All the talk today will be on the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl (and as a St. Louis native who is still infuriated with Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the NFL, I have two words: Go Bengals). But the real highlight of the week happens on Friday, February 18 when Amazon Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel returns. A lot is changing in Midge’s world, including this: After three seasons of Amazon Prime Video releasing all episodes at once, they’ll be dropping only two new episodes each Friday until the finale on March 11. Given that Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino basically create the equivalent of stunning mini-movies each episode, there’s something to be said for savoring each masterpiece. 

Meanwhile, the Winter Olympics head into their last week before the flame is extinguished and the countdown to the 2026 games in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo begin. For a full schedule of remaining events, click here. 

And with that, here’s what to watch the week of February 13!

Sunday, February 13

Super Bowl LVI (NBC, Peacock): The biggest, though not necessarily the best, game of the year airs tonight from Los Angeles, with country star Mickey Guyton singing the national anthem and Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre performing in the halftime show. If you tune in for the commercials more than anything, just wait until you see Zendaya sporting a stunning seashell dress in her first Super Bowl ad on behalf of Squarespace. 6 P.M. ET/3 P.M. PT

Puppy Bowl (Animal Planet/Discovery+): The only competition I care about today. Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg return to coach the Puppy Bowl, which is in itself a huge feat since if it were left up to me, I’d just be taking photos of these adoral pups all day (check out all the pup-stars here). 2 P.M. ET

Bel-Air (Peacock): NBC will air Olympics coverage after the Super Bowl, but the show with the most post-Super Bowl hype is on their streaming service, Peacock, and it’s none other than Bel-Air. The Will Smith-produced re-imagining of the iconic sitcom stars newcomer Jabari Banks in the lead role and is set in present day. By now you probably know that even though the origin story is the same, there’s a lot that’s different about this re-telling, namely that it’s a hour-long drama and set in the present day. Streaming

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Monday, February 14

Ali Wong: Don Wong (Netflix): Comedian Ali Wong releases her third Netflix special, Don Wong, on Valentine’s Day, which was filmed last November. According to the streamer, “Ali reveals her wildest fantasies, the challenges of monogamy, and how she really feels about single people.” (I’ll spoil it for you: We’re amazing). Nahnatchka Khan directs. Streaming.

Here are all the TV shows and movies to keep up with this week as you try to stay warm. Grab a blanket and cuddle up with the highly-anticipated How I Met Your Mother spinoff on Hulu. 

Sunday, January 16 

Somebody Somewhere: Read an official description, 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO

“A new comedy series starring and executive produced by comedian and singer Bridget Everett (HBO’s Camping), Somebody Somewhere follows Sam, a true Kansan on the surface who, beneath it all, struggles to fit the hometown mold. As Sam grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is her saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders who don’t fit in but don’t give up, showing that finding your people, and finding your voice, is possible. Anywhere. Somewhere.”

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Monday, January 17 

Honoring Betty White: Per a Hallmark press release,  “Beginning at 12 a.m., the network will air a marathon of The Golden Girls totaling 40 episodes, allowing viewers to get their fill of Rose Nylund moments, St. Olaf stories and–of course–cheesecake. The curated lineup will run all day leading up to a special presentation of the 2011 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Lost Valentine at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starring White and Jennifer Love Hewitt.  The marathon resumes following the movie and concludes at 5 a.m. ET/PT on Tuesday, January 18.” On Hallmark 

Tuesday, January 18 

How I Met Your Father: Here’s everything we know about this highly-anticipated reboot. Streaming on Hulu 

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Wednesday, January 19 

Too Hot to Handle: More hotties on the beach who can’t kiss each other! Streaming on Netflix 

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Thursday, January 20 

Single Drunk Female: Read an official description, below. 10 p.m. ET on Freeform

“After a public flame-out at a New York media company, 20-something alcoholic Samantha Fink (Sofia Black-D’Elia) is forced to seize the only chance she has to sober up and avoid jail time: moving back home with her overbearing mother, Carol (Ally Sheedy). Back in Greater Boston, Samantha restarts her life, working at the local grocery store while surrounded by all of the triggers that made her drink in the first place.” 

