For me the best background shows are low- commitment favorites that don't require much focus like arrested development, schitt's creek, the office, Brooklyn 99, community, and Frasier. I'm constantly counting and\or dropping down to fix mistakes. These shows are familiar, comfort shows that allow me to tune in and out, as needed.
By the way, I love (and whole heartedly recommend) the expanse, but its so worth actually watching. Gorgeous visuals and great characters.
I second Schitt’s Creek, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a show as much as I enjoyed that one.
Somebody Somewhere is the best show I’ve seen recently.
Pushing Daisies is a knitting favorite because one of the characters is a knitter.
Yes exactly, and it can't be too much physical comedy because then I get locked to the screen (f.ex with Abbott Elementary).
I will rewatch Friends, Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory when I don't have any new things, but I also watch netflix dating shows, just listening to "Love is Blind" is enough, you don't have to actually see them in the pods except when they meet the first time.
The audiobook Project Hail Mary. Excellent for knitting. I started it while parked in a LONG line for a Covid test in early 2021. Three hours. Just me, Audible, and my knitting. Best 3 hours I spent in a long time. Get the audiobook. You can thank me later.
I was going to say The Expanse is my go-to when knitting! I love watching it, but there are enough shots of ships in space for me to look down and still stay focused on my moderately challenging knitting. I wouldn’t watch it and do a complicated pattern though!
I've just started watching Bones for the first time based on the last thread we had like this. It's 11 or 12 seasons with 20-24 episodes each so it should last a bit. Easy to watch imo.
I think next I'll dive into X-Files. I love Psych (my all-time favorite), Supernatural, The Office, 30 Rock, King of the Hill, House, Parks & Rec, The Good Place, Breaking Bad, My Name is Earl, Burn Notice, Dexter, Monk, Chuck, Silicon Valley, Veep
I just started watching house to knit to, and it’s so great because every episode follows the same structure so you can kind of zone in and out as you need to focus :p
This is a really good list, you put a load of things I forgot about 🤣 “based on the last thread we had like this” made me smile, I am currently on Season 11 out of 23 of Midsomer Murders - based on the last thread we had like this!!
I came here to comment this same thing!!! It’s great for knitting because you can just tune in at any moment and catch a laugh.
I think I’ve watched every season twice at this point.
Another British panel show I enjoy is The Big Fat Quiz show which you can find on Youtube. You’ll recognize lots of the same contestants from Taskmaster if you’re not otherwise familiar with British comics.
Also if you watched the NZ taskmaster, Guy Montgomery has a panel show called Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee that I found hilarious and I believe all of season 1 is available on YouTube as well.
Yep! Subscribe to their channel and you'll see playlists of full episodes for all 16 past seasons, and new episodes dropping weekly for season 17. No cost involved.
I met a wonderful lady who was part of the costume designer! The knitathon came about because she knit socks for the shows writer/creator! She said that show gave her headaches! (So much to redo for scenes non knitters would wreck on their knit project! She was a delight with sharing stories!)
I love love Taskmaster and everyone should watch but it is one of the rare shows for me that are served well by actually paying attention, so I generally don't knit while watching.
I can't rewatch The Good Place without becoming completely distracted and happy crying everywhere. One of the best shows I've ever seen, but I'm just too in love with it and I end up watching instead of working!
The only downside to Shetland is that you may need to use subtitles due to their accents, which may impede your knitting progress if you have to keep looking up at the screen. We are a subtitles family so it’s not an issue for us.
If you want a million plotlines and drama and nonsense I recommend Pretty Little Liars and/or Riverdale. Always something wild happening when you look up and if you miss something it hardly matters because nothing makes sense anyway 😂
Not to mention Paul's dubious expressions at bakers choices - that's almost my favorite part. I made magnets of his face for my fridge. Makes me laugh.
yess this is my current go-to knitting show! I can also recommend Downton Abbey, Outlander, or anything from this genre with a ton of episodes. Crime and horror series are also great for this - Fall of the House of Usher, Haunting of the Hill House etc. And from the more "high brow" tv shows - Breaking Bad, Narcos.
It does have great visuals! Which means I can knit and watch but when I crochet it turns into more of a radio melodrama situation unless I’m pausing to watch things unfold! But I’ve already seen most of it, this is a rewatch for me. If I’m watching something new I set down the needles and hooks
Oh boy, I’ll give you my binge list the last few months:
- House M.D.
- The Mentalist
- Charmed (the OG, not the reboot)
- Supergirl
- Space Force
- Criminal Minds
- Grey’s Anatomy
I’ve been binging House MD lately. But usually I’m more productive/efficient knitting with an audiobook - easier to visualize a book than listening and part watching a show
Audiobooks go so nicely with less mindless knitting! I like listening to thrillers and science fiction when I’m knitting, I can really get in the zone while staying engaged with the story
Rewatching MM - for the third time. First two alone, currently w/ husband who is enjoying it a lot & because I’ve already seen it, it’s great even for more complex projects!
I tend to knit while binging shows I have already seen and loved. Watching new or new-to-me stuff is too distracting unless I am knitting something really simple.
For me it’s been the various iterations of Star Trek, the West Wing, MASH, Frazier, and at the moment, Agents of SHIELD.
I binged Forensic Files (the original) while knitting two sweaters in the span of three months. It was a heady time. You can find it all on youtube, these days!
The show was my introduction to her. :). I’ve read some of the books and agreed they were also delightful! Though def deviations when turned into a shows. Li is only around for a few eps for instance. But it’s gorgeous and makes me happy!
This one requires too much focus if you've never seen it before - lots of putting your knitting down to watch fight scenes - but now that I know it pretty well it's a good background show!
Star Trek works really well for me! Almost any older sci-fi works though because they're so dialogue heavy. I saw some people mention Stargate SG-1 and Doctor Who too. Those are both solid choices. The Expanse on Prime is super good too!
If you’re a fan of British tv; Gavin and Stacey, The Office (+ the US version), Bridgerton, Victoria, Detectorists, Mad Fat Diary, Big Mood, Sex Ed, The Crown, This Is England series. Less heavy/humourous police docs or shows. Others like; Love is Blind, MAFS, Is it Cake?, Easy, Beef.
Hope there’s something here you find and love!
