binge watch·ing
noun
- the practice of watching multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming.
Everyone has been guilty of holing up and binge watching a season or entire series. For me normally it happened during the winters but due to the pandemic it has become a year-round occurrence whether intentional or accidental. I decided to share a list of my favourite shows with you, especially since I am fresh off an accidental binge-watching fest of Grace and Frankie. I look forward to hearing your recommendations, please comment below.
1. Jane the Virgin
This show follows the telenovela life of Jane Gloriana Villanueva and her crazy yet wonderful family. Jane, an aspiring writer, made a promise to her abuela (grandma) at a very young age that she would save herself for marriage, that is until a routine gynecological exam took an unexpected turn. Jane was accidentally artificially inseminated. Throughout her pregnancy and after Jane struggles with her professional life (waitress, teacher, writer) and her love life (should she choose her boyfriend or the father of her baby). Often times Jane gets sucked into the goings on of her family member, but whatever the case the Villanueva family pull together for each other. When I was in high school our teacher encouraged us to watch Spanish soap operas as a way to help learn the language, so it is very much a nice throwback to that time of my life.
2. Dynasty
Dynasty is a 2017 reboot of the classical 1980s soap and it is very well done; I’d say it is probably the best reboot I have seen lately. The life and business the Carrington’s is rife with intrigue. After losing out on the COO position at Carrington Atlantic (CA), daughter Fallon is on a mission to prove herself to her father and the world and establishes Morell Corp with Jeff Colby. The Colby’s and Carrington’s are the modern version of the Hatfield and McCoys. Over the course of show thus far we learn that everyone has skeletons in their closet and they all go to great lengths to keep it that way. Complicating matters most recently is the return of Blake Carrington’s ex-wife and mother of his children, Alexis and the revelation that there may be another heir to the CA throne. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
3. The Ranch
The Ranch is a 2016 Netflix comedy that follows the Bennett Family. The all-star cast includes: Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Debra Winger, Elisha Cuthbert and Sam Elliott. Based in small town Colorado, the Bennetts struggle to keep their family ranch afloat. Colt Bennett returns home after a failed football career; his reintegration to family life makes for excellent repartee between him and his rough around the edges brother, Rooster. Rooster stayed behind to bust his butt working for his tough as nails, no nonsense father, Beau. Beau’s estranged wife, a flighty bar owner tries to keep the peace but also causes a lot of tension for the men. I like to think of this as a gritty version of That 70s Show. Please note that this show is definitely not kid appropriate.
4. The Office
This mockumentary depicts the lives of Dundler Mifflin Paper Company employees like Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, Pam Beesley and Dwight Schrute. There are nine seasons of laughs as a result of Michael’s well-meaning but hair-brained schemes or conference room meetings and the pranks that Jim plays on Dwight who has peculiar beliefs and tendencies. The romance between Jim and Pam is sweet and early on in the series, you wonder: will they or won’t they get together? The ensemble of supporting characters are awesome from the Warehouse guys under Darryl, to the Accounting Department headed by Angela, to Customer Service featuring dysfunctional couple, Kelly and Ryan; to the Quality Assurance team of eccentric Creed and Meredith and who could forget Michael’s nemesis Toby in HR. I never get tired of this show. I can watch it over and over (and I have). I think that that is the sign of great show; the more you watch the more you appreciate it, the more you watch it the funnier it becomes.
5. Grace and Frankie
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie in this TV show. At first they are more like frenemies but form a solid loving friendship following the revelation that their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston) are gay and have been involved in a twenty year long love affair. In the series opener Robert and Sol ask their wives for a divorce so they can finally marry. Grace, the disciplined, fierce business woman and Frankie, the fun loving free-spirited art teacher are forced to live together in a beach house co-owned by the former couples and put their lives back together. The heart-warming trials and tribulations of Grace & Frankie and their families over five seasons provide MANY laughs and may cause you to shed a few tears. I love this show because I can sort of see my bestie and I getting into all kinds of trouble in our 70s.
