On… television

I like television.

This isn’t a huge surprise. Firstly, I’m alive. And secondly, I’m a writer with a baby and a toddler. I mean, the days of being out partying till the AM are, if not over, then at least on ‘pause’ for a while. And thirdly, television has never been better. (I am sure someone says that every year, starting the year after television was invented, but never mind.)

Inevitably, I have a lot of favorite shows. You can read more about them here and here and here. And these are my favorite shows right now.

 The Americans.

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Love this show. Love him. Love her. Love the writing. Love the fashion. Love the fighting. Love the whole thing.

Incidentally, this show is the first that I’m aware of to show a 69 between the lead characters. Yes! Seriously! A 69! I know! Makes Don Draper’s little fingerbang back in season two look fairly benign, right?

I think I understand why the writers chose a 69. The scene involves their teenage daughter walking in on them having make-up sex. And yes, in 1982, it would be shocking for a teenage girl to see her parents having plain old sex, in fact, it would be shocking for a teenage girl in 2014, and actually, I walked in on my roommate having sex when I was 23 and I’m still scarred… BUT, it’s not shocking for a 2014 audience. We’re too jaded. We’d be like, oh, sex, well, good for them. And a plain old blowjob would be too predictable for the audience too, really, and imply a power dynamic that isn’t true to the characters (she is the tough cold one; he is the warmer one: he gives, she takes). The 69 was both a shocking and impressive choice for absolutely everyone. Well done, writers.

Moone Boy.

Truly original and hilarious sitcom about a boy with an imaginary friend. It’s set in Ireland in 1989/1990. It’s so funny. Just so funny.

By the way, by husband grew up in Cork in Ireland, and this is basically his childhood. If you watch one, watch the World Cup one. Season Two, episode One.

Trophy Wife.

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Such a bad title. (Can we stop having titles with WIFE in? Like seriously. The Paris Wife, The Good Wife, American Wife, A Reliable Wife, The Wife, on and on and on, and yet is there anything called The Husband? Is there fuck.)

But. Way funnier than you think it is. Watch the Halloween one just to see the teenage boy dress up as Ellen DeGeneres.

VEEP.

If you only watch one, watch Season Three, Episode Two. Hilarious. Smart. Sharp. And includes the line “Maybe I should just say, get the government out of my fucking snatch.”

Which, let’s face it, is a tshirt.

True Detective 

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I almost don’t know whether I should recommend you watch this this show or not.

Is this one of the best shows I have ever seen? Yes.

Was it scary enough to give me palpitations, insomnia and a perma-nausea not felt since pregnancy? Yes.

Do I have mild PTSD just from watching it? Again, yes.

And yet… it was amazing. Exhilarating. I went back night after night for more, even though it made me feel sick all day thinking about it. Maybe I was addicted to the rush of the sheer horror of it. I am now SO SCARED of Louisiana. Seriously. So. Scared.

Matthew McConaughey kills it. And it has a six-minute tracking shot that will blow your mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HuFuKiq8U

 

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