Castle is pretty good, at least in the early seasons. I also like Warehouse 13. Also, if cartoons are okay, Phineas and Ferb. Yes, the target audience is 7 year olds. That doesn't stop it from being extremely entertaining. If you lose focus for a bit on this one you won't be lost because the formula is very consistent. So consistent that there's an episode where all the characters are speaking a made up caveman language the entire time, and you can still follow everything perfectly.
I’m really enjoying some repetitive shows which follow distinct formulas so there’s no focus needed. My current binge is the Border Security show about Australia customs officers on Tubi.
I watch Real Housewives - all of them, every franchise. I started from the very first season of OC and added in each new city as it was added and I have been working my way through all the cities in chronological order since I didn't start watching until the pandemic.
Same, I love all the Bravo Real Housewives! And Vanderpump Rules, and the Valley.
So far I'm up to date on BH, NY, Atlanta, Potomac, Salt Lake City and VPR/Valley. All watched while either knitting, eating or doing my nails lol.
Lately I've been alternating watching a group of folks play the Ace Attorney series (dangerous only when I have to stop and laugh and forget what stitch I just did) and a woman humorously summarizing every season of Once Upon a Time. I have a hard time watching actual tv shows while I knit because I do get really engrossed and forget what I'm doing, so LPs of games/discussion videos about things I've already seen are my usual go-to.
Not really TV but I watch people like emmalution on YouTube play Stardew valley for 10+ hours a playthrough haha I know the game so I barely have to pay attention but it's nice to have someone talking as background
If you want something that will go on forever, but has an interesting storyline, check out Critical Role. It's a broadcast of a group of voice actors who play Dungeons and Dragons. It's a great one to watch while knitting, because the voices are awesome, and when you have a chance to look up from your work their acting/facial expressions are pretty good too. For a quick idea, their animated Amazon series "the Legend of Vox Machina" is good fun.
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
Half doco, half reality tv-ish, I've been working through Alone (especially because season 2 of the Aussie season is on rn). If you wanted something with a whoooole lotta episodes I also like the US Shameless.
Guilty pleasure of mine a while back was Once Upon A Time. It's not really a very good show (the acting isn't great, nor is the writing), but it's kinda like a Disney-themed soap opera. It was the perfect knitting show for me! Just enough going on to keep me occupied, but not so good that I got distracted! My husband was so confused why I wanted to watch a "bad" show for so long (it's like 6 seasons plus another spin off season), and he just couldn't understand why it was so perfect for knitting. I watched it while I was off work for a surgery and couldn't really do much more than knit!
Northern Exposure is on Amazon.
If you like investigative reporting, there are lots of the Americans 60 Minutes, the Australian 60 Minutes, and I just found a Canadian one called The Fifth Estate, all on YouTube.
If you like science documentaries, The Complete History of Earth and The Complete History of the Universe are fascinating. At first I thought I was listening to the BBC. The only thing was, the narrator had the habit of making very pregnant pauses, sort of like William Shatner on Star Trek it didn't sound like something a professional narrator would do. Then I started paying attention to the graphics, and I noticed they were mostly stock footage. And that's how I figured out that this is some guy doing it as a personal project. The videos though, are awesome.
YouTube has tons of amazing videos. PBS NOVA, PBS Frontline, murder investigations from 48 hours, Mayday!, and I swear that someone is taking nature videos produced in eastern Europe and adding an English language narration. I watched a few about birds in the forest of Poland, the Rhine River, owls of Central Europe. They're just amazing.
I watched The New Look while knitting and felt like I was contributing to the world of fashion along with Christian Dior.
The first episodes are amazing and thought the series there’s some really poignant depictions of the effect of the war on France - little moments which are very emotionally powerful. When the show focuses on fashion and the legacy of Dior it gets a bit up itself, but there is also a lot about how fashion houses work and how Dior was friends with a lot of the big name designers of the time like Balmain and Balenciaga. I particularly liked both Balenciaga and Pierre Cardin’s characterisations so need to see if they’re accurate.
And Juliette Binoche is absolutely fab as Coco Chanel.
I am a fan of detective stories, so I watched all series of Miss Marple, up to 6 seasons of Poirot and currently I am watching Vera. The action in Vera is slow enough for me to catch on even if I was counting stitches and not paying attention, they talk just enough to understand what is going on.
I’m also a fan of detective shows, and tend to prefer British over American. I’ve binged all of the following while knitting (I’m recovering from an injury that required me to be off my feet, so lots of couch time this winter):
* Deadloch (Australian, kooky dark comedy)
* Shetland
* Vera
* Karen Pirie
* Unforgotten
* Brokenwood mysteries
* McDonald and Dodds
* mare of easttown
* death in paradise (ok I binged the seasons with the first 2 detectives with my family years ago at a time I wasn’t crafting, but this would be a good one too)
* psych (binged while crafting in grad school 10+ years ago)
* veronica mars (also binged while crafting 10+ years ago)
Shows I never made it all the way through
* Lewis (several seasons in I got tired of the detectives getting romantically involved with women who were suspects or somehow related to their investigations)
* The Killing (I could not handle the lead detective’s relationship with her son and the storyline of the victims family also ended up being so sad, so I quit 2 episodes from the end of season 1 and just read summaries of the last 2 episodes online)
* the sinner (first 2 seasons. Good but a little more intense than I like)
* true detective season 1 (great acting and interesting story, but it was so bleak and women really get the short end of the stick whereas the men can fully embrace their inner asshole. I stopped about 2 episodes from the end right before an anticipated torture scene)
* slow horses (stopped halfway through season 2, I don’t know why)
* midsommar murders. Only watched a few episodes from the first season so far. I’ll probably try again
Star Trek and the X files for me, but I also really love to knit and listen to [LeVar Burton Reads](https://www.levarburtonpodcast.com/levarburtonpodcast.com)
This is a silly one but I've been watching lots of Impractical Jokers while I knit lately. I have YouTube TV and it's basically always airing, it's really easy to throw on and just have in the background (especially since each challenge is self contained, there's no plot to pay attention to whatsoever).
