Yes, I watched a lot of TV in 2020...and I'm not mad about it.
I used the good ole boob tube to help de-compressed the massive Covid-19 stress of being at home for days and days, with kids, husband, and an old doggie who needs to be let outside every five minutes.
Instead of traveling across the country for speaking engagements, I traveled through blocks of time, visiting New York during the Revolution, England in a post World War I era, the rugged Rocky's during the building of our great American railroad, and into the future, where super-heros are real (and not always nice).
Over the past several months, I've spent many an hour camped out on the couch, laughing out loud with Alexis and David at the Rosebud Motel.
My time with Al Pacino has re-ignited my long-term interest in the Holocaust (which was originally spurred by a class I took at Idaho State University called the Rhetoric of Hitler and Churchill).
And I've thoroughly enjoyed my many walks down memory lane via all the 80's nostalgia included in more than three different series set in my childhood decade (Stranger Things, The Goldbergs, The Toys that Made Us, etc.)!
Oh the Def Leppard posters, shoulder pads, bangs to the sky, and VCRs!
This week as I've been working on my business "year-in-review" tasks, I randomly had the thought to create a "Best of Quarantine TV" list, since I'd done such a good job of racking up time in-front of my TV as we've been sheltering at home.
Then I giggled at the thought.
Then, I scoffed at it.
How could "Coach Sarah" publish a list about watching TV?
That's not very "coachly."
It's "couch potato-y!"
My inner judge repeated things I've heard from top leadership and business "gurus" about NOT owning evil televisions, and that those who waste time on TV shows are lazy and should be reading books instead.
And then, my inner mentor said, "Yeah...but you are living through a pandemic, and doing remote learning with a 6-year old and 8-year old! This is NOT a normal year, so you might wanna stop judging yourself so damn hard!"
And my inner mentor went on to say, "You LOVE TV. Always have. And, you LOVE incorporating pop-culture references into your content when you're coaching or speaking from the stage, because you know it can be a great connector (with the exception of one time when you tried to talk about John Wayne in a class of city-dwelling Gen Yers, and no one knew who he was, and you cried a little)."
Do you, boo!
I believe TV is ok, as long as you spend more time taking action than you do consuming content.
TV can be a wonderful teacher and connector.
I've learned SO much via this powerful communication tool, and I'm not "too good" to admit this.
Thank god for Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and Bob Ross painting happy little trees.
Thank god for HBO teaching me about "Real Sex" LOL!
Thank god for Jax Teller, Cullen Bohannon, and Tommy Shelby, if you know what I mean, wink, wink.
Thank god for allllll the entertainment, creativity, and inspiration...available at the click of a button, any time I want.
Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now! Really!
So, if you also enjoy TV, and see the value of pop-culture awesomeness, may I offer my Best of TV Binges of 2020:
Hamilton-Brighton and I are OBSESSED with this musical and she listens to the soundtrack non-stop. I will never forget her asking me what adultery is as we watched Hamilton and the "Red Dress Mistress" as she describes her. That was fun times. NOT! But really...Hamilton is a masterpiece. Watch it, even if you hate musicals.
Hell on Wheels-My dad was a railroader his entire career, so I immediately fell in love with the story of building the Union Pacific railroad. "Hell on Wheels" was a town that would build and then strike again and again as the railroad and its people moved West. I learned history of Chinese and "Freed Men" who labored on the tracks, and enjoyed the expansive views of the West. Fun fact. The Golden Spike is mentioned, and I've ridden in the Golden Spike arena in Utah, and many old western town scenes were shot in Canada at a ranch I got to visit a few years ago, just outside of Calgary.
Peaky Blinders-Turn the captions ON because the accents in this one are so thick, you might need some help even though they're speaking english. It. will. be. worth. it. The love stories, the action, horses, ahhhhh, it's good.
The Boys-I was pretty sure I'd hate this one recommended by our neighbors, but then I saw Elizabeth Shue, kept watching and ended up really liking this witty series! The Boys is a future-based show with super-heros who help maintain national security, and under-ground vigilantes are work to uncover the less-than virtuous agenda of the company backing them. Homelander, Starlight, A-Train, The Deep, and more are waiting to wow you.
Hunters-Nazi's are still alive, and Pacino and his crew are hunting them down. Yup. They've immigrated to the US, assumed new identities, and have plans to rule the world. Super creepy, and creative plot.
Strangers Things-The upside-down scares the shit out of me. The end.
Schitt's Creek-My husband will NOT watch this with me, but I LOVE the humor and the cast. Catherine O'hara is divine (and those of you who are just now figuring out she is the mom from Home Alone, welcome to the party), and I love that the dad (Eugene Levy), brother David (Daniel Levy) and Twila (Sarah Levy) from the diner are all related in real life.
Tiger King-How can you NOT watch this train-wreck? And she definitely killed her husband, whacked him.
Right now, I'm trying to get into The Crown, since it comes so highly recommended, and I'm a big Diana fan, but it's SLOW to start and I keep falling asleep. I've also just started watching the new season of Big Mouth and it's crude...but makes me laugh really hard.
Comment below with YOUR top shows of 2020 Quarantine!
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