Social distancing and the past five months of quarantine have been filled with a lot of downtime, and inevitably, a lot of TV. Here are a few of the shows that made surviving five months in my house a little bit easier.
- The Umbrella Academy
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Where to Watch: Netflix
The Umbrella Academy is a show about 7 superpowered siblings raised to be a crime fighting team. Now, if superheroes aren’t really your speed, the show has plenty of action, romance, and comedy to make up for it. The characters all envoke such strong emotions, plenty of love and plenty of rage, so you get attached. It has two seasons with ten episodes each and it’s a great binge!
- The Vampire Diaries
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Where to Watch: Netflix
Alright. I know that some people are going to look at this and judge me hardcore, but it is a really good, somewhat bad show to watch. Let me explain. The characters, though annoying at times, are very well rounded. The show has great relationships and the great bromance of Damon and Alaric. If you’re looking for some good, enticing trashy TV, The Vampire Diaries is definitely my recommendation.
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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Where to Watch: Hulu
If you haven’t watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer yet, then it’s a must-watch. It’s based on the cult classic movie, the show follows Buffy Summers on her journey to being The Slayer. She and her ragtag group of teenagers, hot vampires, and a British librarian who is the ultimate dad, face demons, vampires, and the end of the world (a few times over). It’s a show that’s great to binge, or to watch slowly.
- Roswell, New Mexico (2018)
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Where to Watch: Netflix
At the beginning of quarantine, my sister and I decided to start this series because she had watched the original from 1999. The last thing we wanted was to get sucked into another CW TV show, but on the first night, we watched over half of the first season. The show has a solid mix of aliens, romance, and political statements about the current climate. This reimagining of the original series has also updated the show with LGBTQ+ characters that are well rounded and make the show even better.
- Love Island (UK)
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Where to watch: Hulu
I have watched plenty of reality TV in my lifetime, but the seemingly endless episodes and the built-in drama make for good mindless TV. The romance in the villa is impeccable and the showrunners are very good at stirring the pot. This was a show that I watched with my friends over Zoom, so not only did it give me a show to focus on, but it also allowed me to reconnect with my friends.
- Shark Tank
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Where to Watch: Hulu
Shark Tank is a show that you’ve either never seen or you can’t stop watching it. When I hit a place in not having any shows to watch in quarantine (and believe me, it did happen), I turned to Shark Tank. It makes you feel like you know a lot about business, even though you don’t really know anything, and you often find yourself making lists of products you need to have. Just like characters on a TV show, you’ll develop a favorite shark, and decide that if you were ever going to go on the show, who you would want to work with. It definitely sucks you in way faster than you think it will.
- Schitt’s Creek
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Where to Watch: Netflix, Pop TV website for the final season
Schitt’s Creek has gained a huge following and a lot of popularity since coming on Netflix. The show follows a family that has lost their fortune as they move to a town they bought as a joke. As someone who doesn’t watch a lot of shows in the 20-minute sit-com format, Schitt’s Creek had me laughing, crying, and empathizing for the characters. Through the six seasons of the show, we see every character’s development, and we see amazing relationships form, but only when the character is ready for a relationship, and not just for shits and giggles. This is a show that is necessary to watch.
I’m always looking for new TV show suggestions, so make sure to tell me what TV shows got you through quarantine!