I won’t lie. Screen time is directly linked to my mental health. When I’m feeling good with my headspace, I will go weeks without turning on the television. But when I’m feeling low I ignore my phone limits (check out this post for my tips for battling phone addiction) and find my butt on the couch a lot more. So, needless to say, listing entire series that I’ve binge watched this month says something about my mood lately.
I also started a new hair care routine and hate how it makes me look, but I’m invested and keep doing it even though I’m not seeing results. I keep telling myself if I stick with it, the results will come. But it’s been three weeks and I look like Hermione Granger is described in the books (Emma Watson is stunning, I wish I looked like her.) Sure, the easy fix for this one is to go back to my old routine. But I’m a Taurus and stubborn.
hello, screentime
Television is distracting. For so many people it’s a way to escape from reality. During the past few months of limited travel and recreation, television binging has been on an all time high. People are searching for new recommendations to watch across streaming services. No one wants to think about the entertainment drought we’ll be facing soon enough, after months without filming. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, people are looking for distractions. They want to know your tv recommendations.
I, too, am looking for a distraction. Quick life update: I dumped 500+ Facebook friends who were not adding value to my life, but now my feed is boring and uneventful. I made a friend at the gym, one of the first and only friends I’ve made in two years of living here, and realized he was narcissistic and manipulative, and wanted to abuse my trust for personal gains. He quickly ghosted me (and completely stopped coming to the gym) after I threatened to contact his wife about shady behavior. My husband decided I no longer filled his expectations as a partner (I have a full blog post on this in the works), and has begun sleeping elsewhere at night. Instead of using the evenings to workout, I’m home lounging with the cats while Sassy sleeps upstairs.
I wish I could say I’ve been doubling up on my e-books, but my Kindle is collecting dust on my bookshelf. I found a great book that was emotionally draining (tw: child abuse and neglect), and I stopped halfway through. Although beautifully written, I’m not in the right headspace to finish it right now, and I’m struggling to read something else with that novel waiting for me.
TV Recommendations: What did I Watch?
Although we dropped cable in an effort to reduce family screen time (clearly it’s working), we still have multiple streaming services. The following The following shows and movies can all be streamed on Netflix and Disney+. We also have Amazon Prime, which allows us to stream additional shows (mostly for Sassy). Honestly, we don’t miss regular television at all. Except sometimes I miss Food Network. Probably better that I don’t watch 76 episodes of Chopped anyway, when there are so many other things I could be watching.
Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
A handful of gifted children were spontaneously born on the same day in 1989, and a wealthy philanthropist bought as many as he could. (Note: I said bought, not adopted) He raised them without names, referring to them only by number, as modern superheroes. The show begins after his death, 17 years after they split up and left home. Reunited, we learn that one brother (named Five) has been missing, and another (number Six, called Ben) has passed away. But at their father’s funeral, Five returns claiming the apocalypse is a week away.
Three episodes in and I posted on IG about how I felt like the series would fall short as they grasped for more content. Thankfully, after finishing the season I was pleasantly surprised by the flow. There was great character development, inclusivity, and a nice balance of foreshadowing and cliffhanger. I will absolutely watch season three, once the ‘rona lets shooting continue.
Work It (Netflix)
A goal oriented high school senior lies in her college interview, claiming she’s on her school’s dance team. Plot twist, she can’t dance, but forms her own team anyway. Although it has a slightly different POV, next week it will blend in with every other high school dance or cheer movie in my mind and essentially be forgotten. Legit, I can’t even remember the schoolgirl’s name. If you’re looking to waste a few hours, watch it.
Feel the Beat (Netflix)
April is an aspiring Broadway dancer, but also self-centered and selfish. After stealing a taxi from a stranger because she is late to an audition, which she nails, April faces the consequences of her taxi snatching. Turns out she stole the taxi from a Broadway icon, who she accidentally pushes off stage, and subsequently ruins her career. So she goes home to her small town to try and start over. There, April’s old dance teacher (who is completely obsessed with her) convinces her to teach dance a workshop. April reluctantly agrees, despite a very apparent disgust for the kids. True to her selfish nature, April decides to use the kids’ dance class to her advantage and enter them in a competition which would put her in the spotlight and possibly redeem her own career.
The acting is lowkey terrible, the plot is predictable, and the dancing is average at best. But I absolutely loved this movie. I really liked how there were subtle aspects of inclusivity and real life. They didn’t blow these little pieces up to be bigger than they are, but showed the realistic struggles that people face while living small town life and trying to find your place in the world.
The Greatest Showman (Disney+)
Inspired by the life story of P. T. Barnum, a son of a tailor spends his life trying to prove his value in life by forming a circus. But Phineas’s constant need for more attention and money, paired with the threat of losing it all, leads him to realize what actually matters in life. His family.
The music is good, but nothing spectacular, and the plot has serious holes. It’s not terrible, but not a movie I would watch on repeat either.
Schitt’s Creek (Netflix)
A wealthy family is swindled by their financial advisor, leaving them broke. Their only remaining asset is an eclectic town called “Schitt’s Creek”. The family (husband, wife, and two adult children) move into the town’s motel as they attempt to find a new normal. Honestly, so many people love this show and I’ve seen it quoted so often that I expected it to be a hit. But I have no idea why people like it. I literally only watch it when I can’t find anything else. Sure, there are some funny lines. But the plot line is… lacking.
Hamilton: History Has It’s Eyes on You (Disney+)
If you haven’t watched Hamilton, what are you waiting for? It’s almost three hours long, so you may want to break it into two viewings. I didn’t include that in the list, because I’m assuming everyone has already watched it. And once you watch it you’ll want to watch it again and again. There are so many little hidden details or lines that blow your mind. Once you watch it, or maybe before you do, check out the supplementary feature which is essentially a panel discussion with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the director, and some of the original cast members. It was filmed a few years ago, so before the film came to Disney+, but adds so much value to the content in the movie/show.
Have you watched any of these? Spill the tea in the comments below, and let me know what you’re watching on tv. We don’t know how long this is going to last, so might as well enjoy the evenings!
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