One of the lessons that lockdown taught us was that technology - previously considered to be the death knell of human connection - turned out to be its saviour, as families, friends, and colleagues resorted to Zoom pub quizzes and video calls to stay connected while still apart.

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While that first phase of total lockdown and quarantine has, for the moment, ended for many countries, Netflix has paid tribute to the technology that held us together during the initial months of COVID-19, with an eight-part series told through a virtual lens.

Here's everything you need to know about the Netflix series Social Distance, from the team behind Orange is the New Black.

When is Social Distance on Netflix?

The series airs on Netflix in the UK and globally on October 15th 2020.

What is Social Distance about?

Conceived of and filmed remotely during quarantine, each standalone episode highlights "the power of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty and isolation," detailing the highs and lows: from a remote funeral, mental health issues, and families separated, to (of course) the universal issue of elderly relatives who struggle to find the "unmute" button.

"Ultimately, Social Distance is a show about people struggling to stay connected with each other," creator and executive-producer Hilary Weisman Graham told Entertainment Weekly in a statement. "Like most of us, being online consumes a large chunk of our days as it's often the only way to keep in touch with family and friends while sheltering in place. So we decided to lean in to this constraint and fully embrace our reliance on technology by making it the point-of-view of the show."

Social Distance cast

The diverse cast all filmed from home during quarantine, meaning that various cast members were real-life relatives.

The cast includes: Mike Colter (Luke Cage); Oscar Nunez (The Office); Danielle Brooks ("Taystee" on Orange Is the New Black) with her real-life mother LaRita Brooks and brother DJ Brooks; Okieriete Onaodowan (of Broadway's Hamilton fame); Steven Weber (Wings) with his real-life son Jack Hohnen-Weber; and Daphne Rubin-Vega (In the Heights) with her real-life husband Tom Costanzo and son Luca Costanzo.

Other cast members include: Marsha Stephanie Blake (When They See Us) with her real-life daughter Rocco Luna; Asante Blackk (When They See Us) with real-life father Ayize Ma'at; Guillermo Diaz (Girls); and Miguel Sandoval.

Social Distance trailer

You can watch the trailer for Social Distance here.

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Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, visit our TV Guide, or find out about upcoming new TV shows 2020.

Authors

Flora CarrDrama Writer, RadioTimes.com
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