This time of year, there are few things better than grabbing a fuzzy blanket, sipping on a hot cocoa or tea, and watching the most comforting thing I can find. Like most people, I have my go-to comfort watches, the movies and TV shows that feel like an old friend - enveloping me in warmth, coziness, and safety from the minute I press play. A comfort watch list is as unique as a snowflake, no two people have the same one.

For this special winter edition of ‘What We’re Watching’, we’re sharing a few selections from our comfort watch lists. We hope they spark joy for you into the new year!

When Harry Met Sally… (1989 written by Nora Ephron, directed by Rob Reiner) R

When Harry Met Sally is a pretty new entry in my comfort watch catalog. I saw this classic rom-com for the first time a couple months ago after a friend recommended it to me, and fell in love with it immediately. At the time, I was recovering from Endometriosis surgery and still struggling with the gravity of my diagnosis and procedure. But from the moment I pressed play, this film felt like the warmest, safest hug I’ve ever had and was a much needed escape from the weight of living with chronic pain.

The enemies to friends to lovers dynamic between Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) is written so well that their relationship development over twelve-years feels like it was destined to happen - but not in an expected, tropey way. The fashion, hairstyles, technology, and the characters’ attitude toward women and men being friends are clearly from the ‘80s, but the connection between Harry and Sally is timeless and that’s something I can find true comfort in. Before my diagnosis, I used to feel like I had to control every single aspect of my life to feel at peace, but it’s Harry and Sally’s chance encounters that remind me how powerful it can be to give up control and go with the flow of life. - Brynna A, Editorial Lead

The Mindy Project (2012 created by Mindy Kaling) TV-14

Mindy Lahiri was one of the first confident, unashamedly girly characters I had ever seen. She embraces her femininity and uses it as a strength. I feel like I grew alongside Mindy, she taught a 16-year-old me to have incredibly high standards when it comes to love who then at 21, taught me that I was enough, a whole person with or without a man! The Mindy Project is an ode to the humble rom-com. We meet Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) as a thirty-something, rom-com obsessed, successful OBGYN living in New York City, trying to manifest her life into a Nora Efron fantasy.

In an era where women were told they were attractive when they were dark, mysterious, ‘not like other girls’ and everything targeted towards young women was torn to shreds by the media, Mindy Lahiri obsessed about pop-culture, celebrity and publicly loves these ‘guilty pleasures’ with confidence. Mindy is witty and self-assured. She embraces her messiness and imperfections and if anyone passes unfair judgement she simply tries to gaslight them into thinking they're positive attributes. I will alway come crawling back to The Mindy Project (anything Kaling does really) because I become void of all shame and self-loathing when I watch it. Allowing me to feel fine being who I am, we make mistakes so just enjoy the things you love in life. -Róisín C, TLL Research Editor

Insecure (2016 created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore) TV-MA

As an awkward, unsure of my future twenty-something-year-old woman, Insecure is one of my favorite shows. It’s comforting to see how much care Issa Rae has put into the series not just as the lead character, but also as the creator and showrunner. Her character Issa Dee feels just as awkward and unsure in her thirties, and it’s reassuring to see someone older than me still trying to figure out this life sh*t too! The way she hypes herself up in the mirror with rapping pep-talks and brutally honest self-reflection is iconic and the energy is infectious - it’s a unique way to connect with the viewer and it’s hard to not feel the urge to pull yourself together after watching her.

Insecure handles adult relationships, career changes, and mental health in such a fun and unique way that truly gets you invested in the characters’ journeys. The show is honest about how relationships with ourselves and our friends change after college and into adulthood. Issa’s friends Molly (Yvonne Orji), Kelli (Natasha Rothwell), and Tiffany (Amanda Seales) hit rocky periods in their relationships with each other as they all hit different ‘milestones’ in their lives - like having a child or getting into their first long term relationship. But the series makes sure to emphasize that these conflicts are natural and okay, even if they don’t feel like it at first.

