The coronavirus has millions of Americans cooped up inside and many are exploring TV and streaming sites. There are many flicks that offer some escape and comfort in a storm of distressing news. There are also dramas for those interested in viruses.
The Defender compiled some must-see TV to pass the time while you’re on lockdown or quarantine.
“American Son” (Netflix) – Adapted from the acclaimed Broadway play that also stars Kerry Washington, “American Son” follows an estranged couple as they await news on their missing teen son in a Florida police station.
“Barry” (Netflix) – This Barack Obama biopic follows No. 44 as he navigates his junior year at Columbia University, struggling to stay connected to his parents and schoolmates.
“Monogamy” (Amazon Prime) – The ensemble drama features four couples who travel to undergo a new type of treatment called swap therapy to repair their broken marriage.
“Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix) – Eddie Murphy returns to the big screen as 1970s comedian Rudy Ray Moore, as he creates his beloved raunchy alter ego “Dolemite,” one of the stars of the “blaxploitation” film era.
“The Intruder” (Amazon Prime) – A couple (Megan Goode, Michael Ealy) buys their dream house to take the next steps as a family but then suspect that the seller has hidden motivations beyond a quick sale.
“Sextuplets” (Netflix) – While expecting his own child, Alan (Marlon Wayans) discovers he’s a sextuplet and sets out to find his five siblings, all played by Wayans.
“The Black Godfather” (Netflix) – This eye-opening documentary tells the untold story of Clarence Avant, known as the “Black Godfather” among Hollywood’s elite, in the music industry andpolitics.
“Little Fires Everywhere” (Hulu) – The movie starring Kerry Washington follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
“Juanita” (Netflix) – Alfre Woodard plays a woman who uproots her life to take a trip to Montana, leaving her three grown children behind in order to better herself.
“High Flying Bird” (Netflix) – Shot completely on an iPhone, the drama follows a sports agent who concocts a risky plan in order to end an NBA lockout.
“ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke” (Netflix) – The documentary delves into the events surrounding the mysterious murder of Sam Cooke, the musician and activist who died in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement in 1964.
“Roxanne Roxanne” (Netflix) – The biopic tells the story of Queens-born emcee Roxanne Shanté, who rose to fame at the age of 14 following the release of her 1984 single “Roxanne’s Revenge.” While she’s considered one of hip-hop’s first female rappers, the film depicts her struggle to succeed in the male-dominated music industry of the 1980s.
“Quincy” (Netflix) – Follows the life of composer and producer Quincy Jones, who counted celebrities like Ray Charles, Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra as friends. His daughter, Rashida Jones, co-directed the film.
“Nappily Ever After” (Netflix) – The film follows the story of a woman who has it all (the perfect house, boyfriend and job) but decides to cut her hair off after her life begins to crumble.
“First Match” (Netflix) – A teenage girl grows up in Brooklyn’s Brownsville foster care system and joins a boys’ wrestling team in an effort to get the attention of her father, an ex-prisoner who was a star wrestler at her age.
“Outbreak” (Netflix) – The medical disaster flick stars scientists trying to contain a virus that’s spread from a monkey brought to the U.S. from Africa, after a customs agent lets it go. While trying to find a cure, a general tries to hone in on the virus as a deadly bio-weapon.
“Contagion” (Hulu, Amazon Prime) – The movie follows a variety of people – including healthcare providers, government officials and normal folks – during a global pandemic.
“93 Days” (Netflix) – In this film, doctors and officials race to contain an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. Based on the 2014 situation in Nigeria, the movie stars Danny Glover. The film was dedicated to Ameyo Adadevoh, a doctor who played a key role in containing the outbreak and who died in 2014.