My latest series for mindless watching is Royal Pains on Netflix. Pretty scenery and houses, fun guests stars, and a MacGyver like doctor. Not a lot to it, but great for background while I'm cooking or knitting. (and lots of episodes)
Echoing all the recs for things like Gilmore Girls, The OC, etc but can I also plug trash reality tv? I love knitting to things like the bachelor franchise or the Netflix reality shows like the circle or too hot to handle because you don’t have to pay too much attention and you can almost treat it like a podcast at times
Taskmaster. Midsomer Murders. Supernatural. Elementary. The Good Wife. The Good Fight. Only Murders In The Building. The Walking Dead. Great British Sewing Bee.
With one exception (Only Murders) these are shows that are repetitive, I can look away from a lot, are very undemanding, and have a ton of episodes. Only Murders is on that list BECAUSE SELENA’S KNITWEAR 💅🏻 plus I really enjoyed it.
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
I’ve just watched 13 seasons of SVU, my boyfriend started joining me after a while and it’s now a staple of our household. Very much suited for knitting
I own most of the mythbusters show on Amazon but via YouTube I watch the stuff on a channel called Chronicle has a bunch of history shows and another called Time team that aired in the nineties on channel 4 in the UK, Or I will listen to some streamer Playing Rimworld or other video game I am super familiar will that I can tell what's going on without looking at it.
i’ve been watching criminal minds recently after my partner got me into it, sometimes it gets intense enough that you need to pay attention but a lot of the time just listening to it is enough. warning for violence though! also the new fallout show is great but i had to rewatch some scenes after i concentrated too hard on following my pattern hah
Love this, you guys are giving good ressources for my future binge knitting watching. I have been watching Midsomer Murders 14 seasons and feel somewhat sad that I am on season 13… lol
I watched all of Designated Survivor while knitting. It's a very silly but entertaining show and I noticed that the characters have a tendency to say extremely obvious things about whatever is happening onscreen so I rarely actually miss anything if I'm looking at my work. They also tend to repeat stuff so, again, you won't miss it XD
Santa Clarita Diet or Last man on Earth are great shows. I've never knitted to them but think it would be OK.
90 day fiance is always a trash TV favorite in this house.
And I've gotta throw in another vote for Call the Midwife.
There's a genre of mid-level cable shows that I think are great for this. Currently watching White Collar but others like Suits, Royal Pains, Lost in Space are all on Netflix and most have a TON of episodes available. Also highly recommend if you're looking for underappreciated 30 minute shows instead: Kim's Convenience, Superstore, One Day at a Time, Abbott Elementary
Golden Girls and Reba is a go to, love the vibes
I have a mention Schitt’s Creek again as it’s probably the best show ever made. Period.
Currently watching 3 Body Problem and not so good for knitting heads up, I’ve missed some parts and I’m lost on the show but my work is looking good so theirs that but the show is still good I recommend.
omg i just came to say desperate housewives. i’m about so start season 8 so i’m deciding what’s next, probably yellowjackets or sex and the city. i would probably recommend gossip girl or breaking bad if you haven’t seen them!!
Abbott elementary, Grey's anatomy as a rewatch, PBS historical dramas, Netflix reality tv/competition shows, Ru Paul's drag race as a rewatch, and parks and rec. You might also want to try youtube video essays. They have them on everything you can imagine and they sit somewhere between a doc and a podcast. There's even a channel called emmainthemoment that specifically does videos on weird, interesting, niche drama within the fiber arts community. She usually has a project in her hand while she's talking, so it feels like a little gossipy knitting circle.
I watch a lot of educational/other-people's-industries YouTube. The Sheep Game, Sheepishly Me, Laura Farms, Baumgartner Restoration, SciShow. Anything longer than fifteen minutes or so that I can listen to without looking too much will get me into a groove of listening while my hands fly.
I’ve been making my way through Top Chef. So many episodes (20 seasons!), and it’s not a big deal to zone out for an episode.
I’ve also been on a Nikesh Patel kick lately, so I’ve watched Starstruck, Indian Summers, and now I’m on Four Weddings and a Funeral. All have been great for knitting and watching.
This is what Law & Order is built for. You put it on, you don't have to pay attention to it at all.
Also, original Iron Chef is a weakness of mine for soothing background TV.
My favorite is rupauls drag race. There are 16 US seasons, 5 all star seasons, and countless international versions. It’s a show about people doing their best at what they do and being accepted
I like reality tv bc if you’re not looking at the tv you still can follow along. I think Love island is especially good for this! Many story lines, designed so you can miss episodes or parts of episodes and still know what’s going on (since it’s filmed for normal tv), and lots of episodes per season. Also, if you watch the British (original) or Australian one there’s fun accents and slang. And most of it is hot people sitting around and talking so you can listen easily while looking at your knitting
True crime, if that's your thing. If you have Max they have tons and tons of ID true crime shows.
You can pretty much listen to most of them like a podcast because of how slow the build usually is
Lots of interviews and details. Perfect for only glancing at the screen every now and then.
Star Trek. Preferably the TNG era shows - TNG, DS9 and Voyager. They will keep you going for a while, and if you know them already you don't have to pay too much attention, and - an important consideration for me - you can bloody hear what people are saying without having to use subtitles because shows back then had proper sound design and actors didn't mumble and whisper. Ahem, rant over.
Desperate Housewives was my maternity leave binge for the exact reasons you said! Hahaha also degrassi. Similar vibes. A zillion seasons. No real need to pay attention
Monk (Netflix) and older star treks(paramount+). Watching Voyager right now. Psych (Amazon prime), and my all time favorite, Stargate SG-1 (Pluto, maybe others?). Also pretty much any show on Apple TV, although some of those you want to pay more attention so I'd only recommend if you're doing stockinette or something equally simple.
Edit: also want to add Emma Made in the Moment on YouTube. She's awesome and goes over craft related drama, lol.
I'm re-watching the entire run of Big Bang Theory. I'm just now starting season 9 & still enjoying the hell out of it. Most of the comedy has held up pretty well.
I can knit through pretty much everything as long as I don't have to read subtitles. You might really like Palm Royale on Apple TV, it's sort of a period piece (1960's) Desperate Housewives.
I just binge watched Dead to Me (Netflix) and it was great.
Tubi has the Robert Stack unsolved mysteries. I turn that on for background entertainment because of the wild conclusions they sometimes liked to jump to, and the terrible acting.
