Shows I’ve Watched Recently

You know it, I know it: I’m a lover of binge-worthy television. I’m a pusher of good (and even sometimes bad) TV, and I find comfort in devouring media that the world deserves to know about.

Here’s a round-up of my recent conquests.

Queen’s Gambit

I’ll be honest, we crushed through this mini-series in a single Sunday. It’s good. No, it’s excellent.

I never knew I’d care so much about chess until I saw a fictional, redheaded, orphaned prodigy bust her way into onto the local, then national, and then international game scene. I loved how the Queen’s Gambit really, truly dove into the main character. We knew Beth Harmon through all of her moments, big and small, in a really intimate and cinematic way.

Schitt’s Creek

Oh, my lord. I love Schitt’s Creek so much that it’s long-since busted my top-5 list and made its way to the top. It is hilarious, real, and heartwarming in a way I didn’t know I needed before pressing play. The Rose family feels like my own, and I’ll care about each of them forever.

We finally got around to watching the final season (yes, I was delaying this very huge and inevitable loss and the settling void in my heart), and it was as impactful as ever. They ended it in a perfect way. Each character was given their moment in the sun. Sweet, funny, relatable, endearing, in every single episode.

My only wish, like millions of other watchers (Schitt heads?), is that it could last a little longer.

The Mandalorian

The new season of The Mandalorian is back, baby. Cheers to the reason we signed up for Disney-Plus in the first place. This Star Wars series has so far impressed, with its same slow, space-western vibe and trouble-brewing energy. It’s great to see Baby Yoda back on screen, along with the masked talents of Pedro Pascal. It gives me chills and leaves me wanting more, every single episode.

Great British Bake Off

It’s that time of the year…when Bake Off is a gentle and wholesome escape from the follies of the real world. British accents, fabulous bakes, quaint countryside, hosts who make me laugh—I love it all. So far I’m enjoying this new season and the addition of host Matt Lucas, who I immediately recognized from his cringe-worthy role in the film Bridesmaids.

Mystery Road

My mom convinced me to watch this Australian-based series, which is hosted originally on Acorn TV and now Amazon Prime (where we binged it). Mystery Road follows a detective and local police working on a case of two missing boys, and reveals racial tensions, dark histories, and a thread of lies holding the town (or those in power) together. It’s slow-paced, but realistic and brilliant.

New Girl

Many years in the past, what seems like a lifetime ago, I was a weekly watcher and huge fan of New Girl. It’s quirky, funny, and the characters all have something to offer. Recently, I decided to watch it again (enough time has passed), for a little filler, in-between series, show. It’s made me laugh and recall simpler times, and I thank it for that.

Scandal

Look, I was late to the Scandal hype, and that was a mistake. This show, created by Shonda Rhymes, was exactly what I needed. I didn’t watch anything else for a month, thanks to a lengthy seven seasons and Hulu’s commercial-studded platform that made the episodes even longer.

It had everything: great characters, many levels of intrigue, high-level politics, fast-paced drama. It was a little predictable, but in the ways you aren’t mad about. We were hooked from the get-go, watching a talented team of D.C.-based fixers maneuver their way through the justice system to help their clients stay out of trouble. I loved it, and am thankful for every minute of screen time for the anti-hero Olivia Pope.

Dawson’s Creek

If there’s a show with major cultural significance, especially one from the late nineties and early 2000s, it’s probably on my watch list. I was finally able to pounce on the teenage drama Dawson’s Creek, which is now available on Netflix. It’s everything I could ask for: angsty, feisty, iconic, bingeable, and a little cringey. So far, so good.

Attack on Titan

I’m pretty new to anime, but took a chance (at Chad’s request) to watch Attack on Titan. It’s pretty good! The best part for me is the story, which is intricate and layered and complex. It has some graphic moments and some annoying character gasps (literally, sometimes the characters gasp at pivotal moments, and it drives me crazy), but it’s overall an interesting and worthy watch.

The Bachelorette

Last year, I made it my mission to catch up on the entirety of the Bachelor franchise because I didn’t like missing out on the cultural experience and the wealth of memes and collective bonding over gossipy who-loves-who reality television; I set my moral high-ground aside and sought out this over-produced experiment in polygamy. Sadly, ABC is very tight-lipped on showing previous seasons. I only managed to find—and very quickly binge—three seasons (the very first, Arie’s, and Rachel’s) (All hail queen Rachel, who will likely be my favorite from this franchise, forever). I got the gist. And I love it. It’s trash, and that’s okay.

Anyway, now I’ve been watching this season of the Bachelorette live. It stars Clare Crowley, a 39 year old woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to talk about it over and over, and also break all of the decorum of her coveted role to get it. Chad and I have created a new tradition of watching the show, drinking red wine, and talking very loudly at the screen. It’s fun, gossipy, and a little escapism in a time that desperately calls for it.