The 10 Most Relaxing TV Shows to Help You Unwind at Night

Finding the perfect show to help you relax before hitting the hay can be more challenging than it seems. Episodes of true crime staples like Forensic Files may render you too anxious to sleep, while the drama on the latest episodes of Grey’s Anatomy might have you riveted until your alarm goes off. But if you still want to watch something before turning in for the night, the anxiety experts at AmberWillo have you covered.

In a recent analysis, they ranked the most soothing TV series based on six criteria, including content rating, episode length, genre, and the presence of frightening scenes. Each show was awarded a score out of 100—the closer to that number, the more soothing the show.

The programs that made the list offer comfort, familiarity, and just the right rhythm to help you drift off to sleep. The research highlights how television can shape nighttime routines, noting that light, low-stakes entertainment often creates the best conditions for relaxation compared to darker or more dramatic programming.

Here are the top 10 shows you should put on as you drift off at night, ranked.

Bluey

At the top of the list is children’s show Bluey. The animated Australian program—which features the titular Blue Heeler pup and her family—has become a phenomenon, capturing the hearts of both adults and children. Its family-friendly tone, brief runtime, and gentle humor earned it a score of 93.69 out of 100.

Seinfeld

Close behind is Seinfeld, which received a score of 84.37 out of 100. The classic “show about nothing” has 20-minute episodes and timeless storylines that still hold up in 2025, making it a dependable choice before bedtime. (Fun fact: Seinfeld was never intended to be a show about nothing. As star Jerry Seinfeld said in 2014, “The pitch for the show, the real pitch, when Larry and I went to NBC in 1988, was ‘We want to show how a comedian gets his material.’ The show about nothing was just a joke in an episode many years later, and Larry and I to this day are surprised that it caught on as a way that people describe the show, because to us it’s the opposite of that.”) 

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Mr. Bean

In third place with a score of 84.2 out of 100 is Mr. Bean, the British comedy starring Rowan Atkinson. The series—which started as a stage show—is renowned for its physical humor and easy viewing. There are only 14 episodes, but if you’re still craving more Bean, you can always put on one of the movies or the animated series.

Pride and Prejudice

Fourth place goes to the 1995 BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice, celebrated for its romantic tone and soothing period drama atmosphere. It scored 81.96 out of 100. The series’ sexiest scene—which sees Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy emerge sopping wet from a pond—wasn’t in the novel, and Andrew Davies, who adapted the novel, meant it to be funny, not steamy. “When women started pinning Colin’s picture on their walls, it was a puzzle and a surprise,” he later said. (The shirt Firth wore in the scene sold at auction for 25,000 pounds in 2024.)

The Office (U.S.)

Rounding out the top five is the U.S. version of The Office, which scored 80.11 out of 100 thanks to its comedic tone, extensive episode catalog, and absence of violent or frightening content. With hundreds of episodes available, the series offers endless opportunities for casual rewatching that can ease viewers into rest. 

Friends

Coming in sixth was Friends with 79.98 out of 100. The sheer number of episodes—235 over 10 seasons—means the series lends itself to multiple rewatches. Fun fact: The series was originally called Insomnia Café. (An issue of Mental Floss magazine also makes an appearance in the episode “The One With the Soap Opera Party.”) 

Fawlty Towers

The 1975 series Fawlty Towers—which was co-created by and starred John Cleese—was ranked seventh with a score of 78.53 out of 100 thanks to its short episodes. Cleese based Basil Fawlty on Donald Sinclair, owner of the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, where he and the rest of the Monty Python cast stayed while making Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Cleese called Sinclair “the rudest man I’ve ever come across in my life.” 

Haikyuu!!

This anime, which ran between 2014 and 2020, came in eighth with a score of 78.35 out of 100 thanks to its short, 20-minute-long episodes and soothing style of animation. 

Yes Minister

Yet another British show, the political satire Yes Minister, was ranked ninth with a score of 78.09 out of 100. It ran from 1986 to 1988.

Arrested Development

The final spot in the top 10 was nabbed by the comedy Arrested Development, which received a score of 78.04 out of 100. If you’re watching it before heading off to sleep, keep your eyes peeled for these brilliant hidden jokes.

The 10 Least Relaxing Shows

The study also highlighted shows that may not be the best option before bed. The three-season-long Hannibal, which starred Hugh Dancy, was rated as the least relaxing due to its graphic violence and intense subject matter. Here are the top 10 least relaxing shows in order:

1. Hannibal: 5.72/100
2. Sons of Anarchy: 8.57/100
3. Daredevil: 10.99/100
4. Boardwalk Empire: 11.49/100
5. Peaky Blinders: 13.02/100
6. Dexter: 13.57/100
7. Spartacus: 13.78/100
8. The Boys: 13.91/100
9. Mr. Robot: 14.02/100
10. Black Mirror: 15.10/100