WHEN IT RAINS, I POUR A GLASS AND WATCH AN EPISODE

Too many shows are released while we should be sitting on the beach

Jayde Atchison (she/her) - Opinions Editor

Yasmine Elsayed - Illustrator

When the latest season of Stranger Things came out, I was filled with an equal amount of dread and excitement. Excitement because I love all things spooky, and dread because Vancouver was finally starting to see the 17 days of sunshine we are allotted per year. I have this unbearable guilt that sits in my gut when I spend a nice day in Vancouver sitting inside all day. The same feeling I get when I let the pile of clothes on my floor get out of control.

Could I have waited until the fall leaves changed colours to binge the latest adventures of Eleven and her pals? Sure, but then I would have risked the chance of being bombarded with spoilers. I would have had to shy away from neighbours eager to discuss the Master of Puppets scene, logout of all the accounts I have on my phone, and basically go off the grid until I could enjoy the Upside Down in peace.

During Vancouver’s summer, I want to take advantage of pool days, beers at the beach or walks along the seawall. When the newly adopted heat domes hit Vancouver, I am physically unable to cozy up under blankets and enjoy my wine without feeling like I’m curled up in a slow-cooker. It isn’t practical television weather for those that are easily persuaded to sit in the garden with their neighbours, sipping on a cold sour beer or two.

While the rational side of my brain recognizes that the world experiences different seasons at the same time – which I am sweating the skin right off my body in Vancouver, my friend Jack is bundled up for winter in Australia. For him, he was probably able to sit back and relax while catching up on the latest release on Netflix. However, the irrational and selfish part of my brain wants to have streaming services only add shows when I can see my breath while walking home from work.

We had the sunniest start to fall that Vancouver has experienced, and when I should have been getting in the autumn mood through Rings of Power and House of Dragons, I was busy finding the best red leaves downtown (The Sylvia Hotel), trying to find the best pumpkin spice latte (Le Marché St. George), and exploring the Halloween themed events in the city. Once the rain started to hit the city, I felt like Phyllis in The Office and was finally ready to curl up with a good book and an even better movie.

Let’s petition to hold off of dark, epic shows dropping until the weather does as well. When the daylight ends at five, we have much more motivation to cocoon inside and collectively catch up on all that the internet has to offer. We all need a boost of cinematic serotonin during the colder months – because a trip down to Mexico is not in everyone’s budget. Vancouver doesn’t offer much more than rain and bone-chilling coldness for three to five months and it just feels like the ideal time to host Luckiest Girl Alive watch parties, have a Friday night catch up over Love is Blind, or Netflix and chill (if that’s your thing).

I can be reasonable – comedies and light-hearted shows can be released anytime of the year. I know that people like new content during any season, and aren’t picky about when good shows come out. Additionally, some people might be stuck inside for any number of reasons – health (mental or physical), work, or the strength of the sun or heat isn’t safe to venture into.

It feels counterintuitive to have spooky shows come out when we aren’t in the spooky season. I adore horror, fantasy, and true crime – but it feels wrong to enjoy these genres while the sun is shining and my seasonal affective disorder hasn’t fully bloomed. Until networks get their timing right, can we all agree to stop posting about the outcome of each episode until the statute of limitations lifts (the evening of the first snowfall in downtown Vancouver)?