Where to stream it: Hulu
The West Wing
If the current three-ring circus that is the 2020 presidential election has got you feeling frustrated, tune in to The West Wing, a perennial political drama that never seems to age. Created by Aaron Sorkin, the series—which chronicled the presidency of Jed Barlet (Michael Sheen) and his ever-loyal staff, from the campaign’s earliest days to its final ones—boasts its creator’s brilliantly verbose style. Given the dangerously divisive relationship between America’s two main political parties, the short version here is: It’s great to see a country not in total disarray. Also, if you’ve never seen the series, you can binge-watch it in time for A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, a theatrical presentation of one of the show’s most popular episodes (Season 3’s “Hartsfield’s Landing”), which will screen on HBO Max on October 15th.
Where to stream it: Netflix
Unsolved Mysteries
Having witnessed firsthand the enormous appetite today’s viewers have for nostalgia following the success of Stranger Things, producer Shawn Levy decided the time was right to bring back Unsolved Mysteries to an entirely new generation. But this isn’t your parents’ Unsolved Mysteries: For one thing, there’s no host (longtime frontman Robert Stack will forever be associated with the series, though the late Dennis Farina hosted it from 2008 to 2010). Also gone is the idea that multiple cases can be covered in one episode, and a seeming love of paranormal stories. Still, Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries reboot is a notch above many of today’s true crime shows. And, thanks to the magic of streaming, you can still go back and watch the original episodes on Peacock, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
Where to stream it: Netflix
The Simpsons
If you’re looking for a binge-watch that could last you all the way into 2021, you may want to buckle in for a Simpsons marathon of your own making. Though the long-running series just premiered its 32nd season, it shows no signs of slowing down. And its humor is just as topical and biting today as it was when the show first began.
Where to stream it: Disney+
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