During this quarantine period, watching a television show with multiple seasons can be comforting in some obscure way – a show to count on each night as you return to it, on demand, to pick up a story where it left off.
I thought I’d compile and share a list of the shows I found during the quarantine in case you may also be looking for a good series!
In the past, I have watched Breaking Bad and Ozarks, but find I have a lot of trouble these days watching anything terribly graphic or violent. I mention this because the shows on this list do not have any graphic violence or horror.
In addition to this list, I’m always a fan of HGTV and all cooking shows. These shows are pretty safe from graphic violence – unless, of course, you count some killer knife skills! (By the way, the current season of Top Chef is fabulous! Not only is it set in Los Angeles, but it is a season of All-Star chefs!)
Better Things (4 seasons) This comedy-drama stars Pamela Adlon. I only became aware of Adlon when she happened to be a guest on a talk show in New York City that I went to see live. She was pitching her new show. Years later, I happened to see Better Things as a choice on an airplane TV during a flight home from a work trip. After watching a couple of the episodes on the plane, I couldn’t wait to see more!
This show was written by Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon and when Louis C.K. confirmed the sexual misconduct allegations against him were true, I feared this show may be cancelled. But, lucky for us viewers, the show continued without his involvement.
Better Things is a semi-autobiographically show based on Adlon’s life and depicts a single mother raising daughters as a working actor in Los Angeles.
This thoughtful and entertaining depiction addresses so many raw and real moments between mother/daughter(s), divorced parents, interactions with friends, and adventures with an older parent.
Added bonuses – some great guest stars and well thought out music. (The show is named after the song Better Things by the Kinks). And, in season 4, a fabulous scene where the siblings, mom, and grandmother create an expressive dance as a graduation gift to one of the daughters.
Schitt’s Creek (6 seasons) When rich video-store magnate Johnny Rose and his family are suddenly penniless, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup in Schitt’s Creek – the small town the Roses bought years earlier as a joke. In this sitcom, the Rose family is forced to face their newfound poverty head-on and come together as a family to survive.
Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara (both of SCTV fame) are cast as the parents. (You may remember Catherine best for her infamous lip-sync version of Day-O at the dinner table scene in the movie Beetlejuice.)
A real family affair, this show was created by Dan and Eugene Levy. Dan is Eugene’s son in real life as well as on the show. Dan’s real-life sister also plays a character on the show. The writing is fabulous and the show depicts the gay relationship of Dan’s character and his boyfriend in a way we rarely see on television.
After you watch a few episodes, your most burning question may be “How the heck does Catherine O’Hara stay in character?!”
Extra bonuses on this show include Catherine O’Hara’s flamboyant wardrobe and some great taglines!
Sex Education (2 seasons) I love a good coming-of-age story and this one adds a little different twist on the theme as the main character, socially awkward high school student Otis, has a mom (played by Gillian Anderson) who is a sex therapist. Being surrounded by manuals, videos and tediously open conversations about sex, Otis has become a reluctant expert on the subject. He teams up with the school’s bad girl to earn some money by providing a sex therapy clinic to deal with their classmates’ problems. Of course, through his analysis of teenage sexuality, we find Otis realizing that he may need some therapy of his own!
An added bonus is the gorgeous backdrop – Otis’s morning commute to school alone is a breathtakingly beautiful trip! You may find yourself adding a visit to South Wales to your bucket list after watching a few episodes of this show!
Blood Line (3 seasons) This dramatic thriller is a show I recently started on the recommendation of my son. The show portrays a contemporary American family, the Rayburns – hard-working pillars of their Florida Keys community. Their past contains dark secrets that they hope remain buried. Paranoia and mistrust build as lies pile up, alliances are shattered, and an unthinkable crime takes place. What happens when ‘good’ people are forced to consider doing very bad things?
My favorite character is the troubled brother and bad-boy Danny Rayburn played by the Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn who won an Emmy for his masterful performance.
Of course, the added bonus here is the Florida backdrop! The Rayburns own and run an Inn located right on the crystal blue waters of the Florida Keys.
Dead to Me (2 seasons) In this dark comedy, a hotheaded widow, played by Christina Applegate, is searching for the hit-and-run driver who mowed down her husband. In the process, she befriends an eccentric optimist (Linda Cardellini) who isn’t quite what she seems. The women quickly bond, but there are a lot of secrets that threaten their friendship.
With plenty of unexpected twists, I really enjoyed the first season and it was high on my recommendation list to friends. Now I am looking forward to watching the recently released second season!
Note: Linda Cardellini is best known for her role on the television show ER. She also plays the role of one of the Rayburn siblings in Bloodline (recommended above).
Grace and Frankie (6 seasons) Grace and Frankie (played by Jane Fonda and Lilly Tomlin) learn that their husbands have fallen in love with each other and want to get married. As everything around the ladies is coming apart, the only thing they can really rely on is each other. This Netflix original provides some fabulous laugh-out-loud moments – particularly in regard to Jane Fonda’s reactions to the challenges of growing older.
Considering the way mature women are treated in our society, this show is refreshing in its depiction of Grace (80 years old) and Frankie (70 something years old) – both developing successful businesses and new relationships in a later stage of life.
Three additional bonuses: Jane Fonda’s wardrobe, the California beach house the gals live in, and Martin Sheen.
The Big Flower Fight (releasing May 18th) It is hard to include this on the list, since it hasn’t released yet, but I am hopeful it will be fabulous! I am eagerly anticipating this show on Netflix. Ten teams of amateur garden sculptors are to make huge flower installations based on weekly themes. The teams of two have assembled from all over the world to take part in the competition in the British countryside. I hope it is as great as it sounds!!
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you try watching one of the shows on my list! If you do, let me know how you liked it!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie