Well, we’ve been watching a lot of television during the pandemic, so I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth from my streaming services.

I’ve selected a few of our favorites for you from around the world.

My Big Italian Adventure –

Actress Lorraine Bracco takes advantage of a real estate opportunity in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. The mayor of Sambuca is offering 16 properties for sale. Each property can be purchased for one Euro. There is a catch - the purchaser must also put down a $5,000 Euro deposit and complete renovations on the property within three years or they lose their deposit and the property. Bracco looks at three properties before settling on the last one, a larger 200-year-old home. When she learns her elderly next-door neighbor with whom she shares a wall is looking to sell, she buys the property for @ $45,000 Euros. The one Euro home has no plumbing or electricity and no kitchen or bathrooms. Bracco’s Italian contractor, Piero, also acts as project manager. The exchanges between the two are often confrontational, but always warm and productive. Bracco is adamant about preserving as many original features of the home as possible and the workmen painstakingly remove the 200-year-old ceramic floor tiles to be cleaned and reglazed, before being incorporated into the floor design. During her visits to Sambuca, Bracco visits local artisans and gets to know the community. The show is available on HGTV on HULU and other streaming services.

Boy Meets World – I know what you’re thinking, but this show deserves a second look. Ben Savage stars as Cory Matthews, a young boy growing up in a Philadelphia suburb.  Cory has a loving family, a best friend Shawn (Rider Strong), an ever-present teacher/principal/next door neighbor, Mr. Feeney played by William Daniels and the love of his life, Topanga (Danielle Fishel). Cory’s misadventures always translate into life lessons and a few of them deal with serious issues. Cory and Shawn help a classmate who is being physically abused by her father. Shawn’s mother leaves and his father goes after her nearly leaving Shawn homeless. There are episodes about cheating, alcohol use, sex, death, and divorce. All these events are handled compassionately and with a touch of humor. Some episodes are silly and that’s okay because we can all use a little silliness this year. This show impacted a generation – a decade after it’s ending episode, it was mentioned in a graduation speech in 2010 at our local high school. The series ran from 1993 to 2000. Available on Disney+

Girl Meets World – I admit I didn’t watch this series when it debuted, but after watching Boy Meets World again, I was curious. The story follows Cory and Topanga’s life in New York and centers around their oldest daughter, Riley, played by Rowan Blanchard and her best friend, Maya (Sabrina Carpenter). Cory is a history teacher and Topanga is a successful New York attorney. It aired on the Disney Channel and at first it seemed to be yet another Disney interpretation of tweens/teens, but as the series progressed and the talented young cast came together I saw flashes of what made Boy Meets World so popular. Guest appearances by Jackee Harry, Rider Strong, Will Friedle, Matthew Lawrence, Trina McGee, Lee Norris, Anthony Tyler Quinn, William Russ, Betsy Randle, and the incomparable William Daniels provide a fun connection to the past. The series also deals with some serious issues such as Maya’s feelings about her father who abandoned Maya and her mom, remarried, and started a new family. One of my favorite characters in the show is Farkel Minkus, who is the son of Stuart Minkus (Lee Norris). Farkle becomes an important member of the group of friends and his “awkwardness” is accepted and embraced. I love this message of inclusivity.  The series ran from 2014 until 2017. Available on Disney+

Death in Paradise is a joint British-French crime drama set in the Caribbean on the fictitious island of Saint Marie (the show is filmed on the island of Guadeloupe). The series centers around the small island police force comprised of a local police commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington), a chief inspector from the UK, and eclectic, but capable officers who are adept at solving murders. The cast is strong and as the seasons progress actors come and go. So far there have been four chief inspectors, Richard Poole (Ben Miller), Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon), and Neville Parker (Ralf Little). Each new inspector is equally quirky and endearing. This series started in 2011 and is still running. Available on Brit Box through an App or Amazon Prime.

New Tricks is a British crime dramedy centering around the Unsolved Case and Open Crimes Squad comprised of Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redman) and three previously retired police detectives. The squad takes on open and unsolved cases that the police department has given up on. The talented cast weathers personnel changes without losing the chemistry that makes this series so watchable. This series started in 2003 and ran for 12 seasons ending in 2015. Available on HULU.

Midsomer Murders – This long running mystery crime drama has humor and suspense. The action revolves around Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) his wife and his adult daughter and the various Detective Sergeants assigned to assist him. After Nettles retirement from acting, he is replaced by Neil Dudgeon who plays Barnaby’s younger cousin, John. The ensemble cast is excellent and strong enough to change personnel without sacrificing quality. Each episode is clever, original, and well-acted. This series began in 1997 and production has started for its 22nd season.

The Last Detective –Peter Davison stars as DC “Dangerous” Davies a “nice guy” who gets the bottom of the barrel cases and no credit when he solves them. Davies has an on again off again relationship with his wife, Julie (Emma Amos). Davies and Amos play off each other well as they negotiate shared custody of their dog and spar about home repairs. Davies best friend “Mod” (Sean Hughes) is a delight as he rushes into relationships and changes careers as often as he changes his clothes. As you’d expect, Davies coworkers are jerks of the worst sort, but they often get what’s coming to them when they take on Davies. This comedy-drama series started in 2003 and ran for four seasons.

Mystery Road – This Australian series is comprised of two six-episode seasons and two movies. Aaron Pedersen stars as Indigenous detective Jay Swan who is called in to solve crimes in rural Western Australia in this gritty series centering around crimes committed in primarily indigenous communities. Pederson shines as a loner dedicated to finding justice for the victims of these crimes and their families while battling his own demons. Hopefully, we will soon see more of Pedersen as Jay Swan. The series began in 2018 and has no end date listed.

Rosehaven – This is an Australian TV comedy set in the rural Tasmanian town of Rosehaven. Daniel (Luke McGregor) returns home from the mainland to help his mother run her real estate business, but time hasn’t taken erased his awkward high school days or the memories of his former classmates. As Daniel tries to readjust to the eccentricities of small-town living, his best friend, Emma (Celia Pacquola) comes to Rosehaven to hide out after the break-up of her recent marriage. Can their friendship survive Emma’s marriage woes, working for his mother, and the quirky townspeople of Rosehaven? McGregor and Pacquola, who are best friends in real have excellent comedic timing. In addition to starring in Rosehaven, they also created and wrote the series.  This series started in 2016 and has no end date listed.