Everything
With much of Australia back to appreciating The Great Indoors, it feels like our civic duty to share with you the best TV series to watch in lockdown. Unlike last year, when production came to a screeching halt and the steady flow of new series was reduced to a trickle, this time around, there are plenty of exciting shows that will help pass the time. We bring you the best TV series to watch in lockdown, from terrifying crime dramas to rebooted classics and even lockdown-themed comedy specials. Now pass it on.
Dr Death, Stan
Anything that stars Dawson Creek alumni Joshua Jackson is well worth watching (see also: The Affair), but Dr Death has the added benefit of boasting a star-studded cast and being based on a true crime. That’s a win-win. Jackson plays real-life Doctor Christopher Duntsch, a former neurosurgeon nicknamed Dr Death, after being convicted of killing and maiming several patients. Based on a hugely successful podcast of the same name, Dr Death charts Duntschs’ rise from high school football star to a psychotic surgeon while also shining a light on the failing US medical system, which allowed the dangerous Duntsch to slip through the cracks.
Starstruck, ABC iview
Show of hands if you’re a Fleabag fan? The Phoebe Waller-Bridge comedy only ran for two seasons – sob! – but luckily, we’ve got the perfect replacement. Written by and starring Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning Kiwi comedian, writer and actor Rose Matafeo, Starstruck follows the life of Jessie, a millennial who lives in East London. Her life feels painfully familiar – nights out, useless flatmates, UberEats – but things take an interesting turn when Jessie discovers her New Years Eve one night stand is actually a film star.
Naomi Osaka, Netflix
Few sports stars have dominated the conversation this year, like former number one ranked tennis player Naomi Osaka. Osaka burst onto the stage with her infamous win over an incandescent Serena Williams at the 2019 US Open. Since then, she’s cut a curious figure on the circuit; withdrawn, shy, the anti-Williams. Further adding to the intrigue was Osaka’s brave decision to withdraw from Wimbledon this year, citing the stress on her mental health. This isn’t the behaviour we’ve come to expect from our best and brightest, but it is refreshingly normal.
This three-part Netflix series seeks to shed more light on Japanese-born Osaka, raised by a Haitian father and a Japanese mother.
Bo Burnham ‘Inside’ Netflix
Feel like you’re losing your mind during lockdown? So did Bo Burnham. The US musical comedian famed for his clever lyrics and deadpan delivery may have produced his most meta comedy special with Inside. Shot during lockdown last year, Inside follows Burnham as he slowly but surely hovers near the edge of a mental breakdown. Relatable, funny and strangely sobering, this is a must-watch for anyone struggling with being stuck indoors.
The White Lotus, Binge
We promised to provide you with the best TV series to watch in lockdown, and we are obliged to point you towards White Lotus. The latest buzz-drama from powerhouse HBO, The White Lotus, is a murder mystery set at a five-star Hawaiian resort (named White Lotus, obviously), where everything seems perfect, and nothing feels quite right. In episode one, we meet the array of guests checking in to this series: Nicole (Connie Britton), the high flying GOOP executive, Rachel (Alexandra D’Addario), the bored newlywed and Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge), the sad single traveller. But stealing the show is Armond (Australian actor, Murray Bartlett), the highly-strung manager of White Lotus.
Gossip Girl, Binge
Reboots are all the rage right now, but who knew we desperately needed another run at Gossip Girl (I certainly didn’t). In this highly millennial reset, the Gossip Girl blog is replaced by an Instagram account. That’s not the only stark difference from the original, either. This time around, the characters are decidedly more woke, and Gossip Girl isn’t an anonymous insider; instead, it’s a group of bitter teachers who are determined to bring their obnoxious students back down to earth. Kirsten Bell returns as the narrator, which is oddly comforting and helps cement GG as one of the best TV series to watch in lockdown.
