It would be a disservice to write an article about my grandma her entertainment content without listing the things she actively despises in modern popular media.

When asked what her favorite show is, she will never name a current hit. She will name Murder She Wrote, Matlock, or Golden Girls. She watches these reruns religiously, despite having seen every episode a dozen times.

Why does my grandma her entertainment content preference lean so heavily into the past? Safety. The world of Murder She Wrote (Cabot Cove, Maine) is a world where order is eventually restored. The crime is solved in 44 minutes. The hero is a polite, sharp-witted older woman. There are no jump scares, no explicit gore, and no morally gray anti-heroes.

In contrast, modern popular media—Succession, Euphoria, The White Lotus—is designed to make you anxious. The lighting is dark, the morals are ambiguous, and the sex is graphic. For a woman who lived through the Korean War, the assassination of JFK, and 9/11, entertainment is not supposed to stress her out further. It is supposed to soothe her. Netflix’s algorithm may recommend Squid Game, but my grandma chooses Jessica Fletcher. Every time.

If you're looking to enhance your grandma's entertainment experience, consider her interests and favorite genres. You might also explore introducing her to the convenience of streaming services, which often offer user-friendly interfaces and recommendations based on viewing history.

This review aims to provide a general overview and suggestions based on common preferences among seniors. Personal tastes can vary widely, so direct feedback from your grandma can further tailor these recommendations.

Despite the chasm between The Young and the Restless and Succession, there is common ground. Recently, a fascinating phenomenon occurred. We watched Poker Face (Rian Johnson’s homage to Columbo) together. She recognized the structure immediately. "Oh," she said after ten minutes, "this is a 'howcatchem.' They show you the murder first. Just like Columbo."

Suddenly, we were not competing for the remote. We were comparing notes. She told me about Peter Falk’s improvisation style. I told her about Natasha Lyonne’s acting process. The show acted as a code-switch—modern production with a classic soul.

We also bond over Abbott Elementary. She loves it because it reminds her of her first job (she was a teacher’s aide in the 1970s). I love it because it is smart and funny. It is one of the few shows that appears on both our "Top 10" lists.