TV series I am ready to binge again (Day 6 - being grateful for GOOD TV)
This article is part of my December 2020 Gratitude series that help me end this year on a more positive and inspiring note.
Before deciding on the topic for the day, I always start with thinking about what brightened the previous one. Today it is something as trivial as SERIES. I am currently spending a lot of time in my bed after the surgery. Besides trying to be productive, I also just enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Watching series and reading fiction books definitely fall into that category.
I used to have a reputation of having seen the whole of the internet. When I was studying architecture and drawing for hours, I always had something running in the background. That was at a time when I did not have Netflix, HBO, Prime, Hulu… it was much easier to watch everything. Nowadays, people are catching up on me! As I still get asked for recommendations, I decided to take this opportunity and leave this list here for anyone that needs some inspiration for the upcoming holidays and quarantines to come.
Some of the following are award-winning masterpieces, others are just here to brighten your days. If you know me well, you are aware that I have seen FRIENDS more times than probably any other human being. Despite all of the political incorrectness, it is still my favourite show of all time. However, I won't be putting it on this list.
The Crown (IMDB: 8,7)
I personally had absolutely no interest in the Royal Family. But the producer Peter Morgan creates a genuinely captivating portrait of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, from her coronation until today. A team of researchers give him dates, the participants and public information about various events. He then connects the dots, injects drama and creates a great TV. They made me care and I often found myself researching the stories further and looking for the accuracy of the display. It is also one of the most expensive series ever made. And you will see why.
Tue Queens Gambit (IMDB: 8,7)
The seven-part miniseries about a chess prodigy struggling with addiction, self-doubt and her role as a woman in international chess ranks in the 60s. The rise in popularity of chess that this show created is incredible. From eBay to chess.com, everyone is reporting peaks of interest. You don't have to understand chess at all to fully enjoy this drama. It is so easy to binge as it is a "limited series" which also allows it to end with an actual climax instead of a cliffhanger.
The Good Place (IMDB: 8,2)
The plot is about a fairly mean woman who dies and accidentally ends up in heaven. The show's quality is in its storytelling filled with crazy plot twists, ethics, philosophical concepts, and big and small life lessons in a very digestible way. The humour might not suit everyone, but all the food for thought is worth the occasionally cringe-y moments. The last episodes of the show are beautifully crafted links between western philosophy and eastern teachings. So worth the wait! So worth the tears of happiness.
Sex Education (IMDB: 8,3)
The show is not about what the click-bitey name suggests. It follows an unpopular teenage boy and his mother, who is a sex therapist without boundaries. It shows an exciting perspective of how conversations about sex could look like if all of it would not be taboo. It is also filled with beautiful insights into how people communicate and deal with relationships growing up. You will instantly care for the characters that definitely don't lack development.
Chernobyl (IMDB: 9,4)
I have made three pretty big mistakes when it comes to cinematography. One was accidentally watching Matrix 1, then 3, then 2. The second was watching The Godfather for the first time only this year and the last one, again accidentally, starting with the last episode of Chernobyl. I do not recommend doing that.
Regardless of this sad circumstance and my familiarity with the events learned in school, it was one of the best TV shows I have seen. As you might have guessed, It is not easy to watch, but an inevitable part of our history. Even the producers were surprised by the interest in the show as they did not think of it as a "broad audience" content. It was interesting to dig deeper into the story as I had no idea about the circumstances, how many victims got sick, the people that saved us and of course how close we got to the end of the world.
The Sopranos (IMDB: 9,2)
The brilliance of the writing makes you care for an Italian-American mobster that constantly lies to all of the people in his life. Which might sound absurd, but having such a deep insight into the relationships and circumstances makes you hope for him to change. Even though It was hard for me to relate or identify with anything in that show, it is an absolute TV classic that set the bar for many shows that followed.
House of Cards (IMDB: 8,7)
Powerful characters, monumental decisions, good drama and plot twists with just enough reflections of messages and meanings about the actual political world. It explores how people lie, manipulate and use optics to shift perceptions and all the possibilities that could be happening behind the closed doors of our governments.
