Column: What to watch and how to watch it

Last night, I sent a text to my fellow members of arts desk. It said: “We must mobilize as the quarantine entertainment desk. We can do this.” 

For the next few weeks, we will be leaning heavily into the entertainment aspect of “arts & entertainment.”

First up — what to watch, when to watch, how to watch, all organized by platform.

(Note: I will not be recommending things like “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation.” Obviously, they are great, but quarantine boredom calls for something new. And diverse.)

Here are the shows I have been watching or plan on watching during this break.

Netflix

If you want something fast-paced — “On My Block” and “Sex Education”

• Both of these shows have captivating stories that move quickly. “On My Block” has 30-minute episodes; “Sex Education” runs at around an hour. Both rely on an ensemble with an eccentric cast, so you can fill up your entire day with compelling and unique storytelling. 

If you miss “The Bachelor” — “Love Is Blind”

• This show is especially relevant now. Consider COVID-19 the equivalent of the wall between the engaged couples of this show. If nothing else, this show could give you tips on what to do (and definitely what not to do) for relationships now separated by a phone screen.

If you want a laugh, and wish you could go back in time — Donald Glover’s stand-up special “Weirdo”

• My dad recommended this, referring to Glover as “that guy from 'Community.'” What is really jarring is that in this 2012 special, Glover himself asks the audience “How many of you guys know me from my show, 'Community?'” to thunderous applause. Set back eight years, before all this, Glover is only known for a Joel McHale sitcom and is just now putting out an EP.

If you want to imagine yourself in a parallel universe — “The West Wing”

• We all wish Jed Bartlet was our president. Plus, you can imagine a time where the craziest story of the news cycle was a supposed secret plan to fight inflation. 

For fans of Wes Anderson-esque TV - “The End of the F***ing World” and “I Am Not Okay With This”

If you liked "Parasite" — “Money Heist” and "Crash Landing On You"

• “Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” said "Parasite" Director Bong Joon Ho. Let's take this in stride. “Money Heist” is a Spanish thriller about a bank robbery. There are apparently many twists and turns, making it impossible to turn off at the end of an episode. "Crash Landing On You" is a romantic drama which received praise over its portrayal of politics in Korea.

“Broadchurch”

• I mainly watched this because I love Olivia Colman and David Tennant. I was not disappointed. Watching this show feels like listening to an in-depth crime podcast. It is incredibly immersive in the dramas of a small seaside town.  

“Sherlock”

• Listen, if you haven’t already seen this show, please watch it. With three 90-minute episodes per season, this show will easily fill an entire day. Plus, Andrew Scott may have his claim to fame as Hot Priest from season two of “Fleabag,” but let’s respect where he got his start.

If you loved "Fleabag" — "Crashing"

• On a deep dive of Netflix's content, I discovered this lesser-known show written and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge from 2016. I immediately added it to my list.  

Hulu

If you loved “Big Little Lies” — “Little Fires Everywhere”

• Reese Witherspoon has absolutely found her niche as wealthy housewife dealing with dramatic family and community fallout, and I personally am ecstatic for her latest iteration of this role. 

If you want something comforting — “30 Rock”

• I know I said I wouldn’t recommend sitcoms and comedies that everyone has seen, but up until recently, I didn’t even know that "30 Rock" was available to stream! And it’s times like this where we need Tina Fey more than ever!

For music fans — “High Fidelity”

• The whole premise of this show centers around Zoë Kravitz making playlists and trying to get over heartbreak. Perfect. 

If you want to watch my favorite movie of all time — “When Harry Met Sally” 

• I was recently listening to the This American Life episode “Rom-Com” (podcast episode recommendations are coming soon!) and many cited this as the best rom-com of all time, and I have to agree. It depicts a relationship naturally growing out of witty conversation. In short — it’s about two people, at their best, most charming and witty selves, falling in love.

If gymnastics is your favorite Olympic sport and you are concerned about its fate — “Make It or Break It”

If you feel like you are regressing into your teen self living back at home — “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”

• Also acceptable: “The O.C.,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “One Tree Hill” — the possibilities are endless.

For fans of WWE and “Little Women” - “Fighting With My Family”

• Florence Pugh plays an up and coming wrestler. That is all. Dwayne ”The Rock” Johnson also stars.

If you want to watch a movie I consider one of the best of the decade — “I, Tonya”

Amazon Prime 

If you wish Idris Elba a speedy recovery — “Luther” 

If you want to watch a movie with a 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes — “The Farewell”

The show ingrained in the pop culture canon that you’ve been “meaning to watch for forever” — “The Sopranos”

• No, not talking about myself here (absolutely talking about myself here). The Sopranos has long been hailed as the best of TV. What better time to finally watch it! 

“Boardwalk Empire”

• I was on a deep dive into everything included with a Prime subscription, and saw this one. At the end of the show description is “Steve Buscemi stars.” Need I say more?

If you watched the Emmys but weren’t familiar with the show that swept it all — “Fleabag”

• Phoebe Waller-Bridge is hilarious, with perfectly-timed fourth wall breaks. Her humor plus a compelling story makes this show impossible to turn away from. 

Something ideal for taking breaks when working from home — “Modern Love”

• Each episode tells one complete story and runs at about 30 minutes, so this show can create structured breaks when working or studying from home. 

“The Wire” 

• My favorite English professor has hailed this as “the best of television” on multiple occasions. I trust him. 

@madelinellis

arts@dailytarheel.com