This month, Netflix has released a ton of Christmas themed shows in order for all of us to stay home and get into the spirit of the season by binge watching romcoms and eating popcorn while wishing we could leave our houses. While this time of year is cold and especially hard due to the pandemic that surrounds us and is always in our consciousness, retreating into the warmth of a teenage love story can be the brief yet needed escape that we all desire. The first season of Dash & Lily is only eight episodes long, each episode averaging about 25 minutes in length. You could watch the whole thing in one sitting, and I encourage you to do so. 

The show follows the two protagonists for which the show is named, Dash and Lily, while they exchange a diary in various locations around New York City. Dash is a cynical and jaded 17-year-old who’s only wish for Christmas is to be left alone by his parents, friends and classmates. Lily is a “weird girl” that sews her own clothes, spends most of her time playing board games with her Grandpa and is in love with Christmas. 

The show’s eight episodes bring you through the very small yet large bubble of 17-year-olds in the big city at Christmas time, switching point of view between both of them throughout the season. We get to learn why Dash hates Christmas, why Lily never seems to have friends her own age and eventually we get to see why both of them continue to use the notebook to communicate when it seems they have other people in their lives. 

Throughout the show, the viewers are taken on a journey of growth and self-acceptance by both of the main characters. While they were playing the game with the notebook, each of the two characters managed to push each other out of their comfort zones and get to know each other better. The whole show is full of references to pop culture, literature, films, New York City and of course, what it’s like to be a teenager. 

Watching was easy, fun and left me happy at the end. While I wouldn’t argue that this show is one of the best of the year, it definitely made me happy and warmed my heart. My favorite part of the show was actually something that most people wouldn’t notice, which is when the characters are riding the train through the city. Riding the train is something I miss most about life before quarantine, so getting to “ride along” with the characters brought me a bit of joy that I hadn’t felt in a while. 

If you have the time, watch Dash & Lily with someone you love, that being a significant other, a parent, sibling or your favorite pet. Take some time and just let yourself get immersed into the storyline and you will feel better when it’s all over, trust me.