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What is the best thing to watch on Netflix while in quarantine?
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Watch The Stranger in quarantine

Depending on what stage of isolation you're in, watching may actually make you crave the opportunity for a mysterious stranger to tell you devastating secrets about your loved ones. At least it would mean you were outside!

Context

The Stranger is a British mystery thriller series in eight parts which premiered on Netflix on 30 January 2020. Filmed in and around Manchester, the series focuses on a young 20-something woman who mysteriously appears and reveals a devastating secret to a married man. The events that follow become ever more complex and dark.

The Argument

One of the main feelings that most people have encountered in quarantine is boredom. Whether out of work or working from home, many people have found themselves with a lot more time on their hands. Unable to leave the house or meet friends, television provides a welcome distraction. It can be tempting to pass the time by watching mindless reality TV such as Keeping up with the Kardashians, but mystery thrillers such as The Stranger bring much-needed excitement and suspense to an otherwise very boring quarantine period. The eight-part series is full of twists and turns, and nothing is fully revealed or explained until the dramatic final episode. The mystery element also engages the brain, as it encourages the viewer to think hard in order to work out what is going on. The series is also ideal for binge-watching in one go. While this would normally be frowned upon, and due to work commitments people would usually be unable to binge-watch a series in a day or two, quarantine means that people are now working from home and have the time to watch a series in one sitting. The Stranger's mysterious plot makes it the ideal show for this kind of viewing.

Counter arguments

The world during quarantine is a scary place. Daily press briefings and the ever-rising number of Coronavirus cases make sure of that. Because of this, watching a twisted mystery thriller such as The Stranger is perhaps not the right option for many people in a fragile mental state. The series is unsettling under normal circumstances, let alone the current ones. A comedic series such as Sex Education or even rewatching old favourites such as Friends may be more appropriate and comforting for many people at the current moment.

Proponents

Premises

[1] Quarantine is a dull time for many. Watching a mystery thriller like The Stranger adds much-needed excitement. [2] Many people also have more time to binge-watch. The Stranger is perfect for binge-watching due to its length and content.

Rejecting the premises

References

This page was last edited on Thursday, 24 Sep 2020 at 07:39 UTC

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