In this season it’s important to remember the true meaning of autumn – not plastic skeletons and rotting pumpkins – but fluffy socks and fireplaces, lots of hot drinks and a cosy TV show.

Detectorists

BBC iPlayer

Technically these detectorists are searching for Saxon treasure across all seasons, but there’s something about the Mackenzie Crook (The Office UK) Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) combo, Johnny Flynn’s folk soundtrack, and the gently sardonic humour that makes it ideal to watch for when it’s raining outside.

Lance (Jones) and Andy (Crook) also emit a fair volume of ennui into the air in their hunt for treasure, perfect for those who like to get a bit existential in the colder months. - ECS

Ghosts

BBC iPlayer

As the nights draw in, you need a warmhearted sitcom that you can sit down and watch with the family.

Try Ghosts, the BBC sitcom from the Horrible Histories troupe about a young couple who unsuspectingly inherit a haunted house. If that sounds more Halloween than autumnal, rest assured that it's a cosy stately home in Surrey and the ghosts are all loveable, if very needy. From Jim Howick's 80s scoutmaster Pat and his many afterlife 'clubs' to Mathew Baynton's failed Regency-era poet Thomas Thorne and his undying, unreciprocated love for Alison, the quirky business of these ghosts, it seems, will never be finished.

'Family friendly comedy' might sound a bit naff, but the historical caricatures are so well drawn and the troupe's writing so sharp that both your baby brother and his nan will be in stitches. - HB

Heartstopper

Netflix

Some would argue Heartstopper is a spring show but given that the third series has just released in October, I’d like to plead its case. It centres around popular rugby boy Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Rocketman) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke, Agatha All Along) beginning a relationship in high school. In series three, they’ve come through difficult scenarios like school bullies and coming out the closet, and are now starting to make big choices about their futures.

Heartstopper won’t stop your heart, but it will warm it, which makes it pair perfectly with a cup of tea.

Plus, cartoon leaves drift around every now and then – very autumnal. - ECS

Married At First Sight UK

E4

Now, hear me out. Married at First Sight UK doesn’t necessarily scream autumn. However, with its run time going from mid-September to November, it’ll be there to hold your hand through the dark evenings. MAFS UK is exactly what it sounds like. Experts pair up people tired of traditional dating, and they meet for the first time at the aisle, before heading off on their honeymoon. October may be the beginning of cuffing season, but these rollercoaster relationships might make you feel better about being alone during the colder months. - ECS

Gilmore Girls

ITX/Netflix

The crown jewel of autumn shows.

Every ‘fall’ Pinterest board looks like Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) has just stepped out of it. Her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) romanticises the hell out of reading books on park benches under orange trees. Both live in the picturesque village of Stars Hollow, which celebrates the season with an Autumn Festival. - ECS

The Great British Bake Off

Channel 4

What is autumn for, if not baking a warm pumpkin pie? If, like me, you simply lack the patience and your bottoms are destined to remain soggy, why not do the next best thing and watch The Great British Bake Off.

According to previous contestants it's actually quite a stressful competition. But you wouldn't have guessed it. The bakers compete in a pastel-toned tent adorned with bunting, and are subjected to little more than the friendly banter of Alison Hammond and a couple of judges who are more likely to dish out handshakes than scathing critiques. All of which add up to some fairly convivial village fete vibes. - HB

Only Murders in the Building

Disney+

There’s something about a good old cosy crime and it’s medium-to-low stakes that make it the perfect watch for when it’s grey. For those who have tired after decades of David Suchet’s Poirot, Only Murders in the Building provides a modern twist on the eccentric detective trope, by offering three amateur podcasters. - ECS

Better still, Steve Martin and Martin Short have reunited for the series, with the surprisingly perfect addition of Selena Gomez. For series four, the podcast has become so successful it has received a movie adaption… with Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria playing the big three.

Nobody Wants This

Netflix

Adam Brody has a habit of playing the perfect boyfriend: first Gilmore Girl’s Dave Rygalski, who read the full bible in an evening to impress his crush’s mother; then The OC’s Seth Cohen, who named a boat after Summer.

Now enters 'Hot Rabbi' Noah, giving Fleabag’s Hot Priest a run for his money.

Around this time of year, you’re gearing up for Christmas, but you aren’t quite allowed to delve into Love Actually or The Princess Switch quite yet. It’s the perfect time to microdose a romcom series before rewatching Last Christmas. - ECS

Sort Your Life Out

BBC iPlayer

If you didn’t quite get round to spring cleaning this year, autumn organising is here to save the day. Stacey Solomon has gone from Queen of the Jungle to the queen of decluttering and is travelling around the country turning hoarding families’ homes around.

Alongside organisation expert Dilly Carter, cleaning fanatic Iwan Carrington, and carpenter Rob Bent, Solomon shows you how to label glass jars, remove Biro from walls with a can of hairspray, make a regular lamp look like a hot air balloon, and build a bunkbed (maybe don’t attempt this one). Your home will be an organisational haven, and prepared for a hellish multigenerational Christmas. - ECS

Hilda

Netflix

Technically for children, but definitely for adults, Hilda encapsulates everything hygge, down to its cosy rewriting of Scandinavian folklore. Hilda (voiced by Bella Ramsey) lives in the wilderness near Trolberg with her mother, until one day her house is trod on by a giant. She accepts it’s not really his fault though, and he becomes one of Hilda’s many mythical creature friends as she moves to the big city and attempts to make human ones. - ECS