3 Shows Married Couples Should Watch Together

I’ve always believed that one of best things we can do for our marriage and families is to watch less television, but I also believe that watching the right shows can actually have a positive impact on us. I think every couple could benefit from watching three shows: A show to help you learn together, a show to help you dream together, and a show to help you laugh together. When my wife Ashley and I cuddle up on the couch for a show, here are some of our favorites…

1. A show to help you learn together

There are plenty of shows that teach us about history in an entertaining way (like historical fictions such as Downton Abbey and highly-entertaining non-fiction like Mysteries at the Museum which is also a favorite of our kids). One show Ashley and I love watching is HGTV’s Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines. Chip and Joanna are not only great at bringing new life to old houses and teaching the viewers how to do better home improvements; they’re also authentically modeling the fun, friendship and partnership necessary for a strong marriage. Watching this real-life married couple interact is one of the most beautiful love stories on TV.

Patheos: 5 Ways to Overcome a Struggle in Your Marriage

2. A show to help you dream together

Ashley and I love watching shows that help us dream new dreams. One of our favorites is Shark Tank which puts entrepreneurs in front of a panel of “sharks” to pitch their ideas. Watching these entrepreneurs share their dreams and watching these seasoned veteran “sharks” share their expertise helps us dream new dreams for our own ideas and future endeavors. We also love dreaming about travel by watching shows like House Hunters International or House Hunters Caribbean Life. Watching people shop for real estate in international or exotic locations helps us dream of new places we’d like to visit someday and even gives us the feel of having had a 30-minute vacation without having to leave our couch!

Patheos: Fatherlessness: Holes and Wounded Souls

3. A show to help you laugh together

Life’s stressful enough, so we don’t typically like a lot of “drama” in our TV shows, but we’re always up for some laughs! Laughter is good for the soul and there are plenty of good comedies out there. The trick is to find a good comedy that isn’t raunchy in the process. Some of our favorites include The Middle, Everybody loves Raymond, and The Office. A rerun of one of these three shows is playing nearly 24/7, so they’re easy to find.

Patheos: To the Spouse Who’s Burned Out

The more moments you can share together with your spouse, the stronger your marriage will become. I hope these show suggestions provide another opportunity to spend some quality time laughing, learning and dreaming together!

Dave Willis is an associate pastor at Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. He and his wife, Ashley, founded StrongerMarriages.org and the “Marriage” app as a way to encourage couples to build stronger marriages.

This article originally appeared on Patheos