3 New TV Shows That Have Made Social Distancing a Part of the Concept

Before Fall TV returns [1] with coronavirus storylines [2], a few new shows have popped up that incorporate COVID-19, Zoom, and social distancing into their very premises. Three very different shows, all airing in different places, have managed to film during quarantine and produce different takes on what life during the pandemic [3] has been like for different people. For the most part, these shows have stuck to either virtual productions or, in some cases, having actors film with their own families while quarantining together to stay safe. Keep reading to learn more about each of these extremely 2020 shows!

Love in the Time of Corona

The first COVID-19-themed TV series to come out this year was Freeform's four-part miniseries, following several different couples and singles dealing with the stresses of quarantine and life in general in 2020. In some cases, quarantine filming was made possible by casting real-life couples in their own self-contained stories: Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr. and his wife Nicolette Robinson starred in one story. Other family casting includes married couple Gil Bellows and Rya Kihlstedt, along with their daughter Ava Bellows, while the characters in isolation are played by Tommy Dorfman [5], Rainey Qualley, and L. Scott Caldwell.

Upon its release in August, the miniseries met with mixed reviews. It currently sits at 64 percent [6] on Rotten Tomatoes, praised for being light and sweet by some critics but criticized for being paint-by-numbers and uninspiring by others.

Coastal Elites

HBO's Zoom-inspired special aired on Sept. 12 and brought together some of the buzziest names in Hollywood for a digital show about five people (the "coastal elites" of the title) having their lives turned upside down in quarantine. It's structured more like a play than anything, with five monologues for the five characters: Issa Rae as a wealthy "elite" who runs in the same circles as Ivanka Trump, Dan Levy [7] as a gay actor, Sarah Paulson as a YouTuber stuck in quarantine with her conservative family, Kaitlyn Dever as a nurse who travels from Wyoming to help in New York City, and Bette Midler as an outspoken Jewish New Yorker.

The show's satirical approach and rehashing of familiar feelings didn't really land for many critics, although some praised its depiction of unfiltered frustrations and monologue-heavy, theatrical approach. It has a 56 percent rating [8] on Rotten Tomatoes.

Social Distance

Set to debut on Oct. 15, Netflix is getting into the socially-distanced filming game with an eight-episode anthology series, packed with stars and, like Love in the Time of Corona, their real-life relatives in some cases. The mile-long list of performers getting involved includes Danielle Brooks, Mike Colter, Oscar Nuñez, Dylan and Becky Ann Baker, Asante Blackk, and so many more.

According to Deadline, the anthology is completely remote [9], told through a "virtual lens" and produced remotely, except for actors who had to quarantine with their co-stars. It's set to debut on Oct. 15.

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