18 Women With Stressful Jobs on the TV Shows They Binge-Watch to Unwind
Photo: Vincent Rivaud for Pexels
It’s safe to say stress levels are at an all-time high. The Dow Jones had its worst day since the 1987 crash, nearly 10 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two weeks alone, and have we mentioned we’re in the midst of an unprecedented public health pandemic? If you’re in need of a bit of escapism (because, honestly, who couldn’t use a break from the anxiety-inducing headlines RN?), scroll on.
Ahead, we tapped 18 women with stressful jobs to find out which TV shows help them unwind at the end of a long day. Whether you’re drawn to dramas filled with heartfelt moments and melodramatic soundtracks or you have an affinity for comedies that make you laugh so hard you start to cry, here are the shows you should tune in to in order to tune out, according to founders, CEOs, and all-around bosses.
The Show: “New Girl”
Why She Loves It: “‘New Girl,’ forever and always. It’s become my new ‘Friends.’ I put it on right before I want to close my eyes and it makes me doze off in complete ease every time.”
The Shows: “Workin’ Moms,” “I’m Sorry,” and “Better Call Saul”
Why She Loves It: "I am a TV addict so I have a huge list of shows. My go-to's for a good laugh are 'Workin' Moms' (Netflix), 'I'm Sorry' (Andrea Savage is just the best), and 'Better Call Saul' because it's BRILLIANT."
The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”
Why She Loves It: “I could give you a million reasons why I love it. One of my favorite things about it is that I like watching people having to adapt to other cultures… all while they start a new relationship!”
The Show: “Law and Order: SVU”
Why She Loves It: ”I would have to say my go-to show is ‘Law and Order: SVU!’ I grew up watching with my mom and it was something we always put on together at night. It gets you out of your own head and engaged in a whole other world.”
The Shows: “The Office” and “American Idol”
Why She Loves It: "My go-to TV show to unwind is ‘The Office’—it's easy, fun, and can be watched in any order. I never get through an episode without laughing out loud. (Plus, I understand so many more memes/quotes now!). I also rediscovered “American Idol” recently and it's so heartwarming, I've been loving it."
The Show: “The Bachelor”
Why She Loves It: “There is no rational reason why this concept could work, but somehow people really do find love. There have been so many Bachelor marriages and babies and I love getting lost in an episode after a long day.”
The Show: “90 Day Fiancé”
Why She Loves It: "I think a lot with my day-to-day work. This show literally allows me to get lost in the problems and dealings of others. I'm so fascinated by the lengths people will go for the idea of love.”
The Show: “Friday Night Lights”
Why She Loves It: “To de-stress and unwind, I've been on this binge of watching old TV shows that I never got to watch when they were airing! So I just started watching ‘Friday Night Lights’ and it's addictive. It helps me decompress after days of working from home. I love watching something that I can really get into and not think about what's going on in the world for at least 45 minutes. It also gives me hope that we will get back to some sort of normalcy sooner than later.”
The Shows: “Workin’ Moms” and “Schitt's Creek”
Why She Loves It: “Comedic relief and a reminder/appreciation of simpler times!”
The Show: “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Why She Loves It: “I've been enjoying the new season of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (sad to say the finale just aired). Some Larry David humor can always make me laugh. Maybe it's time to dip into the archives.”
The Shows: “McMillions” and “Tiger King”
Why She Loves It: “I started watching ‘McMillions’ just before the COVID-19 crisis broke out and binged my way through it as I was working late in the evenings. However, my true guilty pleasure is now Netflix’s ‘Tiger King,’ which I just discovered. It not only reminds me that it could be worse (as in, my husband could be tiger bait... or, worse, I’d be willing to volunteer him as tiger bait), but I can’t help but chuckle imagining what state we’d currently be in if Joe Exotic had been elected, you know, I can’t say for certain, but I think it would be worse? This show has forced me to drop everything I’m doing and totally tune in, which is a pretty great release. Watch it. Your. Mouth. Will. Drop. And, it just keeps getting better with each episode.”
The Show: “Friends”
Why She Loves It: “It's been my go-to since high school. There's something so relaxing about tuning in to watch their issues, heartbreaks, wins. It never gets old and it really helps me de-stress and unwind.”
The Show: “Self Made”
Why She Loves It: “I just watched ‘Self Made’ on Netflix this week. It was inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker, who built a beauty empire that challenged the status quo in challenging times, and became America’s first self-made female millionaire. As a female entrepreneur who is building a new brand during these uncertain times, Madam C. J. Walker’s determination was inspiring. The feel-good nature of the series helped lift up my spirits and find comfort in other founder’s stories.”
The Show: Whatever is currently on the Food Network
Why She Loves It: “For me, it’s Food Network all the way (with a little reality TV mixed in, if I’m being honest)—which is kind of nerdy, but I think it speaks to why I love cooking in the first place. During the week, I make it a point to come home from work and cook dinner every night—as it truly is a time where I can destress/unwind, and not be distracted by my phone or computer screen. Even if it’s a 20-minute meal, taking that little amount of time to myself to get creative in the kitchen, helps me to re-focus on whatever I need to tackle next.”
The Shows: “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” “60 Minutes,” and “Later... with Jools Holland”
Why She Loves It: “I love to unwind with HBO’s ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.’ I save the episodes and watch 20 minutes at a time. They are like small documentaries mostly dealing with athletes journeys the good and the bad. On Sunday nights, ‘60 Minutes’ is still my favorite. I also search for ‘Later... with Jools Holland,’ one night catching Kings of Leon, Sting, M83 and Jimmy Page. The show is groundbreaking and cast in such a unique way. It’s on my DVR ,I’m a music lover so when this is on I’m locked in :).)”
The Shows: “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Schitt’s Creek”
Why She Loves It: ”’Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’ are hilarious and perfect to get my mind off the insanity!”
The Shows: “Grey's Anatomy,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Entourage”
Why She Loves It: ”I am a big proponent of re-watching series I have previously loved to destress/unwind—very low stress and super easy and fun entertainment. Recently, I have been re-watching ‘Grey's Anatomy,’ which has brought back some fun memories as I started watching the show with my mother when I was much younger. Once I am done, I am planning to re-watch ‘Gilmore Girls!’ I am from a smaller town in Connecticut and I always loved the reminder of home, especially during these times when I can't really travel to see my family in CT. My husband and I also started re-watching ‘Entourage’ together, a welcome bit of comedic relief!”
The Shows: “Below Deck,” “Summer House,” and “Billions”
Why She Loves It: “A lot of Bravo. It’s one of my favorite things to watch, especially recently. Some of my favorites are ‘Below Deck’ and ‘Summer House.’ But for when I do switch it up a bit, I really love to watch ‘Billions.’”