Commentary: 34 movies and shows to watch on a plane or trapped at the airport this holiday season

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Even with inflation, endless air travel complaints and the recent flight cancellations caused by the government shutdown, millions of Americans, including me, will begin their holiday celebrations on a plane.And while some are already making their packing lists, I am more concerned about what I should watch.

In addition to getting you where you want to go, those hours spent in uncomfortable seats — first at the gate and then on board — are a guilt-free opportunity to catch up on or revisit great shows and films.In-flight viewing is a specific, and sometimes unintentionally communal, viewing experience; not everything works.Choose tearjerkers and musicals with care.

Ugly crying over “The Notebook” or singing along with “Wicked” might feel great, but it can cause your fellow passengers unnecessary consternation and/or annoyance.Inside Hollywood’s deep, complicated, mutually beneficial (and occasionally tragic) relationship with aviation.If you are traveling with or seated near children, you should avoid hard-R-rated fare — as I discovered while briefly attempting to watch “Game of Thrones” while seated beside my then-young son, nudity and beheadings don’t need the sound on to be inappropriate.Likewise, avoid anything that involves tragic or problematic air travel — catch up on the “Final Destination” franchise another time — and you also might want to skip full-attention-demanding subtitles.The perfect airplane watch allows you to immerse yourself while also remaining aware of what’s happening around you.

(Including and especially requests from flight attendants.) With all these considerations in mind, here are some suggestions.Comedy series are best, for obvious mood-sweetening reasons (should delays occur), but also because the episodes are short and tend not to have dramatic moments that might keep you watching even after your group number h...