Shows to Binge-Watch While Recovering from Surgery

The fact of the matter is this:

We don’t want you to undergo surgery as well. For this reason, we are dedicated to taking every measure possible to resolve your foot or ankle problem with conservative care.

Of course, sometimes foot or ankle surgery is unavoidable, or it simply constitutes the best opportunity for you to overcome a problem. And at other times, surgery might be the only available option.

A big reason no one wants to have (non-cosmetic) surgery is the inability to perform favorite activities during the recovery period. To that end, you will obviously have to hold off on rec sports, dancing lessons, and CrossFit until after you have completely healed.

Even with that being the case, your recovery doesn’t have to be boring!

Now, Americans probably—and some would say “definitely”—have been watching too much TV for quite a while now. Advanced technology has only served to increase that amount, even it it’s not the same as “traditional” television.

That said, there are some great shows at this time – to the point some say we are in a new “Golden Age” for prestige television.

Now, when you follow your postop instruction—and you are going to follow your postop instructions, right?—you will need to take some time for rest and recovery. In doing so, you will likely be required to keep your surgical site elevated.

Since you must take it easy, a good option for helping make the time pass is to “binge-watch” any of the great services you can find streaming or through on-demand cable services.

With so many options, however, where do you start?

At McVay Foot and Ankle, we are fortunate to help many patients from within our Colorado Springs community (and beyond!). In doing so, we learn a lot about you – including shows that are popular and worth watching.

We’ve taken all of this highly scientific data (OK, it’s not really all that scientific) and created a list of shows you might want to check out while recovering from your foot or ankle surgery.

As a disclaimer – Some of these shows are certainly not considered to be “family-friendly” or appropriate for children in a traditional sense. Depending on the show, there may be violence, strong language, and/or nudity. Please keep this in mind when choosing a show to watch.

Binge-Worthy Shows for Recovering from Foot or Ankle Surgery

Stranger Things – 17 Episodes

With regards to the various series, Stranger Things—a thrilling science fiction series that currently consists of two seasons (more will be produced in the future)—can be considered one of the more family-friendly options. Created by the Duffer brothers, and set in a small Indiana town, both seasons take place in the ‘80s – which makes it especially appealing if you remember the ‘80s and love the feeling of nostalgia!

In Season 1, a group of adolescents embark on a mission to find and save their friend from an extra-dimensional threat. At the same time, a shadowy government agency hides this entire situation from the general public, while trying to capture a young girl who has extraordinary powers and could be a potential link.

In Season 2, the interdimensional threat has grown and the eighth-graders have taken it upon themselves to stop it from potentially destroying the world. As with the first season, the governmental agency is still at work trying to keep information about this from leaking to the public.

We recommend at least checking out Season 1. If you enjoy it, many consider the second to be even better!

Game of Thrones – 67 Episodes

Undoubtedly, you have at least heard of HBO’s hit series. If you haven’t previously watched this remarkable creative endeavor, now is the time to catch up on the previous seasons before the final one arrives in 2019. (And it’s an especially great time if you need to keep a surgically repaired ankle or foot immobile and elevated!)

Based on George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice, the series does feature some magical elements—perhaps not as much as you would think, however. But the story is more centered on matters entailed with politics, relationships (of all kinds), power, and war. Game of Thrones features an abundance of loyalty and betrayal, honor and shame, families and enemies, and victories and losses – all of it absolutely captivating.

Whether you’re a fan of expert character development, intricate plotting, or incredible action sequences, you will not be disappointed. In many ways, watching an episode of Game of Thrones can very much rival the experience of seeing a well-written, heartfelt blockbuster movie on the big screen.

One final note: there are clearly those who think “it’s just a show about dragons,” but they do not realize how much they are missing! Sure, *MINOR SPOILER ALERT* there are a couple of dragons. That doesn’t take away from the fact this award-winning show will constantly surprise you and keep you guessing as to what will happen and who will survive.

Veep – 58 Episodes

For those who are seeking lighter fare than a series where literally any character might be killed off in any episode, you might want to check out HBO’s Veep.

As is the case with Game of Thrones, this show will enter its final season in 2019. But that’s where similarities between the two shows pretty much end!

In this comedic political satire, the fictional new Vice President of the United States—Selina Meyer (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus)—works to manage both her public and private lives. She attempts to do so while improving the dysfunctional relationship with her boss and putting out political fires.

Naturally, as with any great comedy, there are several supporting characters who really help make the series such a fantastic choice if you’re in need of a laugh.

Sherlock – 13 Episodes

Both of the previous two selections for our list have one more season remaining – and that might be the case with this modern take on the original genius sleuth.

