Best international TV series to binge during shutdown

A third of the world's population is now living in shutdown with the onset of coronavirus spread. Binge watching a handful of TV series during shutdown can keep boredom at bay.

Here is a list of some of the best international TV series you can watch amid this crisis. These foreign shows will not only entertain you but also make you empathize with other countries going through the same troubles.

Call My Agent! -France

A group of Parisian talent agents try to keep their business alive after the unexpected death of their company's founder. Meanwhile, they compete and try to betray each other. This three-seasoned dramedy premiered in 2015. Fun elements of machinations, office politics, and show business insight references make "Call My Agent!" an enjoyable show. And the beautiful locations in the show are in Paris.

O Negócio -Brazil

This Latin American drama follows the lives of four prostitutes preparing to break free from club owners to start their own business. The show is light and glittery, making it a nice distraction from the current daily calamity. The show echoes reality, as the first season started with the Brazilian financial crisis of the early 2010s.

Moone Boy - Ireland

Actor Chris O'Dowd created, co-wrote, and starred in the sitcom that is about a young boy growing up in an Irish town in the 1980s, while confiding in an adult imaginary friend - played by O'Dowd - along the way. The show focuses on the everyday problems adolescents face, such as school bullies and troublesome siblings. The show reflects a unique perspective on these characters.

Schitt's Creek and Letterkenny – Canada

Theoretically, "Schitt's Creek" would appear to be a send-up of formerly rich folks getting their due; the American Rose family - beneficiaries of a video store empire, get their comeuppance when their investments go awry. The monetary dilemma forces them to move to a small, rustic town named Schitt's Creek they once ironically purchased. The series will have you sobbing by the final episode.

Elite – Spain

You cannot help but be transported and transfixed by this teen thriller that takes every possible dramatic opportunity to its extreme. After a public school collapses, three working-class kids get scholarships to attend Spain's most elite private school and immediately clash with the richest and most popular among their new classmates. Flash-forwards through the series shows that it all leads to a murder. You cannot ask for a better diversion than Elite, which can loosely be dubbed as an amalgamation of The OC, Gossip Girl and Cruel Intentions, with an extra serving of murder mystery on top. The series is available for watching on Netflix.

Signal – South Korea

This 16 episode show from 2016 follows the story of a police detective squad that discovers a mysterious walkie-talkie which allows them to talk to a detective from 1986. They collaborate across decades to solve several cold cases, but their actions also have unintended consequences that they must race to counteract. It is a pulse pounding show from the beginning, with plenty of mysteries to keep you glued to the screen.