Binge-worthy Recommendations: Two shows to watch over the holiday break

Cozying up in new holiday pajamas and sitting ourselves in front of the TV isn’t something we’re used to right now as we wrap up projects and sat through hours of Webex breakout rooms. But in preparation for the holiday break, I’ve searched for Netflix shows that are perfect to binge over the break. 

If you want a foolproof way to feel the holiday spirit, “The Great British Baking Show: Holidays” series has you covered. 

The newest season was filmed in 2019, where they celebrated the New Year of 2020 — the contestants had no idea what they were getting into. 

It’s not your typical age-old, over-stimulating baking show where you get stressed just by looking at what the completed cake is supposed to look like. “The Great British Baking Show: Holidays” edition runs at a slower pace, perfect for when you want to set aside your Chemistry book and be transported to a tent in the middle of the quaint English countryside. 

Each episode follows the same structure: first the bakers compete in the signature challenge, making their classic take on a dish given to them by the judges. The second challenge is the technical challenge, where bakers are given one of the judges’ vague and confusing recipes to recreate. The third and final challenge is the showstopper challenge: contestants have three hours to use their skills to create whatever the judges want. 

Having been given information on the signature and showstopper challenge, bakers can plan and test their creations before entering the tent — allowing them to bring extra ingredients from home.

Each holiday episode is a reunion of several fan favorites from the previous seasons. Even though I’ve only watched one or two seasons of GBBS, I was able to follow along with no problem and didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. 

However, the second episode I watched featured the cast of “The Derry Girls,” a British sitcom, which was unexpected. I was disappointed there wouldn’t be any of the professional cakes I usually see, instead they opted for showstoppers that weren’t as thought out.

The fun little quips and jokes hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig made about their holiday sweaters when they called out the remaining time made me chuckle and kept the air light-hearted. 

Plus, since it’s set in England, it was fun to learn about classic English desserts and other holiday items, like black pudding and trifles. 

If you can resist the temptation to run to Hen House to grab some butter and get baking, this show keeps you coming with three seasons, each with two episodes. 

Taking place in Lexington, Ky., “The Queen’s Gambit” features a chess prodigy and her relationships while struggling with an addiction to tranquilizers and alcohol. While chess may seem uneventful, the main character Beth Harmon, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, is anything but boring.

Harmon, an orphan, discovers her chess talent at age nine when the orphanage’s custodian Mr. Shaibel agrees to teach her the game he usually plays by himself. 

After years of living in the orphanage and spending many hours playing chess, Harmon was adopted as a teenager. Her mom takes her on many adventures, including traveling across the globe for chess tournaments. The series takes us through her awe-inspiring and interesting journey across the world — every hotel she stayed in had a distinct tone that matched the city perfectly, almost making me want to take a trip to the 1960s. 

I was amazed by the realistic depiction of a classic Las Vegas hotel while filming was done in Berlin, Ontario and Toronto. The sets easily deceived me into thinking the show was filmed in Kentucky, where most of the story takes place.  

In the 1950s, it was common for orphanages to give the kids tranquilizers to make them more compliant. Harmon soon realizes the effect taking multiple tranquilizers at a time has on her — she can visualize the chess board on the ceiling and play games with herself throughout the night while the other orphans sleep.  

As her success grows, so does her addiction to the tranquilizers and alcohol, creating a turbulent relationship between her and her fellow chess players. 

Harmon’s character development from the shy, lonely teenager to the strong, independent woman she became kept my eyes fixed on the screen while eating my candy cane. Her clothing choices acted as clues throughout the show, symbolizing the changes in her emotions. When she was growing up, her style was chosen for her. From the embroidered jumper her mom chose to the mandatory orphanage uniform — she was confined. 

With her long white jacket and pompom hat that resembled the white queen in chess at the end, Harmon’s style changed as her confidence and budget increased.

According to the National Public Radio, chess set manufacturers have seen an increase in chess set sales since the series came out — Goliath Games’ chess set sales are up 1,048%. The book the show is based off of is even back on the New York Times Bestsellers list, 38 years after the book’s publication. The series has even become Netflix’s most watched scripted limited series. 

Personally, I discovered my lack of talent for chess in fourth grade when my mom forced me to attend chess club. But I still thoroughly enjoyed this series as the filming focuses on the characters reactions, allowing viewers to understand Harmon’s struggles and successes as she plays without needing prior knowledge of chess.