Getting started on a new creative project can be a great way to give the right side of your brain a workout. While there are a million and one ways to spark your creativity, did you know that watching TV can also be a great way to get those ideas flowing? Yup, you read that right. TV is creative fuel! Here are 17 of our favorite shows to inspire your creative side.
1. Chef’s Table (Available on Netflix): Chef’s Table profiles some of the most influential chefs in the world, delving into the how-tos of honing their craft. From Chef Massimo Bottura creating miniature food sculptures (that are works of art!) to Francis Mallmann using open fires to cook in Patagonia, you’ll feel inspired to hit the kitchen and whip up some masterpieces of your own after watching this series! (Photo via Netlifx)
2. Flight of The Conchords (Available on HBO, Amazon + iTunes): Flight of the Conchords follows the comedic adventures of a two-man band from New Zealand as they try to find success in NYC. The show’s stars are actually a real life musical duo, so you know they aren’t playing when it comes to the music they write. This show will inspire you to channel your inner musician… or your inner comedian. (Photo via HBO)
3. MasterChef Junior (Available on FOX, Amazon + iTunes): Guys, this is *not* your average cooking competition show. The chefs competing range in age from 8 to 13, and their skills will blow you out of the water. After watching a few episodes, you’ll be feeling the urge to put on an apron and get down to it. If a nine-year-old can make a perfect Beef Wellington in under an hour, then you certainly can, too. (Photo via Fox)
4. The Writers’ Room (Available on SundanceTV, Amazon + iTunes): For TV buffs that spend hours watching their favorite shows and have strong opinions on character decisions (GOT writers, we’re lookin’ at you!), The Writers’ Room is a must-watch. The host, Jim Rash, gets the real dish on what it’s like when the writers are making those major plot decisions. For all aspiring wordsmiths, it’s an inspirational glimpse of the creative process behind your favorite shows. (Photo via IMDB)
5. Shark Tank (Available on ABC, Hulu, Amazon + iTunes): We don’t know about you, but Shark Tank takes up some serious space on our DVRs. Binge-watching an entire season will make you feel like you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. After seeing some of the successful pitches, it’s hard not to get inspired with your own million-dollar idea. (Photo via ABC)
6. Chopped (Available on Food Network, Netflix, Amazon + iTunes): If we could be a judge on any TV show, Chopped would definitely be at the top of our list. Four chefs compete to turn a basket of mystery ingredients into a tasty three-course meal (bacon popcorn appetizers, anyone?). Try getting more inventive in your own kitchen by pulling out the odd contents in your fridge and creating a brand new dish. Sounds like the perfect Friday night to us! (Photo via Food Network)
7. Face Off (Available on SyFy, Hulu, Amazon + iTunes ): Wanna see people get creative? Pit a group of prosthetic makeup artists against each other to test their artistry and techniques in creating a new makeup character each week. The results are scary good (emphasis on the scary). We wish all of our Halloween makeup could be done by these guys. (Photo via Syfy)
8. American Genius (Available on National Geographic): From Nikola Tesla vs Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates, each episode of this show dips into a fierce rivalry and how it spawned some of the most creative advancements in our history. It’s some food for thought on utilizing your own rivalries to push your creativity to the next level. (Photo via National Geographic)
9. Iconoclasts (Available on SundanceTV, Amazon + iTunes): What do you get when you pair together two super famous creative personalities? You basically get inspiration in a bottle… or in a 60-minute TV show. Iconoclasts gives you an in-depth look at the passions and motivations of stars like Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow + Seth MacFarlane and Norah Jones. Um, can we come to this party? (Photo via SundanceTV)
10. Ace of Cakes (Available on Food Network, Netflix, Amazon + iTunes) – We thinks cake rule, so when we hear about a show that creates the craziest cakes around, then it’s definitely on our watchlist. The head chef on this show is an artist with a pastry knife. With pyrotechnic creations (seriously, it shoots sparks!) and giant life-size replicas (gives new meaning to “eat your weight in cake”), this show will leave you hungry for dessert in a big way. (Photo via Food Network)
11. Treehouse Masters (Available on Animal Planet, Hulu, Amazon + iTunes): Treehouse Masters follows treehouse expert (yes, those exist) Pete Nelson as he searches for the most extreme and elaborate tree houses around the world. Uhhhh, AWESOME. These certainly aren’t the tree houses you had growing up, but they’re definitely the ones you wish you had. It’s time to pull out those old treehouse drawings from when you were a kid and figure out how to make them a reality. (Photo via Animal Planet)
12. Rehab Addict (Available on HGTV, Amazon + iTunes): This take on home renovation focuses on restoration of old homes, rather than remodel. DVR a few of these shows and start planning your future dream home. (Photo via HGTV)
13. American Masters (Available on PBS): This show has highlighted oodles of America’s most notable creative artists. Covering everyone from Neil Young to Judy Garland, the series dives into the impact these artists have had on our nation’s pop culture. Watch these maestros of the past to spark your creativity for the future (seriously inspiring!). (Photo via PBS)
14. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Available on The CW, Amazon + iTunes): This show features a panel of comedians acting out improvisational games, creating characters, songs and scenes on the spot. This show will definitely have you thinking on your feet. Try your own hand at improv by playing the Party Quirks game at your next dinner party. It will definitely have your guests calling you the hostess with the mostess. (Photo via The CW)
15. Green Porno (Available on SundanceTV): This series of short films focuses on the sexual behavior of animals (yup, you heard us). Isabella Rossellini, the star of Green Porno, acts out different animal mating rituals that are pretty unfamiliar to most of us. This show will have you thinking of the animal kingdom in a WHOLE new way. (Photo via SundanceTV)
16.Project Runway (Available on Lifetime, Amazon + iTunes): Known as one of the sassiest shows in fashion, Project Runway aims to give you a daily dose of that Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn “make it work” magic. The show follows up-and-coming designers as they vie for a chance to have their own runway show in New York’s Fashion Week. A few binge-watching sessions and you’ll be setting up your own fashion challenges with toilet paper rolls and tape. (Photo via Lifetime)
17. Fixer Upper (Available on HGTV, Amazon + iTunes): Fixer Upper pairs renovation, design and real estate pros Chip and Joanna Gaines with Texas buyers to help them purchase and renovate homes that are in need of some serious TLC. Watch a couple of episodes and you’ll find your yourself wanting to spruce up your space in a serious way. (Photo via HGTV)
Have a creative project of your own that you want to share? Submit your idea to the #IAMCREATIVE foundation for a chance to win $$$ to kickstart your dream!
