There comes a moment – usually about ten minutes into scrolling – when you realise picking a TV show to watch with your parents is a surprisingly high-stakes decision. You want something that feels current, not boring, but also something that won’t suddenly drop an explicit sex scene into the middle of a cosy evening and make everyone pretend to check their phone.
This is about finding that middle ground: shows that are interesting, watchable and modern, but also PG-enough to be able to look your parents in the eye the next day. No need to mentally prepare yourself, pre-emptively apologise, or keep one finger hovering over the remote. Think warmth over shock, people over plot twists, and programmes that quietly pull everyone in rather than demanding attention.
From gentle competitions to thoughtful documentaries and easy dramas, these are the rare shows that manage to keep everyone watching – without anyone wishing the ground would swallow them whole.
David Attenborough: Kingdom
Kingdom is David Attenborough doing what he does best: calmly explaining the animal world while making everyone on the sofa feel simultaneously soothed and slightly uneducated. It’s perfect family viewing: absolutely no sex, no plot to keep up with, and just the right balance of awe, gentle jeopardy and spectacular footage. It’s comfort TV at its finest – and you’re learning something, so no sofa guilt.
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Love on the Spectrum
Love on the Spectrum follows autistic adults as they navigate dating and relationships, and parents tend to love it because it’s warm, funny and refreshingly sincere, with zero awkward sex and none of the usual reality-TV nastiness. It’s the kind of show that makes anyone over 50 say ‘they’re so lovely’ every five minutes, sparks surprisingly thoughtful chats about love and dating, and feels wholesome without being worthy. It’s comforting, gently funny and an all-round crowd pleaser.
Stream on Netflix
Ghosts
Ghosts follows a young couple who inherit a crumbling country house – only to discover it’s already occupied by a bickering bunch of spirits from different eras. It’s brilliant for family viewing because there’s nothing awkward, and the humour is warm, silly and very British, with jokes that land just as well for parents as they do for you. Parents love the period gags and gentle pace, you get genuinely sharp writing, and it’s one of those rare comedies where everyone ends up laughing at the same bits.
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter
A calm but quietly gripping competition where amateur knitters take on creative, time-pressured challenges using nothing but wool, needles and a lot of concentration. Hosted by Tom Daley, it’s unfussy, charming and refreshingly low-drama, with impressive craftsmanship and just enough jeopardy to keep things moving. It’s the sort of show that sneaks up on you: easy to have on, then suddenly impossible to turn off.
Stream of Channel 4
The Good Karma Hospital
Set in a small hospital on India’s southern coast, this drama follows doctors and nurses juggling medical cases with their own personal upheavals. The tone is warm and reflective, with episodes built around connection and community rather than medical crisis. What’s more: in the bleak British winter, it offers some pretty stunning geographic escapism. Bliss.
Stream on ITVX
Clarkson’s Farm
Jeremy Clarkson buys a farm and very confidently assumes it can’t be that hard – before reality (weather, livestock, local councils) humbles him at speed. What starts as chaos slowly becomes something much warmer and more interesting: a surprisingly moving look at rural life, food production and just how fragile farming actually is. Parents love the countryside bits, you enjoy watching Clarkson get frustrated, and everyone ends up far more invested in crops and sheep than expected.
Stream on Prime Video
The Yorkshire Vet
Rural vets Peter and Julian deal with sick farm animals, poorly pets and the occasional alpaca emergency across the Yorkshire Dales. It’s gentle, heartwarming telly: beautiful countryside, animals getting better (mostly), and vets being calmly competent while elbow-deep in cows. Parents love the rural nostalgia and happy endings, you’ll be surprisingly gripped by whether the calf survives, and everyone emerges with newfound respect for large animal vets.
Stream on Channel 5
The Repair Shop
The Repair Shop is basically watching very talented people fix broken heirlooms while their owners cry gently in the background. It’s wildly soothing: no conflict, no drama, just skilled craftspeople lovingly restoring old teddy bears, clocks and furniture while everyone gets a bit emotional about family history. Parents absolutely adore it (cue misty eyes) and you’ll find it super relaxing (and probably heartwarming, too). Perfect for a Sunday afternoon when no one can be bothered with plot.
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Taskmaster
Comedians compete in completely absurd tasks set by Greg Davies (who judges them with mock severity) and Alex Horne (who watches everything with clipboard in hand). It’s brilliantly silly: contestants try to fill egg cups with tears, play charades across the Thames and hide a pineapple – on their person. There’s nothing inappropriate – just clever people doing stupid things with full commitment.
Stream on Netflix
The Piano
Hidden pianos are placed in busy train stations to uncover people who can quietly play beautifully. What follows is understated, emotional television that rewards patience rather than demanding attention. The joy comes from watching talent emerge unexpectedly (as well as hosts Claudia Winkleman, Mika and Jon Batiste), without gimmicks or hysteria. It’s gentle, intimate and oddly absorbing – the kind of programme that’s a perfect break from the Christmas hullabaloo.
Stream on Channel 4
Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr
Aspiring designers are set a series of interior challenges, transforming real spaces under tight deadlines. The show balances creativity with practicality, allowing strong opinions without descending into chaos. It’s structured, visually satisfying and easy to follow, with each episode offering a clear sense of progress and outcome. And it doesn’t hurt that everyone’s favourite Traitor – Alan Carr – is the host.
Stream on BBC iPlayer
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum explores everyday objects and ideas – from trainers to ice cream – through curious conversation and unexpected history. The episodes are loosely structured and don’t overload you with facts. It’s curious, funny and oddly calming, driven more by Goldblum’s Wicked (get it?) personality than snooty science.
Stream on Disney+
Secrets of the London Underground
Tim Dunn explores the hidden history of London’s transport system, uncovering forgotten stations, engineering feats and wartime secrets. The storytelling is clear and enthusiast-led, turning infrastructure into narrative. Even those unfamiliar with the network find themselves drawn in by the combination of history, design and human ingenuity.
Stream on AppleTV
