Fingers in symphony

Ever noticed how some TV shows sneak into our lives like those momo stalls on every corner? They become a part of us, as much as that one Bollywood dance move everyone secretly practices. They’re like the reassuring voice of a Mumbai local train announcer, giving us closure and predictability in a world crazier than a K-serial plot. Whether we’re laughing with the gang from “Friends or TBBT” or shedding emotional tears with the “Modern Family” fam, these shows take our feelings on a relaxing stroll on a sunny winter morning . And guess what? Science says binge-watching your favorites is as soothing as a hot cup of chai! So, the next time someone asks why you’re re-watching your favorite show just tell them you’re nurturing your mental health, one episode at a time!

These are the five shows if you want to know about me:

1. Haunting of Hill House- A horror show? That too in the fall season? Please count me in. I went in planning to have a good scare and have 1-2 sleepless nights reading about it on Wikia or Screenrant at the most. But, humans, was I wrong. It may be horror in genre, but it is an allegory on the seven stages of grief, importance of one’s family, however dysfunctional, and the destructive manifestations of trauma response. I watched and felt seen, felt I mattered. I related mostly with Steve and Theo. Steve for living in denial, planning his future based on his beliefs about mental illness: a future without kids. And Theo because, like her, I get massively affected by other people’s moods, and then there are days when nothing affects me. From being a sponge, I go straight to being a stone. I was in love with Nell; she was such a lovable character, always emanating kindness and love, a character I have found in people I knew once. They emitted the same kind of kindness when I was only emanating darkness; their warmth breathed life back into me. While there were some terrifying horror sequences, they carried deeper meanings. But what makes me revisit the show everytime is the fact that I lived in a house like that too, as ancient as civilization ( it seemed to me) and as full of dark secrets as the ones shown in the series.
2. Person of Interest- A show well ahead of its times, it had foreshadowed so many future events. It was my dissociation partner as my world was falling apart. It was the only compass I had for any sense of balance, devoid friends and love, I found gravitating towards it for some much needed kinship, camaraderie and love ( looking at you Reese). Also, I identified heavily with Root. The show was a testament to the profound impact that storytelling can have, becoming a lifeline that helps one navigate through the storm.
3. Schitt’s Creek- All hail 2018 and the great year it was. Schitt’s Creek was what I imagined a happy life to be, having a sassy and classy mom like Moira, a softie dad like Mr. Rose ( also such a dad figure for Stevie, something I had in common with her that year), a friendship like David and Stevie ( have a friendship quite identical to that in real life) and a sister as fun as Alexis, and need I say anything about how the show celebrated healthy romantic relationship.
4. The Office- I discovered The Office quite late, I wish I had discovered it in 2012-13 or even earlier. I hated Michael in season 1, but then found him to be a hilarious ironical figure. And what can I say about Jim-Pam , still jealous of you Pam. And the cast was just brilliant. The whole lot, it just makes you actually wish for an office like that. Also that wedding dance at Jim-Pam’s wedding was the icing on the cake
5. Made in Heaven Season 1- I used to be a romantic, a textbook hopeless one, but then reality creeped in and swallowed my heart in its cold, dark embrace. I turned into a commitment phobe, not wanting to marry, settle down and do the boring till I died. Then came my now husband and he made me appreciate life again, he shone his golden hour energy on my cold, dark heart and made me want to consider spending my life with him. Strangely, the timeline coincided with Made in Heaven. As I watched Tara and Karan navigate the labyrinthine world of wedding planning, it felt like a mirror reflecting the excitement and complexities of my own journey towards matrimony. The show’s exploration of relationships and societal expectations echoed the thoughts swirling in my mind as I approached this significant life event. It became a source of both guidance and reflection, as I contemplated the fine line between tradition and modernity, much like the characters on screen. “Made in Heaven” wasn’t just a TV series; it was a roadmap for me, a way to navigate the rollercoaster of emotions and the intricacies that come with planning a wedding.

Honorable mentions: Only Murders in the Building- a wes andersonny, sublime dark comedy which is a little too recent to be a retreat.

Stranger Things, Oh Steve!! And the Upside Down and the K energy that I did try to birth in me when I was younger and stupider!

So, there are my retreats, what are your yours?