38 TV Shows You'll Actually Want To Watch During Quarantine
No spoilers — just a bunch of really great shows to watch ASAP.
We hope you love the shows and movies we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of revenue or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh and FYI — platform, prices, and other availability details are accurate as of time of publication.
We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the best TV show or movie they discovered during quarantine — here's what they've been streaming!
1. Barry
"A friend has been telling me to watch for months so I finally did, and I am sold. I was so impressed with Bill Hader's performance and the dark comedic subject matter is played out so well. It never gets too complicated (ahem, Westworld) and they do their best to tie up loose ends so you aren't completely ruined when the season ends." —mfalcone
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Now, and Vudu.
2. Anne with an E
"Anne with an E! I read the books as a kid and I absolutely loved it. Absolutely devastated that Netflix cancelled it." —frachel356
Watch it on Netflix.
3. Gilmore Girls
"I started to watch Gilmore Girls with my bestie and I just fell in love with it! Everything about it is amazing and so relatable." —mormitranip
4. Dark
"The plot, characters, and the way things play out are so well-thought-out and unpredictable. It's been hard to find another show that packs a punch and makes me think like this one has." —sierraclouse
Watch it on Netflix.
5. All American
"All American has kept me sane during quarantine. It’s a blend of drama, football, and romance that makes you want to keep watching. My boyfriend and his roommates recommended it to me and I was not disappointed." —lilbusybuzz
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Vudu.
6. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
"If you haven't seen it, I truly recommend it. Such a fun show that takes your mind off the shitstorm we currently live in." —lakriitz
"Yes yes yes I’m absolutely in love with this show!" —brianag462f75d6d
Watch it on Hulu.
7. The Good Wife
"If you're looking for a good legal/political drama that covers topical issues such as bitcoin, cyber hacks, and how a campaign is run in an age of social media, I highly recommend it. Many times I am on the edge of my seat." —dougfancy101290
Watch it on Amazon Prime and Hulu.
8. A Silent Voice
"My friends have been telling me to watch it for a while. It's anime and anime (BNHA is the only one I like) is not really my thing, but it's on Netflix and I decided on watching it. OMG that was such a good choice; it's such an emotional roller coaster. It has a lot of scenes where you're like 'Oh I know where this is going' but they don't do that so it leaves the audience starstruck and confused. Then they do something even better than what most movies do with following the same cliche paths. And the art — goddddd it's such a good movie." —bnha5life
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Vudu.
9. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
"My partner and I binge-watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel at the beginning of social distancing. It's a fantastic show! It's extremely well-written, and the cast has amazing chemistry. It's got its dramatic moments, but it's an overall lighthearted and uplifting show." —samanthah445c59db5
Watch it on Amazon Prime.
10. The Golden Girls
"I’ve been watching The Golden Girls. It distracts me from the crap going on outside." —taylorhutchins
11. Sex Education and On My Block
"I binged them both all in a week and now I’m counting the days till they’re back." —lisamariegc
14. The Politician
"It’s not exactly uplifting, and it was popular a while ago so I didn’t really discover it, but it helped to distract me from all of the utter crap going on in the world, and I was seriously invested in the show the entire time I was watching it." —human_being1757
Watch it on Netflix.
15. McMillions
"McMillions — esp if you need another doc series after Tiger King. Special Agent Doug is hilar, and it's great to watch with your parents if you're struggling to find something everyone will be happy with." —Maitland Quitmeyer
16. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
"We were fans even before COVID, but lately, we've found Whose Line is it Anyway? is helping us keep our sanity. (Any version will do.)"—caircair
Watch the American version on The CW, Amazon Prime and Vudu; watch the British version on Amazon Prime and Hulu.
17. Never Have I Ever
"Yes it just came out, but I binged the whole thing in one day. It’s so smart, funny, and emotional, but who wouldn’t expect anything less from Mindy Kaling!" —pandabear14
Watch it on Netflix.
18. GameFace
"My friend Michael recommended GameFace to me (avail to stream on Hulu!) and it makes me laugh SO hard. The lead character Marcella about has the reasoning of an It's Always Sunny character that leads her to all sorts of awkward situations. For example, she has to explain the phrase 'lubing me up' to her therapist after he pays her a compliment she thinks is setting her up for bad news. If you're into Miranda or Absolutely Fabulous (also on Hulu!), you'll likely dig this show." —Elizabeth Lilly
Watch it on Hulu.
19. Outer Banks
"Outer Banks on Netflix is a must. I’m only a few episodes on and I’m hooked! It’s a mystery/drama show, where the teens (four main characters) are working to find one of the characters' father who disappeared. I 100% recommend; it had me hooked on just the first episode." —jdaniel03
Watch it on Netflix.
