Amy Pugsley Everyone loves TV, and watching television is one of the most universal pastimes. With the plethora of shows available in every genre, it is hard to decide just what to devote your precious time to. Nothing is more aggravating than sitting down for some rest and relaxation to realize you don’t know what to watch. Like most of us, you have probably watched everything on Netflix already but don’t worry, we have put together a list to help you out. No spoilers, we promise!
New and Highly Recommended
Mare of Eastown- HBO: It is hard to find an HBO show that isn’t addictive but Mare of Eastown has lived up to all of the hype surrounding it. Featuring an all-star cast of Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, and Guy Pearce the show centers around Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) who is a small-town detective with a big city attitude. As she investigates the murder of a teenage mother, viewers quickly realize just how many wires are crossed in this small town and that being a hero can take its toll.
Cruel Summer- Freeform: What happens when you mix teen angst, a forbidden romance, abduction, and courtroom drama? Cruel Summer follows the lives of two American teenagers over three summers in the 90s skipping from one timeline to the next leaving viewers desperate to know exactly who is guilty and who is full of lies. Beware, do not read anything about Season 1 before watching as even a hint will give away the explosive finale.
Old Characters, New Shows
Intelligence- Sky One: Almost everyone in the world has seen every single episode of Friends and if you are a mega-fan then you will be happy to see Ross Geller, I mean David Schwimmer in a new and hilarious role in the British comedy, Intelligence. The sitcom centers around an intelligence team fighting cybercrimes in the UK with Schwimmer being an ousted NSA agent who is begrudgingly assigned to be the American liaison. Hilarious cultural misunderstandings abound and even if you could care less about government offices or cybercrimes this show will make you laugh out loud.
Why Women Kill- CBS All Access: Depending on how old you are you might remember Lucy Liu from the legal drama show Ally McBeal or the Charlie’s Angels Films but the Asian-American bombshell is back with an incredible dark comedy-drama called Why Women Kill. The first season follows three very different women across different decades who are only connected by their shared address. The Pasadena mansion where the show is set provides the backdrop for the three women to find out that their husbands have been unfaithful. Who will end up dead? You will have to watch to find out.
Reality-TV
KUWTK Final Season- E! Network: It is hard to believe that the franchise that launched the Kardashian-Jenner family into infamy started fourteen years ago with season 1 of Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E! If you are a die-hard or a part-time fan that’s okay, Season 20 is the perfect way to say goodbye. Filled with fights, family trips, law school, and reconciliations; S20 is filled with nostalgia, to say the least. Hot tip, the season ends with a two-part interview with Kris, Kylie, and Kendall Jenner, and the power-trio of Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian. Bravo’s Andy Cohen is the perfect person to ask the hard questions and let us tell you—tea is spilled on all the hot button topics from the last fourteen years and it is piping hot!
Shahs of Sunset- Bravo: This reality show follows the lives of Persian-Americans as they navigate life in sunny Los Angeles. Think along the lines of KUWTK or Jersey Shore but more…Middle Eastern. The crew is connected by their heritage and decades-long friendships but that doesn’t mean that each episode isn’t filled with sugar spice and things not-so-nice. Shahs is now in its 9th season on Bravo, so if you haven’t been familiarized with Reza, GG, Mercedes, Mike, Nema, and Destiny in the first 8 seasons…well, you better start binge-watching.
Side-Splitting Comedy
Hacks- HBO Max: Jean Smart serves an incredible performance as Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance, serving Joan Rivers vibes and an addictive plot. The show tells the story of an odd mentorship between a 25-year-old writer and the legendary comedian who is self-centered, brutally honest, and fabulously rich. The Boomer vs Millennial subplot makes the show absolutely hilarious.
Chad- TBS: Maybe the craziest concept on TV is dressing up a beautiful Persian woman as an adolescent boy but somehow the hilarious Nasim Pedrad has pulled it off. Nasim transforms herself into Ferydoon “Chad” Amani the very socially awkward, unfiltered, and hysterical 14-year old whose sole mission is to become popular. More than being a fantastic show, Pedrad who is the star, writer, and producer has created a space where Middle Eastern families on TV can just be, well, normal. The show is revolutionary in that it showcases the everyday lives of an Iranian-American family without venturing into politics or religion. Chad might make you cringe or laugh but the representation is absolutely necessary.
Binge-Worthy Dramas
Handmaid’s Tale- Hulu: Dystopian drama has reached its peak with Handmaid’s Tale based on the book by the same name by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. The plot is not for the faint of heart as the show is set in a dystopian society that was once the United States but after a civil war, Gilead established rule and installed a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. Forced to live as second-rate citizens and unable to handle money, have jobs, or read the women of Gilead are the protagonists of this dark story and will make you rethink almost everything.
The Chi- Showtime: The south side of Chicago is known for being poor and violent. This is no exaggeration, the city has been given the nickname “Chiraq” a mix of Chicago and Iraq due to the high level of violence. The show The Chi presents a coming-of-age drama series that shows the world through the eyes of the varied characters who are linked to one another through community, life, and love. Rather than hyperbolizing the lives of the Chicago residents, this show takes a deep dive into the everyday realities of multiple generations thanks to the brilliant writing (and Emmy award-winning) Lena Waithe.