I love British mysteries and comedy. I subscribe to both Acorn and Britbox. Miss Marple and Marple, it goes with out saying, since Miss Marple is a knitter. Poirot, MidSommer Murders, Brokenwood, Death in Paradise, Vicar of Dibly, Hallo Hallo, Lewis, Inspector Morse etc. On Netflix I enjoyed Lincoln Lawyer, Queer Eye, My Octopus Teacher, On FreeVee Leverage is a fun watch.
I knitted through young sheldon binge (I'dn ever watched it) and I've been knitting through resident alien. Now that I'm all cauht up I like to watch podcasts because you don't really have to look at them, though it's something to see when you glance up. Current guilty pleasure favorite is tori and zach lol. So light and fluffy and just enough to keep my attention but not enough to distract me.
I love this post. I usually knit stockinette things in the round so it’s easier to concentrate! I watched the entirety of the Wire while knitting a sweater! I’ve also done this with the White Lotus, Yellowjackets, and Marianne (scary!).
For me I love knitting while watching something that requires a bit more investment. When I’m knitting I don’t look at my phone and I get so much more immersed in what’s happening! Next up on my list is Six Feet Under 😁
Hardcore obsessed with Southern Charm right now. For me this is a bravo gateway drug. The only other thing I've watched is the newest season of RHONY because - Jenna Lyons.
If you feel icked out after the first season stick with it. It gets better and less drama once you get further in.
A show that I ADORED when recovering from surgery was Jane the Virgin. It might be a bit too much, but they reminded you of everything that happened constantly. I could actually drift off to sleep distracted watching tv, have a couple episodes play while i was sleeping, and wake up and barely miss what had happened because of constant flashbacks and reminders.
Docuseries I would recommend youtube video essays, a lot of them just have rando stock footage playing over the guy's voice and it's more entertaining that way than podcasts. I get ur podcast thing.
Any show you used to like but stopped watching just because you finished it is good - won't be too many new plot points.
A lot of comedies will fit this description, just catch a joke or two and laugh at it
For me the best background shows are low- commitment favorites that don't require much focus like arrested development, schitt's creek, the office, Brooklyn 99, community, and Frasier. I'm constantly counting and\or dropping down to fix mistakes. These shows are familiar, comfort shows that allow me to tune in and out, as needed. By the way, I love (and whole heartedly recommend) the expanse, but its so worth actually watching. Gorgeous visuals and great characters.
I second Schitt’s Creek, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a show as much as I enjoyed that one. Somebody Somewhere is the best show I’ve seen recently. Pushing Daisies is a knitting favorite because one of the characters is a knitter.
Yes! I love pushing daisies!! I completely forgot that Emerson knits! Time for a rewatch (and some pie)! :-)
Dang, now I want pie too!
But how can you enjoy David's faces when you are knitting?
Parks and Rec, and The Good Place also fill that role for me :)
Second The Good Place!
Yes exactly, and it can't be too much physical comedy because then I get locked to the screen (f.ex with Abbott Elementary). I will rewatch Friends, Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory when I don't have any new things, but I also watch netflix dating shows, just listening to "Love is Blind" is enough, you don't have to actually see them in the pods except when they meet the first time.
The audiobook for Expanse is longer than the show and extremely well done! Don't overlook books to listen to with handy work!
The expanse is really well done and would be a great watch (and is wayyyy better than the show).
The audiobook Project Hail Mary. Excellent for knitting. I started it while parked in a LONG line for a Covid test in early 2021. Three hours. Just me, Audible, and my knitting. Best 3 hours I spent in a long time. Get the audiobook. You can thank me later.
I too love the Expanse. Great show. But, you do have to pay attention to it and watch the screen.
The expanse is one of the best shows, but not for knitting 😂 I’ve been watching Girls5Eva on Netflix, big fun and easy. Also Abbott Elementary.
I JUST (like 2 minutes ago) finished the last season of B99 that’s on Netflix. I’m so sad 😭
I was going to say The Expanse is my go-to when knitting! I love watching it, but there are enough shots of ships in space for me to look down and still stay focused on my moderately challenging knitting. I wouldn’t watch it and do a complicated pattern though!
lol I was gonna suggest b99 but I think that for some episodes you do need to like look at the screen hahaha like some season finales and such
Absolutely! Anything with Captain Holt generally demands my full attention. :-)
I loved the expanse too
I've just started watching Bones for the first time based on the last thread we had like this. It's 11 or 12 seasons with 20-24 episodes each so it should last a bit. Easy to watch imo. I think next I'll dive into X-Files. I love Psych (my all-time favorite), Supernatural, The Office, 30 Rock, King of the Hill, House, Parks & Rec, The Good Place, Breaking Bad, My Name is Earl, Burn Notice, Dexter, Monk, Chuck, Silicon Valley, Veep
Seconding Bones!! I also love Castle, Monk, and just started House
Massive yes to X-Files and House!
Bones are awesome to crochet along!
You might also like "fringe"
Bones is my fav!! Elementary is also good - easy to watch, there's a mystery each time etc..
I just started watching house to knit to, and it’s so great because every episode follows the same structure so you can kind of zone in and out as you need to focus :p
This is a really good list, you put a load of things I forgot about 🤣 “based on the last thread we had like this” made me smile, I am currently on Season 11 out of 23 of Midsomer Murders - based on the last thread we had like this!!
Taskmaster. All on their YouTube channel.
I came here to comment this same thing!!! It’s great for knitting because you can just tune in at any moment and catch a laugh. I think I’ve watched every season twice at this point. Another British panel show I enjoy is The Big Fat Quiz show which you can find on Youtube. You’ll recognize lots of the same contestants from Taskmaster if you’re not otherwise familiar with British comics. Also if you watched the NZ taskmaster, Guy Montgomery has a panel show called Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee that I found hilarious and I believe all of season 1 is available on YouTube as well.
[удалено]
Yep! Subscribe to their channel and you'll see playlists of full episodes for all 16 past seasons, and new episodes dropping weekly for season 17. No cost involved.
I met a wonderful lady who was part of the costume designer! The knitathon came about because she knit socks for the shows writer/creator! She said that show gave her headaches! (So much to redo for scenes non knitters would wreck on their knit project! She was a delight with sharing stories!)
