The Gateway’s Ultimate Bingeworthy List

I know you didn’t plan for the world to go to shit — neither did we! What you can plan for is staying indoors a lot, eating snacks and binge-watching everything. If you’re not sure what to watch, each staff member at The Gateway has picked their favourite shows, movies or webseries in this neat little list to help you pick your next binge.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

I wholeheartedly recommend watching Neon Genesis Evangelion. What starts off as a story about teenagers fighting giant kaiju monsters in mech suits slowly turns into something much more subdued, sombre, and esoteric. It’s short-ish — only 26 episodes — and tackles everything from mental health to imposter syndrome to the intricacies of human relationships. It’s a deeply meditative series, and for those who want to spend some of their time in quarantine getting the chance to reflect on themselves, the world, and their place in it, this is the perfect thing to spend that time watching.

— Andrew McWhinney, Editor in Chief 

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

What makes tacos so tasty? Why is ice cream such a popular food? Netflix’s 2018 miniseries Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat delves into the elements that make food taste good, and how you can use this knowledge to better you own cooking. 

Professional chef and author Samin Nosrat travels the world, visiting a different country for each element: Japan for salt, Italy for fat, Mexico for acid and the United States for heat. While there, Nosrat explores how that country’s cuisine creates its own signature deliciousness.

It’s a short watch — only four 40-minute episodes long — so it’s ideal for those who don’t want to get sucked into a 20-hour marathon. But I wish there was more of it, because I could watch Nosrat eat and talk about food for days. She can make anything about food sound exciting, even the most mundane details. I never thought I’d be interested in how pasta is made or the importance of sour oranges in Mexican cooking, but I’m happy to say that I have been enlightened. 

Accompanying Nosrat on her food adventure is a huge cast of supporting figures. These range from talented home cooks to the owners of soy sauce-making plants to Nosrat’s own mother. She also instructs friends of hers who are cooking novices. Most cooking shows are very selective about who gets to talk about cooking on screen, but Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is not. It’s a nice change of pace, since food is relevant to everyone, not just chefs. 

In times of stress, cooking shows are the ideal escape: they’re lighthearted, relaxing, and educational. If you’re stuck at home and dying for another series to sink your teeth into, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is ideal. Who knows? Take Nosrat’s lessons to the kitchen, and maybe you’ll even become a better cook.

— Christine McManus, Managing Editor 

The Dragon Prince

Watch The Dragon Prince on Netflix. I know what you’re thinking: it’s an animated show, it looks like it’s for kids, “why are the lines so cheesy,” blah blah blah. The Dragon Prince is the perfect family show; people of all ages can watch it together and take away something from the story. It tackles issues of violence, greed, dismissing children because of their age, and most importantly, xenophobia. Watch it with younger siblings or Netflix Party it with long distance loved ones for a wholesome time. Also, the Season 3 finale is cinematically better than Game of Thrones, change my mind.

— Tina Tai, Online Editor 

Parks and Recreation

Parks and Recreation is often overlooked when it comes to workplace mockumentaries. Created by Greg Daniels (producer of The Office and The Simpsons) and Michael Schur (creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place), the show follows the municipal office of the parks and recreation department. Parks is a must-watch show for anyone who is a fan of The Office. Whether you relate to Leslie Knope’s never-ending goals to make her city better, Ron Swanson’s love for breakfast meats and woodworking, Ann Perkins’ dedication to supporting her best friend, or April Ludgate’s general apathy towards life, this show has something for everyone. There is also an array of recurring characters who accurately satirize the issues of local government. However, the heart of the show really lies in Knope’s belief that helping others is always worth the effort. The uplifting spirit of Parks makes it a binge-worthy show for times like these and with 125 episodes, you will be entertained for a while.

— Helen Zhang, Photo Editor

Bon Appétit’s YouTube Channel

If you love food and enjoy workplace comedy shows, I recommend checking out Bon Appétit’s YouTube channel. Their shows are light-hearted, educational, and family-friendly. Each chef has their own segment and there is something for every taste. You can learn how to recreate junk foods like a Snickers bar in “Gourmet Makes,” or learn about fermentation to make homemade kombucha in “It’s Alive.” If you’re bored and have 27 minutes to spare, why not watch 59 ways to cook an egg? In addition to their special segments, there are tons of easy to follow recipes that you can make at home while in quarantine. 

— Peter Elima, Art Director 

Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies is the perfect self-quarantine and social distancing series! It is the absolute cutest, but one of the darkest shows anyone can watch as well. From the creators of Hannibal, Pushing Daisies follows Ned, the pie-maker (Lee Pace), who has the innate ability to bring people back from the dead — but, if he touches them again, they’ll go back to their deaths forever. Ultimately, Ned brings back his crush, Chuck (Anna Friel), and solves mysteries with private-eye Emerson Cod (Chi McBride). This show combines everything I’m interested in — murder, love, beautiful aesthetics, and much more! Honestly, if you ever wondered what the inner core of Ashlynn consists of, just look at this show. Pace is also a soft little bean and Friel is no damsel-in-distress. The show combats themes of gender, religion, nostalgia, loss of innocence and longing. 

