shreds really takes me away from my problems.
Oh i have a really good one, and if you have watched it, definetly tell me because i cant find any discussion about it online. Its called Wood Job, It takes place in a fictional remote forested village and its woodworking industry. its a wholesome story really wholesome and rewatch it yearly.
They're just both so upbeat and light. Although during lockdowns seeing happy people having close relationships with friends just made me more sad! Still, it was probably good to have those feelings bubble up so I couldn't keep ignoring them.
The 1986 animated film Transformers the Movie. I can almost quote the script along with the voice actors at this point. It's like a big fluffy blanket when I've had a truly awful day.
Fun fact: It was Orson Welles's last performance before his death.
As a series to sit down and watch, it's gotta be Mad Men, which I've seen all the way through three or four times.
As a series to watch in bed before sleep, it's the BBC's Richard Osman's House Of Games. It's cerebral yet fun and tension-free, as the four contestants are British celebrities vying for little prizes like fondue sets, bathrobes, pet feeding bowls and the like. All episodes are uploaded to YouTube.
As a series to drift of to sleep to, also from the BBC - Gardener's World. If you decide to pay attention, it's actually fascinating and entertaining, yet the tone is always soothing. Many full episodes are on YouTube.
Even with an element of loneliness/isolation being central to its plot, the storytelling, visual presentation, and performances make this an interminably uplifting movie for me that soothes even on the worst of days.
Similar to this, I am always looking for good shows to fall asleep to. Typically like something that has a dark color palette, no super loud dialogue or anything, etc. Right now, I've been falling asleep to The Clone Wars animated series. Lots of space backdrops, dark colors, and I think the Star Wars sounds are naturally cozy for me.