What to watch if you get quarantined for the coronavirus
March 16, 2020
So, you’ve been quarantined because of the coronavirus and now you’re stuck at home for the next two weeks. What now?
I’ve compiled a list of different types of films and TV shows to enjoy that will, hopefully, make your quarantine more bearable.
Comedy
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- “The Good Place” (Netflix)
- “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (Hulu)
- “30 Rock” (Amazon Prime/Hulu)
- Anything John Mulaney Related (Netflix)
- “Barry” (HBO)
If there’s one show in the world that makes me feel better when I’m down, it’s “The Good Place.” Its humor is abundant, while also asking important moral questions and successfully executing some of the best plot lines and twists of any show you can find in any genre.
If stand-up is your thing, you may enjoy three John Mulaney stand-up specials, a live Broadway production of his collaboration with Nick Kroll called “Oh, Hello on Broadway,” his animated collaboration with Kroll called “Big Mouth” (NOT FOR KIDS!!!) and his new family -friendly variety special “John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.”
If you’re more of a rom-com lover, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is hilarious and heartwarming no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
If you like your comedy a little more chaotic, Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” is great for laughs and it may even make you miss working around people a little bit.
If you like your comedies on the dark side, look no further than “Barry,” the brainchild of Bill Hader about a hit-man who moves to Hollywood and realizes his love for acting. Regardless of your taste, you’ll be laughing so much you’ll forget you’re trapped at home for another ten days without human contact.
Drama
- “Honey Boy” (Amazon Prime)
- “Desperate Housewives” (Hulu)
- “Other People” (Netflix)
- “Watchmen” (HBO)
- “Snowpiercer” (Netflix)
If you’re scared that all that laughter could make your headache worse or you just don’t feel like laughing right now, you may find these dramas more suitable.
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For fans of traditional dramas, “Honey Boy,” based on Shia LaBeuf’s childhood and rehabilitation, is filled with enough emotion and drama to keep you entertained while also crying out all the water you’ve been drinking all day.
More of a dramedy fan? “Other People,” about a son dealing with coming back home after his mother’s cancer diagnosis will have you crying tears of laughter and joy. Fans of soapy-style dramas will love hanging out with the women of Wisteria Lane in “Desperate Housewives” for up to eight seasons.
If you like your drama with a taste of action, “Snowpiercer,” directed by Oscar-winning writer/director Bong Joon-ho, stars Chris Evans in a tale about a train circumnavigating the globe after a failed climate-change attempt destroyed nearly all life on Earth.
If you’re a superhero fan, HBO’s “Watchmen” limited series is a masterpiece of adaptation and execution. Read the comic book, then watch the series and enjoy feeling like you accomplished a complete experience without ever leaving home.
Horror/Thriller
- “The Cabin in the Woods” (Amazon Prime/Hulu)
- “The Haunting of Hill House” (Netflix)
- “Happy Death Day” films (HBO)
- “The Twilight Zone” (Netflix/Hulu)
- “Super 8” (Amazon Prime/Hulu)
Is the real world not scary enough for you? Maybe some of these will scare you!
“The Cabin in the Woods” and both “Happy Death Day” films offer a lot of laughs along with some great horror elements. Both have a lot of fun with the horror genre, often poking fun at themselves throughout.
If you really want some good scares, limited series “The Haunting of Hill House” and some classic “The Twilight Zone” episodes will definitely get the job done. Some of the more terrifying episodes “The Twilight Zone” has to offer include “The Hitch-hiker” (S1:E16), “The After Hours” (S1: E34), “It’s a Good Life” (S3:E8) and “Death Ship” (S4:E6).
If you’re more into science-fiction type scares, JJ Abrams flick “Super 8,” about a group of teens who discover an alien in their small town, is a great choice. It’s got action, comedy, scares and plenty more to keep you distracted from the real world terror going on outside.
Documentary
- “Cheer” (Netflix)
- “Tickled” (Hulu)
- “Nailed It!” (Netflix)
- “I Love You, Now Die” (HBO)
- “Three Identical Strangers” (Hulu)
If you’re in the mood to go to a different time when “coronavirus” was just a fancy word for a Corona addiction, documentaries are the way to go.
“Cheer” is incredibly entertaining and inspiring, and it will absolutely have you doing routines in your bedroom with your PJ’s on.
For fans of something more humorous and fun, “Nailed It!” brings home bakers in to create extravagantly decorated cakes and other food items. Each task is just about as chaotic as you’d expect, and host Nicole Byer is a treat.
If you like some mystery in your documentary, “Three Identical Strangers” follows three young men who discover they were triplets separated at birth.
There’s also “Tickled”, which is one of the strangest things I’ve ever been lucky enough to see. It follows a New Zealand reporter who attempts to understand and uncover the truth surrounding an underground online competitive tickling league. It’s a bizarre and unflinching ninety minutes that is absolutely worth every second.
Finally, if you’re a true crime fan, “I Love You, Now Die” centers around the trial of Michelle Carter, the teenager who sent texts to her boyfriend encouraging him to commit suicide in 2014. The story was a viral sensation that sparked intense discussion about classifications and moral beliefs.
Regardless of what you end up watching, whether it be on this list or not, it’s important that we take this potential threat seriously.
If you have to stay home, stay home. If you can go to work, do so. Wash your hands. Take precautions.
If there’s anything all of the disaster films and shows about pandemics have taught us, it’s that being overly cautious is better than not being cautious enough.
And if you’re really in the mood to watch something fitting with the times, watch “Contagion” and prepare to become a germaphobe for the remainder of your life.
Staff writer Kyler Guebert can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @kguebert88.
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Collin Zuardo • Mar 16, 2020 at 2:45 pm
Great article!