Thereâs watching TV for entertainment, and then thereâs watching TV for survival.
Anyone who has held a baby from midnight to 4 a.m., simultaneously willing themselves to stay awake and their child to stay asleep, using their one free hand to shovel muffins in their mouth and click that âyes, I am sure I want to keep watchingâ button that pops up when even Netflix wonders why youâre still sitting there, knows the latter.
Maternity leave is the big leagues of television viewing. The stakes are high (passing out on your child is frowned upon, not to mention incredibly dangerous), the need is great (no, YOU try reading a book during a 3 a.m. marathon nursing session), and the hormones are real (Iâm not crying, YOUâRE crying hysterically and clutching your baby to your chest because a polar bear cub lost his mama in that ill-recommended nature documentary).
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But donât worry. We got you.
These shows are engaging enough to keep you awake, not so loud that theyâll wake the baby and not so involved that youâll miss much if you briefly nod off (when the baby is back in the bassinet, of course). They have enough episodes and seasons that you can hit âplayâ once and watch until baby outgrows that four-month sleep regression. And theyâll make you laugh when you feel alone in the world, make you cry when you need a release, and thereâs nary a zombie (or abandoned polar cub) in sight.
After polling some new parents, here are the best shows to watch on maternity (or parental) leave, in no particular order.
1. âGilmore Girlsâ
JK, âGilmore Girlsâ is actually the No.1 best show to watch on maternity leave, hands down. First of all, there are seven seasons of 21 to 22 episodes each, plus the revival episodes. So say hello to your new best friends, mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, and their kooky group of friends and family members. Itâs funny, itâs soothing, and it takes you back to a simpler time ... or, at least a time before you had kids. Soon, even the theme song will help you (and your baby) relax.
2. âVirgin Riverâ
Another gloriously slow-moving show thatâs basically about nothing, âVirgin Riverâ is new to Netflix and exactly what you need. Ok fine, itâs about a nurse who relocates to a remote town for a fresh start. Itâs also set in rural B.C., and that scenery will calm you during late-night feedings. For âGilmore Girlâ fans, have we mentioned the male lead gives off serious âLukeâ vibes?
3. âSchittâs Creekâ
If you havenât yet watched the Canadian success story starring Eugene and Dan Levy, Annie Murphy and Catherine OâHara, nowâs your chance. Youâll laugh until you cry/cry until you laugh (just donât wake the baby).
4. âCall The Midwifeâ
BBC period drama at its finest, âCall The Midwifeâ tells the story of midwife Jenny Lee and the challenges she faces working in Londonâs impoverished East End with an order of nursing nuns. Itâs interesting, charming, and will make you extremely grateful that you gave birth during the era of modern medicine.
5. âAnne with an Eâ
Season 3 of this feel-good Canadian series hit Netflix Jan. 3. The show, which premiered in March 2017, was inspired by Lucy Maud Montgomeryâs classic novel Anne of Green Gables and expanded upon the book to dig into the teenâs backstory, according to the Canadian Press.
6. âGood Girlsâ
Some nights, you love mom life. Others, you just want to launder drug money and blow up your life. âGood Girlsâ is perfect for when youâre feeling the latter.
7. âAtypicalâ
A feel-good (mostly) comedy with a great cast, âAtypicalâ tells the story of Sam, an 18-year-old on the Autism spectrum.
8. âDead to Meâ
This comedy/drama is about motherhood, friendship, and grief, but in a dark and hilarious way. And whatâs not to love about Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini?
9. âGreyâs Anatomyâ
It doesnât get any better than 15 seasons of a medical comedy-drama that hits you right in the feels, every episode. Follow intern (then resident, then attending â did we mention there are 14 seasons?) Meredith Greyâs personal and professional passions evolve over the years with this hit show set in Seattle. Even (maybe especially) if youâve already been following the show for years, the music, characters, and storylines are always a comfort to go back to.
10. âThis Is Usâ
Youâre a new parent, so chances are youâre crying on the reg already. Why not make the most of it by shedding some tears for Americaâs favourite tear-jerker? NBCâs âThis Is Usâ tells the generational story of the Pearson family: parents Rebecca and Jack, and triplets Kate, Kevin and Randall. Grab some tissues and settle in for an emotional roller coaster.
11. âJane The Virginâ
Re-live your pregnancy glory days and prepare for life as a mother with this laugh-out-loud comedy about a virgin who gets knocked up due to a medical error. Stay entertained well into the night as Jane (played by the delightful Gina Rodriguez) navigates her new life with the help of her sassy mother, sassier grandmother, and various love interests.
12. âLife In Piecesâ
Episodes of this hilarious family comedy are short but sweet, and divided into four vignettes â perfect for when your attention span is about the length of the cursed baby cat nap. Season One, when Greg and Jen bring home their new baby and battle everything from sleep deprivation to unwanted advice, is especially relatable.
13. âMaster Of Noneâ
Calming, funny, but always poignant, Aziz Ansariâs âMaster of Noneâ is perfect for when you just want to chill out. Snuggle your baby and sip a tea as you watch Dev attempt to make his way in the entertainment industry, find love, and experience friendship and family.
14. âThe Officeâ
âThe Officeâ never gets old, so whether youâre watching it for the first or fifth time, youâll find yourself endlessly entertained by Dwightâs antics, Michaelâs awkwardness, and Jim and Pamâs âwill they or wonât theyâ love story. There are nine seasons, so if you decide to go down this road, youâll have something to watch until baby learns to crawl and your TV watching days are over (sorry).
15. âOutlanderâ
Hey, remember when you used to have a sex drive? No? Anyone? Well, Jamie and Claireâs steamy love scenes in âOutlanderâ will likely rekindle what you might have thought was dead and gone. And if their fireside and hilltop romps donât do it for you, the plot of this porn, we mean, historical time travel drama, is compelling enough to keep you awake long after your partner has disappeared for his or her turn to sleep.
16. âThe Crownâ
The Queen of England wears a lot of hats (well, just one, really, and itâs a crown, not a hat, but we digress), and one of them is âmother.â Claire Foy is stunning as Queen Elizabeth II in âThe Crown,â but just wait until you see Olivia Coleman in season 3.
17. âMad Menâ
Critically-acclaimed âMad Menâ tells the story of advertising hotshot and family man Don Draper in 1960s New York City, when everyone is selling something. If Jon Hammâs Emmy-winning performance doesnât hook you, the 1960s parenting style will (the smoking! The drinking! And where are the childrensâ car seats?!).
18. âSuitsâ
So, you just had a baby, and youâre probably not following the news all that much, but you mayyy have still heard about Meghan Markle, a.k.a. the Duchess of Sussex, a.k.a. Archieâs mom. Watch the actress-turned-royal play a paralegal in this smart legal drama.
19. âFriendsâ
Have all your actual friends taken temporary leave now that you only respond to text messages at 5 a.m. and all you can talk about is your wrecked body and the consistency of your childâs poop? Fear not! Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe are here for you. Re-live your youth with all 10 seasons of one of the most popular shows of our time.
20. âMr. Selfridgeâ
WE ARE NEW PARENTS AND WE DEMAND MORE SOOTHING BRITISH PERIOD DRAMAS. Netflix heard your call, and answered with four seasons of âMr. Selfridge.â Watch American retail tycoon Harry Selfridge turn 1909 Oxford street on its head when he opens a glitzy new department store.
21. âGrace and Frankieâ
Need a laugh? Need to feel better about your romantic relationship? Want to feel young again? Want to live in a beach house on the southern California coast? You just had a baby, so thatâs a âyesâ to all of the above. âGrace and Frankieâ is the show for you.
22. âHow I Met Your Motherâ
Itâs âFriendsâ for the next generation, and itâll suck you in big time. The premise is simple enough â decades from now, a man tells his children how he met their mother. But the characters and the comedy make this a show youâll quickly find as addictive as the sugary baked goods you never knew you needed until you could describe the sunrise each morning of the last month.
23. âOrange Is The New Blackâ
Youâll laugh, youâll cry, youâll look at your baby and be grateful you didnât get busted trafficking drugs and you get to raise him or her on the outside. All seven seasons of âOrange Is The New Blackâ are available on Netflix Canada, so you wonât be lacking for entertainment.
24. âThe Letdownâ
Feel like youâre looking in a mirror? Youâll be hard-pressed to find a more realistic, gritty portrayal of new mom life than this Australian show. Watch Audrey struggle to get the support she needs from her local mom group and stressed-out partner. New parents may find the sleep training scenes particularly relatable.
25. âThe Good Placeâ
Ever feel like an imposter in your own life? Then youâll relate to the plight of Eleanor, who wakes up in an afterlife reserved for only the most ethical people, and realizes sheâs been mistaken for somebody else. This show is so witty, youâll chuckle right through both seasons.
26. âDerry Girlsâ
Come for the music from your youth. Stay for ... more music from your youth. âDerry Girlsâ is a delightful comedy about teen girls set in turbulent Northern Ireland in the early 1990s.
27. âBaroness Von Sketch Showâ
Warning: you might laugh so hard at this satirical sketch comedy that you wake the baby. But this Canadian gem, starring four powerhouse comedian actresses, is well worth it. There are three seasons on Netflix for when you need a pick-me-up.
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