While the winter weather drags on, I’ve been spending more time on my bike trainer trying to get through the cold evenings until I can be active outside. Or I sit on the couch wrapped in a blanket drinking tea. While I don’t watch much television once the weather warms, I need to find distractions as I pedal in one spot for an hour or more.

Here are a few shows I like this winter:

Ice Guardians features the ice hockey ‘enforcers,’ exploring the physical and mental challenges put on these players to defend their teammates during games. I’m a big hockey fan so found this film to be very interesting as you learn about what drives these players and the importance of their role in ensuring other players score and help win games (several Detroit Red Wings were featured and interviewed, which I of course love!).

Long Time Running, a documentary that follows the legendary Canadian band, The Tragically Hip, as they perform across Canada for the final time. I wish I could have seen them perform live in concert. Their lead singer, Gord Downie, died from cancer last year. This is a great program filled with lots of emotions and awesome music. On Netflix.

The Crown follows the reign of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, from events leading to her rise to queen, marriage to Prince Phillip, raising her children and simply being queen throughout decades of a changing world. While it’s technically fiction, the show covers historical events and more. On Netflix.

The Librarians is a television series featuring a group of people from varying backgrounds and specialties who become part of an ancient secret society tasked with protecting mystical artifacts and, of course, the world. I like history so find it to be a light-hearted, amusing show. Borrow from the library, or watch On Demand or Amazon.

Austin to Boston is a documentary that covers four bands as they travel more than 3,000 miles in five old VW vans in two weeks. The musical groups include The Staves, Ben Howard, Nathaniel Rateliff and Bear’s Den. I loved the music and wished I had been on the tour. On Amazon (Prime).

Big Mouth is not your children’s cartoon. This show follows a group of teenagers going through puberty. If you remember life as a teenager, with hormones, pimples, school challenges and more….this show covers all. It’s pretty funny, from both the male and female perspective. On Amazon (Prime)

Detroit, a movie focusing on the 1967 riots in the city, and an evening when police respond to a complaint at a hotel, where three African-American men ended up dead. It’s a chilling, blunt reminder of the problems continuing to face this city, and country. On Amazon (Prime).

(A note to my subscribers: you may have received a partial draft of this post in your inbox the other day. Oops! I was testing a scheduling site and it accidentally sent the draft rather than save. Ah, technology!)