Quarantine Binge Watch

Boredom and stress have become constant challenges as we stay at home in self-quarantine from coronavirus. One way to overcome both is to get lost in a TV series. Luckily, there is no shortage of compelling TV available. With so many options to choose from, we polled our staff for their favorites.

The Mandalorian - Disney Plus (one season)

The Mandalorian is the break-out star of Disney’s streaming service. The 10 episode drama is set in the Star Wars universe after the fall of the Empire. The classic “space western” follows bounty hunter Din Djarin from one adventure to another. His discovery of “The Child,” better known in popular culture as Baby Yoda, made our family fall in love with the quick moving series.

Stranger Things - Netflix (three seasons)

Set in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy amid supernatural events occurring around the town, including the appearance of a girl with psychokinetic abilities. It follows the boy’s friends, Mike, Dustin and Lucas as they uncover mysteries surrounding their friend’s disappearance.

Shameless, courtesy of Showtime

Nurse Jackie - Showtime/Netflix (seven seasons) Nurse Jackie is a medical drama-comedy that tells the story of Jackie Peyton (Edie Falco), an Emergency Room nurse at a hospital in New York City. Every day is a “high wire act” for Jackie as she juggles patients, doctors, fellow nurses, and her own drug addiction. Falco’s portrayal of Jackie, as a strong-willed, iconoclastic New York City nurse juggling the frenzied grind of an urban hospital and an equally challenging personal life, is phenomenal.

Breaking Bad

In what many people call the greatest television series yet made, high school chemistry teacher Walter White transforms into the Southwest’s biggest drug lord after learning he has incurable cancer. The pace of the show and incredible writing make it easy to pass hours on end.

Shameless - Showtime/Netflix (nine seasons) Set in the slums of Chicago’s South Side, Shameless follows the Gallagher family as they navigate life on the edge. The family is led by William H. Macy’s ,Frank Gallagher, a dysfunctional alcoholic who is hilariously self-destructive. What makes the show work is the cast’s ability to make you love the characters despite their sometimes reprehensible behavior.

Last but not Least, Tiger King

Murder, Mayhem and Madness is a 2020 true crime documentary television series about the life of Joseph Maldonado-Passage. It was released on Netflix on March 20, 2020 and has captivated the nation.