With quarantine boredom setting in, students and teachers alike are broadening their movie and TV watching horizons, exploring new genres and rewatching nostalgic and heartwarming classics. Some popular shows include Netflix Originals such as “Tiger King,” a true-crime show about big cat breeding that has swept the nation, and “Outer Banks,” which is a mystery and action series that is quickly gaining popularity. Additionally, movie watching has become a more regular pastime for many. Several students are enjoying watching Disney films, such as “Lemonade Mouth” and “High School Musical.”
Kelly Dayton ‘22 shares, “I think COVID-19 has encouraged me to watch stuff I wouldn’t usually watch because even if I don’t like it I don’t really feel like I’m wasting my time on it because I have had so much free time recently.”
Anna Secor ‘20 agrees: “I think I’ve become more open to what I’ll watch because I’ve run out of things to watch so now I’m trying to move on to things I wouldn’t normally choose.” For example, Secor shares that she has been watching “all of the One Day at Disney documentaries [and] lots of HGTV.” Additionally, she mentions that she watched “Tiger King.”
Wyatt Dayhoff ‘22 has watched “Tiger King” as well. He shares, “I would recommend it to anybody.” Dayhoff, however, says, “I haven’t been watching that much TV because I’ve been going outside a lot more…and taking advantage of the really good weather.”
In contrast, Lily Anderson ‘23 says, “I think that my standards for what I watch have definitely gone down because what else is there to do besides watch a movie. So, I’ve literally watched everything.” Anderson continues, “I’ve been rewatching ‘Gossip Girl,’ and this is different from what I normally watch because normally I like more of an action movie…but I’ve been so bored so this is what I’ve resorted to.”
Michelle Baroody, Upper School Social Studies Teacher, works at a movie theater as a volunteer and programs the local Arab film festival. Since the movie theaters are closed, she shares, “I’ve been really interested to see how a lot of film festivals and different theaters and film platforms have been turning to digital screenings online and finding ways to actually screen contemporary films that would be coming out in theaters right now.”
In regards to her personal movie viewing over quarantine, Baroody recounts, “I’ve been watching lots of old [movies] that I know that make me happy and that I know that I love.” Baroody also recommends “Point Break” with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves and a film called “Mariam” which is directed by Faiza Ambah.
Anderson has been watching several shows recently as well and says, “I would recommend ‘Too Hot to Handle.’ It’s really funny. If you like reality TV, it is definitely for you…I thought it was really good.”
Likewise, Dayton has been watching new series and says, “I have been watching a lot of mini-series on Netflix and Hulu like ‘Outer Banks,’ ‘American Vandal,’ ‘Little Fires Everywhere,’ ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ and ‘Dead to Me.’ These are pretty much the same as what I usually watch, but I have had a lot more time to watch them.”
Regardless of your movie and TV show preferences, quarantine is the perfect time to explore new genres. Watching TV shows and movies provides a wonderful escape and is a fun way to connect with friends and family.
