25 Movies and Shows You Can Virtually Co-Watch With Family and Friend This Thanksgiving
Group watch features have been the saving grace this year. When the pandemic first struck and we were all forced to stay in our homes with just our nucleus family, group watch features such as Netflix Party and platforms such as Scener allowed us to stay connected to friends and family outside of our immediate nucleus.
Now, eight months into a pandemic we assumed would be curbed after two weeks, the holiday season is officially upon us and healthcare officials are discouraging any extra travel. That means any trips to see grandma or any family vacations have to be put on the back burner. Though this holiday season can be a bit gloomy given the fact that we have to stay in place, with group watch features make family time just a click away.
All features work differently, Netflix Party requires you to download the Google extension, while Scener requires the host to create an account and Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ have theirs built into their service. All platforms require users to be subscribed to the streaming service content is being pulled from.
You may not be able to gather around a big TV this year, but family time still can still happen and it’s only one link away. Below is a list of some movies and shows you can watch with family and/or friends.
Hulu
Little Fires Everywhere
If your family has a flair for the dramatic, this one’s for you. This Hulu original was all the rage earlier this year and is a quick binge. With only eight episodes in the first season, things are set off and go haywire pretty quickly.
Atlanta
This one may be better streamed with a group of friends or cousins than with grandma, around per se. But, it’s no secret that Atlanta is one of the best shows offers as part of FX on Hulu. So, if you haven’t gotten an opportunity to watch, the holiday weekend is the perfect time to get started, given the fact that we won’t be getting a new season of the show until next year.
Golden Girls
Golden Girls is the ultimate feel good show. You can watch this as you do other things and not miss a beat. Its jokes are simple yet quippy and the relationship between the four ladies is still heartwarming all these years later.
Seinfeld
Nineties sitcoms are all the rage again and at the top of that list is Seinfeld. While we won’t be getting a reboot of this series anytime soon, the 90s version still holds and you can enjoy it just as well.
Happiest Season
Christmas movies are slowly but surely churning out and what better way to do so than with some family drama. The film chronicles, “a young woman with a plan to propose to her girlfriend while at her family’s annual holiday party discovers her partner hasn’t yet come out to her conservative parents.”
Disney+
The Mandalorian
What better way to lift your spirits than with Baby Yoda? Though the second season is well underway, this holiday weekend may be the best time to introduce family members who haven’t already been sucked into the show. The entire first season, as well as the first four episodes of season two are available to stream, and can usher you right into episode five, which premieres on Nov. 27.
Hamilton
Hamilton is perfect for those families in different time zones. You can listen as you cook, clean, tend to the kids etc., since the entire play is performed in song. The film—which was released 15 months ahead of schedule on July 3 as a nod to Independence Day—can now double as special treat for holiday weekend.
Onward
This family-oriented film is peek holiday watching content. It follows two brothers on their quest to bring back their deceased father for one day and is sure to make you feel grateful for all your family members, near or far.
Frozen
Nothing screams winter is coming quite like the Frozen films. There’s a lot of adventure, lots of songs and overall just great entertainment, so this one might just be a mood booster for those spending the holidays in solitude.
Avengers
Disney+ allows you to take your pick of Avengers movies. From Captain Marvel, to Black Panther, to Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor you name it, it’s there.
Netflix
Schitt’s Creek
They stick together, sure, but the Rose’s definitely make most family dynamics look like a cake walk. They’re overdramatic, they’re spoiled, sometimes they’re tone deaf, but it’s definitely all hilarity with this family.
The Crown
Perhaps no other family has been more controversial than the British Royal Family and season four has been making headlines as it brings up old wounds. The show is available in its entirety on Netflix and it will for sure have you clutching your pearls in moments.
Girlfriends
Girlfriends shows that sometimes you can choose your family. The series follows four young ladies as they navigate everything from “dating to divorce and friends to family to relationships. Joan, Maya, Lynn and Toni support each other despite their differing backgrounds, learning about true friendship in the process.”
The Queens Gambit
One of the latest Netflix originals, this series is a story of triumph that has resonated around the world and is sure to give you and yours a motivational boost. The series premiered on the platform on October 23 and immediately began pulling amazing numbers. According to the streaming giant, The Queens Gambit was watched by 62 million households within the first 28 days of its debut, becoming their biggest limited scripted series ever.
Hillbilly Elegy
Holidays are a time of reflection and that is exactly what happens in this Ron Howard-directed film. It follows J.D. Vance (played by Gabriel Basso), “a former Marine from southern Ohio and current Yale Law student, who is on the verge of landing his dream job when a family crisis forces him to return to the home he’s tried to forget.”
HBO Max
Chelsea Handler Evolution
No one is more suited to give you an edgy special like Chelsea Handler. In her first special in six years, the comedian talks about how the past election showed her white privilege, she talks about going to therapy and of course she makes some remarks that will make for very awkward family viewing.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is one of the most beloved family sitcoms and the reunion takes longtime fans through the makings of the hit show. Even more of a treat is the fact that HBO Max and Will Smith were able to get Janet Hubert, aka original Aunt Viv, to participate in the reunion special. All six seasons of the show are also available to stream on HBO Max.
Friends
Any Friends fan knows that this show has some classic Thanksgiving Day episodes. So, those who may not want to sit through all 10 seasons still have 10 great episodes to binge this holiday.
The Wizard of Oz
With such an expansive library, HBO Max naturally houses some classics. So, if you just want to lay back with a cup of cocoa and enjoy some of the streamer’s best, The Wizard of Oz is a great place to start.
The Lord of the Rings
For those who just want to lounge and have plans to order takeout instead of cooking, The Lord of the Rings will be perfect. You can eat up your day with Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, as each movie is almost four hours long.
Amazon Prime Video
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Again, a small holiday break may be just enough time to catch up on all the series you may have missed and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the perfect show to watch. Though episodes are roughly an hour in lengthy, the series gets pretty addictive pretty fast.
Fleabag
Another award winner for Amazon Prime Video, Fleabag follows “a dry-witted woman who has no filter as she navigates life and love in London while trying to cope with tragedy.”
Borat
With the coronavirus abound, this year has been making history for all the wrong reasons and thanks to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat sequel, we get to at least get laugh about it. Though there is a slew of recognizable faces featured, one name should probe you to watch the absurd film: Tom Hanks.
Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2
Taking a bit of dark detour, Amazon Prime Video offers some action and suspense with both volumes of Kill Bill available on their platform. The Tarantino classics are perfect for some late night viewing.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
For sheer mood contrast, I Know What You Did Last Summer is the perfect film to watch. Halloween may be well behind us, but nothing reminds us it’s still fall quite like a 90s teen slasher film.