How John Krasinski Saved Quarantine

I know. My first thought after writing that title was that if anyone is saving anything, it’s the healthcare professionals and first responders and the essential workers— everybody from the Market Basket cashier to the Postman (or Postwoman). Their sacrifice and dedication to keeping us moving when all we want to do is stop is nothing less than absolutely remarkable. They are the best parts of the human spirit in action. 

With that said, however, there is somebody else who has been shining a light on all the action. Somebody, who, quite literally, has been bringing us some good news. Now, I don’t know if it’s because the strongest family tradition I now have is watching The Office every night after dinner, or whether it’s because I was basically born wanting to be a news anchor (that’s actually not true. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was little— but anyone who knows me now knows what I mean). Maybe it’s just the fact that he’s from Newton, and after two years of being criticized by my out-of-state friends for the way I say “room” and “wicked” in my own city, I just feel seen. 

Whatever it is about him, John Krasinski saved my quarantine. 

It sounds silly, but I’m serious. 

My strongest family tradition really is now watching The Office every night after dinner. My brother is a huge fan (joke’s on him right— who isn’t?) and back in September he decided he had to watch it all the way through one last time before Netflix takes it off in January (could Netflix’s iconic show purge BE any worse?) My mom then decided she wanted in— she’d never seen it before. They were to watch one episode a week. I was left out because I was at school and didn’t know this was happening, until of course I came home for Spring Break in March and never went back to BU. Cue the end of Season 2, my entrance, and the birth of this great family pastime. 

So, for the last two months, it’s been dinner at 5:30 because that is now the biggest event of the day and it’s hard to push off, followed by a one-hour, three-episode-long escape to Scranton, Pennsylvania. If you’re wondering why it’s always three episodes, I couldn’t tell you. I can tell you that the nightly episode count is actually down to two now, because we’ve started season 7 and my mom panicked because she doesn’t want it to end. 

Like my mom, I’d never seen the show before either. Apparently I lived under a rock. Needless to say, I didn’t think I would ever be any happier than I was watching a certain couple get married in season 6. 

Turns out, I was wrong. Every Sunday, Krasinski uploads a new episode of his show Some Good News on YouTube. And just when I thought there was no way to top his Hamilton reunion, ode to the healthcare workers of Boston, the Prom he threw, or his graduation ceremony featuring Oprah and Steven Spielberg, Krasinski reunited the cast of The Office to recreate what really might be my favorite moment in TV history.  

The video has over nine million views in less than a week. Nine million of them are probably mine, and at this point I’m pretty sure I know the words to Chris Brown’s Forever better than Chris Brown. 

Some Good News is nearing the end of its run for now, with its eighth installment due this Sunday. If only we could say the same for quarantine. 

In case you were wondering (I know you weren’t, but you’ve made it this far) what I glue my eyes to when I’m not watching The Office after dinner or Some Good News on Sundays, surprise! It’s another show starring Krasinski. Jack Ryan is on Amazon Prime, and for those of you in need of a new show to binge, you’re welcome. 2 seasons, and it only took me a whole four nights to finish. On night five, I watched Krasinski’s self proclaimed “better half” fly around with an umbrella and take care of the Banks children in 1930s London. And, while I’m definitely out of the target audience age-bracket for that movie, it was like watching two hours of pure art. I’m now no longer sure if I’d rather be Emily Blunt, or Mary Poppins. 

Either way, both Krasinskis have proved they themselves are some good news any which way you slice it. 
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The bad news is my brother hasn’t had a haircut in eight weeks. If you’re wondering what that has to do with this post, picture Jim Halpert circa season four, and you’ll have your answer.