Honestly, I cannot believe that we are practically halfway through the Spring quarter. This midterm season has been pretty intense for me personally, but watching an episode here and there of my comfort shows genuinely helps me relax. Here are a few of my favorites that can hopefully help you unwind while trying to get through the quarter.
- The Derry Girls (Netflix)
This show never ceases to make me laugh. There are only six 20-minute episodes per season, so it’s a light watch that can easily help you take your mind off things. The show follows four girls and one boy navigating an all-girls Catholic school in 1990’s Ireland during the Civil War. Whether it’s through Michelle’s desire to do anything crazy and Claire’s refusal to do so or through Orla’s constant interruption of Erine’s dramatic teenage monologues, the show presents a realistic friendship that makes you laugh and reflect back on your own teenage years. Having personally gone to an all-girls Catholic school, I have to say this is the most accurate rendition of the chaos, humor, friendship, and compassion that I experienced back in high school.
- The Vampire Diaries (Netflix)
Every time I mention this show to my friends, they sigh and roll their eyes at me but hear me out. It has everything a fan of fantasy, romance, and humor could ever want. It follows a high school student who ends up in a love triangle between two vampire brothers and her journey encountering vampires, werewolves, witches, doppelgangers, sirens, and basically everything under the sun. The witty sarcasm mixed with the dramatic romance makes it a nice show to take your mind off of things. The show has seven seasons with about 20 episodes of 40 minutes each.
- Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max)
Being a huge fan of Pirates of the Caribbean and Taika Waititi, New Zealand filmmaker and director of Thor: Ragnarok, I immediately clicked on this show when my friend lent me her HBO Max account. This show has silly humor that will make your abs hurt from laughing and an adorable romance that just might make you cry. The show regards an upperclassman in the 1700s who decides to become a pirate captain because of a midlife crisis. His gentle manner of managing his crew through kindness, payment, and telling them stories catches the attention of Blackbeard (played by Taika Waititi,) who is similarly going through an identity crisis of not wanting to be a menacing captain anymore. As an LGTBQ+ ally, I’d have to say this is one of the best queer representations I’ve seen because the sexuality of the crew members is not the plot but merely an accepted part of them that contributes to the story. This show has 1 season with ten episodes which are 30 minutes each.
Catholic school, vampires, and pirates: yes, somehow my mind finds comfort in those three genres. Well, now that I’ve exposed my strange taste in comfort shows, I hope that you take a peek at them or take comfort in your own shows to take a break between studying and homework. Good luck on Midterms!