I loved the episodes of The Michelle Obama Podcast with Barack Obama, her girlfriends, and her brother Craig. To be frank, I miss having warm, personable humans in the White House, so listening to this weekly insight into the former First Lady’s thoughts and relationships has been so refreshing.

I read Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand’s Harry-and-Meghan tell-all, Finding Freedom. There honestly wasn’t too much in there that was new or shocking to me, but the narrative that really stuck with me was how passive the Duchess of Cambridge reportedly was in trying to befriend Meghan. I firmly believe that sisters–in-law don’t have to be best friends or even close, so I respect that these two didn’t click naturally. On the other hand, this was such a unique and overwhelming situation that I really don’t understand the supposed argument that Kate was too loyal to William to bother trying. Still, consider me in the camp of believing that the Sussexes and Cambridges are exactly where they’re meant to be now and that some form of forgiveness will happen down the road.

In other royals new, the Meghan Markle and Gloria Steinem conversation was really exciting. I’m also really interested in seeing how the Sussexes’ Netflix deal pans out, but I definitely understand the critique that the move supports the belief that they’ll go full Hollywood. But then again, how about all those British tabloids turn their attention to Prince Andrew’s seedy ties rather than a couple just trying to contribute positively to the world?

I can’t wait for the Oct. 2 premiere of Emily in Paris! This Darren Star creation has been on my radar since it was first announced, and what with Sex and the City off Amazon Prime and Younger‘s return pushed back indefinitely, this is just what I’ll need to get through the delayed fall TV season.

By the time I finish Emily in Paris, I’ll be ready for the new season of The Crown to launch on November 15. Admittedly, the show hit a wall for me in Season 3, and I expect Season 4 to have a lot of similar flash and not much substance except for a few select episodes. However, the teaser shot of Diana in her wedding dress is chillingly beautiful.

I wasn’t expecting the already tumultuous Bachelorette season to premiere as late as Oct. 13, but it’s better than nothing. Similarly, I was happy to see the return of This Is Us penciled in for Nov. 10, even though it’s far from being one of my favorites nowadays. On the other side of the pond, Call the Midwife has even started filming its Christmas special and what I assume is its new season.

I was very into the idea of Masterpiece’s Les Miserables adaptation before it premiered last year, but I never got around to watching it. It streamed on Amazon Prime for the month of August, so I dove right in and really enjoyed it. The cast and set design are incredible, and it does a good job at sneaking in humor among the dreary plot. To segue back to The Crown, Olivia Colman, Josh O’Connor (Prince Charles), and Erin Doherty (Princess Anne) are all in it, too. Also on the period drama front, I’ve now been watching the short-lived World War I drama The Crimson Field. 

Lenox Hill was another recent binge, and I fell in love with my New York home all over again while watching. I adored the undercover softie neurosurgeons reminiscent of the dads you grew up with and at least one teacher you had, and the tough-love ER and birthing nurses gave me so much more respect for my friends in healthcare.

The new season of Married at First Sight is still really delightful. For the past few years, I’ve felt so uninterested by this point of the season, but these New Orleans couples continue to simultaneously engage and entertain me. What with coronavirus eventually forcing the couples into lockdown with each other, this might be the first MAFS season in ages that I stick with for the entirety.

I’m already intrigued by how the virtual Emmys will go, but I think I’m even more interested in how the virtual Tonys will be. It’ll be a subdued affair, given that most of the 2020 shows didn’t even get a chance to open, but again, better than nothing.

I’ve already preordered Jacquelyn Middleton’s newest book, and I’m definitely preparing to spend my entire Thanksgiving weekend reading it.

Netflix reversed its year-old renewal of The Society, cancelling it entirely. I covered its first season for work last year and grew more invested than I anticipated in its Lord of the Flies-meets-Riverdale world. I was prone to forgetting it was coming back, and I enjoyed certain storylines more than others, but it must be heartbreaking for those young actors to anticipate that Season 2 work and then have it vanish due to the pandemic.

What are the little things getting you through?