2020 has finally come to an end. This year brought a lot of stress onto people’s lives, their jobs, and education. A source of escape for many has been in entertainment, binge-watching shows and movies. Below I compiled a quick list of noteworthy television shows and movies that brought me comfort in the last year.

• For the person who can’t get enough Reality-TV:
  • Rupaul’s Drag Race: This is arguably one of the best shows on television right now and I encourage every person to go and watch it. It is a competition show where 12-13 drag queens are contestants to be America’s Next Drag Superstar. There’s music, comedy, fashion, acting, dancing, lip-syncing, and anything else you can imagine. Aside from the drama and excitement, there’s some great stories told and a positive message for the audience. (Amazon Prime, Hulu, VH1 App)
  • Next in Fashion: This show is another reality competition show centered around fashion designers. With themes and models, these designers have to create looks within their time constraints. It’s a fun, short watch being one season and doesn’t require too much brainpower! (Netflix)
  • The Circle: This is my final competition show, I promise! This particular show is so bad it’s kind of good, making the perfect quarantine watch. Competitors are isolated in their apartment (never seeing each other) and communicate with each other using a social media platform, “The Circle.” All the other contestants see are pictures you upload, so some people aren’t who they say they are! Each episode two people are voted the top influencers of the week and they must decide who goes home. (Netflix)
  • Tidying up with Marie Kondo: Okay, this wasn’t a 2020 show but I had to include it. Basically, this adorable woman, Marie Kondo, comes into people’s homes and helps them get rid of clutter and better organize their belongings. She shows tips on folding clothes, storage, and tells the audience to only keep what “sparks joy.” (Netflix)

• For drama and comedy fans:
  • The Good Place: This year was the last season of the Good Place, having 4 total seasons. The show is all about life after death but in a very lighthearted way. There’s this religion-neutral concept of the Good Place and the Bad Place. Our main character, Eleanor, finds herself in the Good Place under someone else’s name and has to navigate through that. The characters in this show are very distinct and everything is well written and thought through. (Netflix)
  • Dynasty: This show is so good! It’s a reboot of the 1980’s series and brings a lot of those classic elements back into the show. It’s very similar to other modern soap opera type shows like Jane the Virgin. It’s all about the Carrington family and the billion-dollar empire started by Blake Carrington’s father. There’s so much drama and you find yourself invested very quickly! (Netflix)

• For documentary fans:
  • Miss Americana: This is Taylor Swift’s recent documentary about her life and career. It goes in-depth about being in the music industry as a female and how even with her huge platform, she felt she couldn’t voice her opinion politically. She’s an inspirational human and her discussions on body image and beauty standards were really informative and interesting to hear. (Netflix)
  • Don’t [Mess] with Cats: This series is from 2019 BUT it is quite possibly one of the best true crime documentaries I’ve ever seen. A video was released online of a man torturing kittens and it sent social media into a frenzy. A Facebook group (of normal people with everyday jobs) formed to track down this man and get him arrested. The man releases more videos and eventually kills a person. It’s a crazy story with a twist and I highly recommend people to watch it. I promise it’s not too graphic or traumatizing! (Netflix)