Netflix, DisneyPlus, and other streaming services have been as necessary as eating and sleeping while we are all stuck at home. While not everyone may have access to a streaming service, or may be bored of seeing the same type of content, there is always YouTube.
YouTube is free to use of course, and has much more variety in content than the average user may realize. The list below compiles an array of content creators that vary from individuals who still use YouTube as a hobby, to companies that create amazing free content that is often very educational.
Video Essays
Internet Historian
The Internet Historian is a comedic look at, as is true to the name, the history of life on the internet. If you are someone who has been heavily invested in internet life and culture, then many of the events this channel talks about will be familiar to you but will provide you with a full picture and fresh information on these often long-forgotten stories. If you have not heard of any of these events previously, you are in for a hilarious and wild ride through a world that is right under your fingertips but which you never expected.
Weird History
The weird history channel is everything we wonder why we didn’t learn about in school. It answers basic questions like what was life like for the average person during these time periods, it uncovers historical mysteries, and even the history of toilets. If you have ever had even the faintest interest in history then this is a channel you need to see.
The Infographics Show
We all know and love infographics. They simplify complex things into basic numbers or images, making them easier to understand and look at. The Infographics Show genuinely has something for absolutely everyone, and this cannot possibly be communicated to you well enough until you go check out their content.
Contrapoints
Contrapoints is the internet identity of Natalie Wynn, a well-educated, well-spoken, and wonderfully entertaining creator. She covers complex philosophical and societal topics in some of the most visually pleasing ways possible. What Contrapoints has that differs from the previous channels I’ve mentioned, is that this channel is entirely longform. With most videos going over half an hour in length, and some as long as almost two hours, Contrapoints is a “sit back, relax, and enjoy” experience like no other.
Sarah Z
This channel is much smaller than those previously mentioned, however, captures the essence of what YouTube is – a site where anyone can make videos on anything. Sarah Z does video essays over 20 minutes long that once again cover a variety of topics, but are done with less theatrics and more simplicity than channels such as Contrapoints. Recent videos include “Rise of the Doomer: Why so many people are giving up” and exploration on the topic of online boundaries and emotional labour.
Lindsay Ellis
Lindsay Ellis has a larger back catalogue of content than Sarah Z has, but she also covers more specific topics that mostly centre around literature and the arts. If you love film studies or fiction, Lindsay Ellis’ channel is a must.
Special mention: True Crime
Buzzfeed Unsolved marathons
An honorable mention goes to the Buzzfeed Unsolved series, which covers true crime and paranormal mysteries. You can find official marathon videos of these series, which allow you to watch entire seasons of the show without lifting a finger.
Life journies
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
If you haven’t previously seen the Bon Appetit YouTube channel, prepare to get enlightened. A cast of lovable chefs in a mostly unscripted format show the many sides of the art of cooking. It could be argued that this channel got a major part of its fame from the “Gourmet Makes” series, where chef Claire Saffitz remakes beloved products such as Lucky Charms cereal, Snickers bars, Pop-Tarts, and many more. This channel is much more than cooking.
The New York Times, Vice, Broadly
All three of these channels post very similar types of content through the topics they cover and the style they use to cover such topics varies greatly. These cover personal stories, which are sometimes animated in the case of The New York Times, pop music interviews and explorations, as well as news from across the world. Vice, in particular, has the longer form content than others mentioned here, however Broadly is the female-oriented strand of Vice. In one of these channels, you will find your particular interests without a problem.