Here are the best shows to binge-watch in social isolation and help combat loneliness, boredom and anxiety in these trying times.
If you’re currently trying to limit social contact to help decrease the spread of COVID-19, you’re probably finding that you have a lot more time to kill — and a lot less people to kill it with.
Now is the time to get caught up on all your favorite books and TV shows, but that, too, can get old after a while.
Sometimes, you need to inject something completely new into your media diet, and allow your imagination to be transported… especially when you’re physically confined to your living space for an extended period of time.
So, here are six shows to binge-watch in social isolation that will get you completely engrossed in something other than reality, and keep morale high!
1. ‘Money Heist’
This Spanish Netflix show (originally called La Casa de Papel) follows a team of criminals who decide to break into the Royal Mint, hold 67 people hostage, and manufacture all the money they want over the course of many days while manipulating the police. It’s an ingenious, almost flawless plan — but, of course, nothing ever goes exactly as expected.
You’ll find yourself rooting for both the criminals and the detectives trying to stop the heist, and watching in fascination as two teams of incredibly smart people go against each other in a battle of wits — and an actual armed battle, too.
You can stream all three seasons on Netflix. And if you’re trying to use your new free time to learn Spanish, this may be a great companion to your studies!
2. ‘Father Brown’
Sometimes you just need a wholesome murder-mystery starring Arthur Weasley as a happy-go-lucky priest who dabbles in detective work in the English countryside. Each episode is self-contained, which makes them great to watch over a meal or right before bed during a time of social isolation, and feel for a moment that you’re wandering a small English village in the 1950s alongside Mark Williams (who played Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter movies).
You can stream Father Brown on Netflix for a great combination of light-hearted humor and grizzly murder — and a great cast of village characters!
3. ‘Kingdom’
This show may be a little on the nose, but just removed enough from reality that it won’t be too stressful of an experience to watch. Kingdom is a Korean Netflix show set during Korea’s Joseon period, and follows the story of a Crown Prince who is struggling to keep his place in court.
When the emperor contracts a mysterious disease that turns out to be a zombie virus, and it begins to spread, the country is thrown into a battle for survival. A class war ensues between the aristocrats and the poor, and the Prince has to lead his people to harmony and safety in a crisis.
Does it feel a little bit too real? Maybe, but it’s an amazing show and might help you explore some of the ideas present in everyone’s minds.
You can stream the first season and the brand-new second season on Netflix — and if you like Kingdom, maybe you should give more Asian dramas a chance!
4. ‘Sense8’
In a time of global crisis, it’s good to remember the beautiful diversity of experiences that exists in our world, and appreciate the connections that can grow between people. The Wachowskis’ ground-breaking Netflix show, Sense8, can offer you this and more.
The story follows eight people spread across the world who suddenly find themselves sharing a telepathic connection. What happens when a policeman, a political activist and an DJ in the United States, a soon-to-be-bride in India, a gangster in Germany, a bus driver in Kenya, an actor in Mexico and a rich businesswoman (and underground boxer) in Korea suddenly begin to share their lives through their minds?
Through the Wachowskis’ legendary action sequences and incredible cinematography techniques, Sense8 achieves something no other show has been able to achieve: to capture the beauty and incredible power of connection between souls. This can be particularly healing to binge-watch in social isolation!
You can stream both seasons of Sense8 on Netflix, as well as its feature-length finale!
5. ‘Doctor Who’
You may have already seen a few episodes of this classic BBC show, but social isolation is the best time to binge-watch and get completely caught up (at least starting from the 2005 New Who!). Doctor Who has the advantage of providing something completely new every episode, so you will never get bored. Some episodes delve into historical events, some into spaceships and futuristic societies, and others into something completely different!
The Doctor is a time-travelling ancient being who, alongside his or her companions, explores all of time and space and helps solve crises of all kinds. Every few seasons, the Doctor ‘regenerates’ and is replaced by a new actor, leading to an ever-evolving show with a fresh new cast of characters. While the CGI in the first few seasons is a little outdated, the stories are immortal — and the budget only increases over the years.
You can stream all seasons of Doctor Who on Amazon Prime, and immerse yourself into one of the most dynamic shows of all time.
6. ‘The Good Place’
With a perfect mix of lighthearted comedy and inspirational character development, The Good Place is the perfect show to watch in times of uncertainty and social isolation. It follows Eleanor’s journey through the afterlife as she tries to become a better person, along with a charmingly flawed cast of characters.
As the show progresses, the mythology of the afterlife expands, allowing you to enjoy just how thoroughly the writers committed to exploring ethics and philosophy through wholesome comedy. Every episode is a beautiful reminder of how strong we can become when we work together to become better people (even in social isolation!).
You can stream some seasons of The Good Place on Netflix, and all seasons on Hulu.
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.