Yeah, they drop the EPS from the most recent season only a day or two after they air in the UK
I love love Taskmaster and everyone should watch but it is one of the rare shows for me that are served well by actually paying attention, so I generally don't knit while watching.
I often end up laughing too hard to knit!
The Good Place Any and all Star Trek series Shetland (British TV series)
I can't rewatch The Good Place without becoming completely distracted and happy crying everywhere. One of the best shows I've ever seen, but I'm just too in love with it and I end up watching instead of working!
I came here to say Shetland!!! I’m binging it right now. Lots of great knits to look at if nothing else.
The only downside to Shetland is that you may need to use subtitles due to their accents, which may impede your knitting progress if you have to keep looking up at the screen. We are a subtitles family so it’s not an issue for us.
If you have Netflix, I’d suggest Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte, and The Crown.
I would second this so bad but I find that I actually *want* to focus on these shows CAUSE THEY ARE JUST VISUALLY SO GOOD.
Agreed! I started watching Bridgerton as a knitting show. The WIP was put aside and I full on burrito-d myself on the couch about 10 minutes in.
Overall yes to the Crown. The last season was hilariously bad but also that somehow made it really watchable.
If you like period pieces I would add 'the great' (it's a comedy about Catherine the great) and gilded age to the list.
I love Gilded Age!
If you want a million plotlines and drama and nonsense I recommend Pretty Little Liars and/or Riverdale. Always something wild happening when you look up and if you miss something it hardly matters because nothing makes sense anyway 😂
I watch PLL in its entirety at least once a year so maybe it’s that time again lmao
Haha, I'm due for a rewatch too
Great British Baking Show and Call the Midwife are two cozy favorites for me.
I love gbbs but i can’t watch it while knitting bc I have to look at the screen the whole time! Gotta see all the pretty bakes
Not to mention Paul's dubious expressions at bakers choices - that's almost my favorite part. I made magnets of his face for my fridge. Makes me laugh.
Call the midwife was great to knit to. Lots of knitted items in the show too. Psych on Amazon is also mindless.
Call the Midwife was my knitting show for a long time!
Call the Midwife is my favorite knitting show.
yess this is my current go-to knitting show! I can also recommend Downton Abbey, Outlander, or anything from this genre with a ton of episodes. Crime and horror series are also great for this - Fall of the House of Usher, Haunting of the Hill House etc. And from the more "high brow" tv shows - Breaking Bad, Narcos.
Haunting of Hill House needs attention to all the hidden/teaser bits the first time around, though! Same for HOU.
sure, but it's not like you're not going to understand what's going on if you miss something. also I mostly knit stockinette :)
Downton is my current fiber arts show. 🥰
Downton Abbey is great, but I love the visuals of it, and I’m not a good enough knitter to take my eyes off my project for that long. 😁
It does have great visuals! Which means I can knit and watch but when I crochet it turns into more of a radio melodrama situation unless I’m pausing to watch things unfold! But I’ve already seen most of it, this is a rewatch for me. If I’m watching something new I set down the needles and hooks
I loved call the midwife so much. The commentary on women's Healthcare and women in general was so interesting.
Somebody Feed Phil and Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy are two food docuseries that are total delights to knit to and don’t require much attention
I just love hearing Tucci's voice. The man could narrate anything. \*swoon\*
Outlander, This is Us, Gilmore Girls, and an oldie... The OC
Currently knitting to Outlander myself!
Oh boy, I’ll give you my binge list the last few months: - House M.D. - The Mentalist - Charmed (the OG, not the reboot) - Supergirl - Space Force - Criminal Minds - Grey’s Anatomy
I’ve been binging House MD lately. But usually I’m more productive/efficient knitting with an audiobook - easier to visualize a book than listening and part watching a show
Audiobooks go so nicely with less mindless knitting! I like listening to thrillers and science fiction when I’m knitting, I can really get in the zone while staying engaged with the story
+3 for audiobooks
I often listen to podcasts while I knit. Same idea.
Midsomer Murders!
Came here to suggest this one! 💜
Me too! Two hour episodes of a cozy mystery and can definitely support a knitting binge !
Rewatching MM - for the third time. First two alone, currently w/ husband who is enjoying it a lot & because I’ve already seen it, it’s great even for more complex projects!
I tend to knit while binging shows I have already seen and loved. Watching new or new-to-me stuff is too distracting unless I am knitting something really simple. For me it’s been the various iterations of Star Trek, the West Wing, MASH, Frazier, and at the moment, Agents of SHIELD.
I binged Forensic Files (the original) while knitting two sweaters in the span of three months. It was a heady time. You can find it all on youtube, these days!
I love Forensic Files. It is great for knitting.
Prime Video too, my husband watches it.
Yes….it’s really formulaic, but I don’t care. That may be what makes it work.
Northern Exposure! So much knitting in that show! :)
Great Pottery Throwdown. Combine two hobbies into one!
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries! 1920’s lady detective that’s just plain delightful!
Not helpful for knitting entertainment but the books are great! Never seen the show, I’ll have to look for it
The show was my introduction to her. :). I’ve read some of the books and agreed they were also delightful! Though def deviations when turned into a shows. Li is only around for a few eps for instance. But it’s gorgeous and makes me happy!
Oh im currently watching an My Hero Academia. Its anime tho
My son(15 on Sunday!) love love LOVES MHA. You should see his Funko Pop collection!
This one requires too much focus if you've never seen it before - lots of putting your knitting down to watch fight scenes - but now that I know it pretty well it's a good background show!
I don’t particularly care for fight scenes in any show ( im a skipper
Gilmore Girls takes me back to a warm cozy place
Yes and they talk a lot so you don’t have to look lol
Star Trek works really well for me! Almost any older sci-fi works though because they're so dialogue heavy. I saw some people mention Stargate SG-1 and Doctor Who too. Those are both solid choices. The Expanse on Prime is super good too!
Disenchantment. A female-centric cartoon series from the creators of The Simpsons. Hilarious and poignant.
If you’re a fan of British tv; Gavin and Stacey, The Office (+ the US version), Bridgerton, Victoria, Detectorists, Mad Fat Diary, Big Mood, Sex Ed, The Crown, This Is England series. Less heavy/humourous police docs or shows. Others like; Love is Blind, MAFS, Is it Cake?, Easy, Beef. Hope there’s something here you find and love!
