Since the beginning of March when quarantine started, and people began spending more time indoors, many companies began reaping the benefits of this sudden change in routine. TV show services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. were used as entertainment by people to pass the time, and to take their mind off what was going on in the outside world. Disney+ in particular was used to its full extent, as evident by the worldwide popularity of “WandaVision.”

With all the time in the world and free available series to watch, what TV shows have students been watching? This survey below shows the responses given by random students at Freedom High School, and what they have been keeping up with as of late. The survey shows interests in different series based off of gender, age, etc.

71.1% of students who responded were female. 22.2% were male, and 6.7% were non-binary.

The overall majority who responded, 33.7%, were students aged 15 years old. The lowest number was students who were 14 years of age.

Shows like “New Girl,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Queen’s Gambit” and “Criminal Minds” are popular. It also seems like most students prefer comedy and lighthearted shows in this time. It also appears Kdramas are popular as well.

Some popular genres are rom-com, dramas and thriller with the occasional horror. Fantasy was also widely liked.

Anime was quite watched as well. Some favored animes are “My Hero Academia” and “Haikyuu.”

Many students responded that they favored certain shows based off the actors starring in them, the animation (when it comes to anime), and if the show was funny. Overall though most students said they would watch a show if the general quality was up to their standards.

Most said that they found the shows on their own, through a friend or family member’s recommendation, or other digital means such as TikTok.

Most teens when asked what were commonly loved TV shows for their age group responded with “Friends,” “Greys Anatomy,” “The Office,” “Outer Banks,” “Stranger Things” and “Vampire Diaries.”

Although 55.6% of students responded that no, their tastes and interests in different genres hadn’t changed since the beginning of COVID-19, 42.2% said that yes, they had changed, which is still very close.

The majority said what draws them to shows are the actors starring in it, the overall aesthetic of the show, the trailer, and if the storyline was well written.

“If the actor is hot, I’ll watch it…” An anonymous student responded.

In the end, quarantine has introduced many new shows to explore to many students, and some students have even changed their tastes in media because of this predicament. An overwhelming majority of teens aged 14-17 all agreed that they enjoy watching multiple genres of TV shows.