Binge watch Brandeis: Movies and TV with Brandeis ties are only a click away

By Jarret BencksMarch 25, 2020

Practicing social distancing is in the best interest of public health right now, but it also means there are a lot of people with a lot of extra time on their hands.

If you're one of those people, you could fill some of those wide open Friday and Saturday nights watching shows and movies involving a Brandeisian.

Whether starring on screen, devising an unexpected plot twist, or overseeing things from behind the camera, Brandeis alumni and professors are all over the film and TV industries.

Here are a few places you could dive into a Brandeis-themed binge watching session with only a click of the remote or mouse – all of these offerings are available on streaming services:

On-screen talent

-Debra Messing '90 became a household name with the NBC sitcom "Will & Grace," which is available to stream on Hulu. You can also see her in "Along Came Polly" on HBO Now.

-You can watch Loretta Devine, MFA '76, in her Emmy-winning role of Adele Webber on "Grey's Anatomy," which is available on Netflix and Hulu, or you could catch her in the 2006 Oscar-winner for Best Picture, "Crash," on Netflix. You can also catch her alongside Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett in "Waiting to Exhale" on Hulu.

-Solid Gold(wyn): Tony Goldwyn '82 plays President Fitzgerald Grant in the ABC series “Scandal,” which will start its sixth season in January. You can get caught up on Netflix. He was the voice of Tarzan in the 1999 animated Disney production, also currently available on Netflix.

-Agni Scott, MFA'02, can be seen in "House of Sadaam" on HBOgo and HBO Now. She plays Saddam Hussein's oldest daughter, Raghad, in the mini-series that focuses on Hussein's life and family. She can also be seen as Camilla in "Bridget Jones's Baby," available on Hulu.

-Crushing it: Gates McFadden '70 is a cult icon for her performance as Beverly Crusher in "Star Trek: the Next Generation." You can watch the entire series on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu. You can also watch films “Star Trek: Generations," "Star Trek: First Contact" and "Star Trek: Insurrection" on Amazon Prime.

-If you’re looking for a few laughs, try stand-up comedian Myq Kaplan '00 in his Netflix special “Small, Dork and Handsome.”

-Robin Weigert '91 played tough-as-nails Calamity Jane in "Deadwood," which can be seen on HBO Now and Amazon Prime Video. She's also Dr. Amanda Reisman in the HBO's critically acclaimed series "Big Little Lies."

-Theater Arts Professor Adrianne Krstansky may be most acclaimed for her work on the stage, but she also takes a turn in front of the camera on occasion. She makes appearances in two episodes of the four-episode mini-series “Olive Kitteridge," and she has a role in the Sienna Miller-starring "American Woman." Both can be seen on HBO Now. She also has a scene in the 2019 adaptation of "Little Women" as Mrs. Dashwood. You would have to rent that.

Behind the lens, behind the scenes, and in the script

-Director and writer Debra Granik '85 was nominated for an Oscar for "Winter's Bone," which can be seen on HBO Now. Her most recent film, "Leave No Trace," is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

-David Crane '79 and Marta Kauffman '78 co-created and served as writers for the seminal sit-com "Friends." Episodes can be purchased on iTunes and Google Play Movies. Kauffman also co-created the acclaimed Netflix series "Grace and Frankie."

-The film "Denial" is based on the legal battle of historian Deborah E. Lipstadt MA'72, PhD'76 and Holocaust denier David Irving. It can be viewed on Hulu.

-The 1998 rom-com "The Object of My Affection" starring Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston is based on the book of the same name by Stephen McCauley, professor of the practice of English and co-director of the creative writing program. It can be viewed on HBO Now.

-Rosemary Rodriguez '83 has directed episodes of more than two-dozen different TV shows including "Law & Order," "Jessica Jones," "Sneaky Pete," "The Walking Dead" and "Empire." She was regularly behind the lens for ABC’s “The Good Wife,” directing 18 episodes between 2010 and 2016. It's available on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

-Theresa Rebeck, MA'83, MFA'86, PhD'89 was twice nominated for Emmy Awards for her writing work on NYPD Blue, which can been seen on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. She is also the creator of the NBC show "Smash," and has writing credits for TV shows like "Law & Order," "L.A. Law" and "Hand of God."

-Michael Sugar '95 served as a producer for 2016 Best Picture winner "Spotlight," which chronicles the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. It is now available to stream with Showtime. He's also a producer of "The Report," starring Adam Driver. It can be seen on Amazon Prime Video.

-Gone fishing: Ethan Prochnik '86 was a producer for the Discovery Channel reality series "Deadliest Catch." You can watch all seven seasons on Hulu.

-Caroline Baron '83 produced Oscar-winning "Capote" — available on Showtime's streaming app — and Amazon Prime's Emmy-winning "Mozart in the Jungle."

-Marshall Herskovitz ‘73 has a long list of producer credits, including 2006's "Blood Diamond," which was nominated for five Academy Awards and can be seen on Hulu.

-Comedian Josh Gondelman '07 serves a writer for Showtime's "Desus and Mero," and he previously wrote for HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." If you've had enough screen time, you could pick up his book, "Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results."