Social Distance premiered globally on 15th October 2020 on Netflix. Created by Hilary Weisman Graham and Jenji Kohan, it is an 8-episode-long anthology series revolving around life in the initial months of the worldwide lockdown and quarantine due to the global pandemic Covid-19.
It’s Hard For Social Beings to Be Socially Distanced
Social Distance revolves around various people in its 8 episodes who are trying to survive the quarantine. While some are lonely, some realize that their partners and they want different things from life, a family loses their patriarch, another family has their family member infected with the virus, the problem of non-muted mics, online classes and the systemic killing of George Floyd – the problems are endless. The 8-episodes-long anthology captures everything you would have felt in this phase of social distancing and it does not get boring.
The whole idea of the anthology in itself is engaging and relatable, with each episode portraying a different story altogether. Every episode is something you have either experienced first hand or have heard happen to your near and dear ones. There are Zoom screens, despair, breakdowns, togetherness, and differences – everything shown in the series that hits right in our socially distanced feels. More than hit-and-trial, the series speaks about the seriousness of these times and how they affect individuals and relations and manages to keep it light with small jokes here and there. A perfect blend, I say!
With each episode of about 22 minutes, the series has a decent amount of storytelling and does not overwhelm its viewers with the harsh reality as each episode ends on a humble and positive note. While the quarantine is hard on everyone, some people do have it worse and the series acknowledges that in the first episode itself. Social Distance places itself in the present situation rather than going on the repetitive road of life-before-quarantine. It is about how people feel in the present rather than whimpering about the past.
Some of the most hilarious sequences include a random group of dirty dancers joining a Zoom funeral, a gay couple forgetting to mute their mics while fighting and planning a threesome, and a Zoom class gone weirdly funny!
Stream It or Skip It
STREAM IT! Social Distance is a well-made anthology series where you can choose any episode to watch, with each of them being unique in their own way. The anthology won’t make you feel anything negative but instead, is based on the pillars of realism. The role of technology to keep us connected is very crucial in times like these when being out in public is dangerous. Social Distance shows the importance of technology in keeping people sane!
Social Distance is now streaming on Netflix.
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