Best late-night TV shows to binge after hours
Last updated: July 9, 2025
We've all been there – it's 2 AM, you're wide awake for whatever reason, and you're staring at Netflix feeling empty. The thing is, late-night TV hits different. What seems brilliant at midnight might feel completely wrong late at night and what bores you during the day can be exactly what your brain needs when everyone else is asleep.
Wind down gently with slow, quiet comfort shows
Sometimes your brain just won't switch off, and that's where BBC iPlayer's "slow TV" collection comes in. We're talking scenic train rides through the Scottish Highlands, narrowboat journeys down peaceful canals and those weirdly mesmerizing shots of crackling fireplaces. No dialogue, no drama, just pure visual valium.
The thing about slow TV is it tricks your brain into chilling out. You've got something to look at, but it's not asking anything of you. Your mind can wander off wherever it wants and somehow you actually end up relaxed instead of just lying there pretending to be calm. But if you need actual people doing actual things, Vera on ITV hits that sweet spot perfectly. It's got just enough going on to keep you interested, but the whole thing moves at this lovely, unhurried pace through gorgeous countryside.
When you want some edge (but not nightmares)
You know when your body's done but your head won't quit? Nightsleeper on BBC gets this completely – it's about a hacked night train, and the whole thing plays out in real time while passengers try to work out what's going on. There's something perfect about watching it when you're up late at night, because everyone on screen feels as disoriented as you do.
The Tourist on BBC works too. A man wakes up in the middle of nowhere Australia with no clue who he is and everyone wants him dead. Sounds mental, but it's more like solving a puzzle than having a heart attack. Your tired brain can follow along without getting too wound up.
For the nights you just need to laugh
Sometimes you just need something stupid to laugh at. Peep Show is perfect for this. Mark and Jeremy's inner thoughts are ridiculous and when you're half asleep they become absolutely hilarious. There's something about watching their disasters unfold that makes you feel better about being awake at ridiculous hours in your pajamas.
The best thing is that you don't need to follow complex plots or remember what happened three episodes ago. Each episode is its own little disaster.
The thing about late-night TV
Here's what nobody tells you: the same show hits completely differently at midnight versus day. Your tolerance for slow pacing goes up, your need for immediate resolution goes down, and somehow even the most ridiculous plot twists seem perfectly reasonable when you're existing in that weird space between Tuesday and Wednesday. So next time you need something late at night check what’s on TV and you will find something for you.
