25 feel-good shows to start 2018 off right

Parks and Recreation

The premise: The show focuses on the small Indiana town of Pawnee and a small section of the local government. The department of Parks and Recreation is headed up by Leslie Knope, played by the extraordinary Amy Poehler. It’s a workplace comedy, in the style of The Office, but with so much more heart and pluck; mostly thanks to Poehler. Other members of the Parks and Rec department include characters played by Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Retta, Aubrey Plaza and Nick Offerman.

Why it’s so good: It’s special. It strikes an incredibly well-played balance of funny, irreverent, earnest, and silly. Leslie is one of the most iconic female characters in the TV canon, and she embodies all of these things, and then some. Even though Leslie could shake out as the main protagonist, she’s not really the star of the show. The chemistry between the characters is so palpable, that you desperately want to be friends with these folks. They are also so relatable that you might realize you already are.

The show isn’t really all that plot-heavy, but the characters have so much sparkle that it’s endlessly watchable. In truth, I could watch and love Leslie and Jones’ Ann do just about anything as long as they’re onscreen together. Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson is among the most remarkable characters of our generation, and has since some symbolize the exasperation of the level-headed population. And he has that incredible mustache.

How to watch: You can watch all seven seasons on Netflix.