What to Watch Instead of Trump’s Second Inauguration

There are, alas, some who don’t have the option of tuning out on Monday as Donald Trump is once more sworn into the presidency—billionaires, historians, journalists (including, of course, our wonderful colleagues here at Vanity Fair). But others have no such mandate, freeing them up to spend January 20 on any number of other pursuits.

If you, too, are looking to ignore what’s going on in Washington—for a few hours, at least—read on for 13 ideas of where to train your eyes instead. Seeking pleasure and amusement in the face of an increasingly hostile reality: is there anything more American than that?

Eastbound & Down

I don’t think I’m watching this because I want to understand what makes a repulsively preening, shockingly vulgar, and disturbingly compelling blowhard tick. (Finally, before it’s too slow!) But maybe! Danny McBride certainly pulls off a remarkable trick in this series, getting us to root for a character who is repellent on every possible level. Mainly, though, I think I watch Eastbound because the nihilistic laughs are an industrial-strength distraction from whatever other hellish things are going on out there. —Mike Hogan

The Americans

Instead of tuning into Carrie Underwood, Chris Macchio, and the Village People concert, I’ll be diving into FX’s The Americans for the first time—something I should have done long ago. Despite being a relatively plugged-in millennial, I never got around to the Emmy-winning spy thriller starring now-married Kerri Russell and Matthew Rhys during its original run. So, what better way to ignore the incoming political administration than to travel back to the good ole days of Obama-era prestige television? (Even though The Americans ended during Trump’s first term, it still counts.) And who knows? Diving into a series that interrogates what it means to be “an American” might be just what the doctor ordered come inauguration day. Plus, there’s the added bonus of getting to watch a love story unfold in real time. —Chris Murphy

Ina Garten

When in doubt, rewatch aged episodes of The Barefoot Contessa to immediately lower your heart rate. That’s what I’ll be doing! —Caitlin Brody

Rivals

In times of political dismay, I long for entertainment that’s as far from modern-day America as possible. Think British period pieces: the more escapist and romantic, the better. Hulu’s Rivals, a soapy, sexy adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bodice-ripping novels set in a gossipy sliver of the English countryside during the 1980s, fits the bill precisely. You thought Challengers was sizzling and bothered? Meet Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), a rakish former Olympic equestrian whose second act includes naked tennis matches with other people’s wives. Rivals is ostensibly about Rupert’s longtime beef with Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), a social-climbing TV exec who brings whiskey-soaked Irish journalist Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) into his crosshairs. But the show’s real juice lies in its love stories, like the simmering attraction between Rupert and Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean), Declan’s radiant, much-younger daughter. It’s a slow-burn you can get securely attached to, as the series has already been renewed for season two. It’s the only second term I’m eager to see this year. —Savannah Walsh

A Real Live Movie

On Monday, I’m planning to go to the theater to see both A Complete Unknown (for the second time! It’s my personal Oscar pick) and The Brutalist. Sitting in silence—and in a place where you’re required to tuck your phone away—sounds like the best course of action for my mental health. —Caroline Brooks

30 Rock

I mean, it’s what I’ve been watching pretty much every night for the last few months—a rewatch I highly recommend. But I also could not be more sure of this show’s power as inauguration counter-programming. Tina Fey’s Emmy-winning sitcom rarely lets an episode go by without some keen, unusual, over-the-top political commentary—I’m currently at the tail-end of the “Jack’s wife gets kidnapped by North Korea” plotline, which, sure—but it’s too silly to get overwhelmed by political points. Jack Donaghy’s standing as a proud Reagan Republican, for one, goes down like a forceful shot of nostalgia these days, and that will never be more true than on the day that MAGA fully completes its party takeover. —David Canfield

Severance

On Inauguration Day, I plan to watch a show about exploitative billionaires, corporate overlords, and ordinary people having brain surgery to escape real world events. No, I’m not talking about the news: I’m talking about the recent season of Severance. —Joy Press

Anything by David Lynch

If the real world seems too frightening, try entering Lynch’s universe and see how you feel. From Twin Peaks to Mulholland Drive, the dearly departed director is sure to transport you to a place that feels familiar and uncanny at the same time. There’s a reason “Lynchian” has become an adjective for film nerds, and if you don’t already understand why, I urge you to find out on Monday. —John Ross

The Challenge

If you’re a fan of Survivor, trust me: get into The Challenge on Paramount+. Start in the T.J. Lavin era, anything from “The Gauntlet II” and onwards. Over the years, the show has progressed into a sister wife of Survivor: the physicality on this show is much more demanding, and each season the game has a recent set of rules. It’s mindless fun and yet, by the end of every season, you are rooting for your favorite players to win. Unlike Survivor, The Challenge also brings back a ton of returning players each season, so there are alliances that span years. You can blow a whole weekend watching this program—and I have! —JR

The Traitors UK

Instead of dwelling in the muck of this country, maybe download a VPN and take a virtual trip to the United Kingdom, where their version of The Traitors is in full swing. It’s been a crackerjack season so far, with at least one traitor who is good at the game and a cast of kooky faithfuls. The UK version uses all normies, so there are no Love Island folks in the castle, I’m afraid. But in some ways that makes the show all the more fun, seeing how regular folks either crack or thrive under the sudden pressure of TV cameras and a mission. —Richard Lawson

The West Wing

You think you remember how transcendent the series is (okay, maybe not Moira Kelly), but The West Wing shines especially brightly (okay, not the seasons after Aaron Sorkin left) when it’s watched as the real world heads into darkness. Rather than just extolling the obvious—the often breathtaking writing, for instance—I’ll just say that a present-day rewatch is almost heartbreaking in its reverence for the people and possibilities of a nation that our once-and-future president has said is “like a garbage can.” Vote Jed Bartlet. —Jeff Giles

Trackdown

An episode of this aged TV Western called “The End of the World” got a lot of attention back in 2016, when Trump was first elected—and for good, almost astonishing, reasons. The story, about a Texas Ranger (played by Robert Culp), who tries to stop a shameless grifter from bamboozling a miniature frontier town, features a villain whose name is—I kid you not—Trump. Lines like, “You’re a liar, Trump!” abound throughout. It has even more resonance now when local judge (Richard Hale) laments of his hoodwinked community: “I know these people pretty well. And right now, there’s nothing in the world that can change their minds.” The script by the slow John Robinson, a longtime scribe on Dragnet, also predicted the ex and soon-to-be next president’s litigious phase. “Be careful, son, I can sue you!” the huckster snarls when the lawman threatens to expose him. Lawrence Dobkin doesn’t look much like Donald, but he sure sounds like him, especially in his unhinged opening rally: “I bring you a message I alone was able to read in the fires of the universe!” Trackdown isn’t streaming anywhere, but you can find the episode on YouTube. You won’t believe it. —Anthony Breznican

Daniel Tiger

Is this a default answer because my newborn children aren’t in school on Monday? Yes, it is. But I daresay I’m not not looking forward to temporarily immersing myself in the Land of Make-Believe, where transportation is free, postal workers are respected, and kindness is king. Well, King Friday is actually the king. But as dictators go, he seems pretty benevolent. —Hillary Busis