Self-Quarantine TV Shows

Sitting here late on a Saturday night self-distancing and doing laundry, I flipped on the TV and realized with no hockey and mostly Big Bang Theory reruns on, watching the tube is getting old quickly during this crazy time we find ourselves working through.

During the week there are still some shows bringing out new programming and while watching the news is important, it can also be depressing and it's nice to escape with some pointless television fluff.

Everyone has their thing when it comes to the TV shows (not movies) we enjoy. Some people don't like Reality TV programs and in this day and age, that shrinks your options significantly. We can all use a laugh but oddly enough, some folks don't see the humour in Comedies. For me personally, I used to enjoy Cop and Lawyer programs but I can't think of any that are on now that interest me.

So what I thought I'd do, because what else do I have to do approaching midnight during a pandemic, is just share with you some of the shows I enjoy or enjoyed watching. Some you may have watched already and others you might not. This may include regular broadcast television, Netflix and other streaming services and programs found online.

So in no particular order, here we go with Dramas and Comedies:

The Crown (Netflix)
This is a historical drama about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. I was hesitant to watch this but once I started I couldn't stop. There have been three seasons so far and you can binge watch them all right now.

Homeland (Showtime)
This is an American spy thriller currently in its Eighth season. While the main character can sometime be a bit annoying with her story line, this final season has been amazing so far.

GLOW (Netflix)
This is a comedy-drama set in the 80's based on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Once again, I didn't think I would enjoy this but so far I've watched all three seasons and look forward to the next.

The Goldbergs (ABC)
How did I not give this show a chance long ago? A comedy set in the 80's now in it's seventh season. Lee and I just started watching this program and catching up on all the seasons this year. The writing is smart and funny and for those of us who lived the greatest decade, it transforms us back every episode.

Hunters (Amazon Prime)

With only one season so far, this series has been excellent. Nazi hunters discover high ranking Nazi officials and search them out to bring them the justice they deserve while stopping their plans to continue where they left off at the end of WWII.

The Mandalorian (Disney +)
If you love Star Wars, you'll love this show as well. Set five years after The Return of the Jedi, a bounty hunter becomes the one hunted after he fails to turnover a very special bounty.

Game of Thrones (HBO)
I know some of you haven't watched this series yet and you are really missing out. It's a fantasy drama with several interesting plot lines and characters. It really is as good as the hype surrounding it. Plus, how can you not want to see dragons. By far the best show on TV in the last 10 years in my opinion.

There are so many more dramas and comedies worth watching if you haven't seen them that I could mention here. Peaky Blinders, Mindhunter, Sex Education and Black Mirror all on Netflix to name a few.

When it comes to Reality TV, we watch a wide range of these shows and honestly, there are way too many to mention them all so I'll just give you a few of our favourites.

Gogglebox (Britain and Australia)
Picture a camera in your living room pointed at you capturing your reactions and commentary on the shows we watch and news of the day.

The program shows clips from the shows they watch and edit in the comments they make. It can be hilarious. This is a really fun show and I would love to see a similar program on Canadian television.

Survivor (USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa)
I'm sure everyone in North America is familiar with the American and original version of the show but other countries have their own versions as well. To be honest, it's only in its seventh season but the Australian Survivor has been the most entertaining of them all and the competitions are a lot more intense and difficult.

Love Island (UK and Australia)
Ya I know. What the heck am I watching this drivel for? I don't know why but this show about finding love while competing to win cash has been fun to watch the last couple of years. The only downside is avoiding spoilers because the show airs hours ahead of our time zone.

Cooking Shows (Various)
This is more of Lee's thing but I have enjoyed several of these cooking competitions as well. Among my favourites would be Top Chef, MasterChef, Hell's Kitchen and Chopped.

First Dates (UK and Australia)

Singles of all ages are set up on blind dates in the First Dates Restaurant and we get to listen in to the conversations. This is like being a fly on the wall and if you're someone who wants to know what you should or shouldn't do on a date, you can learn a lot here and have a laugh as well.

Again, there are so many shows in this genre that can help pass the time. A few others we enjoy include Vanderpump Rules, Real Housewives, Married at First Sight (U.S. and Australia), 90 Day Fiance and Big Brother.

If you have any shows you enjoy that you'd like to share, feel free to leave a comment. If you don't like the shows mentioned here, that's okay as well. Just find something that helps you and your loved one's get through these tough times and if all else fails, turn off the TV and try playing a board game.