TV really is a great escape, especially as social isolation continues to be our only option for the foreseeable future.
The variety and options can be overwhelming, so that’s why we’re here to guide you through the decision process. Here is a list of binge-worthy television shows, by category.
Dark Comedies
The show follows the employees of a second-tier Wall Street trading firm called The Jammer Group in the year leading up to “Black Monday” – the historic day when international stock markets crashed in 1987. With an all-star cast and executively-produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Black Monday makes the most subtle references to modern-times while being seemingly unaware of this fact. Smart, funny and definitely dark, it’s high on the recommendation list. Available on Crave.
A big round of applause for Canadian talent! Schitt’s Creek is full of wit, nuance, and irony. When the filthy-rich Rose family suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their prior comforts and rebuild their empire in Schitt’s Creek, a town they once purchased as a joke. Starring father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, as well as Kevin McCallister’s mom, Catherine O’Hara, you can find all six seasons on CBC and Netflix.
Thought-Provoking Dramas
Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup and Steve Carrell in roles we’ve never seen them before. In this Apple TV+ series, Alex Levy (Aniston) anchors The Morning Show, a popular Manhattan-based breakfast news program. After her on-air partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, (Carrell – I know, not our beloved Michael Scott!) is fired amidst a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as the top news anchor while sparking a rivalry with Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon), an unpredictable and outspoken field reporter whose impulsive decisions bring her into a new world of TV journalism. It’s a great insight into the cutthroat world of morning TV and a nod to the #MeToo movement.
Another brilliant show to come out of Apple TV+, produced by M. Night Shyamalan of “I see dead people” fame, a Philly couple is in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens up a mysterious force to enter their home. It’s a top pick for the horror fans out there.
So Bad It’s Good Reality-TV
Okay, so think Love Island, meets Love is Blind, meets The Circle and we get Netflix’s latest binge-worthy reality trainwreck, Too Hot To Handle. To give credit where it is very much due, this show serves up everything you could possibly look for in an 8-part reality show: beautiful people, gorgeous scenery, very good “banter” — and a very refreshing plot twist (*suspense ensues” — my job here is done).
Based on an international viral phenomenon with over half a billion fans worldwide, The Masked Singer features celebs facing off against each other with one major twist: each singer conceals their true identity by sporting an elaborate costume disguise, complete with a full face mask. Hosted by Nick Cannon and panelists Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, and Robin Thicke, it makes for the best kind of entertainment.
Short & Sweet
Here We Are: Notes For Living On Planet Earth
This short animated film, based on a book by the same title, is about a precocious seven-year-old who learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents and a mysterious exhibit at the aptly named Museum of Everything. It’s a great story about the celebration of the planet. As an added bonus, it’s narrated by Meryl Streep. Available on Apple TV+
The series stars Nicole Richie, of The Simple Life and House of Harlow fame, as her rap alter ego Nikki Fre$h, who brings a fresh approach to wellness with a new style of music: Parent Trap. The show originated on the new short-form fit-for-mobile streaming platform Quibi. Now it’s available on other streaming services such as JustWatch. Richie consults with wellness experts and drops socially conscious, educational and comedically exaggerated rhymes aimed at improving our health and make the planet a better place.
Documentaries
Griffin Hammond’s documentary, Sriracha is the love letter to the beloved hot sauce that it so richly deserves. Possibly unbeknownst to you, Sriracha hot sauce is one of the most unexpected food success stories. And who can really blame it, that sh*t is delicious. For the foodies and documentary-heads out there, you can tune in on Amazon Prime Video.
As Max Greenfield has hilariously but poignantly described Netflix’s smash-hit documentary-series to his 12-year-old daughter, Lilly on a recent Instagram post, “Tiger King, like all stories is a love story about a zoo-keeper named Joe. Joe Exotic. Joe is in love with his animals; his tigers. He’s in love with his husband, his second husband, well also, his third husband. And there’s this woman named Carole, who in the context of this story is a real bummer, but in the end, we’re not really sure where she comes out. Also, Joe is super good at country music.” If you haven’t already binged this one, I’m really not sure what you’re waiting for.