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Friday, January 21 

Ozark: Watch the trailer for season four-part one, below. Streaming on Netflix 

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Saturday, January 22 

Vanished: Searching For My Sister: Read the official description, below, per a press release. 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime 

The holidays may be over, but there’s still plenty of joy to be found—particularly in TV shows. From the return of Euphoria and Cheer to a new horror series on Netflix, plenty is premiering that will keep you entertained. Here are the highlights. 

Sunday, January 9 

Euphoria: Watch the trailer for season two, below. 9 p.m. ET on HBO

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Tuesday, January 11 

Naomi: Per The CW, “This DC drama follows the journey of a cool, confident, comic book–loving teenager as she pursues her hidden destiny.” 9 p.m. ET on The CW 

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Wednesday, January 12 

Cheer: Season two of this wildly popular Netflix reality series is back.  Streaming on Netflix 

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Thursday, January 13 

Brazen: Per Metacritic, “Alyssa Milano stars as a mystery writer who attempts to track down her sister’s murderer in this Netflix feature adapted from the novel Brazen Virtue by Nora Roberts.” Streaming on Netflix 

Wolf Like Me: Per Peacock, “Everyone brings their own set of baggage to a new relationship. Gary (Josh Gad) and Mary (Isla Fisher) are no different. Gary is an emotional wreck and struggles to provide for his daughter since the death of his wife. Mary has a secret she can’t bring herself to share with anyone. The universe brought these two together for a reason, they just need to keep following the signs.” Streaming on Peacock 

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Friday, January 14 

Archive 81: Per Netflix, “As a video archivist investigates the secrets behind a mysterious fire, he becomes convinced he can save a young woman from the terrifying fate she met 25 years ago.” Streaming on Netflix 

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Saturday, January 15 

The Perfect Pairing: Read Hallmark’s official description, below. 9 p.m. ET on Hallmark 

“Influential and anonymous food and wine critic Christina slips on ice and falls while visiting a winery—and no one knows who she is. Single father Michael and his family take her in to help her jog her memory.”

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Being alive continues to be…a challenge. Too much heartbreak, too much paperwork. We turn to comfort TV for a relatively safe way to cope. Good for us! This is healthier than doing drugs or crimes (probably.) 

Streaming services allow for a kind of self-administered mental morphine drip, through comfort shows. You know classic comfort TV: The Office. Friends. Gilmore Girls. Parks and Recreation. Maybe you rewatch critically-acclaimed comfort comedies like Fleabag, Insecure, 30 Rock, or Ted Lasso. Or maybe you stick to the classics: Seinfeld, The Nanny, Sex and the City, and Golden Girls. But at a certain point, rewatching shows you love is like trying to wring flavor out of the same piece of gum. (See instead: The recommendation below for Michaela Coel’s genius 2015 comedy, Chewing Gum.)

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I’m not here to lecture you about watching less comfort TV. I’m here to try to cajole you into enjoying the comfort TV you watch more. There are so many undiscovered, underrated delights just awaiting you. “You took me by the hand/Made me a man/That one night/You made everything alright.” If you just sang those lyrics from the “Dinner Party” episode of The Office to yourself, you need a change. (See instead: The recommendation below for The Other Two, one of the funniest and most underrated comedies on TV.) 

People can do hard things! Lady Gaga said that. And even though Gaga was speaking about how to exercise one’s moral compass through acts of kindness, I believe this can also be applied to watching a greater variety of TV comedies. Stretch yourself. Expand your horizons, without actually going outside or anything. You can still identify as a Samantha or Team Jess. But like a person who pries herself off the couch after 12 hours to change into a fresh pair of pajamas and get back on the couch, try switching one thing up, and see if it doesn’t feel good. 

