One of the many reasons that I love knitting is that it gives me something for my hands to do when I otherwise am stationary. This is equally true when my family and I sit down to watch tv, or after the kids go to bed and I’m on my own for the night – I still need something to do with my hands. With that, I thought I would put together a top 10 list of my go-to shows to watch when I’m knitting. These are shows that I find entertaining but that don’t require a lot from me mentally – if I miss three minutes while I’m checking where I’m at in my pattern, I won’t be upset. (BONUS: These shows are all currently available on Netflix or Hulu as of the time of this post.)

10. Cheers – This show from the 80s brings me back to my childhood. Sure, I’ve already seen many of these episodes, but rewatching this series as an adult gives me an entirely new level of appreciation for the sharp humor and the relational interplay. Even if, like me, you’re not into the bar scene, this shows still works and is deeply entertaining.

9. Chopped – I love reality tv competitions, and cooking shows among them. I like Chopped because of the unpredictable nature of the ingredients; it encourages me to be a more adventurous and playful cook.

8. Pawn Stars – Pawn Stars follow three generations running a pawn shop in Las Vegas, NV. The entertainment comes in how they all interact with each other, and there is a high fascination factor with all the random items that come in to their store and learning the history behind the items. Educational as well as entertaining, this show plays well for the whole family.

7. So You Think You Can Dance – This one can get a bit tricky, but I typically make sure I focus on seeing the dances, and then I don’t worry about making sure I always have eyes on the set for the rest. I love the story-telling and the artistry of the dancers, and of course, I always pick my favorites.

6. The Voice – The whole point of this show is to not watch the screen – instead, it’s about listening to the performance. Sure, there are visuals, too, but this is perfect for me when I’m knitting.

5. Shark Tank – On this show, entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to investors, hoping to get money invested in their businesses. I love the ideas that I get to see on this show, and of course, the interplay of the Sharks with each other is perfect. I think my favorite is Mr Wonderful (“you’re dead to me”) or Mark Cuban with his 24-second shot clock on decision-making, although each of the sharks is entertaining in their own right.

4. Master Chef/Master Chef Junior – Home cooks compete for a trophy, as well as a rather substantial cash prize ($250,000 for the adults, $100,000 for the kids) and a recipe book deal. In most challenges, the cooks are given an hour to complete a restaurant-worthy dish based on some random ingredient or theme. As with Chopped, I find the ideas to be inspiring, but these are regular home cooks just like me – they make it feel achievable.

3. Extreme Weight Loss – There is something amazing about watching people make a dramatic decision to transform themselves, and this show takes it to an amazing level. Watching people take a year to change their lives and see them actually follow-through is incredible.

2. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – The humor employed in this show along with its general education of the current events just makes this a top hit for me. I worried with the loss of Jon Stewart that the show was going to change dramatically, but Trevor maintains the energy and humor. I’ve been impressed with him out of the gate, and this is a go-to for me when I’m knitting.

1. Best of TedX – The tag line for Ted Talks is “Ideas That Matter” and this is a roundup of some of the best Ted Talks. Pick episodes that you find particularly compelling or just watch them in order – they are all compelling, interesting, and you don’t have to watch the screen. It’s a great way to grow your brain, learn a little something new, and yet not have to lose focus on my knitting.

This is my top 10 – what are yours?