If you’re like me, you prefer to have a television show playing in the background while you work instead of music. It took me a long time to understand that this is a pretty normal thing people do. As a kid I grew up much closer to television than I did music, so back in high school and college I was the odd one out. Joke’s on you, former classmates, tons of people watch background tv.

I think it’s something about the dialog and repetition that makes having a 22 minute sitcom on in the background somehow very soothing and productivity-inducing. You hear the same intro jingle every so often, the conversations are ones you’ve heard dozens of times so you know you can tune them out, and if you do decide to listen in, there’s a good chance you’ll hear a joke. Technically speaking, it’s somewhat of an iteration of the Pomodoro Method of productivity, where you do a task for 25 minutes straight, take a 5 minute break, and then move to the next task. It’s likely that the Pomodoro Method took off faster because it has a much catchier name than Background TV Noise-Based Productivity.

I’m sure there’s a litany of downsides for having a TV on almost constantly while working, but it’s a strategy that very much works for me. I also enjoy the background comfort of activities with my TV friends solving crimes and cutting jokes while I do my job. Maybe it’s just that the idle chatter helps me focus on my tasks, or maybe it’s the need for constant noise to be emitting in my life to protect me from having to think actual deep thoughts about my life, entropy, and the futility of a day job. WHO KNOWS.

Anyway, there’s a bunch of tv shows that are staple programs for background tv shows, here’s some of my favorites:

Archer — Really fun ensemble cast of voice actors and the creator has done a fantastic job of spicing the show up. There’s a few seasons that have various noir/transatlantic themes, all due to a prolonged coma that Archer was in. There’s at least 10 seasons of this show available too so you have a wealth of content to get through.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Probably my favorite background show. Another amazing ensemble cast that you really feel the love from. It’s clear that everyone involved in making this show was really into the project and had a lot of fun. Bonus crossover episode with New Girl as well! No single story arc outshines another, they all sparkle equally on the show’s tapestry. This show got me through a lot of dark times throughout the pandemic as well so it always holds a special place in my heart.

30 Rock — Such a great show to have on, around, all the time. It’s one of those shows you can watch over and over and you’ll continue to find new jokes and easter eggs to giggle at. Some of the cultural references are a little dated at this point but if you lived through 9/11 and the Bush Administration, you’ll still think it’s funny. I really like the light heartedness of the humor and how well the ensemble cast works together. It’s a surefire winner for background noise as well, so if you’re the type of person who falls asleep to tv, this one is also a hit because the theme song isn’t 50 decibels higher than the audio so you won’t be violently awakened with each new episode.

Parks and Recreation — The original showrunners of The Office left after the fifth season and switched gears to Parks and Recreation, originally created as a loose spin-off of The Office. What it ended up becoming is one of the most meaningful and hilarious mockumentaries I’ve seen on television. The ensemble characters have such a wonderful dynamic with each other, and the A, B, and C stories in each episode are captivating. The high level story arc of this show is something to be admired, it starts, carries on, and ends with the same amount of steam in each episode, a rare quality for a television series. It should go without saying that I adore any project that Michael Schur is a part of, and P&R is no exception.

The Office — This might be the original binge watch show for me, but The Office is a tried and true classic background show. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it takes place in an office, which is analogous to what I’m doing while I’m watching it, maybe it’s the familiarity since I’ve watched the entire show more than a dozen times, but this show is REWATCHABLE. In capital letters.