At this point in the winter, we are all getting a wee bit restless with cabin fever. The days are getting longer but the temperatures are not quite edging towards spring yet. And there are far too many days that have us zipping up our coats and bracing ourselves against the roar of the winter wind.

The days that require us to hunker down and stay in doors need not be boring or lonely. Not when we have such friends and such entertaining shows within our reach. Here are five of my favourite comfort binges.

#1 – Grey’s Anatomy is hands down the most juicy guilty pleasure on Netflix. While watching Meredith Grey from her very first cringy bar encounter through her entire gut-wrenching love affair with Derek Shepard is truly divine, this winter I picked up the binge in the post-Derek years. I am thoroughly enjoying watching a more mature, a more settled Meredith move through her life and career in a much more deliberate manner. Seasons 1 – 17 are available now on Netflix.

#2 – The Crown is a great choice for a more dignified, yet still full of soapy goodness. The Crown’s fictionalized portrayal of the royal family as they move through the most compelling moments in their recent history is divine. The cast is splendid and the writing is beyond compare. The emotional rollercoaster of loving and hating the major players of the House of Windsor is deeply satisfying. Catch the first four seasons on Netflix now and stay tuned for season five coming later this year.

#3 – Outlander is the most delicious adventure into the past that ever a graced the small screen. The raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, the intrigue of a budding rebellion and the mystery of fairy legends conspire to weave together the most captivating tale of love and mystery. There is nothing so soothing as settling into the world of Claire and Jamie with a cuppa on a chilly winter night. Tune into netflix to binge the first five seasons now.

#4 – Derry Girls is the perfect antidote to the dreary winter blahs. If you were a teen in the 1990s this Irish comedy will have you in stitches in no time. It plays out the angsty reality of the ’90s teen against the backdrop of an international crisis. Despite the contentious troubles unfolding in their town, the girls (and one lone guy) of Our Lady Immaculate College trip their way through teen rites of passage all while trying to avoid the ire of Sister Michael and the rest of the adults who populate their world. Savour the first two seasons on Netflix.

#5 – Gilmore Girls strikes an excellent blend of comedy, teen angst and family drama. All of these elements, along with the quick-talking, witty banter, come together to make it the ultimate comfort food of the binge-watchers menu. The quirky cast of small-town folks juxtaposed against the upper-class, snobbish Gilmore family is delightful. The thoughtful construction of relationships and gags that run through the entire series is pure gold. The whole thing is happiness on screen. Be sure to make time to marinate in the goodness of the entire series on Netflix now.

I could keep going. There are so many binge-worthy shows on Netflix – dramas, crime shows, comedies, docuseries, fantasy – the list goes on and on. Scroll through TV series to find your favourite binge now!