Classic Star Trek. I mean anything from TOS thru Enterprise, depending on how old you can tolerate. You'll want an episode guide to make sure you're not watching a shit-tier ep or part of an arc, but most episodes are going to tell a good solid sci-fi story in one sitting.
Sliders is another good one for speculative sci-fi. The Outer Limits for an actual anthology of stories.
I have an episode list of all the holodeck episodes! Sometimes I watch those all back to back for the sense of pride and accomplishment I get when they reset the universe!
When that isn't enough fun, I watch my list of episodes where Janeway commits genocide. Those are always great!
Berman and Braga were the greatest team ever! We owe them so much!
I went the 'kung fu' route on Youtube from Chinese production companies. Turns out that most of the shows are tailored to the female audience because of the period conventions: flowery costumes, guys with long hair and traditional courting rituals.
Basically every show needs to appeal to the female audience in some form or the other. Took me a while to figure out why there wasn't more kung fu action. :') It was kind of wholesome, though, (no obscene sexual thing in sight) and learned a couple of Chinese expressions. At least, passively. And they definitely got the 'cliffhanger' ending down, but takes too much trouble to find something remotely watchable that doesn't also appeal to the BTS crowd.
My favourite Movie Studio Production Logo of all time is Golden Harvest's. Their films from the 1970/80's are the best examples of chinese martial arts films. And they did great comedy as well.
Oh, My Goddess, the British version of the Office, Fist of the North Star movie, Nightmare Cafe (short lived series from like 89 or 90), C.O.P.S (animated 80s show). Any of the police academy movies and the cartoon
Some chad figures out how to score a NEET lifestyle in a penthouse and proceeds to get isekaied and has to work his way back up from the bottom as some shitty day laborer. The schemes get progressively more outlandish with humorous setbacks. Low commitment watch, good gag humor from what I recall, only 12 episodes.
Best summarized by Gigguk as: "You're a gigachad Harry". Dude without magic gets roped into going to school for magic but has to hide that he doesn't have magic. He's just a complete gym bro and somehow makes it work. It's funny and there's some lighthearted adventure stuff. Again 12 episodes.
Dude beats the demon lord in his youth and then proceeds to be a complete failure at life. Demon lord resurrects and goes to fight him but ends up trying to help him fix his life instead with varying degrees of success. Also offers some fan service, which is refreshing in this era. 12 episodes, kind of an unusual creative space thematically but plenty of familiar anime flavor.
Don't overthink it. A guy gets Isekaied but can use Online Shopping magic. Since it sounds useless he dosen't get tasked with The Chosen Ones usual summoned warriors Isekai quests.
He uses it to cook meals so good a bored talking monster befriends him, and order refined products pre-industrial civilisations hardly get.
Honestly, I find watching random Twitch/Youtube playthroughs of my favorite games to be the ultimate low commit background noise. I know the game well enough that I'm not watching to see what happens, nor do I care about the person playing enough to get invested in their reactions that I miss.
Same with glitchless speedruns of less popular games, just because its usually a longplay without all the "aimless wandering" that plagues the first category.
I do metal concert and music videos as moving animated distraction while working. Symphonic metal, Epica, Nightwish, Sabaton. Helfest, Scorpions, AC/DC. Korn and Ray Luzier drumming. We literally can see a master of any craft, on demand, on any topic.
Patrick Boyle economics and CoffeeZilla takedowns of NFT scams and other fraud like SBF. SomeOrdinaryGamers for some esoteric internet.
I like "How its Made." Theres a free version on YouTube that I've seen some clips from where they updated some of the original show with like a new narrator and modern graphics but reused the original manufacturing footage from the original. I'm thinking specifically of the how skateboards and or snowboards were made episode.
Well, that's kinda unspecific.
I watch these guys regularly:
https://www.youtube.com/@ThisOldTony (hobbyist machinist with a sense of humor and great production values)
https://www.youtube.com/@InternetHistorian (who doesn't know this guy?)
https://www.youtube.com/@NorthoftheBorder (makes pop culture sculptures out of clay)
https://www.youtube.com/c/BoyleiHobbyTime (this guy makes dioramas)
https://www.youtube.com/@SpragueWoodturning (watching a wood turner is also surprisingly entertaining)
https://www.youtube.com/user/zefrank1 (educational and funny videos about animals)
https://www.youtube.com/@kiwami-japan (makes knives out of food)
https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonHerrera (some based guy doing shit with guns)
Or if it has to be animation:
https://www.youtube.com/c/Flashgitz
https://www.youtube.com/@Rigamarole
https://www.youtube.com/@DaFuqBoom
Man I never thought I'd see Skibidt Toilet linked here.
The dude creates a more engaging story in Source with toilet people than all of Hollywood combined.
Classic Star Trek. I mean anything from TOS thru Enterprise, depending on how old you can tolerate. You'll want an episode guide to make sure you're not watching a shit-tier ep or part of an arc, but most episodes are going to tell a good solid sci-fi story in one sitting.
Sliders is another good one for speculative sci-fi. The Outer Limits for an actual anthology of stories.
This, but skip the guide. There are some bad episodes, but don't get hung up about it.
SG-1 gets 'serious' in the second half of its run, but is still episodic. Ditto for X-Files.
'Window of Opportunity' will always be one of their best for both silly and serious moments.
"You cannot be serious."
"Yes I can. I just choose not to... some of the time."
Yeah! Voyager is just the best show ever!
