Scouring through TV has been a huge self-coping mechanism during COVID (and let’s be real – my ? ENTIRE ? DAMN ? LIFE.) I’ve recently discovered some new shows, and uncovered some old ones. Here are a handful that I’ve enjoyed. Venture forth and let the LED light consume you!
The Speed Cubers
This 40-minute look into competitive “speed cubers” – aka Rubik’s Cube phenoms – was cute as hell. On the surface, it seems like it might simply be a documentary look into what this “sport” is, but it turns out to really be about camaraderie and friendship (and some startlingly fast pattern-recognition skills.) If you’re looking to believe in humanity again – start here.
Teenage Bounty Hunters
I was really not expecting to like this show as much as I did (or at all.) But, two friends recommended it within 30 minutes of each other, so I gave it a go. It’s kind of like a cross between Saved and Awkward. Executive produced by Jenji Kohan (of Orange is the New Black fame), this show is full of quick banter that made me LOL a surprising amount. Set in Georgia, it features two teenage “twins” that enter the world of bounty hunting to repair the damage they’ve done to their dad’s truck. Two caveats: the opening scene of the show almost made me force quit (so try to just get past that), and the show does dip midway through. But, I recommend it for the LOLs of at least the first five episodes. Also, if you’re a twin like me, you’ll definitely laugh at the “twin telepathy” scenes (where they can talk to each other with a single glance) – it really does seem to be how those silly singletons perceive us.
Love on the Spectrum
Autistic people looking for love! This show is very sweet, and, as a viewer, it also makes you realize all the social scripts you follow to seem like an attractive partner (or person.) The participants are coached on how to find common interests and keep a conversation going, and then go on dates to test it all out. There’s lots of LOLs that come from the participants’ matter-of-fact delivery, and you really found yourself rooting for their success.
Skam France: Saison 6
If Skins had a cool, French cousin that smoked, it would be Skam France. An offspring of the original Norwegian Skam series (which I did not watch, but heard good things about), Skam has a really interesting format where episodes are released on Youtube at the time they are meant to be taking place. This means that users are constantly refreshing to see when a new clip is released. Then, all the clips are amalgamated at the end of each week to form a 20-minute episode. Skam France Season 6 was another Twitter stumble-upon and I found the acting and “realness” of the storyline very compelling. Bonus points – you can re-learn all the French you forgot since high school – plus the modern slang that you were never taught! On ya va! C’est ouf.
Hanna: Season 1
I really, really liked the original Hanna movie with Saoirse Ronan, so I was thrilled to finally be able to watch the Amazon Prime TV series this month. The first few episodes mostly involve playing catch-up to movie, before diverting and becoming its own thing. Hanna, this time, is played by Esme Creed-Miles (daughter of the Samantha Morton), who does a great interpretation of the character. Lots of literal kick-ass moments, and fast-paced action permeate throughout. I’m a sucker for spy sh*t, and this is right up that alley.
Shine on with Reese
If you’re looking for something cheery, Shine on with Reese (Witherspoon) was a nice injection of positivity into my day. She talks with trailblazers including Dolly Parton, Ava Duvernay, and the first black, female First Captain of West Point Academy – Simone Askew (which turned out to be my favourite.) You’ll be sure to leave these episodes feeling inspired.
What TV shows are you watching?