Comfort TV comedies to watch if you have…HBO Max

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Starstruck. It’s hard to overstate how enjoyable Starstruck is. I sat down to watch 10 minutes of the first episode and I did not get up until I was almost done with the series. Hot celebrity men should fall for smart, funny, not-famous women more often—such is the plot of the charm-packed Starstruck, created by comedian Rose Matafeo, who also stars. It’s like Notting Hill, except in the 2020s, and Matafeo’s character compares her relationship with a movie star to “one of those weird animal friendship shows where you see a Labrador and a hedgehog who are friends.” It’s superb. 

The new TV shows 2022 is blessing us with run the gamut. Want teen dramas? You got ’em. Scary shows? In stock. Another season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? Yup, that too. When it comes to keeping you occupied as you sit cozy on your couch, the new TV shows of the year have you covered. 

Of course, that means figuring out what to watch specifically will be hard. There are so many options to choose from. But from the new TV shows 2022 is giving us, these are the ones we’re most excited about. These are the programs we can’t wait to binge-watch, tweet about, and scream about with our friends, coworkers, and strangers on the street. Hey, we’re living through unprecedented times; I can scream about The Bachelor as loud as I want to! 

And Bridgerton. I’ll be screaming about that one too. I mean, who won’t be? The Netflix drama, based on Julia Quinn’s novels, achieved mind-boggling success when it first arrived in December 2020. 

“I think [the Bridgerton adaptation] is a first for historical romance in any major way,” Quinn told Shondaland.com. “As a genre, we don’t get adapted. There’s Outlander, which is romance adjacent—we like to claim Diana Gabaldon to a degree—but it is a little bit different. I’ve often said that it’s no surprise that Shondaland would look past prejudices the romance genre has and say, ‘Hey, this a great story,’ because they’re all about storytelling. But I think people really haven’t looked to romance novels as viable adaptations in part because there is some stigma around them —they’re by women, for women, primarily edited by women.”

She continued, “More specifically, I think historical romance has been passed over because of the expense. Historical romance is going to be expensive to do, and unlike most contemporary stories, if you wanted to do a big period piece, you could go with a classic with prestige attached to it. This may come across the wrong way, but I’ll be honest and say that while I’m really excited for me, I’m also really excited for the genre.”

And I’m excited for the fans! Here are all the new upcoming TV shows, including Bridgerton, to get hyped about. 

The Bachelor, season 26 

Clayton Echard’s journey for love begins, with new host Jesse Palmer setting the scene. “For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” Palmer said in a statement. “Falling in love is one of life’s greatest gifts, and I am humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host this season to offer the newest Bachelor advice gained from firsthand experience and I am grateful to play a small part in his journey.” Reality shows don’t get more iconic than this. 

Premieres January 3 on ABC 

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Peacemaker

Per an HBO Max press release, this TV series “will explore the origins of the character John Cena plays in the recent Suicide Squad film, a man who believes in peace at any cost—no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.” 

It’s Christmas week, which means you probably have some downtime. Here are all the TV shows and movies to watch to keep you in the holiday spirit (and keep you sane if you’re with family). 

Sunday, December 19 

‘Tis the Season to be Merry: Read an official description, below. 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark 

“Looking for a fresh angle to her book on relationships, Merry heads to snow covered Vermont. She finds a new perspective and Christmas cheer with charismatic aid worker, Adam.”

Monday, December 20 

Reopening Night: Read HBO’s official description, below. 10 p.m. ET on HBO 

“Reopening Night, an original documentary, goes behind the scenes with The Public Theater as they face a roller coaster ride of hurdles returning to the stage in the midst of an ongoing pandemic with Merry Wives, a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s play that celebrates Black joy and artistry.”

