Pandemic shutdowns have caused people to spend more time indoors, and TV viewing rates have increased by 73%, according to Comscore. Staff members and students at Menlo are following that trend, with a wide range of favorite shows from the pandemic.  

“I have two favorite shows during the pandemic — first, ‘All American’ and second, ‘WandaVision,’” sophomore Ross Muchnick said. “I can relate to ‘All American’ because I am a high school student athlete, and that’s really what the show’s main idea is about.” “All American” is about a high school football player and the difficulties he experiences in both his personal life and on the field.

“For ‘WandaVision,’ I like it because I have always liked Marvel movies, and this TV show brings the best parts of the movies into one show. I enjoy watching the new episode each week and then talking about it with my friends,” Muchnick said. “WandaVision” is a sit-com about a happily married couple of superhuman beings dealing with problems ranging from disastrous dinner parties to pregnancies, performed in front of a live studio audience.

“My favorite has been ‘Daredevil,’” sophomore Charlie King said. “‘Daredevil’ is a masterpiece. The story is brilliant, the acting is top notch, the cinematography is beautiful and the action scenes are absolutely stunning.” 

Head of College Counseling Matt Mettille also shared what he has recently been watching. “‘Normal People,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy’ are my favorite shows during the pandemic,” he said. “Ted Lasso” is about an American football coach who becomes a head soccer coach in England and tries to bring the team success while dealing with his relationship with his wife, managing team dynamics and figuring out how to win games. 

“I really loved ‘Atypical,’” Academic Coordinator Lily Lam said in an email to The Coat of Arms. “I love ‘Atypical’ because it lovingly and empathetically portrays people who are not neurotypical but shows us that we’re all humans.” This show is an American comedy-drama show on Netflix. It focuses on the life of 18-year-old Sam Gardner who has an autism disorder and how it impacts his family.

“Also, right now I am rewatching all episodes of ‘Community’ in order and am loving that too,” Lam said. “I like ‘Community’ because the writers frequently experiment with the format and storylines, so there’s novelty even though you’re watching the same cast with the same characters in every episode.” Community is a sit-com featuring a cast of characters trying to make it through Greendale Community College.

In addition, Academic Support Coordinator Ryan Dean spoke about his favorite shows during the pandemic. “I started quarantine hoping to rewatch episodes of ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Game of Thrones,’ two of my favorites shows of all time. But I didn’t really have the enthusiasm to carry through with two shows that can be emotionally and intellectually demanding,” he said. “Instead, I started watching reruns of ‘Modern Family’ with my son — he loves the series, and it’s been a great bonding experience for us!”

“My top shows during the pandemic have been ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and ‘Gossip Girl,’” freshman Paige Miller said. “It’s a fun way to get a break from online school and laugh a little bit.”

In fact, Miller’s favorite pandemic shows are very popular nationwide. For instance, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” has an audience of over 7.4 million people per episode. “It has a family aspect, and it’s pretty dysfunctional, which is really funny. Also, I like how the characters are super sarcastic,” she said about “Schitt’s Creek.”

Miller also likes “How I Met Your Mother.” “It’s just a funny show, but also it has emotional parts to it, so it’s serious while also maintaining a funny side as well. It’s also cool to see different settings and places in the shows.”

Like Miller, freshman Liv Leschly also enjoyed “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Brooklyn Nine-Nine is about a talented but immature NYPD detective in Brooklyn‘s fictional 99th Precinct, who often comes into conflict with his commanding officer Raymond Holt. “My favorite shows to watch during the pandemic are ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine.’” “Criminal Minds” is rated as the eighth most popular contemporary TV show and the 55th most famous show of all time, according to YouGov.com.