Coffee Table News
TV Shows to Binge During Your Self-Quarantine and Social Distancing
In case you haven’t been keeping up with global news, coronavirus, COVID-19, is forcing everyone to practice the 2020 version of”conscious uncoupling” known as “social distancing.”
Many cities/states are on lockdown with bars, restaurants, and other establishments closing their doors to keep the outbreak from spreading even more than it has.
If you’ve found yourself self-quarantined at home on the couch to prevent the spread of germs, you’ll likely be looking for things to keep yourself occupied.
Many shows have shuttered production with daytime and late-night talk shows going sans audiences or completely dark for the remainder of the month.
And this means it’s the perfect time to binge-watch those shows you’ve been putting off.
Here are some shows to watch during your self-quarantine.
Scandal
What the world needs now is a fixer who could tell us all how to get out of this mess. Since that’s not possible, we have the next best thing in Olivia Pope, DC’s fixer and right-hand to the President, who is also in a torrid love affair with him. It’s political, dramatic, and sexy as hell to this day.
Timeless
Don’t you wish we could all travel back to a time before the coronavirus? Same. Maybe if we had a time machine like Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus, we totally could. But alas, we’ll have to settle for watching their journey through key historical moments as they attempt to stop Rittenhouse from destroying the world.
Locke & Key
Think Harry Potter meets Narnia. Netflix’s new fantasy thriller finds a family moving into a mansion following their father’s death where they learn that it’s filled with secret keys that open up portals to other dimensions. You never know where you’ll end up, but it’ll make you forget you’re curled up on your couch amidst a toilet-paper shortage.
Mr. Robot
Elliot works as a cybersecurity engineer by day and doubles as a vigilante hacker by night. When he’s recruited by a mysterious underground organization, he’s forced to do things that make him question his personal beliefs, his morals, and most importantly, what’s real and what isn’t.
Financial burdens (like the fact that you spent all your money stocking up on canned goods and paper towels) plague three suburban moms who are tired of always playing “catch up.” They decide to take matters into their own hands and rob a grocery store. Soon, they find themselves trying to navigate a world of crime that has absolutely no rules. As they try to survive, their actions will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Stranger Things
You’ve already heard of Stranger Things, and if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s high time you do. The series takes place in 1980s Indiana and follows a group of young friends who become privy to supernatural happening within the government.
Grey’s Anatomy
There’s no better time than during a quarantine to watch all 16 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Honestly, when else are you going to have the time? All you need to know is that it’s a medical drama, there’s a doctor named McDreamy, and Shonda Rhimes is the boss babe behind it.
The Good Place
The Good Place is a stroke of comedic genius mixed with some of the most insightful and wholesome storytelling of our generation. It’s also the only series that had the perfect series finale (fight me, but after coronavirus cause there’s a no-touching ban). Eleanor Shellstrop is shocked to find herself in the Good Place following her death and immediately realizes she’s there by mistake. No one is prepared for her hilarious afterlife antics as she hides from architect Michael and her new friends while trying to become a better version of herself.
Don’t be deterred by the plot — a young Latina woman learns she’s pregnant after she’s accidentally artificially inseminated. The series weaves together the best parts of a telenovela while adding heart, feshed-out characters, strong female leads, irresistible love interests, and family at the forefront of every storyline.
Love is Blind
In the reality TV vein, Netflix delivered the world’s newest obsession. It’s a social experiment that many claim prepared our generation for dating throughout “social distancing.” Love is Blind forces a handful of contestants to meet people while isolated in pods. Once they find their “soulmate,” they propose to them without meeting face-to-face and a few weeks later, walk down the aisle.
YOU
If you’re not familiar with Joe Goldberg, you’re missing out. YOU is a suspenseful thriller that digs into the mind of an obsessed serial killer and follows his romantic relationships.
Game of Thrones
Similarly to Greys Anatomy, when else are you going to find the time to watch all of Game of Thrones? This is the perfect time to dig into a pop culture phenomenon so you know what “winter is coming” means the next time someone mentions it.
The Marvelous Ms. Maisel
If there’s anyone that can cheer you up and put a smile on your face, it’s Ms. Maisel. Set in the late 1950s, Miriam aka “Midge” breaks the rules and pursues a career in stand-up comedy. While it’s unheard of for women of her class to pursue a career, it’s even more unheard of a woman succeeding in such an industry. But leave it to Midge to prove everyone wrong and do it with flair and style!
Fans of Upload—starring Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, and Allegra Edwards—have been waiting patiently for any information about a potential third season, particularly as season 2 left off on quite a bit of a hangover, with Amell’s Nathan Brown’s life hanging in the balance.
But now, we finally have a premiere date along with a brand new trailer that mostly qualms all of those worries.
Upload Season 3 will be here sooner rather than later with an arrival date of October 20, 2023—that is, for the first two episodes. The next few episodes—a total of 8 for the season—will arrive weekly in pairs, with episodes 3 and 4 landing on Oct 27, episodes 5 and 6 on Nov 3, and episodes 7 and 8 on Nov 10.