6. The Good Place
Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor Shellstrop who surprisingly ends up in the “good place” after death. However, she realizes she shouldn’t be there and goes to great lengths to hide that fact. With the help of her new found friends: Chidi, Tahani and Jianyu she tries to change her ways and prove herself worthy of the “good place.” Plus it has Ted Danson….everything is better with Ted Danson (spoken like a kid who grew up during the height of Cheers).
7. Lovesick
Formerly called, “Scrotal Recall,” and I mean come on, who could resist a show called THAT! This hilarious shows follows hopeless romantic, Dylan as he tracks down his former flames to inform them that he has been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. The show flashes back to defining moments of his relationships with each of the women.
8. Community
Jeff is fired from his law firm, when they discover his credentials are phony; to get his job back he needs to actually get his Bachelor’s degree, so he enrolls at Greendale. Greendale is a community college with an eccentric staff (led by Dean Pelton and features Professor Duncan and Spanish teacher, Ben Chang) and student body is equally eccentric. Jeff is a womanizer, who tries to get with “the hot blond from Spanish” (aka Britta), to accomplish this feat he forms a Spanish study group, which initially included Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy and Pierce) they become not just a community but a family!
9. Sherlock
We had a week of cold weather, the temperatures dropped to -40 for a whole week; school was cancelled, so I was able to binge watch the talented Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman portray beloved mystery novel characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. This BBC adaptation modernized Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s protagonists but still managed to stay true to the books. It was thrilling to watch and cause me to go back and re-read the books and short stories.
10. Kim’s Convenience
A CBC comedy about the Kim family who run a convenience store in Toronto. You’ll be LOL-ing as you watch them deal with customers and each other. Traditional Korean born Appa frequently clashes with his Canadianized children Janet and Jung while Umma more often than not has to serve as referee.
11. Parks and Recreation
Leslie Knope, played by the incredibly hilarious Amy Poehler is the deputy director of the parks and recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana who promises her soon to be best friend, Ann Perkins that she will turn a pit into an idyllic park. Along for the ride are her trusty department members: Gerry Gergich, Donna Meagle, April Ludgate, Andy Dwyer, Tom Haverford. The department is headed by director Ron Swanson, an anti-government Libertarian. Joining the cast later are Ben and Chris, auditors from the capitol!
12. Superstore
This brilliant comedy was created Justin Spitzer; he worked on The Office, so it is no wonder I LOVE this show. Also, when I was growing up, I watched Kids in the Hall re-runs, religiously… so when I found out the boss was played by Mark McKinney I could help but tune in. The love story between Jonah and Amy reminded me of Pam and Jim; but was touching and unique. The remainder of the cast: Dina, Garret, Cheyenne, Marcus, Sandra, Mateo, etc; are so funny and lovable; they loyally work for Cloud9 despite the ups and down. The show touches on some serious issues such as unionization, immigration and the general political climate of the Trump era.
13. IT Crowd
The only downside to this show: THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH EPISODES! (As is common with British shows). Roy and Moss are two IT department nerds who work for Reynholm Industries, run by the very peculiar Denholm (and then his cringey son Douglas). They relished their jobs; undisturbed but their world is turned upside when they meet their new IT department head, Jen who knows as much about computers as Moss knows about social conventions.
14. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
I was so excited to watch this, Ellie Kemper was fantastic on The Office where she shined as the reception, Erin. She does more than shine as Kimmy Schmidt, a women who spent 15 years in a bunker with three other women after being kidnapped by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. The show follows her as she adjusts to life in New York after her rescue. By her side are her fabulous roommate Titus Andromedon, her kooky landlady, Lillian as well as her self-centered trophy-wife boss turned friend, Jacqueline White.
15. Schitt’s Creek
I grew up watching the likes of Canadian greats, Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara. This award winning show follows the Rose family. Johnny WAS a filthy-rich video store magnate but finds himself in financial hot-water when his accountant screws them over. Johnny and his wife, former soap opera star Moira; and spoiled children (Alexis and David) have to leave their high flouting life and live in Schitt’s Creek, a town that Johnny bought as a joke for his son. The townspeople graciously take in the family and help them learn how to be better people.
*I also really LOVED binge watching The Mindy Project until it was removed from Netflix! If anyone from Netflix, watches this… PLEASE bring it back!!!
