FIVE MUST-WATCH TV SHOWS TO GET THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

Unless you work an essential job, odds are you have recently found yourself with a lot of free time. Instead of stressing over the daily news, why not take this opportunity to sit down and watch some of the best shows television has to offer?
Here are five must-watch TV shows to help distract you from the pandemic:

“The Wire”
HBO’s cl assic crime drama from the early 2000s is still as relevant as ever and offers five seasons’ worth of incredible television. Taking place from the perspectives of both law enforcement and criminal elements, the show follows a dedicated team of Baltimore police officers as they attempt to bust the city’s most prolific drug runners while fighting the bureaucracy, racism, brutality, and corruption inherent to their line of work. If you’re a fan of shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Game of Thrones,” The Wire will quickly become a new favorite, as its quality writing and storytelling easily match, and occasionally surpass, even those two.

“Fargo”
Based on the classic Cohen brothers’ film, “Fargo,” the TV series takes the themes and tonal sensibilities of the movie and reinterprets it as one of the best anthology shows of the past 20 years. Using “a history of crime in the Midwest” as the primary connecting thread between seasons, the show begins by turning the plot of the movie on its head with a new cast of mischievous characters. Being an anthology series, the second season functions as a pulpy ‘70s period piece, followed by another amazing third season set closer to our modern day. This show is full of clever writing and deadpan Midwestern humor that mimics the Cohen brothers’ tone perfectly.

“Nathan for You”
Few TV shows can consistently provide moments of gut-busting laughter, but “Nathan” is one of them. From the mind of a former Canadian business student-turned-comedian, this reality show follows Nathan Fielder as he attempts to help small business owners achieve their goals and grow their customer base by deliberately pitching them the worst and most bizarre marketing ideas he can think of, like “Dumb Starbucks.”

“Better Call Saul”
Simply put, if you liked “Breaking Bad,” you will love “Better Call Saul.” This prequel series takes place before, during, and after the events of the former and attempts to flesh out the back story of everyone’s favorite criminal lawyer, Saul Goodman. Part courtroom drama, part cartel action thriller, this series is just as intense, beautiful, and cleverly written as Walter White’s tail of villainy.

“The Terror Season 1”
Based on true events, and the Dan Simmons novel of the same name, this miniseries is set during the mid-1840s and follows the crew of the HMS Terror as they set out on an exploratory mission to find the fabled Northern Passage, an Arctic sea trade route that would allow Britain to access Asia in half the normal time. Unfortunately for the crew of the Terror, the worst winter storm in over a century sweeps through the region, locking their ship in ice for over three years. In order to survive, the crew must withstand unimaginable temperatures, starvation, infighting and even the supernatural.