20. NCIS
"I used to just glance at the TV whenever my parents watched NCIS but this quarantine, it's aired here at 11:30 p.m. and I got hooked. I'm more obsessed than my parents has ever been, and I thank the quarantine for allowing me to stay up late." —limag
Watch it on Amazon Prime and Netflix.
21. Prodigal Son
"Am I an asshole who occasionally judges shows based on FCC ratings and what time they are on television? Yes. But hear me out!!!! PRODIGAL SON on Fox. I watched on Hulu. It is cheesy and occasionally predictable, but SUCH a great story. CRAZY good acting from Tom Payne and Michael Sheen. If you like a good murder show, this is the shit. Basically, the dad (Sheen) is an incarcerated serial killer and his son (Payne) is a profiler for the FBI. OK gr8, go watch it and then HMU because I need someone to talk to about it." —meganc4340e2ca3
22. The Last Kingdom
"It’s a tiny bit like Game of Thrones but its own thing...it’s so good!" —daniellel4b0eefdac
Watch it on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Netflix, and Vudu.
23. Call The Midwife
"I finally got around to watching Call the Midwife from the beginning, and I only sort or regret my decision! LOL. It's so good, but also super heartbreaking! But still very worth watching!" —fillionfan4002
24. Schitt's Creek
"I love it because all of the characters are unique individuals and it's filled with great humor. Even the simplest things on this show make me laugh out loud, like hearing Alexis say 'Ew David.'" —emmanz
"I watched the whole of Schitt’s Creek just in time for the series finale. It was amazing and I still miss it :,)" —juneaux
25. Derry Girls
"My whole family LOLs every episode. It's so quirky and different and so clever. And only 12 episodes so a super quick binge!" —Katy Herman
Watch it on Netflix.
27. Money Heist (La casa de papel)
"I started Money Heist a few days ago and I already finished all four seasons. It was so good!" —Emma McAnaw
"Money Heist has everything! It’s not my normal genre but I am obsessed. It keeps you coming back for more every episode!" —leab2
"It’s sooo good. I don’t mind reading subtitles while watching." —junginym
Watch it on Netflix.
28. Vikings
"I've watched all six seasons of Vikings on Amazon Prime last March... This show is just so good!" —marie-francel
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Hulu, iTunes, and Vudu.
29. Little Fires Everywhere
"OMG I just finished Little Fires Everywhere! Amazing acting; I sobbed through the entirety of the last episode." —Skyler Murry
"Award-worthy performances by the entire cast." —phyliciadethomas
Watch it on Hulu.
30. Top Chef
"I’ve plowed through a whopping seven seasons of Top Chef in the past month. I think it’s the ideal show for quarantine viewing because, even if you zone out a bit, it doesn’t matter in the same way it would with a show with a scripted plot – you can catch right back up (even if you haven’t already watched it before like I have). Added bonus: it may give you some inspiration when it comes to things to cook for yourself at home." —Mallory McInnis
31. You
"I started watching a show called You; I haven't given much thought about it but show is so creepy. OK, creepy and addictive. I can't wait to find out Jo's next move :)" —s478ca560c
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Vudu.
"Both are really good shows to watch during quarantine as they give you a sense of optimism for a better future. Plus there are good tie-backs to the previous series, but you don't need to have seen them before to still enjoy. Live long and prosper!" —readallthebooks
Watch Star Trek: Discovery on Amazon Prime and Vudu; Star Trek: Picard on Amazon Prime.
33. The Mallorca Files
"I'm obsessed with The Mallorca Files and have been savoring the 10 episodes you can watch on Amazon Prime's Britbox channel rn. It's more than a crime procedural with a buttoned-up British detective teaming up with a buttoned-down(?) German detective who's unbelievably charming but goofy chasing after bad guys with beautiful island views behind them. Also, I won't give too much away but there's a very dramatic murder scene with a matador." —Elizabeth Lilly
Watch it on Amazon Prime.
34. High Fidelity
35. Dead Like Me
"It's deliciously dated and a super fun show." —eleanorthrice
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Vudu.
36. Lost in Space
"It’s a fun family TV series, and it’s entertaining and comforting. I love all the characters, and it’s easy to get invested in the storyline." —321missmaximoff
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Vudu.
37. Shrill
"Shrill starring Aidy Bryant from SNL is incredible. It is the story of an overweight woman named Annie who tires of being left out and hating herself and decides to embrace her body with newfound confidence and starts taking control of her life. It's a fabulous show. It's similar in tone to Girls but far less annoying and the characters are all very relatable." —mattyc3
Watch it on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Vudu.
38. The Morning Show
"The Morning Show if you're a fan of shows with every famous person ever and feminist icons and screaming 'YASSSSSS' at the TV." —Katy Herman
Watch it on Apple TV+.
You running to your couch to watch something new:
Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.