- “The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window” is a darkly comedic parody of woman-in-jeopardy films with a surprising twist ending.
- “Headspace Guide to Sleep” is a docuseries designed to help viewers tackle common sleep challenges and relax with guided meditation exercises.
- “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” is a horror series produced by the Duffer Brothers that follows a bride-to-be and her fiance as they uncover dark family secrets in a remote forest estate.
That scratchy throat you went to bed with has evolved into a full-on head cold the next morning—yep, you’re sick. You’ve emailed your boss, set your Slack status to that cute emoji with the thermometer in its mouth, and have enough meds on your nightstand to take down a rhino. Now comes the one perk of being sick—a full day of guilt-free TV.
But since your brain is a bit foggy, you’re going to want low-commitment shows that wrap up in a season and don’t mind if you doze off midway through (maybe even ones that help with that). These Netflix miniseries streaming in the U.S. are just the medicine you need.
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
A lot of wine, pills, and maybe a murder?
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window is not what you think it is … if you think it’s a dark, scary, Hitchcockian thriller. And while it does have its genuine thrills (if the trailer is to be believed), the eight-part Netflix original is a cleverly deadpan parody of woman-in-jeopardy films like The Girl on the Train in which a female protagonist, usually with a predilection for drinking lots of wine, is caught up in a murder plot that may or may not be in her head.
The perfectly cast Kristen Bell plays Anna (not that one), a woman grieving the horrific (and ridiculous) death of her daughter and the end of her marriage by drowning herself in Merlot and pills. One night she thinks she witnesses a murder in the house across the street, but wakes up the next day and can find no trace of it. Of course she has to investigate, which sends her on a spiraling chase where her neighbors and the police think she’s insane, and she might well be. While the series might have a measly 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, it has a wild twist ending you will not see coming.
Headspace Guide to Sleep
Finally, a show that actually wants you to nap
Sure, several episodes of a Netflix thriller might be what the doctor ordered, but maybe what you need is to just get some sleep. Headspace Guide to Sleep is a seven-episode docuseries designed to help you do just that. A companion to Netflix’s excellent Headspace Guide to Meditation(which might help, too), this animated series features quick 15-to-20-minute episodes that each focus on different common sleep challenges that could be keeping you up—from stress and insomnia to sleeping pills and doomscrolling on your phone till the wee hours.
With visually calming animations and a soothing voiceover, every episode is insightful and expert-driven, and each one closes with a guided relaxation exercise to help you doze off.
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen
A secluded forest estate and a dark family curse
Sometimes you need a little fear to kick your immune system into overdrive, and this eight-part horror series produced by Stranger Things‘ Duffer Brothers is the vitamin C (for chills?) you need. OK, that was terrible, but you know what isn’t? Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, that’s what! The critically acclaimed original series follows bride-to-be Rachel (Daisy Jones & the Six’s Camila Morrone) and her fiancé, Nicky (The White Lotus‘ Adam DiMarco), as they head to Nicky’s family’s remote house for their wedding.
From the time they get there, though, something is off—Rachel starts having intense nightmares and visions of impending doom, Nicky’s mom, Victoria (Jennifer Jason Leigh), is terminally ill and is hiding all kinds of dark secrets, and there’s something creepy going on in the woods. Oh, and then there’s the deadly curse to worry about. True to its name, the series builds and builds to its conclusion. It holds 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones
Secrets of long life from people pushing 100
Being sick is when most of us swear to start taking better care of ourselves. This enlightening Emmy-winning four-part docuserieswill make you want to follow up on that promise. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones is a beautifully shot and produced jaunt around our planet in which New York Times bestselling author and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner visits five global hotspots he calls blue zones, where their inhabitants commonly live into their 100s.
Across four episodes, he compares notes from all five zones—Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; and Okinawa, Japan—to explore the commonalities and differences between what their inhabitants are doing. He then stops in Singapore and the U.S. to test whether the formula can be copied. It turns out it’s less about fad diets and gym memberships than it is about gardening, eating natural foods, walking, and enjoying time with friends and family. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zonesholds a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and will make you feel better just watching it.
Take four Netflix shows and call me in the morning
Whether you’re watching intently to take your mind off the runny nose or fading in and out of episodes, these Netflix miniseries are perfect for your sick day. And when you’re feeling better and get back to it, in the event of a bad day at work, we’ve got plenty more miniseries ideas to help as well.
