What To Watch
14 Rewatchable Shows You Can Play All Day Long
These familiar comfort series will keep you company at home or on the road.
By Caitlin Busch
July 7, 2026
14 Shows to Rewatch in the Background All Day Long - Netflix Tudum
What makes a show repeat-worthy? Is it nostalgia for the time in your life when you first watched it? A cast of lovable characters? That one actor you’re in a parasocial relationship with? No matter the reason, a rewatchable show has one hallmark: No matter how many times you’ve seen it, you can throw it on in the background and still be entertained.
So whether you’re looking for something to fill the silence while you work from home, to keep you company while you eat dinner, or to stave off the boredom while you’re folding laundry, look no further than these shows streaming on Netflix.
Arrested Development
One of TV’s most watchable and delightfully toxic tribes is led by patriarch George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), a corrupt real estate developer whose shady business practices drain his family’s funds and land him in prison. His son Michael (Jason Bateman) is forced to pick up the pieces and keep the rest of his off-putting family from total ruin. They include his son, George Michael (Michael Cera), his manipulative mother, Lucille (Jessica Walter), his materialistic twin sister, Lindsay (Portia de Rossi), his oddball brother-in-law, Tobias (David Cross), his scheming older brother, Gob (Will Arnett), and his socially stunted younger brother, Buster (Tony Hale). Series executive producer Ron Howard also serves as an omniscient narrator, whose clever quips guide the audience through the chaos while casting (well-deserved) judgment on the Bluths.
Black-ish
This eight-season sitcom has something for every age group. What’s more normal than dinner table squabbles and first day of school jitters? But driven advertising executive and patriarch Andre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) would argue that his family has an added layer of complication: They’re the only Black family living in their wealthy white suburb in Los Angeles. Along with his sensible wife, Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), and curmudgeonly father, Earl (Laurence Fishburne), Andre works to keep his kids — confident oldest child Zoey (Yara Shahidi), nerdy elder son Junior (Marcus Scribner), and precocious twins Jack (Miles Brown) and Diane (Marsai Martin) — rooted in their culture amid racism, generation gaps, and the regular strain of being a young person in the world.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Whether a well-honed The Lonely Island obsession or a love for all things created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur first brought you to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you stayed for the heartfelt humor and nonstop antics. This ensemble comedy is centered around the hard-working police detectives of Brooklyn’s (fictional) 99th precinct, and is headed up by Andy Samberg (That’s My Boy) as the skilled but immature Jake Peralta. Season 1 kicks off when a stern new captain, Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher), joins the squad. Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) introduces him to the colorful group, which ranges from the neurotic Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) to the intimidating Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) to the bumbling Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio). Through their many misadventures, the disparate coworkers turn into a loving family. Nine-Nine!
Dawson's Creek
If you’re looking for something to scratch an itch for a particular brand of throwback ’90s drama, this six-season coming-of-age classic has you covered. The beloved series begins in the final days of summer vacation. Aspiring filmmaker Dawson (James Van Der Beek) is directing an amateur creature-feature flick and works at the local video store with best pal Pacey (Joshua Jackson). They’re prepping for the new school year when they meet the new girl in town, Jen (Michelle Williams) — and Dawson falls head over heels. Little does Dawson know that his childhood bestie, Joey (Katie Holmes), has been in love with him for years. Meanwhile, Pacey strikes up a relationship with an older woman, and Dawson’s family struggles with an infidelity that could rip them apart. And that’s just Season 1.
Derry Girls
Uncle Colm’s (Kevin McAleer) ludicrously droning stories may drain the life out of any party, but Derry Girls will keep you entertained for hours. This bawdy three-season comedy follows the titular group — best friends Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Orla (Louisa Harland), Clare (Nicola Coughlan), and Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), as well as Michelle’s English cousin, James (Dylan Llewellyn) — through teenage turmoil and everyday life in 1990s Northern Ireland during the Troubles. But teen angst stops for nothing — not even potentially life-threatening political upheaval. Whether they’re terrorizing the halls of Our Lady Immaculate College or accidentally drugging scones at a wake, there’s never a dull moment with this endearingly spunky crew and their chaotic families.
Fuller House
A sequel to one of the most beloved family sitcoms of all time, Fuller House follows a grown-up D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) and her three boys (Michael Campion, Elias Harger, and twins Dashiell and Fox Messitt sharing the role of the third). They move back into D.J.’s childhood home following the death of her husband. When her father (Bob Saget) has to relocate for work, D.J.’s sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and bestie Kimmy (Andrea Barber) migrate their own families into the house to ease the load. Full of the same heart and humor as its predecessor (and guest appearances from members of the original cast), this five-season comedy is a worthy watch for anyone looking for an easy-breezy time and classic life lessons.
Gossip Girl
There’s something deeply satisfying about watching students who attend some of the world’s most prestigious private schools on Manhattan’s Upper East Side tear each other apart IRL and online — all while using flip phones. This salacious six-season drama series, based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s novels, follows the social and romantic lives of elite teens in New York City, as narrated by the enigmatic titular blogger (voiced by Kristen Bell). Whether she’s welcoming Queen Bee Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) back to the fold, cataloging “Lonely Boy” Dan Humphrey’s (Penn Badgley) dating exploits, or subtly digging at Blair Waldorf’s (Leighton Meester), well, everything, Gossip Girl has a take. But who is she? That’s one secret you’ll have to find out for yourself. XOXO … you know the rest.
