TV has taken on increased importance as a go-to source of entertainment and distraction amid the coronavirus crisis

The Ringer

"You do not need to leave your house to watch TV," says Alison Herman. "You do not need to travel long distances to watch TV. You do not need to join a large group of people to watch TV. This confluence of factors has long made TV the stereotypical standby for the incapacitated, depressed, or introverted. But as the past few weeks have rendered millions of Americans housebound, whether by mandate or caution-informed choice, TV has taken on increased importance as a go-to source of entertainment and distraction. The coronavirus that has spread across the globe and affected more than 156,800 people to date may be an invisible threat, but its impacts on the rhythms of daily life are already clear. Movie theaters, malls, and restaurants have transformed from sites of leisure into potential sites of disease transmission. The living room, though always a metaphorical safe harbor from the stresses of the outside world, has now become a literal one."