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Favorite TV Shows to Indulge in Over Winter Break

Television screen with Netflix logo behind a steaming beverage mug

The holidays are often a time for family togetherness, overeating, dodging political discussions, and catching up on your favorite television shows or discovering new must-see-TV.  With so many options available on so many devices, we thought it would be fun to find out what a few of our social work faculty are watching and loving. 

 

American Pickers (on History)

 

“I love antique hunting during our summer month adventures.”

          —Rich Landward, assistant professor/lecturer

Ancient Aliens (on History)

 

“It is consistently so ridiculous that it always makes me laugh.”

          —David Derezotes, professor

Blue Bloods (on CBS)

 

“I enjoy the types of perspectives that the characters try to portray for honesty, fairness, and social justice.”

          —Scott Sorensen, associate professor/lecturer

Book TV (on C-SPAN2)

 

“If you’re wondering what this is, as most people do, it’s where authors talk about their books. It’s where I find out about most books I read and where I checked off a bucket list item when I was invited on to talk about a book I wrote. Whether there’s nothing else on or something else on—and even though my fiancée calls me a nerd for watching—I’ll turn to this.”

          —Martell Teasley, dean

Doctor Who (on BBC, BritBox)

 

“The reason I like Doctor Who so much can be summed up by Steven Moffat, writer for the show. ‘When they made this particular hero, they didn’t give him a gun, they gave him a screwdriver to fix things. They didn’t give him a tank or a warship or an X-Wing fighter, they gave him a callbox from which you can call for help. And they didn’t give him a superpower or pointy ears or a heat ray, they gave him an extra heart.’”

          —Jeremiah Jaggers, assistant professor

Fleabag (on Amazon Prime)

 

“The reason I like this shows is because it is super cynical, witty, and angry. Bottom line: it makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I try to make sure I laugh at least once a day (but more is betterJ) and I cry as often as needed. Both make me feel better.”

          —Tasha Seneca Keyes, assistant professor

The Great British Baking Show (on Netflix)

 

“It’s one of the only reality TV shows I’ve seen where people are actually nice to each other (what a thought!) and everything they make looks incredible.”

          —Alysse Loomis, assistant professor

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (on Amazon Prime)

 

“I love everything about this show, the acting, the writing, and particularly the palette of the sets and costumes. So 50s, so east coast, so colorful, so freaking ‘haimish’ (Yiddish word that means friendly or homey). The family, although mostly played by non-Jews, is quintessentially Jewish, down to the neuroses, conversational style, and drama-trauma. I like Midge Maisel the best of all the characters because she is a rebel and acts out in outrageous ways I could only hope to get away with.”

          —Joanne Yaffe, professor

Mr. Sunshine (on Netflix)

 

“I loved ‘Mr. Sunshine,’ which beautifully portrays the sad colonization in Korea late 19th century, but strong resistance from the people, and subtle but achingly poignant love and care with amazing acting and stunning cinematography.”

          —Jaehee Yi, associate professor

Prodigal Son (on Fox)

 

“It is kind of creepy, and deals with mental health issues of parents and its impact on kids.”

          —Caren Frost, research professor

Vientos de Agua (on Netflix)

 

“It portrays issues immigrants face as they leave family, culture, etc. behind when they emigrate—by showing a person from Spain emigrate to Argentina in the 1930s, and later his son emigrating to Spain in the 2000s.”

          —Cetrola Sanchez, assistant professor/lecturer

The Wire (on HBO)

 

“The complexity and depth of the main characters is unusually rich for a TV show.”

          —Chris Cambron, assistant professor

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Last Updated: 12/12/23