The Parks Department
It’s been awhile since I last provided TV recommendations, so long that I hadn’t even featured Amazon Prime, and Disney+ hadn’t been announced.
So, in the spirit of time off for the holidays, I present your must-watch shows.
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ve probably realized that I’m a television junkie. Binge-watching is a habit I can’t quite break, and realistically, I don’t want to.
I’ve previously used this space to talk about my recommendations, but seasons change, shows come and go, and with over 500 new shows released last year, it’s time to make some cuts.
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Moving across the country can sure screw up your calendar. While I’m not entirely convinced it’s December, I am convinced that this was a great year in television. For the most part, it’s the same across the US, which means I can enjoy and talk about shows with my friends in the 7 states I just mailed Christmas cards.
I wouldn’t consider myself a connoisseur per say, but I get around. The shows featured below brought laughs, tears, OMGs and more to my life through my own personal laughs, tears, and OMGs. In no particular order…
Riverdale, The CW
First, let’s take a moment to mourn the loss of my favorite teenage drama, Pretty Little Liars, which came to an anti-climatic climatic end this summer. If you haven’t spent the past 7 years searching for A, AD, Big A, and A-moji, go ahead and close this browser window and stream the first two seasons. Though lackluster, the finale left a 6-foot deep grave-sized hole in my television loving heart.
Enter The CW’s Riverdale.
Riverdale follows comic hero Archie Andrews, the girl-next-door and literal-next-door-neighbor Betty Cooper, hottie transplant Veronica Lodge and resident emo Jughead Jones as they navigate the evolution of their city from “the town with pep!” to a town pep-pered with crime and mystery. The second season of the show premiered to record viewership, thanks in large part to the number of fans who streamed the first season on Netflix (myself included). It has sex, drugs, gangs, murder, and good, old-fashioned high school dances. What else do you need?
Riverdale returns to The CW on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Catch up on Season 1 on Netflix, and the first half of Season 2 on The CW.
Mindhunter, Netflix
Just like my beloved podcast, My Favorite Murder, Mindhunter dives deep into true crime, focusing on the FBI’s first scientific investigation into the psychopathic mindset in the late 70s. Directed by David Fincher (Gone Girl), the show features real-life killers including Dennis Rader (BTK), David Berkowitz (Son of Som) and Ed Kemper (the Co-Ed Killer), who steals every single minute of air time. The hype behind this show is real, but I will warn you – it takes a few episodes to get hooked.
Mindhunter is available to stream on Netflix, and has been renewed for a second season.
Big Little Lies, HBO
Look. Big Little Lies was shouted from every rooftop for months leading up to the March premiere. And guess what? It was EVERYTHING.
The book its based on, written by Liane Moriarty, follows the lives of three loaded mommas in Monterey, CA and their nutso school where parents think it’s totally normal to host Audrey Hepburn & Elvis Presley fundraisers. It has beautiful people (I really, really appreciate the pairing of Reese Witherspoon and Adam Scott), incredible music (seriously, this soundtrack deserves it’s own article), and murder, which as you can tell, is something I enjoy.
In no surprise to literally anyone who has watched the show, it has been nominated for 6 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Television Limited Series and individual nominations for Reese, Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgård, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley.
Big Little Lies is available to stream on HBO and Amazon, and has been renewed for a second season.
The Office, NBC/Netflix
“Ashley, The Office has been off the air for four years. Why on earth is this included?” Great question, sarcastic reader. The Office is the greatest sitcom you can re-watch on Netflix (don’t @ me about Friends. It’s old.), and the jokes never get old. Just ask this girl, who asked for a simple yearbook quote and instead got one of the most enjoyable Twitter threads of the season.
I’m not alone either – just ask this guy.
The Office aired on NBC from March 2005 through May 2013, but is available to stream on Netflix.
Honorable Mentions:
What couldn’t you turn off in 2017? Let me know in the comments below!
The Parks Department 