Five Netflix shows for entertainment and education while you’re social distancing

By Pedro Monteiro Garcia D’Avila, June 18 2020—

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that staying inside may not be as fun as we might’ve thought. I’m sure I can’t be the only one who desperately begged for the summer to come, but now that it is here (and I am locked indoors nowhere near the beaches I once fantasised about), I find myself extremely bored. In today’s list, I’ll present five Netflix shows that are sure to give you some entertainment as you quarantine this summer.

The Witcher

Fans of the fantasy genre are in for a treat! Originally a book series, then a critically acclaimed video game trilogy and now a Netflix show, The Witcher is a gory, mystical and absolutely thrilling look into gothic fiction. In a medieval fantasy world — filled with wizards, dragons and monsters — Witchers are modified human beings who feel no emotion and only work for money. And in this world of Witchers, our beloved protagonist Geralt of Rivia is the best of the best.

If a world full of moral dilemmas, magical creatures and a fearless warrior is what you desire, then look no further than this Netflix Original. Better yet, The Witcher is still in its first season featuring only eight one-hour long episodes, making it an easy — and tempting —series to get into.

The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

With the current Black Lives Matter protests happening across the world due to the brutal, inhumane murder of George Floyd by four cops in Minneapolis, many of us have been wanting to learn more about other cases of systemic racism in the United States. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez provides that along with a heartbreaking commentary of what it means to be consistently ignored by your government due to the colour of your skin.

Following the months of abuse and subsequent murder of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez by his mother and her boyfriend, investigators slowly uncover that his death could’ve easily been prevented. Witnessing the police and social workers ignore this case due to a multitude of discriminatory decisions makes you question the society we live in. Without revealing too many details from the documentary, if what you’re looking for is thorough examination of injustice in the United States, or if you want to understand how racism continues to impact people to this day, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is an enlightening way to do that.

Community

If high school is nothing like Disney’s High School Musical, then university is nothing like Community. Community is a whimsical, hilarious, drama-filled TV comedy that set the standards for other shows of its kind. It starts out very humble, with a group of odd characters that come together to form a study group, but soon enough you’ll be hooked on relationship issues, student-teacher drama, community college paintball wars and more.

What sets Community apart from other shows like Brooklyn Nine Nine and The Office, is the sheer diversity between each episode. Across its six seasons, it becomes blatantly clear that the writers really had fun creating each and every episode. If you’re looking for a gripping story that makes you laugh, you’ll adore Community.

Street Food: Asia

Tired of eating the same foods for weeks? Want to get inspired by dishes from a completely different cuisine? Street Food: Asia shows the beautifully diverse Asian street food markets from Bangkok, Thailand to Delhi, India, highlighting some of the region’s greatest achievements. All whilst also managing to make you hungry by the end of every episode.

Behind each tantalizing dish is the amazingly talented chefs behind them. Street Food: Asia showcases them with just as much importance as the dishes they’re making by sharing every bit of their hard work in glorious detail. If you’re looking for a way to appreciate different cultures or maybe you just want some ideas for what to cook next, Street Food: Asia is a fantastic choice.

Tidying up with Marie Kondo

For my last recommendation, I’d like to introduce you to a show that will really put your life into perspective. Have you ever walked inside your room, a place of comfort, but it somehow made you even more stressed? Did it ever occur to you that maybe your stress is caused by the clutter that surrounds you? It may sound like a cliche perspective but Tidying up with Marie Kondo has a way to pull you in and convince you that maybe we don’t actually “need” everything that we own.

You may have never heard of Marie Kondo since her presence is relatively new in North America, but in Japan — where she’s from — her KonMari teachings have been changing lives for a long time. Through her carefully planned, easily understandable guide into the art of Japanese minimalism (also known as KonMari), Marie Kondo visitsy the “average North American home” and shows the residents a more organised, and more meaningful, way of life in this eye opening Netflix original.

With that we conclude this short, yet diverse list of Netflix shows you can watch to keep yourself entertained during quarantine. As a student myself, I completely understand the boredom that you might be facing in your personal lives without classes to attend, so I truly hope this list can bring you some value during these unusual times.