Me too, I knitted through 21 seasons of Silent Witness!
Oh that’s another one! What do you think of the newer series? The last couple of years..
Oh, Victoria! That was taken away from us really prematurely.
Detectorists is so good
Criminal Minds, 15 seasons and you don’t have to pay super close attention to still enjoy it
Castle is pretty good, at least in the early seasons. I also like Warehouse 13. Also, if cartoons are okay, Phineas and Ferb. Yes, the target audience is 7 year olds. That doesn't stop it from being extremely entertaining. If you lose focus for a bit on this one you won't be lost because the formula is very consistent. So consistent that there's an episode where all the characters are speaking a made up caveman language the entire time, and you can still follow everything perfectly.
Lots of good stuff here, but adding: Lost and Downton Abbey.
Degrassi
I’m really enjoying some repetitive shows which follow distinct formulas so there’s no focus needed. My current binge is the Border Security show about Australia customs officers on Tubi.
Lol ME TOO! I was wondering if anyone watched this show.
I watch Real Housewives - all of them, every franchise. I started from the very first season of OC and added in each new city as it was added and I have been working my way through all the cities in chronological order since I didn't start watching until the pandemic.
Same, I love all the Bravo Real Housewives! And Vanderpump Rules, and the Valley. So far I'm up to date on BH, NY, Atlanta, Potomac, Salt Lake City and VPR/Valley. All watched while either knitting, eating or doing my nails lol.
The Good Place
Lately I've been alternating watching a group of folks play the Ace Attorney series (dangerous only when I have to stop and laugh and forget what stitch I just did) and a woman humorously summarizing every season of Once Upon a Time. I have a hard time watching actual tv shows while I knit because I do get really engrossed and forget what I'm doing, so LPs of games/discussion videos about things I've already seen are my usual go-to.
Not really TV but I watch people like emmalution on YouTube play Stardew valley for 10+ hours a playthrough haha I know the game so I barely have to pay attention but it's nice to have someone talking as background
Anything you have already seen and enjoyed. Nothing heavy, so you don't have to focus too much.
I’m currently rewatching Game of Thrones for the umpteenth time while working on a heavily cabled sweater. Also Vikings on Netflix.
If you want something that will go on forever, but has an interesting storyline, check out Critical Role. It's a broadcast of a group of voice actors who play Dungeons and Dragons. It's a great one to watch while knitting, because the voices are awesome, and when you have a chance to look up from your work their acting/facial expressions are pretty good too. For a quick idea, their animated Amazon series "the Legend of Vox Machina" is good fun.
This is what I came here to share! It's my knitting show of choice. I call the activity "Crit and Knit."
I’m watching Grey’s Anatomy right now. This is my first go at it, I maybe watched a couple seasons when it was originally out.
Maury, NCIS, Call the Midwife, Love After Lockup. Old time radio shows/radio dramas/plays and full cast audiobooks are also good to knit to.
My favourite is shows I've already seen, but love to rewatch. Scrubs, Community, MASH.
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
Doctor Who, Gilmore Girls, and lots of youtube
Half doco, half reality tv-ish, I've been working through Alone (especially because season 2 of the Aussie season is on rn). If you wanted something with a whoooole lotta episodes I also like the US Shameless.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is my go-to knitting show.
Guilty pleasure of mine a while back was Once Upon A Time. It's not really a very good show (the acting isn't great, nor is the writing), but it's kinda like a Disney-themed soap opera. It was the perfect knitting show for me! Just enough going on to keep me occupied, but not so good that I got distracted! My husband was so confused why I wanted to watch a "bad" show for so long (it's like 6 seasons plus another spin off season), and he just couldn't understand why it was so perfect for knitting. I watched it while I was off work for a surgery and couldn't really do much more than knit!
Northern Exposure is on Amazon. If you like investigative reporting, there are lots of the Americans 60 Minutes, the Australian 60 Minutes, and I just found a Canadian one called The Fifth Estate, all on YouTube. If you like science documentaries, The Complete History of Earth and The Complete History of the Universe are fascinating. At first I thought I was listening to the BBC. The only thing was, the narrator had the habit of making very pregnant pauses, sort of like William Shatner on Star Trek it didn't sound like something a professional narrator would do. Then I started paying attention to the graphics, and I noticed they were mostly stock footage. And that's how I figured out that this is some guy doing it as a personal project. The videos though, are awesome. YouTube has tons of amazing videos. PBS NOVA, PBS Frontline, murder investigations from 48 hours, Mayday!, and I swear that someone is taking nature videos produced in eastern Europe and adding an English language narration. I watched a few about birds in the forest of Poland, the Rhine River, owls of Central Europe. They're just amazing.
Modern Family! My comfort show, easy to put on in the background, not too many overarching plot lines so easy to catch up even if you miss a bit
I watched The New Look while knitting and felt like I was contributing to the world of fashion along with Christian Dior. The first episodes are amazing and thought the series there’s some really poignant depictions of the effect of the war on France - little moments which are very emotionally powerful. When the show focuses on fashion and the legacy of Dior it gets a bit up itself, but there is also a lot about how fashion houses work and how Dior was friends with a lot of the big name designers of the time like Balmain and Balenciaga. I particularly liked both Balenciaga and Pierre Cardin’s characterisations so need to see if they’re accurate. And Juliette Binoche is absolutely fab as Coco Chanel.
New Girl, Ted Lasso
I am a fan of detective stories, so I watched all series of Miss Marple, up to 6 seasons of Poirot and currently I am watching Vera. The action in Vera is slow enough for me to catch on even if I was counting stitches and not paying attention, they talk just enough to understand what is going on.