I have an episode list of all the holodeck episodes! Sometimes I watch those all back to back for the sense of pride and accomplishment I get when they reset the universe!
When that isn't enough fun, I watch my list of episodes where Janeway commits genocide. Those are always great!
Berman and Braga were the greatest team ever! We owe them so much!
Space Dandy, you don't need to worry about keeping track of any continuity between episodes because the episodes don't even do that.
Old '90s sitcom, News Radio. Dave Foley, Phil Hartman and Steven Root -- also the show where Joe Rogan got his start.
"Arcade" is probably my favorite episode of any show ever.
Was a good show. But I think 'Arcade' is pipped as GOAT by Arrested Development's 'Pier Pressure'.
Frieren is my jam this season! What a breath of fresh air.
I went the 'kung fu' route on Youtube from Chinese production companies. Turns out that most of the shows are tailored to the female audience because of the period conventions: flowery costumes, guys with long hair and traditional courting rituals.
Basically every show needs to appeal to the female audience in some form or the other. Took me a while to figure out why there wasn't more kung fu action. :') It was kind of wholesome, though, (no obscene sexual thing in sight) and learned a couple of Chinese expressions. At least, passively. And they definitely got the 'cliffhanger' ending down, but takes too much trouble to find something remotely watchable that doesn't also appeal to the BTS crowd.
My favourite Movie Studio Production Logo of all time is Golden Harvest's. Their films from the 1970/80's are the best examples of chinese martial arts films. And they did great comedy as well.
That's a lot of movies.
Oh, My Goddess, the British version of the Office, Fist of the North Star movie, Nightmare Cafe (short lived series from like 89 or 90), C.O.P.S (animated 80s show). Any of the police academy movies and the cartoon
Ok, I have four relatively recent animes to recommend then.
Meikyuu Black Company: https://myanimelist.net/anime/42340/Meikyuu_Black_Company
Some chad figures out how to score a NEET lifestyle in a penthouse and proceeds to get isekaied and has to work his way back up from the bottom as some shitty day laborer. The schemes get progressively more outlandish with humorous setbacks. Low commitment watch, good gag humor from what I recall, only 12 episodes.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles: https://myanimelist.net/anime/52211/Mashle
Best summarized by Gigguk as: "You're a gigachad Harry". Dude without magic gets roped into going to school for magic but has to hide that he doesn't have magic. He's just a complete gym bro and somehow makes it work. It's funny and there's some lighthearted adventure stuff. Again 12 episodes.
Level 1 Demon Lord and One Room Hero: https://myanimelist.net/anime/51458/Lv1_Maou_to_One_Room_Yuusha
Dude beats the demon lord in his youth and then proceeds to be a complete failure at life. Demon lord resurrects and goes to fight him but ends up trying to help him fix his life instead with varying degrees of success. Also offers some fan service, which is refreshing in this era. 12 episodes, kind of an unusual creative space thematically but plenty of familiar anime flavor.
Spy x Family: https://myanimelist.net/anime/50265/Spy_x_Family
Possibly the most wholesome show I've seen in years.
Phineas and Ferb. A show full of fun and joy with very little that gets in the way.
Sometimes, I just like to lay down and watch Forged in Fire.
I enjoyed Campfire Cooking : https://aniwave.to/watch/tondemo-skill-de-isekai-hourou-meshi.vvqq2/ep-1
Don't overthink it. A guy gets Isekaied but can use Online Shopping magic. Since it sounds useless he dosen't get tasked with The Chosen Ones usual summoned warriors Isekai quests.
He uses it to cook meals so good a bored talking monster befriends him, and order refined products pre-industrial civilisations hardly get.
Sit back and relax.
Hey thanks I haven't watched ''Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku'' ( How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom ).
I'll give it a try.
That and Chivalry of a Failed Knight is on my list of 'anime I hope gets a second season with a bigger budget for animation'
Danukla's Absolute Madlads series is pretty entertaining. They range between 20 minutes to an hour, and some are quite funny.
Honestly, I find watching random Twitch/Youtube playthroughs of my favorite games to be the ultimate low commit background noise. I know the game well enough that I'm not watching to see what happens, nor do I care about the person playing enough to get invested in their reactions that I miss.
Same with glitchless speedruns of less popular games, just because its usually a longplay without all the "aimless wandering" that plagues the first category.
Maybe stop consooming the virtual goyslop and look at what's going on in the world and why (((modern entertainment))) is complete shit
I do metal concert and music videos as moving animated distraction while working. Symphonic metal, Epica, Nightwish, Sabaton. Helfest, Scorpions, AC/DC. Korn and Ray Luzier drumming. We literally can see a master of any craft, on demand, on any topic.
Patrick Boyle economics and CoffeeZilla takedowns of NFT scams and other fraud like SBF. SomeOrdinaryGamers for some esoteric internet.
Vine
What we do in the Shadows
Taskmaster UK
Welcome to Wrexham
Severance
Community
Upright Citizens Brigade
I like "How its Made." Theres a free version on YouTube that I've seen some clips from where they updated some of the original show with like a new narrator and modern graphics but reused the original manufacturing footage from the original. I'm thinking specifically of the how skateboards and or snowboards were made episode.
Otherwise the original is on HBO max.
The Equalizer with Queen Latifah /s
But seriously, I'm also interested in recommendations.
If you never watched it before, Leverage is a solid episodic show.
I'll throw in Taskmaster and 8 out of Ten Cats does Countdown. Comedians doing puzzles while making fun of each other.
The Wonder Years is great.