4 comforting Netflix miniseries worth binging when you take a sick day

Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek Published Oct 6, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT Derek Malcolm has been covering the worlds of tech and entertainment for more than two decades. Before coming to How-To Geek in 2025, Derek was a contributing editor and writer for the A/V and Home Theater section at Digital Trends, where he wrangled and wrote everything from what to watch on Netflix to reviews, explainers, and guides on the latest Bluetooth speakers, turntables, projectors, and other A/V gear. Based in Toronto, Derek graduated from Humber College's Journalism program in 1999, after which he started covering the worlds of music, movies, TV, and celebrity for publications such as TV Guide, Hello! magazine, and Inside Entertainment. He then got the bug for covering tech and gadgets in 2006, when he served as editor-in-chief of Canadian tech magazine Connected for more than a decade. An avid skier, when all the snow's gone Derek can be found at home spinning vinyl with his daughter or cheering on his favorite F1 team, McLaren. Sign in to your How-To Geek account That scratchy throat you went to bed with has evolved into a full-on head cold the next morning—yep, you're sick. You've emailed your boss, set your Slack status to that cute emoji with the thermometer in its mouth, and have enough meds on your nightstand to take down a rhino. Now comes the one perk of being sick—a full day of guilt-free TV. But since your brain is a bit foggy, you're going to want low-commitment shows that wrap up in a season and don't mind if you doze off midway through (maybe even ones that help with that). These Netflix miniseries streaming in the U.S. are just the medicine you need. 4 The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window A lot of wine, pills, and maybe a murder? The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window is not what you think it is ... if you think it's a dark, scary, Hitchcockian thriller. And while it does have its genuine thrills (if the trailer is to be believed), the eight-part Netflix original is a cleverly deadpan parody of woman-in-jeopardy films like The Girl on the Train in which a female protagonist, usually with a predilection for drinking lots of wine, is caught up in a murder plot that may or may not be in her head. The perfectly cast Kristen Bell plays Anna (not that one), a woman grieving the horrific (and ridiculous) death of her daughter and the end of her marriage by drowning herself in Merlot and pills. One night she thinks she witnesses a murder in the house across the street, but wakes up the next day and can find no trace of it. Of course she has to investigate, which sends her on a spiraling chase where her neighbors and the police think she's insane, and she might well be. While the series might have a measly 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, it has a wild twist ending you will not see coming. Network Netflix Cast Cameron Britton, Christina Anthony, Tom Riley, Kristen Bell, Samsara Yett, Mary Holland, Michael Ealy, Benjamin Levy Aguilar Showrunner Hugh Davidson Directors Michael Lehmann Writers Kristen Bell, Hugh Davidson Seasons 1 Story By hugh davidson Streaming Service(s) Netflix 3 Headspace Guide to Sleep Finally, a show that actually wants you to nap Sure, several episodes of a Netflix thriller might be what the doctor ordered, but maybe what you need is to just get some sleep. Headspace Guide to Sleep is a seven-episode docuseries designed to help you do just that. A companion to Netflix's excellent Headspace Guide to Meditation (which might help, too), this animated series features quick 15-to-20-minute episodes that each focus on different common sleep challenges that could be keeping you up—from stress and insomnia to sleeping pills and doomscrolling on your phone till the wee hours. With visually calming animations and a soothing voiceover, every episode is insightful and expert-driven, and each one closes with a guided relaxation exercise to help you doze off. Headspace Guide to Sleep Release Date 2021 - 2021-00-00 Network Netflix Cast Evelyn Lewis Prieto Producers Morgan Selzer, Chad Mumm, Sam Rogoway, Andy Puddicombe Seasons 1 2 Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen A secluded forest estate and a dark family curse Sometimes you need a little fear to kick your immune system into overdrive, and this eight-part horror series produced by Stranger Things' Duffer Brothers is the vitamin C (for chills?) you need. OK, that was terrible, but you know what isn't? Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, that's what! The critically acclaimed original series follows bride-to-be Rachel (Daisy Jones & the Six's Camila Morrone) and her fiancé, Nicky (The White Lotus' Adam DiMarco), as they head to Nicky's family's remote house for their wedding. From the time they get there, though, something is off—Rachel starts having intense nightmares and visions of impending doom, Nicky's mom, Victoria (Jennifer Jason Leigh), is terminally ill and is hiding all kinds of dark secrets, and there's something creepy going on in the woods. Oh, and then there's the deadly curse to worry about. True to its name, the series builds and builds to its conclusion. It holds 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00 Network Netflix Cast Adam DiMarco, Camila Morrone, Gus Birney, Jeff Wilbusch, Karla Crome, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ted Levine, Sawyer Fraser, Zlatko Burić, Mikalah Reid-Beckette, Blair MacMillan, David Huband, Debra Hale, Jonathan Mason, Kent Sheridan, Michael Dara Showrunner Haley Z. Boston Directors Weronika Tofilska, Axelle Carolyn, Lisa Brühlmann Writers Ben Bolea, Kate Trefry, Alex Delyle, Alana B. Lytle, Haley Z. Boston Main Genre Horror Creator(s) Haley Z. Boston Producers Andrea Sperling, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Chris Hatcher, Weronika Tofilska Seasons 1 Executive Producer(s) Andrea Sperling, Haley Z. Boston, Hilary Leavitt, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Weronika Tofilska 1 Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones Secrets of long life from people pushing 100 Being sick is when most of us swear to start taking better care of ourselves. This enlightening Emmy-winning four-part docuseries will make you want to follow up on that promise. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones is a beautifully shot and produced jaunt around our planet in which New York Times bestselling author and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner visits five global hotspots he calls blue zones, where their inhabitants commonly live into their 100s. Across four episodes, he compares notes from all five zones—Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; and Okinawa, Japan—to explore the commonalities and differences between what their inhabitants are doing. He then stops in Singapore and the U.S. to test whether the formula can be copied. It turns out it's less about fad diets and gym memberships than it is about gardening, eating natural foods, walking, and enjoying time with friends and family. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones holds a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and will make you feel better just watching it. Network Netflix Cast Dan Buettner Directors Clay Jeter Producers Angus Wall, Terry Leonard, Amanda Rohlke, Dan Buettner, Rich Eckersley Seasons 1 Take four Netflix shows and call me in the morning Whether you're watching intently to take your mind off the runny nose or fading in and out of episodes, these Netflix miniseries are perfect for your sick day. And when you're feeling better and get back to it, in the event of a bad day at work, we've got plenty more miniseries ideas to help as well. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.