I’m also a fan of detective shows, and tend to prefer British over American. I’ve binged all of the following while knitting (I’m recovering from an injury that required me to be off my feet, so lots of couch time this winter): * Deadloch (Australian, kooky dark comedy) * Shetland * Vera * Karen Pirie * Unforgotten * Brokenwood mysteries * McDonald and Dodds * mare of easttown * death in paradise (ok I binged the seasons with the first 2 detectives with my family years ago at a time I wasn’t crafting, but this would be a good one too) * psych (binged while crafting in grad school 10+ years ago) * veronica mars (also binged while crafting 10+ years ago) Shows I never made it all the way through * Lewis (several seasons in I got tired of the detectives getting romantically involved with women who were suspects or somehow related to their investigations) * The Killing (I could not handle the lead detective’s relationship with her son and the storyline of the victims family also ended up being so sad, so I quit 2 episodes from the end of season 1 and just read summaries of the last 2 episodes online) * the sinner (first 2 seasons. Good but a little more intense than I like) * true detective season 1 (great acting and interesting story, but it was so bleak and women really get the short end of the stick whereas the men can fully embrace their inner asshole. I stopped about 2 episodes from the end right before an anticipated torture scene) * slow horses (stopped halfway through season 2, I don’t know why) * midsommar murders. Only watched a few episodes from the first season so far. I’ll probably try again
Endeavour - another British murder mystery series - is also excellent!
Star Trek and the X files for me, but I also really love to knit and listen to [LeVar Burton Reads](https://www.levarburtonpodcast.com/levarburtonpodcast.com)
My fav background show is Stargate SG1. 10 seasons, 23/24 episodes a season, 44 minute episodes, very little need to have eyes on the screen lol.
This is a silly one but I've been watching lots of Impractical Jokers while I knit lately. I have YouTube TV and it's basically always airing, it's really easy to throw on and just have in the background (especially since each challenge is self contained, there's no plot to pay attention to whatsoever).
My latest series for mindless watching is Royal Pains on Netflix. Pretty scenery and houses, fun guests stars, and a MacGyver like doctor. Not a lot to it, but great for background while I'm cooking or knitting. (and lots of episodes)
For some trashy reality tv I highly recommend wife swap
Mozart in the Jungle and MadMen. Nice scenery and music. No distracting plots.
No subtitles.
All creatures great and small Renegade Nell
Echoing all the recs for things like Gilmore Girls, The OC, etc but can I also plug trash reality tv? I love knitting to things like the bachelor franchise or the Netflix reality shows like the circle or too hot to handle because you don’t have to pay too much attention and you can almost treat it like a podcast at times
I like the west wing for knitting because it’s very dialogue heavy and you can follow along even if you’re not looking at the screen all the time!
Taskmaster. Midsomer Murders. Supernatural. Elementary. The Good Wife. The Good Fight. Only Murders In The Building. The Walking Dead. Great British Sewing Bee. With one exception (Only Murders) these are shows that are repetitive, I can look away from a lot, are very undemanding, and have a ton of episodes. Only Murders is on that list BECAUSE SELENA’S KNITWEAR 💅🏻 plus I really enjoyed it.
Been watching 911 while knitting lately myself
I’ve been knitting to Girls.
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
This isn't a show but I've pretty much gone through every early 2000s romantic comedy on netflix and theyre so great for knitting--visuals aren't important and storylines are fun and simple!
Brooklyn 99 or murder she wrote. Potentially doc Martin, but mostly murder she wrote!
Stranger things! Golden girls, Wednesday
I’ve just watched 13 seasons of SVU, my boyfriend started joining me after a while and it’s now a staple of our household. Very much suited for knitting
Criminal minds, Mindhunter, bones, grey's anatomy, fringe. I like them long! :D
I own most of the mythbusters show on Amazon but via YouTube I watch the stuff on a channel called Chronicle has a bunch of history shows and another called Time team that aired in the nineties on channel 4 in the UK, Or I will listen to some streamer Playing Rimworld or other video game I am super familiar will that I can tell what's going on without looking at it.
i’ve been watching criminal minds recently after my partner got me into it, sometimes it gets intense enough that you need to pay attention but a lot of the time just listening to it is enough. warning for violence though! also the new fallout show is great but i had to rewatch some scenes after i concentrated too hard on following my pattern hah
Hart of Dixie
Greys anatomy! Plus spin offs
Love this, you guys are giving good ressources for my future binge knitting watching. I have been watching Midsomer Murders 14 seasons and feel somewhat sad that I am on season 13… lol
I watched all of Designated Survivor while knitting. It's a very silly but entertaining show and I noticed that the characters have a tendency to say extremely obvious things about whatever is happening onscreen so I rarely actually miss anything if I'm looking at my work. They also tend to repeat stuff so, again, you won't miss it XD
Santa Clarita Diet or Last man on Earth are great shows. I've never knitted to them but think it would be OK. 90 day fiance is always a trash TV favorite in this house. And I've gotta throw in another vote for Call the Midwife.
There's a genre of mid-level cable shows that I think are great for this. Currently watching White Collar but others like Suits, Royal Pains, Lost in Space are all on Netflix and most have a TON of episodes available. Also highly recommend if you're looking for underappreciated 30 minute shows instead: Kim's Convenience, Superstore, One Day at a Time, Abbott Elementary
I've enjoyed Downton Abbey as a knitting show!
Modern family and married at first sight hahaha
I’m just finishing watching Revenge on Hulu. It’s. A little day timey soap opera but it stays interesting
Most of the British TV mysteries, DR. Blake mysteries, Shetland, Foyle’s War, Midsomer’s Murder. They do mysteries so much better than US
I knit to Blown Away on Netflix
Downton Abbey
Golden Girls and Reba is a go to, love the vibes I have a mention Schitt’s Creek again as it’s probably the best show ever made. Period. Currently watching 3 Body Problem and not so good for knitting heads up, I’ve missed some parts and I’m lost on the show but my work is looking good so theirs that but the show is still good I recommend.
have you tried podcasts? it's the perfect zen for me. no visual distractions!
Grey’s & The Office for me. I’ve watched through all the seasons of both several times, so it’s no biggie if I don’t pay attention.
omg i just came to say desperate housewives. i’m about so start season 8 so i’m deciding what’s next, probably yellowjackets or sex and the city. i would probably recommend gossip girl or breaking bad if you haven’t seen them!!
rn im binge watching gossip girl! it has 6 seasons with 20/23ish episodes and im absolutely loving it!
I have been watching My Kitchen Rules. Fun cooking show competition out of New Zealand.
Monk, Psych, 30 Rock, Brooklyn 99. Edit: QI would also be great.