Episodes release on Prime Video at 12:00 a.m. GMT on the date, which means 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
The futuristic sci-fi comedy in which a man uploads to a digital life extension following his untimely death and forms a special bond with his angel (a customer service rep, in present-day terms) immediately built a dedicated fanbase for its comedic tone as it tackles serious issues.
In the trailer teasing the new season, fans see more of Brown’s time on Earth with Nora following his download. While the final moments of season 2 kept his fate uncertain as he suffered a nosebleed, meaning there was a possibility he wasn’t going to live for much longer, he’s very much alive and well 26 days after the download. While they’re still making good on their amazing connection, Nathan and Nora have also joined forces to shut down Freeyond, which has killed hundreds of innocent people in an attempt to rig the election.
But back at Horizon, Tinlsey, who noticed Nathan disappeared, rebooted him from a backup copy, meaning there’s another Nathan that exists in the afterlife. Ingrid is making the most of this “second chance” to do this right as “new Nathan” has no memory of what happened, nor does he remember breaking up with her.
“Two Nathans, one Nora, Never fantasized about this before,” Nora states as she pays a visit to Lakeview, where someone informs her that isn’t cheating, it’s just her boyfriend “6 months ago.”
Ingrid then informs Earth Nathan that “his girl is hanging with my fake dude.”
Will Nora get charmed by Lakeview Nathan? Has the real world taken a toll on their relationship? And is Ingrid really too into the afterlife while still having the opportunity to live a real life?
Check out the trailer and watch the new season starting Oct. 20.
Bachelor Nation—Thursday night is your night.
Following the premiere of The Golden Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise returns for its 9th season.
The reality series finds former leads and contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette—some fan-favorites, some controversial and least liked—coming together in the carefree setting of a tropical beach destination in Mexico’s Playa Escondida resort to give their journey of finding love another (and hopefully successful) shot.
The contestants then spend roughly three weeks dating around in hopes of finding their soulmate, all while dodging drama and feuds. Some leave the beach engaged, some in committed relationship, and some stay single.
Jesse Palmer will host this season as Wells Adams returns to the bar.
The series will premiere with a 2-hour episode on Thursday September 28 at 9 p.m. ET right after the pilot episode of The Golden Bachelor. Those who can’t catch it live will be able to stream it on Hulu the following day.
They will continue airing on Thursday nights weekly alongside The Golden Bachelor making Thursday’s the new Monday/Tuesday.
Here’s the upcoming cast:
- Greer Blitzer of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Brayden Bowers of “The Bachelorette” season 20
- Aaron Bryant of “The Bachelorette” season 20
- Peter Cappio of “The Bachelorette” season 20
- Jessica “Jess” Girod of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Eliza Isichei of “The Bachelor” season 26 and “Bachelor in Paradise” season 8
- Katherine “Kat” Izzo of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Samantha “Sam” Jeffries of “The Bachelor” season 26
- Olivia Lewis of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Sean McLaughlin of “The Bachelorette” season 20
- Blake Moynes of “The Bachelorette” seasons 16 and 17
- Mercedes Northup of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Rachel Recchia of “The Bachelor” season 26 and “The Bachelorette” season 19
- Kylee Russell of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Aaron Schwartzman of “The Bachelorette” season 20
- Will Urena of “The Bachelorette” season 18
- Brooklyn Willie of “The Bachelor” season 27
- Catherine “Cat” Wong of “The Bachelor” season 27
Anyone who is a fan of Bachelor in Paraside knows that additional contestants are introduced throughout the season, with talks of former Bachelorettes Katie Thurston, Charity Lawson, and Hannah Brown making appearances down the line.
ABC is expanding its Bachelor franchise into a new age bracket with The Golden Bachelor.
Gerry Turner, described as a “charming 72-year-old patriarch from Indiana,” will be the first to ever own the title as he sets out to find love amongst 22 hopeful bachelorettes.
The series synopsis notes, “One hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life.”
There’s been a lot of interest across the board for the spinoff as it’s a refreshing take on the franchise that many found has become quite predictable in recent years as it focuses on the same age group every time.
The new concept doesn’t just pique the interest of longtime Bachelor fans, it’s also enticing older viewers who have never given reality TV a chance, while also sparking interest from younger fans who want to see what kind of drama the older demographic is going to stir up (though Turner did call them the “sweetest” group of women ever).
Many also think that with an older-skewing cast, the focus will be more on finding love versus chasing social media clout as the contestants have all been through their fair share of life experiences and heartache.
“I want to fall in love,” Turner previously explained of his interest in the franchise, noting, “I really want to find my person who can put me in my place when I need it and make me smile at it. The person who can lay down beside you at night, not have to say anything, and you feel it. That’s love. That’s what I want. And I know that person’s out there.”
He was married to his high school sweetheart for 43 years before she died in 2017, so it’s fair to say he’s putting himself out of his comfort zone by pursuing a new romantic connection.
The series will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. You can stream the episodes the following day on Hulu.
It will continue airing on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Bachelor in Paradise—who doesn’t love back-to-back Bachelor shows?
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