background TV to make me wise

[sunandfog]

I often have the TV on for a couple of hours a day while my baby naps and I do jobs... It makes the house feel less lonely!

I usually have something mindless on like Friends or some reality rubbish. I can't offer up a lot of concentration but what could I watch that might improve my brain a teeny tiny bit? Maybe QI or something? Ideas welcome...

I know podcasts/radio are a good option too but have radio 4 on a lot the rest of the day. TV feels like more of a treat in nap time!

If you have Disney+ pretty much any documentary is worth a watch. Even ones I think I’ll only find so-so (the ones about the penguins, the polar bears etc) have all turned out to be quite good. Works double well for you cos if the baby wakes up you can speak to them about the animals 😂

All the ancient Egypt ones range from pretty good to somewhat incredible (5 on demand have the best ones for this though). Even people who aren’t obsessed with Egypt that have passively watched it through me have ended up being quite interested and wouldn’t leave until the episode was finished. Pretty good for a whole range of knowledge actually.

Not “telly” really but Dark History by Bailey Sarian is probably most like what you’re looking for. Basically individual episodes about the darker history behind loads of topics (origins of christmas, who Betty Crocker really was, old medicine) etc etc. Advantage is obviously you can pick whatever episode you’re in the mood for and it’s easy enough for background noise but interesting enough that you are definitely following along.

Some of the Frreview channels have some good documentaries, such as Smithsonian and PBS America.

Also, listening to good old Radio 4 is very interesting.
There are regular series, such as the Infinite Monkey Cage, More or Less, Thinking Allowed, in Our Time, Inside Science, The Museum of Curiosity, and many more.
At the moment, the Reith Lectures are being broadcast.
They also have some interesting one off programmes.
Lots of these are available on Sounds, too.

Sorry, somehow missed that you already do radio and want TV! 🙄

Sky Arts (on freeview - channel 11 I think) for knowledge.

School of Life channel on YouTube.

Radio 4 Books and Authors - or the ARts and Ideas podcast which is Radio 3 I think. The rest is politics, Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart.
But I find I need to be doing something when I listen - can't just sit and stare into space.

thanks everyone! The nap has commenced

@kiwiiem feeling particularly inspired by Ancient Egypt so will give that a go first...