Recently I feel as though whenever I’m not doing school work or sleeping, I’m watching TV. This semester felt oddly long and short at the same time, but the one constant through both modules has been me watching much more TV than I usually do during the school day. The shows that I’ve been watching have made the semester so much more bearable. With less outside contact, these TV shows have made me feel a little less lonely. I know how lame that sounds, but it’s honestly true.
The West Wing
As I am currently writing this I am watching this show. I started it towards the beginning of this module and have been immediately sucked in. I’ve watched my fair share of political dramas, and this really is in a league of its own. You really get to know all the characters, and want them to succeed but know when they need to be taken down a peg. This show, while based off of a fictional president, is very relevant and doesn’t need to bring too much drama to the show (unlike other political dramas). This show focuses on the senior staff of the Bartlet administration, taking place in 1999 when the show first aired. While the show is on the older side, it brings up very good points that current politicians are still debating today. I know this show was, and continues to be, very popular, so I have no need to promote it, but I found myself wondering why I never started it sooner.
The Great British Baking Show
The newest season of Bake Off got me through many hard weeks. With a new episode coming out each Friday, it was the bright light in a dark week. This season was filled with great bakers who never failed to make me smile. This season was especially special as I got to watch with one of my sisters and my dad, who usually makes fun of us for liking cooking shows. It was great to watch all together at the end of the week.
Derry Girls
This was my third time watching Derry Girls, and it’s just as great the first time around. This black comedy about teens during the Troubles in Northern Ireland is not to be slept on. While it does deal with a heavy topic, the sarcastic and sometimes dry comedy perfectly complements it, elevating the show to new heights. I really can’t praise this show enough. This time around, I watched with my dad (whose whole side of the family is basically Irish), so it was great to watch with him.
The Haunting of Bly Manor
I already wrote a whole review of this show, and even though I watched it in less than a week, I found myself thinking about it constantly, and even have plans for a rewatch soon. There are so many theories and questions that make you keep thinking about it long after you’ve finished watching, and I love that about it. This is such a fresh take on the haunted house trope (which I love) and brings so much to the horror/thriller genre.
Hannibal
I’ve heard about this show for a long time but never watched until right before the beginning of this semester, and I was so engrossed in the story. I was already familiar with the movie The Silence of the Lambs, so going in I had some idea of what to expect. However, I was blown away by basically everything. The characterization of Hannibal and all the other leads are so spot on yet also uniquely interpreted. This show follows Will Graham, an FBI consultant/criminal profiler with an affinity to empathize with anyone. He, along with his psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter, team up to solve bizarre murders, but Hannibal isn’t all that he seems to be.
There are about fifteen other shows I watched this semester, but these were the ones that made this semester a little more tolerable. Here’s to watching many more episodes during this much needed break! Happy watching!
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