The freedom of choice we now have with our media more important than ever, as COVID-19 forces us into isolation. Social distancing has left us perpetually starved of the daily connections that make us feel less lonely. Comfort shows are a good way to satisfy that craving. They let you escape that looming feeling of being trapped and make you feel a little less alone.
We surveyed 64 East Brunswick students about their favorite comfort shows. If you have been keeping up with BearHub, the winner should not be a surprise. The Office won by a landslide with 34.9%, an almost 20 point lead above second place, Friends.

The Office is often pointed to as the quintessential comfort show. At it’s most basic level, the show is about the daily goings-on of a failing paper company. On the surface, this doesn’t seem very compelling but the magic of The Office comes in the relatability of its cast. Their relatability comes from the writing and is supported by a premise most people can relate to. Almost anyone can feel an overwhelming sense of deja vu when they watch The Office and that is what makes it so great.

The more interesting than the domination of The Office is the variety of shows chosen. A total of 18 shows and one YouTube channel were mentioned in the survey. Friends Without Benefits is a Youtube channel that focused on gaming. The meat of their content comes from the banter of the four friends who run the channel. “Whatever mood I’m in, their hilarious content always makes me crack a smile,” Danilo Montes, 12, told Bear Hub.
Senior Dennis Zhang’s go-to comfort show is Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. “Anthony Bourdain never fails to keep me entertained with his wit and stories while simultaneously embarking on an adventure. It also gives me an insight into new and unfamiliar places through something I know and love, food!”

Your comfort show is a deeply personal choice, in fact, it does not even have to be a show. At its core, a comfort show is simply a piece of media that gives you catharsis from the everyday struggles of life. That can come in many forms; from a show about a paper company, to a chef traveling the globe, to a group of friends just having a good time. All that matters is that it makes you feel comfortable.