The recent resolution of the Murdochs’ real-life succession drama once again brought to mind the HBO hit series it inspired.

Succession (the fictional version) is rife with betrayal, bullying and backstabbing as four siblings battle to win the favour of their billionaire patriarch and wrest control of the family’s global media company. It scooped multiple Emmy awards from 2019-23, but is so vitriolic and realistic that one season was enough for some of us.

Ditto for many of this year’s most-talked-about Emmy winners. Adolescence, The Pitt, Severance – brilliant, yes, but they cut close to the bone and there’s only so much tense TV you can watch before you start to yearn for a Golden Girls re-run.

So, for your comfort viewing pleasure, here are 10 shows to provide some light relief, whether you’re after a dose of nostalgia, heartwarming reality or quirky comedy.

The Great British (or Australian) Bake Off

Bake Off is like a hug from your nana – with a jammy biscuit on top. Each season a group of amiable amateur bakers from all walks of life come together in a marquee in the English countryside to test their patisserie skills in a series of challenges set by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith (or Mary Berry in the early series).

After 15 years, it’s still the sweetest cooking show on the box, with a stellar line-up of hosts that includes Sandi Toksvig, Sue Perkins, Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding. It may be minus the spotted dick, but The Great Australian Bake Off is a worthy spin-off and is also currently streaming its latest season – Binge + Foxtel

Will & Grace

This nostalgic viewing option delivers the laughs with minimal contemporary cringe. Considered edgy when it began airing in 1998, the multi-Emmy-winning series centres on the lives and loves of New York-based roommates lawyer Will (who’s gay) and interior designer Grace (who’s not), plus their friends, flamboyant actor Jack and acerbic socialite Karen, who usually steal the show.

It plays into stereotypes in a self-aware kind of way, but there’s also plenty of social and political commentary, some of which still seems relevant. Take this line from Grace: “Sometimes I wish I were a Republican. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone’s feelings. The only thing I’d have to worry about is being indicted.” – Stan

Love on the Spectrum

Made in Australia, Love on the Spectrum is an antidote to all those dating shows where contestants thrive on drama, manipulation and public displays of bitchiness.

The docu-series focuses on single young adults on the autism spectrum as they venture into the unpredictable world of dating, supported by their families and relationship experts. The honesty of the participants is both refreshing and inspiring. Little surprise the US version has just scooped two more awards at the latest Emmys. – ABC iView and Netflix

Austin

Love on the Spectrum spawned this delightful feel-good series that gives cast member Michael Theo an opportunity to show off his acting chops and natural comedic talent.

Theo plays Austin, a neurodivergent man who meets his father – British children’s author Julian (Ben Miller) – for the first time after the writer finds himself cancelled for accidentally retweeting a white supremacist.

The action moves between Australia and England as Austin, Ben and their respective families get to know each other – for better, for worse. Season two dropped in July.  – ABC iView

Vera

It might not be everyone’s cup of chai, but TV crime can be a satisfying form of escapism, especially if it comes with a backdrop of quaint English villages and picturesque countryside.

Vera – based on the series of novels by UK author Ann Cleeves – has plenty of murder and mayhem, but the drawcard is Brenda Blethyn as the cranky, “nearly retired” Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, whose dishevelled state, plodding nature and propensity for calling everyone “pet” belie her crime-solving skills. – Foxtel, Apple TV+, BritBox

The Four Seasons

There is some tension in this comedy drama starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell – but that’s inevitable in a show centred on three middle-aged couples who holiday together every season, especially when one of them splits up and the husband starts bringing along a younger woman. Nonetheless, the warmth and affection in the relationships make the short series ­– adapted from Alan Alda’s 1981 film of the same name – infinitely bingeworthy.

Alda has a cameo in The Four Seasons, and cast member Colman Domingo got a nod at the 2025 Emmys for best supporting actor. – Netflix

Travels With My Father

British comedian Jack Whitehall and his perpetually pompous father Michael are an unlikely pair of travelling companions – which is what makes this comedic road trip doco so entertaining.

Michael, a former theatrical agent who once ran a production company with the English actor Nigel Havers, had Jack later in life so was already well into his 70s when they visited South-East Asia for a “gap year” holiday in the first series of Travels with My Father in 2017. The pair have vastly different expectations and standards, but Michael’s dry wit shines through across their many mad adventures over four series. – Netflix

Gogglebox

Watching a group of fellow humans having a similar emotional response as yourself while sitting in front of their living-room TV is surprisingly affirming and entertaining, which explains why Gogglebox Australia recently returned for its 22^nd season.

The couch critics have changed over the years but it still feels a little like you’re in the company of extended family as Keith and Lee rib each other good-naturedly, Kate’s family disses her cooking, and Anastasia insists that everything good in the world comes from Greece. – 10 Play and Paramount+

Schitt’s Creek

Catherine O’Hara’s eccentric ex-socialite Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek is one of television’s most hilarious and unforgettable characters, positively bedevilled with outrageous outfits, whacky wigs and off-piste words of wisdom.

Written by father and son Eugene and Dan Levy, the series follows the previously rich Rose family – dad Johnny (Eugene), mum Moira, son David (Dan) and daughter Alexis – who, after losing all their money, find themselves living in a bleak motel in the eponymous town run by Mayor Roland Schitt. It’s comfort viewing that ultimately puts the functional in dysfunctional. – Netflix

The Great Pottery Throw Down

Described as Bake Off’s messier cousin, this British reality show sees amateur potters tackling a series of challenges that involve turning lumps clay into everything from toilets to chandeliers in their bid to named top potter. The Guardian summed it up perfectly as “a precious hour of crafty tranquility”.

In one episode contestants even sculpt a life-like bust of a music legend, though you’d be forgiven for not immediately recognising Ed Sheeran or Dolly Parton in the resulting pieces. – Binge

Queer Eye

It began life as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in 2003 but with a shortened title and a fresh team of “Fab Five” experts, the 2018 reboot became less discriminating about the individuals it would help. Advice on relationships and #winningatlife gets almost as much airtime as the home, wardrobe and hair makeovers, but all that zhooshing still makes for a dramatic reveal at the end.

The Fab Five are a joy to watch and it’s heart-warming to see the results of their efforts. The final season is currently in production but there are nine others already available to stream. Look out for the special filmed in Australia – Yass, Queen! – Netflix