Happy 2021! We’re off to a bit of a bumpy start so I thought I would share some of my favorite streaming obsessions that have gotten my husband and me through some pretty serious homebound situations. When we ran out of things to say to each other and were sick of being in the house, these clever and entertaining shows helped us escape.

Netflix

Bridgerton

Is this even a list about escapist Netflix shows if Bridgerton isn’t on it? My husband did not watch it but I did. In one day. Serious bingeing and totally worth it. This show is based on a series of books by Julia Quinn. I read all 8 of them about 20+ years ago when they were first published. It’s rare that a movie or show ever matches the magic of the book it’s based on, but Bridgerton is one of those exceptions. The costumes. The acting. The estates and town homes. The wigs. The peek into regency England. The Duke and the Duchess. Watch it. Re-watch it. Binge it. Savor it.

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Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer.

I’m only 3 episodes in but already hooked. Warning: it’s graphic. I love true crime and murder shows but this is too much for me, at times. There are actual crime scene photographs. Surviving victims are interviewed and share their stories. It’s a lot. This guy, Richard Ramirez, was as monstrous as a human can get and it can be hard to watch. The heart of this series, however, is the two detectives who worked the case and eventually bring him to justice. Frank Salerno and Gil Carrillo. Frank Salerno worked on the Hillside Strangler case and was apparently THE COP in 1980s LA. Gil Carrillo was a young upstart who thought they were looking at one guy for all these crimes but wasn’t taken seriously until he and Salerno teamed up. I highly recommend, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

In the Netflix queue:
Lupin

HBO Max

The Murder at White House Farm (with companion podcast hosted by Lauren Bright Pacheco). England. The 1980s. A woman is accused of murdering her parents and twin 6-year-old sons before committing suicide…or did she?! With all the twists and turns in this series, it felt fictional but it was based on a true story which makes it that much stranger and more heartbreaking. I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers, but it’s excellent: well-acted, well-constructed, and perfectly paced. Bonus: a lot of former GOT stars make appearances. It’s fun to pick them out.

The Flight Attendant

This one is kind of weird. Stylish. Edgy. There are some flashbacks; conversations with a dead guy; Rosie Perez; murder. I’d say a dark comedy. Kaley Cuoco is great in the main role. She’s easy to watch and sarcastically charming so her character’s continuously poor choices don’t get annoying. Again, too much said would give away spoilers but lots of twists and turns. Amateur sleuthing. Think Nancy Drew if she grew up, got cynical, drank too much, and ditched Ned Nickerson for Tinder. This is a binger except that HBO makes you work for it and releases episodes a week at a time. Season 1 is done, so binge-away.

Amazon Prime

The Boys. We just finished Season 2. I love this show. It’s dark and angry and gritty and sarcastic and creative and smart and hilarious. Why don’t we ever think that our superheroes are horrible people in real life? They can get away with anything and have superpowers. They can’t all be Captain America, right? The Boys asks the same question and answers it, full-stop. Homelander, in particular, is horrible. He’s literally the worst. And then in Season 2 they somehow come up with someone even more terrible. This show isn’t for everyone but if you like your superheroes and their cinematic universes, check it out.

In the Prime queue: One Night In Miami
                         Flack

Share your faves and any new recommendations in the comments! What shows are you excited for this year?