There’s a scene in the Season 2 episode “Hella Questions” that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Molly is having a conversation with her therapist on how the word “should” influences a lot of her life decisions. At the time, Molly feels like her life has to look a certain way to be considered successful, and the truth is I’ve been struggling with similar feelings. I’ve been worrying more about what my life “should” look like right now, rather than what I need it to be to feel happy and comfortable. I feel like a failure because I still haven’t settled into a post-grad job and I’m still figuring out what I want out of my career, and life, for the next five, ten, etc. years.

It’s moments of connection like that that truly makes a movie or series comforting to me. Even if it makes me question all of my life decisions, it also helps me feel a little less alone. - Brynna A, Editorial Lead

Dash & Lily (2020 created by Joe Tracz) TV-14

Dash & Lily is a modern rom-com series that captures the magic of the holiday shows and movies that I grew up with. Like the titular character Lily (Midori Francis), I have always loved the holiday season. While I may not be as consistently joyful and optimistic as Lily when she first appears in the series (thanks seasonal depression!), I still connect with her love for decorations and music and her desire to spend this time of year with friends and family. This year is different for Lily though, her parents are off on a romantic vacation in Fiji, her grandpa is visiting his girlfriend in Florida, and her brother is spending time with his new boo. For the first time, Lily feels alone during her favorite time of the year and has to find a creative way to find joy in the season again. This is where her romance with holiday cynic Dash (Austin Abrams) comes in.

Dash & Lily somehow manages to combine a smorgasbord of things from my unofficial comfort checklist into one festive and heartwarming package. Here are a few of my faves:

NYC during the Holidays: For as long as I can remember, I have longed to be in New York City during the holidays. Even though I currently live and grew up in the ‘Bible belt’, nothing here quite screams “Happy Holidays!!!” to me the way New York does. The lights, the people, the feeling that anything is possible if you just believe. Dash & Lily captures this energy so well and makes me so excited to finally see holiday season NYC this December ❤️
It Takes Place in a Bookstore: And this isn’t just any bookstore… it’s The Strand- a New York icon whose never-ending shelves will always remind this book nerd of my first time in the city.
Pen-pal Romance: They get to know each other through a notebook! How cute is that? Lily’s holiday solitude leads her to hide a red notebook in the shelves of The Strand with a scavenger hunt she hopes someone will follow. After Dash finds the book and follows the first clues, they start a journey throughout the city, guiding each other to their favorite places and experiencing the city through each other’s eyes. Ugh it just makes my inner romantic so freaking happy.
Jonas Brothers: The Jonas Brothers have a cameo (enough said)

Dash & Lily is almost everything I want from a comfort watch. It makes me laugh, it brings tears to my eyes, and it makes my heart grow three sizes at once. - Brynna A, Editorial Lead

Zenimation (2020 created by David Bess) TV-PG - Brielle E. Wyka

Disney's Zenimation is for those of us who love the little things - the background art, facial expressions, the feelings we get from watching films. It's the best parts of animation and meditation combined and it’s my favorite thing to use to unwind from a busy day. A visual and aural delight, each episode is a series of like-scenes from the Disney animation vault focusing on a different experience or environment.

You won't hear any music or voice acting in Zenimation. It's a showcase of Disney's foley and scenery artists. It highlights the best parts of what really immerses you in a film, all from your favorite Disney classics. The best part of the series is that it doesn't just focus on tangible elements of scenes, like "water" or "nature" or "snowscapes," but it also focuses on the intangible: "kindness," "serenity," and "discovery" to name a few. It's this range that allows the series to explore the more overlooked details that make a moment in film, like the way Kala cradles young Tarzan or the joy Judy Hopps experiences walking around Zootopia.

My favorite scenes include portraits of San Fransokyo from Big Hero 6, watching Moana navigate the open ocean, and forest vignettes from Sleeping Beauty. If you need a few minutes of peaceful escape, I highly suggest tuning into an episode of Zenimation on Disney+. - Brielle W, TLL Social Lead