Market Chess Cinemas: Quarantine Edition

With the overwhelming majority of us holed up in quarantine it can become mentally and emotionally draining, particularly as we navigate a volatile market attempting to price in a set of circumstances which we have not seen to this degree in at least one hundred years. 

During these times, amid horrifying headlines of more deaths across the country and world, with the coming two weeks expected to only exacerbate the death toll and instances of the virus spreading, we have to find ways to keep our wits about us without feeling shame or guilt for doing so. So long as we are doing the right thing and not placing undue burden on the healthcare system by staying at home except for the most essential reasons, it is misguided to adopt the mindset that we must become morose around the clock given this moment in time. 

Thus, I highly recommend taking a break and watching my favorite comedic series of all-time, "Lilyhammer" (2012), which lasted three seasons on Netflix and is still available for consumption. The humor is consistent and impressive, as the show serves as a quasi (but unofficial) spinoff of "The Sopranos."

The gist of the show is that Steven Van Zandt (who played Silvio Dante on "The Sopranos") is a former New York-based gangster named Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano who is trying to start a new life in witness protection in Lillehammer, Norway. The Norwegian scenery, characters (with some terrific Norwegian actors in the cast), and culture serve as an excellent and original way to juxtapose against Van Zandt's character. 

"Lilyammer" is a light, fun show but excels at it where many other shows fail miserably, since comedy tends to be much more difficult to execute than drama despite the appearance that it is rather easy. 

Balance out the barrage of bad news, nefarious market action, and the toll the quarantine is taking on all of us by watching this one.