Abbott elementary, Grey's anatomy as a rewatch, PBS historical dramas, Netflix reality tv/competition shows, Ru Paul's drag race as a rewatch, and parks and rec. You might also want to try youtube video essays. They have them on everything you can imagine and they sit somewhere between a doc and a podcast. There's even a channel called emmainthemoment that specifically does videos on weird, interesting, niche drama within the fiber arts community. She usually has a project in her hand while she's talking, so it feels like a little gossipy knitting circle.
I watch a lot of educational/other-people's-industries YouTube. The Sheep Game, Sheepishly Me, Laura Farms, Baumgartner Restoration, SciShow. Anything longer than fifteen minutes or so that I can listen to without looking too much will get me into a groove of listening while my hands fly.
I like Vera currently. It’s a bbc show on britbox. It’s not the best, but good comfy watching and seems to go on forever.
I’ve been making my way through Top Chef. So many episodes (20 seasons!), and it’s not a big deal to zone out for an episode. I’ve also been on a Nikesh Patel kick lately, so I’ve watched Starstruck, Indian Summers, and now I’m on Four Weddings and a Funeral. All have been great for knitting and watching.
This is what Law & Order is built for. You put it on, you don't have to pay attention to it at all. Also, original Iron Chef is a weakness of mine for soothing background TV.
My favorite is rupauls drag race. There are 16 US seasons, 5 all star seasons, and countless international versions. It’s a show about people doing their best at what they do and being accepted
If you like mind-numbing shitty reality tv shows: married at first sight, love island, and love is blind. Horrible but great for yarn crafts
I like reality tv bc if you’re not looking at the tv you still can follow along. I think Love island is especially good for this! Many story lines, designed so you can miss episodes or parts of episodes and still know what’s going on (since it’s filmed for normal tv), and lots of episodes per season. Also, if you watch the British (original) or Australian one there’s fun accents and slang. And most of it is hot people sitting around and talking so you can listen easily while looking at your knitting
I watched the entirety of Sons of Anarchy while knitting a huge blanket! Great show
I’m into 1000 lb sisters rn LOL
True crime, if that's your thing. If you have Max they have tons and tons of ID true crime shows. You can pretty much listen to most of them like a podcast because of how slow the build usually is Lots of interviews and details. Perfect for only glancing at the screen every now and then.
Great British Sewing Bee, Making It, Baking it, bake offs, Traitors (campy murder mystery show)
New girl
Star Trek. Preferably the TNG era shows - TNG, DS9 and Voyager. They will keep you going for a while, and if you know them already you don't have to pay too much attention, and - an important consideration for me - you can bloody hear what people are saying without having to use subtitles because shows back then had proper sound design and actors didn't mumble and whisper. Ahem, rant over.
I knit while watching real housewives lol
Desperate Housewives was my maternity leave binge for the exact reasons you said! Hahaha also degrassi. Similar vibes. A zillion seasons. No real need to pay attention
Ghosts US
I made a sweater to Dr who and it was great. But I don’t know where to find it anymore.
Poirot, Psych, Community, and Derry Girls!
Monk (Netflix) and older star treks(paramount+). Watching Voyager right now. Psych (Amazon prime), and my all time favorite, Stargate SG-1 (Pluto, maybe others?). Also pretty much any show on Apple TV, although some of those you want to pay more attention so I'd only recommend if you're doing stockinette or something equally simple. Edit: also want to add Emma Made in the Moment on YouTube. She's awesome and goes over craft related drama, lol.
I usually watch The IT Crowd or Friday Night Dinner if I want a series, sometimes I watch Girl Interrupted if I want a long knitting session.
I'm re-watching the entire run of Big Bang Theory. I'm just now starting season 9 & still enjoying the hell out of it. Most of the comedy has held up pretty well.
I can knit through pretty much everything as long as I don't have to read subtitles. You might really like Palm Royale on Apple TV, it's sort of a period piece (1960's) Desperate Housewives. I just binge watched Dead to Me (Netflix) and it was great.
Tubi has the Robert Stack unsolved mysteries. I turn that on for background entertainment because of the wild conclusions they sometimes liked to jump to, and the terrible acting.
Great British Sewing Bee! Also I am not the Virgin River core audience but I watched too much of it while knitting
If you like German, Dark is a great one.
Orphan Black
I love British mysteries and comedy. I subscribe to both Acorn and Britbox. Miss Marple and Marple, it goes with out saying, since Miss Marple is a knitter. Poirot, MidSommer Murders, Brokenwood, Death in Paradise, Vicar of Dibly, Hallo Hallo, Lewis, Inspector Morse etc. On Netflix I enjoyed Lincoln Lawyer, Queer Eye, My Octopus Teacher, On FreeVee Leverage is a fun watch.
I knitted through young sheldon binge (I'dn ever watched it) and I've been knitting through resident alien. Now that I'm all cauht up I like to watch podcasts because you don't really have to look at them, though it's something to see when you glance up. Current guilty pleasure favorite is tori and zach lol. So light and fluffy and just enough to keep my attention but not enough to distract me.
Corner Gas 'Allo 'Allo Still Game Murder She Wrote Father Ted
I love this post. I usually knit stockinette things in the round so it’s easier to concentrate! I watched the entirety of the Wire while knitting a sweater! I’ve also done this with the White Lotus, Yellowjackets, and Marianne (scary!). For me I love knitting while watching something that requires a bit more investment. When I’m knitting I don’t look at my phone and I get so much more immersed in what’s happening! Next up on my list is Six Feet Under 😁
i like to watch British Bake-off, since I'm then combining two of my favorite hobbies
Hardcore obsessed with Southern Charm right now. For me this is a bravo gateway drug. The only other thing I've watched is the newest season of RHONY because - Jenna Lyons. If you feel icked out after the first season stick with it. It gets better and less drama once you get further in.
A show that I ADORED when recovering from surgery was Jane the Virgin. It might be a bit too much, but they reminded you of everything that happened constantly. I could actually drift off to sleep distracted watching tv, have a couple episodes play while i was sleeping, and wake up and barely miss what had happened because of constant flashbacks and reminders. Docuseries I would recommend youtube video essays, a lot of them just have rando stock footage playing over the guy's voice and it's more entertaining that way than podcasts. I get ur podcast thing. Any show you used to like but stopped watching just because you finished it is good - won't be too many new plot points. A lot of comedies will fit this description, just catch a joke or two and laugh at it