Looking for some soothing entertainment to usher in 2024? Now that the writers and actors strikes have concluded, we can feel a little bit of comfort watching films and TV shows. What entertainment has been keeping us comfortable? In the new What’s WWAC Watching? roundtable, me (Louis), Emily, Paulina and Kate recommend comfort films and TV shows to watch while snuggling on your couch.
Louis Skye: I’ve been nothing short of miserable this month and found my way back to a show that makes me laugh, yet feels relatable. Superstore is a sitcom that follows an eclectic group of retail workers navigating corporate politics, bizarre customers, and even a bit of romance. It’s got a wonderfully diverse cast, some genuinely hilarious jokes, while mocking the ridiculous coldness of corporate policies. I also love how well the show incorporated the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when so many stories were pretending it didn’t exist.
I’ve been relying on Superstore’s vibes to start writing my own sitcom (I have a long way to go) but usually, I just end up watching the show instead of analysing it. And, it’s one of those shows you can safely watch with your folks when they’re in town and you cannot, for the life of you, find anything else for everyone to watch together!
Emily Lauer: Oooh, Comfort Watches! This past month, my spouse and I watched Schmicago, the second season of Schmigadoon. In Schmigadoon, Josh and Melissa have some doubts about their relationship, and stumble into a magical small town in the woods, where everyone acts, dresses and sings like they’re in a pastiche of classic musicals. The second season finds Josh and Melissa later, married, and floundering as things haven’t turned out how they had hoped. Trying to get back to Schmigadoon for some clarity, instead they wind up in Schmicago — a grimy, seedy, corrupt and sometimes cynical city that operates as a pastiche of the next generation of musicals.
This was so much fun. I loved all the nods to Cabaret and Chicago, my husband enjoyed all the Pippin references, and we reminisced together with all the Hair references. Neither of us are familiar with Sweeny Todd, but you know, we got it. The songs are silly, but catchy, and there are some amazing standout performances, such as Tituss Burgess as the Narrator and Jane Krakowski as brassy lawyer Bobbie Flanagan.
Schmigadoon and Schmicago are both streaming on Apple TV+. I recommend them for the Broadway nerd (me) who likes a self-aware pretty costume and happy ending.
Paulina: Emily, this almost convinces me to get Apple TV+ because between the potential for musical satire and Ted Lasso it might be worth it. Also, I’m seconding Louis’ Superstore plug. I adore it and might need to rewatch it after Louis’ recounting the best parts of it! I’ve been spending a lot of time with comfort TV recently and one of the main ones (thank you library DVDs!) has been this 1990s fish-out-of-water comedy Northern Exposure. For me, comfort TV is usually new shows/movies that I care about enough to watch but not enough to pay super close attention to. Fun, but if I miss some minutes or episodes, NBD. The premise for Northern Exposure is that a newly graduated medical doctor from New York City ends up needing to repay his student loan debt by working in the remote town of Cicely, Alaska.
The series is an interesting peek at the politics, race discussions, and gender dynamics of the early 1990s. And despite some…choices, it’s a nice reminder of the importance of community in our lives. There’s just something charming about a group of people living their daily hijinks. One thing I appreciate about the series is that although most of the main characters are white, Elaine Miles (Cayuse/Nez Perce) provides a regular voice for the Indigenous people of the town. While I can’t vouch for all the background cast, the show incorporates extras (and featured cast) of color who also are or appear to be Indigenous. Miles’s character Marylin interacts with aunties, uncles, and the show even provides space for discussions of Indigenous medicine. Although the thought of what the town might be like in 2023 gives me pause, for now, I’m enjoying this little slice of the Alaskan Riviera.
Kate: Hello, I have been summoned by the power of Northern Exposure DVDs. I recently bought the complete series on DVD for my mom for her birthday and secured the title of Best Daughter Forever since it is her favorite comfort tv show. For me, there is nothing I love more than Ted Lasso (also on Apple TV+). This is a show that warms your heart and makes you cry exactly when you need it. But what I was unable to appreciate when watching it unfold in real time is the foreshadowing and foregrounding that really pays off in unexpected ways in the final season. If you rewatch the first season after the series finale, you will recognize that the writing staff went back to that first season and made an effort to pick up even the smallest of references (hello, pillow fight?). Plus, now that we have the official Ted Lasso shortbread recipe, is there anything better to do on a cold, rainy night than have a warm cuppa and shortbread? I don’t think so.
