This Local Writer's Fav Shows To Stream - Because We're All Looking For Something New To Watch
And lo, the introverts shall inherit the earth… We all have a friend who works from home and never meets you at the bar, turns out - they were right. Now all of us are on some sort of self-quarantine. This is unprecedented in our lifetime, so let’s deal with it like only our generation can! By watching approximately 336 hours of television.
But with so many streaming services out there, the squishy-thinky-thing you keep locked in your skull is probably overwhelmed by the choices. Well, feel free to start with this list of shows I bet you’ve never heard of while you’re trying to ignore the reality of what’s going on, organized by streaming services.
NETFLIX
For Adults:
Galavant, this short-lived part musical, part comedy is a quirky look at medieval times. It’s charming cast and fun script makes this an easy binge.
Halt and Catch Fire, you probably missed this 4 season drama set in the 1980s. It explores the personal computer boom as it reaches from the first laptop to the start of the internet. With an incredible cast, this show scratches your nostalgic itch.
Documentary Now! Looking for something a little off-beat and hilarious? Look no further, Fred Armisen and Bill Hader put their own take on every documentary you’ve been meaning to never watch but tell your friends, it was fascinating…
The End of the F**king World, this British Netflix original is a coming of age story like you’ve never seen before. It’s part Bonnie and Clyde, part The Notebook, with a dash of real-life peppered in there. It’s bizarre and touching
For Kids:
Pokemon, gotta watch ‘em all! Netflix has a metric ton of this series that has been on, in one way or another, since the 90s. It follows a young boy trying to capture adorable animals in tiny spheres and then forcing them to fight so he can take all the glory… Although… that might not be the official description. But my daughter is currently obsessed, so there’s that.
Brainchild, this is a science series specifically geared towards children and it is great! Fun and engaging with awesome facts and experiments to try. Very easy to watch together.
Carmen Sandiego, a reboot/reimagining of the old game show. This cartoon is shockingly well written and animated with strong female characters and a fun premise.
Night on Earth, this is a National Geographic style series that deals exclusively with nocturnal animals. It’s impressive, educational without feeling it, and fun to watch together.
HULU
For Adults:
Hulu Originals: For the most part I use Hulu for network television sitcoms, but they have a wide variety of originals that are well written and well-produced, so make sure to browse them as well.
Last Man on Earth, looking for something topical that’ll make you laugh? Will Forte’s comedy about the last man surviving on earth after a… pandemic… who keeps finding other survivors is unexpectedly hilarious and worth your time for the guest stars alone.
The Good Place, this was one of the best series in the last half a decade. It’s funny, sweet, and deep. Ted Danson and Kristen Bell head up this touching comedy about how heaven and hell might work as a points-based system.
Atlanta, this is Donald Glover’s show about a down on his luck guy trying to make his life work in the Atlanta rap scene. But wait, even if you’re not into rap you need to understand that this show WILL surprise you. I found it incredibly relatable and so well done. Every episode impressed me and occasionally outright surprised me.
Legion and Fargo, both of these are made by Noah Hawley. They are strange and gorgeous. There’s really no way to accurately describe either show, but if you watch one episode you’ll be hooked. Hawley is a genius.
For Kids:
Lego Masters, Will Arnett hosts this reality show where teams are given Lego-based challenges. I honestly wasn’t even going to watch this until my daughter asked to and I have never been happier. It’s incredibly impressive what these builders create only using Legos and Arnett is a fantastic host.
Curious George, my daughter has been watching this show since she was a baby. It’s well done and fun. There’s some light educational stuff in there, but for the most part it’s just a good time.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this is the 2012 reboot of the toy-inspired cartoon and it’s absolutely the best. It’s fun and appropriate for most ages, there’s some fighting of course, but beyond that, it’s very PG.
DISNEY+
The Mandalorian, taking place in the Star Wars universe this show follows a bounty hunter for hire as he encounters the most meme character in the world, “Baby Yoda.” Honestly, I love Star Wars and this is the most Star Wars-y thing I have ever seen. It’s a short season and if you haven’t seen it you absolutely should.
Star Wars: Rebels, taking place between episodes III and IV this animated series fills in a lot of gaps between the original series and the prequels. Created by Dave Filoni, who also co-created The Mandalorian with Jon Favro, this one takes top billing in my Star Wars canon. It follows characters and evolves them in ways that made me feel things in my cold dead heart…
The World According to Jeff Goldblum, there’s no way to describe this show correctly. It’s Jeff Goldblum being odd and looking at our obsession with things like ice cream or tattoo or… blue jeans. But for some reason, I couldn’t stop watching it.
Short Circuit, is a collection of animated shorts that are all beautiful in their own way. It’s a great way to just try something different and see what you find.
The Imagineering Story, if you love the Disney theme parks, this documentary was made for you. It’s a pretty candid behind the scenes look at Disney Land and World from the very start until right now.
CBS ALL ACCESS
Star Trek: Picard, the Trek universe has been CBS’s flagship docked at their new paywall. I have mixed feelings about Picard. The beginning was great, the middle dragged some, and the end is ramping up again. Regardless it is beautiful to watch and if you’re a Trek fan it’s great to see some old friends. Overall this is my pick over Discovery, which I found to be a mixed bag at best and downright frustrating at its worst.
NCIS, all of them… I mean, if this is your thing than welcome to the Thunder Dome. They’ve got them all which probably means you can weather the next three pandemics watching them if you wanted.
CBS has a lot of solid comedies and has a record of being able to hold down dramas, but there’s not a great kid’s selection and considering it’s only CBS-owned properties, the value isn’t really here in my opinion. But hey, do the free trial and see for yourself!
In conclusion, there’s a lot out there. The CW has a free app with a lot of superhero options and teen dramas like Riverdale. HBO has a great selection, including the newest season of Westworld, which is worth the money by itself in my opinion. Additionally, you should check the official websites of your favorite networks, they often have older series up there for free.
Hope this helps, enjoy binging while you’re social distancing. Support your local restaraunts if they are offering take-out or delivery, corona will hit these industries hard over the next couple of weeks and many of your favorite spots will be hurting by the end of it.
Thanks for reading!
+ Colin Carlton
Colin is the author of Infinite Velocity , a freelance writer and a regular contributor to this blog..
For more from him, please check out:
@colincarlton on Twitter + Instagram