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Tuesday, December 21 

Being the Ricardos: Nicole Kidman stars as Lucille Ball in this biopic exploring her legacy and relationship with her husband, Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem). Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

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Wednesday, December 22 

Emily in Paris: Here’s everything we know about the second season of the internet’s most polarizing show. Streaming on Netflix 

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Thursday, December 23 

Yearly Departed: Per Amazon, “You are cordially invited to the most hilarious party of the year. The groundbreaking comedy special returns with more of the world’s funniest women roasting and toasting all we’re leaving behind in 2021.” Streaming on Amazon Prime Video 

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Friday, December 24 

Don’t Look Up: A meteor is coming to destroy Earth, and no one will listen to Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio! Streaming on Netflix 

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Saturday, December 25 

Jimmy Carr: His Dark Material: Some stand-up to spice up your Christmas. Streaming on Netflix 

Here are all the TV shows and movies to check out this week; there’s  something for both holiday content lovers and those who need a break from it! 

Sunday, December 12 

A Christmas Proposal: Per Paramount+’s website, this movie “centers on a down on her luck chef a hotshot attorney whose holiday business arrangement becomes complicated when real sparks fly.” Streaming on Paramount+

Monday, December 13 

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street: Read an official description, below. 10 p.m. ET on HBO 

“Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a rare window into the early days of Sesame Street, revealing the creators, artists, writers and educators who together established one of the most influential and enduring children’s programs in television history. The documentary focuses on the first two experimental and groundbreaking decades of Sesame Street, highlighting this visionary ‘gang’ that audaciously interpreted radical changes in society and engaged children with innovative new ways to entertain and educate.” 

Tuesday, December 14 

The Murders at Starved Rock: This documentary, per HBO, “follows David Raccuglia’s investigation into whether Chester Weger is responsible for the brutal murders of three women at Starved Rock State Park 60 years ago.” 8 p.m. ET on HBO 

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Wednesday, December 15 

Elite: Short Stories: If you need an Elite fix. Streaming on Netflix 

Foodtastic: The only thing better than food is Disney-inspired food. Streaming on Disney+

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Thursday, December 16 

MacGruber: Read an official description, below. Streaming on Peacock

“Mo problems, Mo solutions! Comedian Mo Amer is BACK for his second special! This hour-long special showcases Mo’s background as an Arab-American growing up in Texas, bringing audiences together with his signature worldly and hilarious perspective.” 

Wednesday, December 1 

89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center: It isn’t Christmas until you see this tree get lit! 8 p.m. ET on NBC 

The Power of the Dog: Read Netflix’s official description, below, per a press email. Streaming on Netflix 

“Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil’s romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He can castrate a bull calf with two swift slashes of his knife; he swims naked in the river, smearing his body with mud. He is a cowboy as raw as his hides.

“The year is 1925. The Burbank brothers are wealthy ranchers in Montana. At the Red Mill restaurant on their way to market, the brothers meet Rose, the widowed proprietress, and her impressionable son Peter. Phil behaves so cruelly he drives them both to tears, reveling in their hurt and rousing his fellow cowhands to laughter—all except his brother George, who comforts Rose then returns to marry her.

“As Phil swings between fury and cunning, his taunting of Rose takes an eerie form—he hovers at the edges of her vision, whistling a tune she can no longer play. His mockery of her son is more overt, amplified by the cheering of Phil’s cowhand disciples. Then Phil appears to take the boy under his wing. Is this latest gesture a softening that leaves Phil exposed, or a plot twisting further into menace?”

Thursday, December 2 

Annie Live!: The sun will come out this evening, and Taraji P. Henson better get an Emmy nomination for her Miss Hannigan performance. 8 p.m. ET on NBC 

Single All the Way: This is fighting for gay (Christmas) rights. Streaming on Netflix 

Friday, December 3 

Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues: Mariah Carey needs to release holiday specials every year. Streaming on Apple TV+ 

Saturday, December 4 

Drew Michael: Red Blue Green: Read an official description, below. 10 p.m. ET on HBO 

“Drew Michael airs his issues with relationships, social media, and comedy as therapy in his new comedy special.”

 For more info on all the TV shows you need to know about, click here. 

