25 feel-good shows to start 2018 off right

Brockmire

The premise: One of the greatest baseball commentators of all time, Jim Brockmire (Hank Azaria), falls from the heights of success after he finds his wife cheating on him in a shocking and humiliating way. He publicly melts down, drinks his way out of his job, disappears for years in Thailand, and subsequently becomes a YouTube phenomenon. The owner of a small town baseball team, Jules James (Amanda Peet), finds him, yanks him out of obscurity and offers him a job announcing her team’s games. He’s a mess, she’s not too much better off, and they both work to revive the team’s image and record.

Why it’s so good: Hank Azaria could probably carry any project and make it worthy of some list somewhere, but his turn as the downtrodden, cynical Brockmire is downright inspired. Brockmire, over the course of the season, goes from broken and dejected, to buoyant and rejuvenated. Even the dusty old jacket he arrived in looks brighter, and his recovery is a reminder of how much we need other people.

Even though Peet’s character, Jules, is just as much of a trainwreck as Brockmire, when they come together, it’s sweet and fulfilling. The show makes you want to call somebody and remind them you love them.

How to watch: Watch the first season on IFC.