5 Reasons Not to Leave Your Couch This Weekend

Apocalyptic landscapes feel fitting right now. The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States has a lot of people feeling the need to hide away from the world and forget about their problems. Hence, why we put together a survival (uh, streaming) guide for the weekend so you don’t have to leave your home for entertainment.

Below you’ll find a list of 5 television shows and movies that will either reflect the potential future before us or remind you that it could be worse. From post-apocalyptic tv shows about conventionally attractive teenagers to psychological twists and whimsical storytelling, we’ve got your back.

So, cozy up, take a self-care break and enjoy the weekend. There’s a good chance President Trump will be doing the same as he avoids the responsibilities of his new office until Monday. If he can do it, so can you, obviously. Here’s your excuse to not leave the couch this weekend.

5. The 100, Netflix

Decades after a nuclear war has ravaged the Earth, the last of humanity lives in an enormous, orbiting space station called The Ark. But The Ark is dying, and officials aboard think the Earth might be habitable again. Enter: the 100, a group of (yes, 100) juvenile delinquents sent to Earth from The Ark to test this theory. But they’re not alone, and the Earth has been inhabitable for quite a while.

This series is dramatic AF and the definition of a “CW show,” but it’s entertaining and the characters tend to be pretty interesting. It’s also one of the potential futures for the planet at this point, so there’s that.

4. The Village, HBO GO

M. Night Shyamalan’s 2004 pet project, The Village, holds a dark secret that rings undeniably true in a post-Trump nation. The film is a reminder that living in the past and hiding from progress has never worked out in anyone’s favor except for those in power.

Part thriller, part plot twist, The Village stars Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, and Bryce Dallas Howard, and takes place in a Puritanical 17th Century village that’s “protected” by the “creatures” in the woods around it. The villagers are controlled by an all-consuming fear of the unknown, making this movie particularly relevant over 10 years later.

3. Game of Thrones, HBO GO

Escapism is sometimes necessary. Why not escape with the help of one of the most popular shows currently on television? Game of Thrones, the hit HBO series based on the popular books by George R. R. Martin, is about fictional lands, imperfect people, bickering lords, a throne made of swords, a tempestuous string of dictatorial leaders, and dragons (so, okay, only a few of those things are incredibly fictional).

But if you’ve seen Game of Thrones you might want to revisit it this weekend to let your mind wander. If you haven’t, you’re either a miracle worker or just incredibly stubborn. Just know that the blonde gal with the dragons is not to be fucked with.

2. Ex Machina, Amazon Prime

As your quality, award-winning film option is Ex Machina, the sci-fi psychological thriller by writer and director Alex Garland. Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Alicia Vikander star in this opulent story about artificial intelligence and evolving humanity. What does it mean to be human in a future defined by fear and bigotry?

Ava (Vikander) is a robot undergoing the Turing intelligence test with the help of programmer Caleb Smith (Gleeson) under the watchful eye of her creator, Nathan Bateman (Isaac). Things go very bad very fast as the plot twists and turns, resulting in an uncertain future for both Ava and the world alike.

1. A Series of Unfortunate Events, Netflix

Netflix’s latest hit original series, based on Lemony Snicket’s popular children’s book series of the same name, urges its viewers to look away to escape the pain of its plot. The Baudelaire siblings’s tale is one of tragedy, heartbreak, and adults who refuse to acknowledge the intelligence of children.

However, much like the original books, it still manages to charm and bring about a smile every now and then. Darkly humorous reminders of other forms of tragedy are sorely needed at a time such as this.