If I was a show, I would be Pushing Daisies — sweet treats, a bright colour scheme, and a happy exterior all mixed with murder, death, and betrayal. Although this show was cancelled way too early, it was ahead of its time! 

— Ashlynn Chand, Arts & Culture Editor

Shrek Film Series

The Shrek movies are perfect to binge-watch during isolation. They’re leaving Netflix in April, so now is the best time to watch them. They’re nostalgic, hilarious, and arguably the best fairy tale movies ever made. Shrek 2 is, of course, the best one — but don’t take it from me. Binge watch them all like the ogre you are and decide for yourself.

— Payton Ferguson, Opinion Editor 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

In terms of finding a show which is light-hearted, fun, easy to digest while packing a punch of reality at times Brooklyn Nine-Nine is fantastic.

With seven seasons of 30 minute-length episodes, the series is perfect for binge-watching. You can make a dent in it while also not selling your soul. I find they are the perfect length for a study break, or two, or three.

The cop show has light-hearted humour and low-key jabs at current political and cultural issues that we grapple with. The jokes come fast in some episodes, watch out!

No two episodes are alike, and if you watch from the start you get the added bonus of seeing return characters/guest stars develop over time. For example, in season one, the Pontiac Bandit episode ended up spawning a whole sub-plot that has continued in each of the future seasons.

The characters, while sometimes over the top, are relatable and human — making you able to laugh with them or cry alongside what they feel.

— Adam Lachacz, News Editor

HiHo Kids

Watching children do things on the internet sounds creepy at first, but the HiHo Kids Youtube channel is an endless source of pure, innocent joy — something I think we could all use a little of right now. 

This is a daughter channel of Cut, that Youtube channel where they supercut 100 people talking about a certain topic or line people up and get people to guess who’s siblings or ethnicities. The HiHo Kids channel, on the other hand, delivers more wholesome content. My favourite series from this channel is “Kids Try,” a segment where children try different kinds of food. The series mostly focuses on different kinds of cultural foods, but also has really touching episodes where children try the food their mothers craved during their pregnancy or the favourite childhood snacks of their grandparents. So, why watch a bunch of kids eat on Youtube? It’s just heartwarming. Periodt. This series is a reminder to be more openminded, to be more empathetic. It’s a reminder to laugh more, to embrace the silly mess life can be! The children in this series all have nuanced, unique perspectives on the world and they remind me to re-visit the lost concepts of curiosity and imagination. Plus, they’re all super cute!  

— Khadra Ahmed, Staff Reporter

All Gas No Brakes’

I would highly recommend watching All Gas No Brakes’ YouTube channel, which includes interviews from the road by Andrew Callaghan. During these times of boredom and isolation, it’s the perfect thing to either cheer you up or make you decide to self isolate for an eternity. The best one by far is the Talladega Superspeedway.

— Piero Fiorini, Director of Finance

Love Is Blind

If there’s anything that makes me feel better when things are chaotic, it’s when I can see something more chaotic and dramatic on TV. Love is Blind, if you haven’t already heard, is a chaotic and surreal Foucauldian experiment veiled as reality TV. Participants speak to each other between a wall in a bunker, never once seeing who they’re speaking to, and get engaged to marry. It’s as insane as it sounds. The show is filled with unforgettable personalities, unbelievable interpersonal drama, and messiness that will make you want to take a cold shower. It’s absolutely awful, in the most perfect ways.

— Pia Co, Director of Marketing and Outreach 

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

It’s the return of the king of movie marathons: the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the heavyweight champion of binging. Racking up over 11 hours in combined run-time, the extended editions of the films are the definitive way to explore Middle Earth. The three films (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King) are adaptations of the classic J. R. R. Tolkien story by director Peter Jackson. The plot centers around a quest to destroy a magic ring that is trying to reunite itself with its master and conquer the world. You can follow a lovable cast of characters as they cross the world to restore your faith in friendship and love, especially in times of chaos. The extended editions include more entertaining and touching scenes that add even more depth to the characters. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 11 awards including Best Picture, Costume Design, and Visual Effects, crowning the movie with the largest sweep of Academy Awards in history. It is a must-watch for anybody who likes movies. And when you’re finished your epic binge you can boast that you have truly been There And Back Again. Still not convinced? It has Orlando Bloom in it. 

Watch them on your streaming service of choice, or your local buccaneer bay.

— Hugh Bagan, Webmaster