The reason we say “might,” is because it’s a bit of a mystery as to whether there will be a fifth season of this fan favorite show. There are no plans at this time, but the creators have plotted a fifth season and Benedict Cumberbatch—who portrays the eponymous character—is under contract for one more season as well.

Whether that ever comes to fruition, you should catch the first four seasons of this BBC production if you enjoy detective stories. Yes, the intricate plotting that goes into every episode—each is roughly an hour and a half in length—is remarkable, but the performances of Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (who plays Holmes’ trusty sidekick Watson) are sublime.

It’s worth noting—since productions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters and work vary in terms of time periods—that this particular iteration takes place in modern London.

Making a Murderer – 10 Episodes

In the event you aren’t inclined to commit to several seasons—or perhaps you only have to recover from a minimally-invasive procedure—you might want to consider Netflix’s Making a Murderer. Especially if you are interested in real-life crime stories.

(Given the popularity of “true crime podcasts,” the genre clearly has many fans!)

Columbia University graduate students Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi created this documentary exploring the case of a Wisconsin man (Steven Avery) who was exonerated after spending two decades in jail for a crime he did not commit.

Once Avery was out, he filed a lawsuit against the individuals and county responsible for his initial conviction.

That is already a decent story, but it becomes more compelling because Avery was arrested again shortly after filing his suit on the charge of murdering a photographer who was last seen on his property. (His nephew Brendan was also arrested, which adds an interesting element to the saga.)

Opinions as to whether Avery is innocent are quite divided, but Making a Murderer is simply a fascinating look at the American criminal justice system.

Arrested Development – 76 Episodes

Fans of intelligent humor were rewarded to a unique, truly special sitcom back in 2003 – Fox’s Arrested Development.

Created by Mitch Howitzer, Arrested Development follows a family of eccentric characters, utilizes running gags, and features hilarious, deadpan narration from Ron Howard. As an ensemble, the cast was amazing – and especially Jason Bateman, who starred as Michael Bluth (the proverbial “straight man” who perpetually finds himself amid chaos).

Even though the show had a fiercely loyal following and critical acclaim, it failed to garner ratings deemed by the Fox network necessary to stay on the air. As such, the show was cancelled back in 2006.

But then a couple of things happened that would eventually change the course of this particular series – the show went into syndication and all three seasons—well, more like two-and-a-half—were released on DVD.

Those factors contributed to a spike in popularity, which then lead to a fourth season being created 10 years after the first season aired.

It is worth noting that this particular season was a bit different than the other three. When filming, it was difficult to coordinate schedules so the respective actors and actresses could shoot their scenes at the same time. To rectify this situation, each episode focuses on a primary character, instead of masterfully weaving storylines between several characters (as was done in earlier seasons).

Adding to the story of this series, Netflix ordered a fifth season – and the first half was released May 29^th of this year.

Ozark – 10 Episodes

Netflix series Ozark has two things in common with Arrested Development—both feature a starring role by Jason Bateman and can be found on Netflix—but that’s basically where the similarities end.

Ozark has more in common with another series that is absolutely binge-worthy – Breaking Bad (which is considered by some to be in contention with The Wire for title of “greatest show of all-time”).

At present, there is currently only one season of Ozark released, although a second has been ordered. That said, the initial season is simply addictive as it lays out the story of a man, Marty Byrde (portrayed by Bateman) who moves his family from Chicago to a resort town in the Ozarks (Missouri) and is forced to launder $8 million for a Mexican drug cartel to ensure their safety.

As you can probably imagine, Marty faces several obstacles from all fronts, including running up against some local, nefarious characters.

Bateman delivers in the lead role, but the show also benefits greatly from an outstanding performance by Laura Linney, who plays the role of Marty’s wife (Wendy).

Now, this isn’t a major spoiler by any stretch of imagination, but there is a “toenail removal” scene in one episode wherein the procedure is not performed by a podiatrist. This is something we do not recommend!

Surgery at McVay Foot and Ankle

Whenever possible—and, thankfully, this happens quite often—we resolve foot and ankle problems with conservative treatment.

There are certainly times when surgery is needed – and you can take comfort that, when this is the case, we have the experience and skill you want in a surgeon.

After your procedure, you will likely have to take it easy for a while.

You will also quite likely be prescribed some physical therapy as well, but rest is an important part of recovering from foot or ankle surgery. And when you need to rest, now you have some choices to help the time go by faster as you allow yourself to fully recover!

For more information about McVay Foot and Ankle—including the exceptional podiatric services and care you will receive—or to request an appointment with our Colorado Springs office, give us a call at (719) 266-5000.