Winter is not just coming, winter is here — well, in its own fluctuating, New England, under global warming and pre-solstice sort of way. The roads are salted, the wind tunnels are biting and my corduroy Uniqlo jacket is decreasing in utility, no matter how many long sleeves I layer underneath.
In other words, the semester is ending and so too is our time together.
Writing this column has grown into a weekly reflective experience for me, a chance to revisit my TV track history with a new attentiveness and desire to extrapolate the most meaningful, if niche, themes. Reviewing these shows has also brought me back to fond memories, like prolonged 3 a.m. discussions analyzing Tyrion’s character arc on “Game of Thrones” (2011–2019) and rather heated debates over whether “Friends” (1994–2004) is funny or not. Sharing television shows is honestly a good chunk of my love language — even if the recipients would rather tune me out (everlasting love to my friends, without whom this column would not exist).
This past week has felt like a season finale, for me especially. I’ve been main-character walking through campus, with Adele on repeat, trying to soak in my last glimpses of Tufts before I head abroad in the spring. I’m feeling the full force of pre-departure nostalgia, and it’s not helping that what feels like every dance group on campus has performed this weekend, making me literally tear up in Cohen Auditorium.
Like the end of all good things, a series finale is always a sentimental experience. We are often left either comforted by a conclusion ambiguous enough to imply our protagonist will be just fine, or left stewing in an unsatisfied wrap-up of plot points. In my favorite show, which is “Halt and Catch Fire” (2014–2017) as I’ve repeated many times, the finale offers a beautiful nod toward the infinite possibilities that the future holds.
So, I’d like to leave you with a similar excitement for the unknown: the newest additions to my Want-To-Watch list (plus a first impression synopsis based on the trailers).
From Kyle: “Ted Lasso” (2020–): A comedy with heartwarming sports-drama vibes starring a very “American” Jason Sudeikis — boasting a mustache and a thick Southern accent — as a newly arrived “football” coach in England.
From Nyssa: “Only Murders in the Building” (2021–): Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short play an eccentric trio of apartment residents who unravel a murder mystery, in this comedy series reminiscent of “Knives Out” (2019).
From Anna: “The Maid” (2021–): A moving yet devastating story of resilience about a young single mother, portrayed by the alluring Margaret Qualley, struggling to make ends meet.
And with that, I will extend to you, dear reader, the same comforting cliché I promised my senior friends: this is not a goodbye, this is a see you later.