“Adapted from the celebrated 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, Passing tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can ‘pass’ as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York. After a chance encounter reunites the former childhood friends one summer afternoon, Irene reluctantly allows Clare into her home, where she ingratiates herself to Irene’s husband (André Holland) and family, and soon her larger social circle as well. As their lives become more deeply intertwined, Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, and Passing becomes a riveting examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities.” 

Thursday, November 11 

The Game: Read an official description, below. Streaming on Paramount+

“Relocating from San Diego to Sin City, The Game returns with a mix of new players and original cast to offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The team will fight for fame, fortune, respect, and love as they each play The Game.”

Friday, November 12 

Always Jane: Read an official description, below. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

“Always Jane is the upcoming four-part coming-of-age docuseries Always Jane, an intimate and unguarded look at transgender teenager Jane Noury and her family as she prepares to leave home for college. Navigating deeply personal and challenging issues, the Noury family’s uplifting humor and kindness is always present, revealing the transformative power of acceptance, support, and love.”

Red Notice: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot in one movie? A dream team! Streaming on Netflix 

Saturday, November 13 

My Christmas Family Tree: Read an official description, below. 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark 

“When Vanessa receives the results from her Family Tree DNA test, she discovers a family she didn’t know existed and travels to their home for Christmas.”

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“After his grandmother’s death, a Mexican biologist living in New York returns to his hometown, nestled in the majestic monarch butterfly forests of Michoacán. The journey forces him to confront past traumas and reflect on his hybrid identity, sparking a personal and spiritual metamorphosis.” 

Wednesday, November 3 

The Harder They Fall: Read an official description, below. Streaming on Netflix 

“This ain’t your grandaddy’s Western! Check out Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi, Danielle Deadwyler and Deon Cole in this action-packed thrill ride that injects New Blood into the Old West.”

Thursday, November 4 

Aida Rodriguez: Fighting Words: Read an official description, below. Streaming on HBO Max 

“For her first hourlong stand-up special, comedian/actress/producer Aida Rodriguez takes the stage in the Bronx to tackle the issues of the day–not just because they’re ripped from the headlines, but because they’re in the pages of her personal life story. With her grounded and unapologetic point of view, Rodriguez gets candid about being worn out from political comedy, embracing both sides of her heritage, getting back into the dating game, and so much more. A hilarious, no-holds-barred exploration of identity and family, the special concludes with a documentary of Aida’s travels to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic—a celebration of these vibrant cultures as cameras capture Rodriguez reuniting with her estranged father and paying it forward for up-and-coming comedians.” 

Friday, November 5 

Mary, Mary, and Some Other People: Here’s a synopsis, per a press email: “Mark and Mary, acquaintances from college, run into each other at a drug store as Mary is buying a pregnancy test. The test is negative and the two wind up dating and rapidly falling for each other. Mark has a more traditional view of relationships and Mary’s view is more modern and progressive. They try ‘ethical non-monogamy’ at Mary’s request and create their own version of an open relationship, while also trying to balance their fledgling careers and friendships. Through a series of ups and downs, Mary starts to realize she’s more traditional than she thought whereas Mark starts to open up and see the world differently through Mary and a polyamorous lens.” In theaters 

Finch: Per a YouTube description, “Tom Hanks is Finch, a man who embarks on a moving and powerful journey to find a new home for his unlikely family—his beloved dog and a newly created robot—in a dangerous and ravaged world.”  Streaming on Apple TV+ 

Spencer: Kristen Stewart is earning rave reviews for her performance as Princess Diana in this biopic. In theaters 

Saturday, November 6 

Next Stop, Christmas: Read an official description, below. 8 p.m. ET Hallmark 

“Angie is determined to spend Christmas alone, but her usual commuter ride turns into a Christmas train that drops her off in her home town in 2011. Stars Lyndsy Fonseca, Chandler Massey, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd.”

And click here for more info on the TV shows and movies you need to know about.