Grey's Anatomy
Before she created Bridgerton, Shonda Rhimes introduced the world to the drama-fueled doctors at the heart of the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. This long-running medical procedural began as an introduction to the sexy, soapy life of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), a surgical resident with a twisty family history. In the ensuing two decades and counting, the beloved series has become so much more than just Meredith’s story. It’s an interconnected web that traces the relationships and tragedies of the many doctors, patients, and interns who pass through the halls of a single hospital. If you’re craving explosive workplace confrontations peppered with medical professionals giving each other longing looks in between nursing wounds — literally and figuratively — then Grey’s Anatomy has you covered.
iCarly
“Live life, breathe air, I know somehow we’re gonna get there, and feel so wonderful,” goes the iCarly theme song, as sung by series star Miranda Cosgrove (The Wrong Paris). This comedy follows teenager Carly Shay (Cosgrove) and her best friends Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) and Freddie Benson (Nathan Kress) as they launch a hit web series. Because it’s 2007, they succeed, and the trio works to continue building their devoted audience. They’re helped along by their quirky pal Gibby (Noah Munck) and Carly’s endearingly eccentric older brother, Spencer (Jerry Trainor), an artist who’s just as likely to adopt a pet ostrich as he is to protect his beloved little sis from a smarmy boyfriend. Bursting with power-clashing colors and undeniably charming mid-aughts technology, this is a throwback the whole family can enjoy.
Law & Order
Let’s say it together: “In the criminal justice system…” Grey’s Anatomy rules the medical drama world, but Law & Order is a procedural for the people who devour every Netflix true crime documentary like it’s their job. Creator Dick Wolf’s Law & Order, which first premiered in 1990, follows a rotating cast of police detectives and district attorneys who investigate and prosecute crimes in New York City. Despite the department turnover rate, there are a few long-lasting players who provide some much-needed stability in the equally intense interrogations and courtroom trials. They include Sam Waterston (Grace and Frankie) as prosecutor Jack McCoy, Anthony Anderson (Black-ish) as Detective Kevin Bernard, S. Epatha Merkerson (She’s Gotta Have It) as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren, and Hugh Dancy (Hannibal) as Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price.
Riverdale
There’s comfort in controlled chaos. Most Riverdale fans will be the first to admit that this seven-season drama series — which started as an eerie murder mystery — ended in a very different place than it began. (Think aliens, superpowers, and alternate realities.) But nobody can deny its gonzo entertainment factor. Inspired by the classic Archie comics, Season 1 kicks off with the eponymous small town reeling over the death of high school quarterback Jason Blossom (Trevor Stines). Footballer Archie Andrews (K.J. Apa) has discovered a passion for music, and confides in his long time friend Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) about it. But their relationship hits rough waters when Archie falls for the alluring new girl, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes). Meanwhile, outcast Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse) begins to investigate Jason’s death, and uncovers a dark secret.
Suits
A good courtroom drama will always keep you coming back for more. After all, the best lawyers are the most persuasive ones. That’s how Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) winds up an associate at Pearson Hardman, a big-time New York City law firm, despite being a college dropout with no law degree — or even a bachelor’s degree — to speak of. Blessed with a photographic memory, Mike has made a career of acing LSATs and bar exams on behalf of others for money. But that trajectory changes when he happens into a job interview with Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), Pearson Hardman’s best closer. Harvey hires him on the spot. Now the two are off to win all their lawsuits — while trying to keep Mike’s lack of a bar license top secret from the rest of their capable colleagues.
Young Sheldon
A heartwarming origin story for the ages. Everybody comes from somewhere, and before there was everyone’s favorite curmudgeonly super-genius Sheldon (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Theory, there was young Sheldon. Iain Armitage portrays Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper’s early years as a child prodigy growing up in East Texas in this prequel series, with Parsons returning to narrate. There’s also a whole new cast of characters, many of whom were mentioned or featured on TBBT, including Sheldon’s earnestly religious mama (Zoe Perry), football-obsessed father (Lance Barber), and smack-talking siblings (Montana Jordan and Raegan Revord). Fans can count on Sheldon’s signature sass, smarts, and social mishaps — just in a smaller frame, and with plenty of throwback ’80s and ’90s references to boot.
Younger
This show is a reminder that it’s never too late to take chances on yourself. Sometimes you just need a fresh start. And isn’t that a good reminder for all of us? Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) is a recently divorced woman in her 40s looking for that fresh start. She wants to reenter the publishing world in New York City, but finds that starting a new career at her age is harder than she expected. When her BFF, Maggie (Debi Mazar), takes her out to lift her spirits, Liza hits it off with 26-year-old Josh (Nico Tortorella), who mistakes her for someone closer to his own age. The encounter gives Liza and Maggie an idea, and Liza decides to take another shot at her dreams — and she’s going to do it by pretending to be younger.
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