When I enjoy anything, from a show to a movie, I will always recommend it to my friends. More often than not, I get overly passionate about my most recent watch. I have always been an empathetic person and get attached to characters quickly, so after I finished Ted Lasso this past summer, it was all I could talk about. And man, were my friends sick of me telling them to watch it! It wasn’t until recently that two of my best friends and fellow Her Campus at Pace members, Cassidy Burry and Sierra Vendas, gave in to my begging after their initial hesitation and started the show. And they loved it. Now, when I text them about my new obsession for the month, they give it a chance. Here’s my all-star lineup of recommendations in five forms of media.
Barry – Show recommendation
Created by Bill Hader and Alec Berg, this HBO Max original series starring Hader, Henry Winkler, and Sarah Goldberg is not what you would expect to see from the ex-Saturday Night Live cast member who is best known for his character “Stefon.” Winkler plays Gene Cousineau, an eccentric Los Angeles acting teacher who meets Barry Berkman, played by Hader, a former marine turned hitman who was assigned to take out one of Gene’s students. In doing so, he discovers his passion for acting while dealing with the mental barriers of, you know, murdering people. Barry is four seasons of “I can’t believe he f*cking did that,” and always kept me wanting more. Hader makes his directorial debut with this show, and displays unbelievable talent through standout episodes like season two episode five, titled, “Ronny/Lily”, along with most of my other favorite episodes. With 55 Emmy nominations and 10 wins, there is no question of Hader’s directional talent or the expertise of the entire Barry team.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Film recommendation
Based on actual events, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a Netflix Original movie directed by Aaron Sorkin. This courtroom drama thriller has a spot in my highly coveted Letterboxd top four. The film details the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants accused of partaking in conspiracy and crossing state lines to incite riots against U.S. participation in the Vietnam War. These defendants included Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp), Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen), David Dellinger (John Carroll Lynch), Lee Weiner (Noah Robbins), and John Froines (Daniel Flaherty). This film is weirdly a “comfort movie of mine, despite it not being comforting, heartwarming, or gratifying at all. The film received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. It’s one of those movies I could never get sick of watching.
Binchtopia – Podcast recommendation
I listen to a handful of podcasts, but Binchtopia has to be my favorite one. Hosts Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb describe the show as, “If Plato and Aristotle had internet addictions and knew what ‘gaslighting’ was.” Through witty quips and knowledge on topics from the modern-day panopticon, to investigating why we all love memes and everything in between, Hava and McLamb never fall short in keeping me entertained, especially on long car rides. A few of my favorite episodes include “Glossing Over It,” “The Death Cult Of The NFL,” and “Drunk Herstory: Historical Catastrophes.” I look forward to every other Wednesday, when a new episode is posted. I was lucky enough to see one of their live shows in Boston in 2023, and was devastated to miss them on their most recent tour, The Goodbye LA and Hello NY Tour, this past summer. With more than 40,000 monthly listeners and 8,000 Patreon subscribers, Binchtopia is rapidly slipping from my fingers as something I used to think only a couple of my friends knew, but I am delighted to recommend this podcast to anyone interested in connecting feminist theory and pop culture together.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – book recommendation
Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is one of my all-time favorite reads. When childhood friends from California meet again in Massachusetts as college students studying computer science and game design, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for both of them. Through difficulty, disability, and most importantly, love, Sadie Green and Sam Masur learn how to play the game we call life and understand how characters can come and go, the scenery won’t always be picturesque, and our choices impact each other. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions reading this book. I pick it up in every bookstore to tell whoever is unfortunate enough to have gone with me, “You have to read this book.”
Stereophonic – Play recommendation
Stereophonic is the most Tony-nominated play in history, with 13 nominations and five wins, including Best Play, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written For the Theatre, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Will Brill), Best Scenic Design of a Play (David Zinn), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Ryan Rumery). Stereophonic tells the story of a band trying to create their make-or-break album on the brink of splitting up in 1976. The pressure to fuel the fire of their up-and-coming success, paired with the tension of the band’s interpersonal relationships, creates a captivating and deeply memorable performance. This show is perfect for fans of Fleetwood Mac and Daisy Jones and The Six. The comparisons between characters like Diana, Daisy Jones, and Stevie Nicks are uncanny. Their final performance will take place on Jan. 12, 2025, and I fear I’m going to have to see the show one more time. Third time’s a charm!
I consider all of these recommendations to be 10/10s. Hopefully you can take my word for it after reading this article!