Until season 5, the average episode ratings are 8 and above. Then we learn Kevin Spacey is a horrible human being, and Robin Wright continues to lead the series. Unfortunately, the show scores below 5 in every single episode.
The Morning Show (IMDB: 8,4)
I would watch anything with Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. Which might hugely discredit this whole list; this time, I made the right choice. The show is an excellent portrayal of critical issues about sexual assault and harassment in the workplace. Showing the experience from both sides of the story. Set in an environment of a big television company and production of a Morning Show. Back-stabbings, plot twists, secret looks, and back door meetings.
Big Little Lies (IMDB: 8,5)
Again - Reese Witherspoon this time accompanied by Zoe Kravitz, Meryl Streep and an UNBELIEVABLE PERFORMANCE from Nicole Kidman. A drama set in California in which wealthy mothers are questioned for murder with one of the best season endings I have seen. The second season was an unnecessary stretch, but still enjoyable to watch. Even for (some) men!
One more thing, It happened SEVERAL times that I recommended this show and people accidentally watched Pretty Little Liars. Don't do that.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (IMDB: 8,7)
By writing this list, I realized, that I am leaning towards more and more shows that feature a woman lead. Rachel Brosnan, which is just amazing, portrays a housewife who breaks gender role standards by becoming a woman standup comedian in the 50s New York. Even though it revolves around her career as a standup comedian, the standup portion on the show is tolerable even for people that don't enjoy it. It serves more as an insight into the journey of a performer and artist.
Westworld (IMDB: 8,7)
The plot is pretty simple—it shows a technologically advanced "Old West" amusement park hosted by androids that allows people to do anything that would be punishable in the real world. Smart TV at it's best, serving a mixture of excellent dialogue, restrained acting and impressive set-pieces without overplaying any of them. Also, many believe that it was the life role of Anthony Hopkins, proved in this spoiler-less video.
Game of Thrones (IMDB: 9,3)
I don't think there is anything I can say that has not been said already. Suppose fantasy is not your thing at all. In that case, there is also a lot of action, adventure and suspense with the typical elements of drama and romance you might enjoy. Just trust everyone else and give it a try. All you need is 3 episodes to get hooked. Just be prepared for a lot of violence, nudity and dying characters that you will care for so much.
Modern Family (IMDB: 8,4)
If I could choose to watch two sitcoms to watch for the rest of my life, it would be Modern Family and Friends. It is by far the funniest sitcom that uses the comedy to show people's behaviours and flaws. It provides multiple contradicting approaches to dealing with situations, which always makes it relatable and eye-opening. Second marriages, gay relationships, age gaps, family gatherings; basically an insight into an American Family and their relationships.
Chefs Table (IMDB: 8,6)
This might be an incredibly random pick for this list. However, this show is not only about cooking but more importantly about inspiring stories of world-class performers—chefs. It shows a lot of insight into their thinking process, creativity, management and overcoming failures. Also, the visuals are just perfect.
Silicon Valley (IMDB: 8,5)
This show is highly relatable for me as I was part of the startup culture for years. It is as much about starting and leading a company as it is about the importance of having the right people around you. The humour is so dry but consistently intelligent. You don't need to understand the IT environment to fully enjoy it.
Master of None (IMDB: 8,3)
This series's biggest quality lies in showing the stories from perspectives that are usually not represented on TV. Some of the episodes are downright insightful, covering themes like the immigrant struggle, representation of minorities in popular media, acceptance within your family as an LGBTQ+ person etc. To be honest, it is quite inconsistent when it comes to the quality of the episodes. Still, it always stretches the limits of storytelling and the concept of a TV show.
Planet Earth I and II (IMDB: 9,4 & 9,5)
I could not leave this totally random list of series with mostly nothing in common without mentioning this masterpiece.
If there are must-see things that I am missing (Band of Brothers, Breaking Bad, The Wire…), it is probably because I have not seen them. I will add them later.
Otherwise, I am more than happy to hear your suggestions!
