One great thing about long holiday weekends is being able to binge watch TV and catch up on or start shows you've been meaning to watch. Here are two of my favorites that are pretty quick to get through. Really I was just going to mention one, but since it's a bit dark and heavy, I thought I'd throw in a comedy for those of you that want to watch something lighter during the holiday.
Broadchurch
This series follows a small seaside town as it copes with and tries to find the culprit in the murder of an 11-year-old boy. Leading the investigation are a detective brought in from out of town, who seems to be damaged and have secrets of his own (David Tennant), and a capable and kind local who was passed up for a promotion when he came in to fill that role (Olivia Colman). As the series unfolds, we find that in this small town where everyone knows each other, everyone has secrets to hide and anyone could be guilty. You're left guessing whodunit right up until the end. Even the cast didn't find out who the murderer was until near the end of filming.
In addition to gripping writing and amazing acting, the tellers of this story were brilliant in their choices for cinematography, editing, and music. It's no wonder it received such critical acclaim, awards, and viewer popularity. It was brought back for a second series with a different crime at the center of the story, so if you have time after watching the first series, go ahead and watch the second.
The Thick of It
One of the funniest shows I've seen, this political comedy follows the ridiculous (and maybe not that far off) dealings of Members of Parliament and their staff. The star of the show is a character named Malcolm Tucker, wonderfully played by Peter Capaldi, who is the character we all know exists in politics everywhere but who we may not always know by name. He's the spin doctor, the puppeteer, the guy that can "convince" people to act, speak, and vote in the way that's needed at the time. In real life we hate them, but as a TV character, we can't help but love this particular foul-mouthed incarnation.
Just a warning, there is a lot of foul language in The Thick of It, so if you're sensitive to that, I'd recommend watching something else. Another comedy I like is Rev. - It's about a vicar and his relationships with his parish, the church, and his family. It's funny, sweet, and also has the lovely Olivia Colman in a very different role than the one she plays in Broadchurch. (For some reason, the third season of Rev. doesn't seem to be on Amazon at this time, but it may be available on Hulu.)
So those are my two (or three) picks for this Thanksgiving weekend. Something entertaining to avoid the stress and mess of shopping. If you need a shopping fix, you can always shop online while watching these shows. Why deal with grumpy, swear-y, aggressive shoppers when you can watch grumpy, swear-y, aggressive, but lovable characters on TV?
No comments:
Post a Comment