Opinion

Alex Nieora’s COVID-19 Self-Isolation Recommended Television Viewing

With COVID-19 lockdown, stay-at-home orders and self-isolating measures, many people are seeking new television shows to immerse themselves with. It appears that streaming services have keyed into this and have begun rolling out new shows, documentaries, and movies to help us deal with everything. Some notable viewing options that do not appear on this list are Disney’s Onward which was set to be released in theatres but due to the current pandemic was released on their streaming platform Disney+. Also, for the sports fanatics, the Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls documentary – The Last Dance was released on ESPN and Netflix. This documentary follows Jordan and the Bulls during the 1997-1998 NBA season where they won their sixth NBA title.
Netflix and traditional TV offers a necessary escape from the everyday, disheartening reality, and the message here is that lockdown is not normal, and it is okay to want to escape. With the technological advances that we have made over the last decade there are now multiple different options available to help fill the time that this pandemic has offered us.
Alex Nieora, a writer and blogger, gives few of her top television shows that she recommends watching over the coming weeks:

Ozark
Netflix’s critically acclaimed original series, Ozark, which released its third season last month, follows Marty, a shrewd financial advisor, and his family as they are forced to move from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks. Their reason for packing up and settling down elsewhere? So that Marty can continue laundering money for his boss, who also happens to be the boss of a feared Mexican drug cartel. If you are short on ideas for a new television series to commit to, Alex Nieora suggests that you start with this thrilling, nail-biting story.
Alex Nieora rating – 4 stars.

Better Call Saul
Smooth-talking, quick-witted ‘Slippin’ Jimmy McGill, played masterfully by Bob Odenkirk, always has something up his sleeve in Better Call Saul. About to wrap up its fifth season, the series explores the early days of McGill as a criminal lawyer, before he became Saul Goodman, the criminal lawyer representing shady characters (and getting involved in the criminal underworld himself) in Breaking Bad. A slow-burning ride at first, this prequel quickly picks up pace as Jimmy becomes increasingly entangled in the underworld. Alex Nieora highly recommends calling on Saul’s entertainment value (not at all swayed by her own TV genre preferences…)
Alex Nieora rating – 4.5 stars

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem & Madness
If you prefer an ultra-fast series, where you can get quickly stuck into an episode, before moving on to the next one, Tiger King may be for you. An eight-episode, real-life peek into the world of big cat owners, this riveting documentary about flamboyantly gay Joe Exotic includes drug kingpins, conmen, cult leaders, bitter rivalry, and a side plot to murder animal activist Carole Baskin. Each episode is well under an hour, so you should manage to get through this mini-series in a matter of days, Alex Nieora says. As story lines go, Tiger King certainly manages to be original. However, as somewhat of a wildcard (who remembers Life of Pi?) Tiger King may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as they say in England!
Alex Nieora rating – 3.5 stars

McMillions
Another mini-series to perhaps sink your teeth into: McMillions, which features the McDonald’s Monopoly scam that took place between 1989 and 2001.
Through six episodes, the documentary introduces the FBI and other legal authorities who investigated the Monopoly game heist, as well as the bogus winners and the perpetrators. The heist was led by Jerry Jacobson, who was in charge of security for the agency that ran the promotion, and several accomplices. Using in-depth interviews with those involved in every aspect of the crime, McMillions offers an insider’s view into one of the most notorious fraud cases of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Alex Nieora rating – 4 stars

Westworld
Highly rated and regarded by its viewers, Westworld is bound to appease Sci-Fi fans and a broader audience, as it combines elements of science fiction and the western genre. Doctor Robert Ford, played by veteran British actor Anthony Hopkins creates a Wild West theme park with androids that resemble humans, inviting guests to quench their fantasies and desires. Season Three has three episodes remaining, but Alex Nieora says, do not rush through the preceding seasons too rapidly, because they contain unique experiences. You will appreciate Westworld more by taking your time with each episode.
Alex Nieora rating – 4.5 stars

About Alex Nieora – Alex Nieora is a fervent fan of police and crime dramas and is currently working on her own crime drama script. She has travelled extensively and has lived in London, England. When she isn’t writing, Alex Nieora can usually be found working in her garden, running, spending time with her family, or watching the newest crime dramas.