I was going to suggest Twice in a Lifetime, but I see it’s literally the first thing in your post. Oops.
I was going to mention Ghost Whisperer. It gets better after the first season.
I love The Librarians. It’s what I call “gentle” fantasy.
Freeform has some fantasy as well as nice shows which are very low on the dark/depressing scale. There’s The Fosters, for example, on the nice end. Stitchers is one of the nicest detective shows I’ve ever seen. Ditto Shadowhunters for fantasy.
Not exactly fantasy, but where does the OP stand on “magical stray dog” series like The Littlest Hobo and Boomer ? Plotwise, they tend to resemble the angel shows quite a bit, only without the godbothering. Dated now, of course, but then so are many of the examples given in the OP.
I beg your pardon. I’m smack dab in the middle of Gen X and you’d have to hold me at gunpoint to watch any of the shows you’ve listed. Give me dark and gritty and witty and tortured and complicated any day.
That said, good luck in your quest. 
I really liked Limitless and was disappointed by its cancellation.
You might also seek out mid-1990s show Strange Luck, another show with a short run.
I’m intrigued by your request.
That you’re so straightforward about identifying the kind of story you want as “sentimental,” “simplistic,” “sappy,” and so on, makes me assume it’s not too forward for me to ask this question, but let me know if I’m assuming too much.
Given that the very concept of a simplistic story, and a sappy story (and arguably a sentimental story too) is that the audience is simplistic both at an intellectual and an emotional level–which in turn indicates a lack of respect for that audience–this makes me wonder, how do you manage to enjoy these shows while remaining fully aware of them as sappy etc? Don’t you infer from your characterization of these shows that they can only be enjoyed on an assumption that you yourself are simplistic and sappy, not worth respect as an audience?
A pointed question I won’t deny it! But again, your straightforward characterization of the shows leads me to think you are straightforward, too, about characterizing yourself and so I feel it’s not likely I’m hurting any feelings by asking this question. And I’m genuinely interested, not critical. You do you as they say.
Or the audience wants the entertainment equivalent of comfort food. I think most people like something simple at times.
I think people have different reasons for watching TV or movies. For me it’s escapism from the dark times we live in, from work, from any other stresses. I know 90% of people today want to be provoked, to be made to think, to be disturbed, to laugh, be scared, or some combination of these. I just want to something where I know I’m going to have a good cry at the end - and where I won’t think about anything that’s going on in the world today - good bad or otherwise. It’s comforting and cozy and carhartic to watch a simple tale where good wins out and it’s all neatly wrapped at the end.
The problem is there’s almost no market for what I want. We can debate all the reasons the tv landscape changed in the 90s but net net is I’m in a tiny minority. And I’m (now) competing with hallmark channel viewers (who want straight up romance) or mega religious types (who might even disagree with some of the messages in the shows I like).
Twice in a lifetime (and early edition) are the gold standard for me. Sappy tales of helping people, almost no religiosity, and very light with one theme threading through each episode.
Sorry to the other gen x’er. You’re right even people my age watch stuff that’s complex and gritty!
This is totally okay and you don’t have to defend it.
I do think there’s other light, feel-good escapism on TV besides the specific category(ies) you’re asking about though, like some sit-coms or “cozy” mysteries, not to mention sports and game shows.
The heart wants what the heart wants.
I’m sort of similar to the OP in that I don’t want a huge long story arc and I want my characters to go home happy. I can watch crime shows but I want the characters to joke around a little and to not be consumed with the bad stuff. I also want good to always win, and not some pyrrhic victory where you catch the bad guy after they skinned their 8th victim.
Kevin Probably Saves the World is basically Eli Stone. I’m liking it but it’s probably on the chopping block.
Not a fantasy, but have you seen The Waltons?
We also live in an age of Internet content. I find I don’t watch nearly as much traditional TV these days. I have webcomics and podcasts and even web video that helps with this. Since these people aren’t making big productions, they don’t need to worry about having so big an audience.
I also find panel shows from the UK to be pretty awesome. Gonna listen to the XL edition of QI in a little bit. And later probably watch a Let’s Play of a light-fantasy video game.
One show I haven’t seen mentioned is “Mysterious Ways” (another Canadian series). It’s about a professor who investigates possible miracles and his colleague (Rae Dawn Chong) who is a skeptic.
It’s funny you mention. I’d looked into this - in fact, to a LOT of Canadian shows after watching Being Erica. The IMDB review references a church window dripping with blood and i didn’t look any further. I’ll try an episode.
Ratings are really low, and from what i read it’s a bad sign they ordered 3 more episodes this season (closure).
I only watched the first episode, saving for when my wife gets back from Asia. It was fantastic… If it goes in the direction it seems (him helping someone else new every week) it will get even better.
On another note, I liked This is Us for the first 3 episodes. Then it got too real, too dark, and unpredictable in a bad way and I stopped after most of season 1.
It might not be your cup of tea; it’s kind of like a really, really mild version of the X-Files.
Looking at this week’s schedule for the W Network (which is where I’ve seen Twice in a Lifetime and Mysterious Ways), I see there’s also Good Witch, a show about a (good) witch single mom in a small town. Kind of like a less edgy Gilmore Girls with slightly more magic.
Hey what about The Good Place?