Like old friends

This time of year can be downright tough sleddin’ for some folks.

The holidays are over, and if you’re not into winter sports, the cold weather can be forbidding. We’re well into the heart of the season and, while the days technically are growing longer now, there still doesn’t seem to be enough daylight to make a difference yet.

Now is the prime time for what I call “comfort TV” — watching those shows you may have seen dozens of times but return to over and over, until it’s almost like spending time with family or old friends.

Aside from my obsession (since childhood) over my favorite TV Westerns, some of which originally aired before I was born (I know!), I have a few from this millennium that I return to repeatedly, often relying on them to lull me to sleep at night. My favorites are diverse. From sitcoms to sci-fi to detective shows to police procedurals, it’s not so much about the content as it is the characters and actors who play them. Ensemble casts can become so familiar, they begin to seem like real people (not to worry: I know they’re not).

These are shows I’ve watched so many times, I can close my eyes and just listen, able to picture the action in my mind until, thankfully, my brain shuts off and lets me sleep. And falling asleep in the middle of a show doesn’t matter because I know the outcome of every episode.

A few of my favorites to watch over and over (and over) are “Lucifer” and “Wynnona Earp” (streaming on Netflix); and “Veronica Mars,” “Lie to Me,” “The Mentalist” and “30 Rock” (streaming on Hulu).

I watched “30 Rock” when it first aired on network TV, but I didn’t see “Veronica Mars,” “Lie to Me” or “The Mentalist” when they were new. I found them on streaming services and latched onto them. The main characters in “Veronica Mars” and “The Mentalist” were dealing with grief and loss, which spoke to me, as was the title character in “Wynnona Earp,” which has the double appeal (to me) of being a modern-day Western. And I’ll watch any show or movie with Kristen Bell (star of “Veronica Mars”) or Tim Roth (star of “Lie to Me”) in them.

So now it’s your turn. Inland 360 is interested in hearing from you: What are your comfort TV watches and why? Please don’t forget to tell us where each show can be found.

Maybe all of us will find some new comfort watches to add to our lists.

DePaul was entranced by the glow of her family’s black-and-white television from the day she was born, and she hasn’t stopped watching since.

We want to hear from you

Do you have favorite TV shows you watch repeatedly? Briefly (in 200 words or fewer) tell us what shows you go back to and, importantly, why. Don’t forget to include where each show can be found.

Send your submission to arts@inland360.com with “comfort TV” in the subject line, or by U.S. mail to Inland 360, P.O. Box 957, Lewiston, ID 83501.

The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31.