So, you’d rather stay in tonight? It’s easy to get lost in the plethora of films ready to stream at our disposal. The movie world is our oyster, and, having already settled into the fashionable choice of Chinese take-out alone on a Friday evening, it may be difficult to narrow your options down to just one.
This is where I come in! Having spent plenty of nights myself enjoying the peace of solitude, I’ve had time to go through the endless titles that Netflix and Hulu Plus have to offer. So, each week I’ll be posting five films, television shows, etc. that I believe would befit your couch potato needs.
Here’s just a television version for those of you who are currently on winter break and need something productive to do:
The It Crowd: This is easily one of my favorite shows and also one of the funniest. The show never tries to bridge genres; it’s strictly comedy and it’s good at it. Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson play three IT department employees who are either actively trying to pretend they don’t care about what the rest of the building thinks of them or trying to earn their respect. With pop-culture references, a fantastic use of visual comedy (but more on that with one of my later picks) and actors who are game for anything, the show has a lot to work with. “Work Outing” makes me laugh every single time I watch it, and I’ve watched it a lot.
Where to Find It: Netflix
Broadchurch: Let’s all do ourselves a favor and cleanse our minds of just how lame Gracepoint was and go and re-watch the original series before its second season airs on BBC America in March. David Tennant and the absolutely marvelous Olivia Coleman head the cast, and the story revolves around a boy who was murdered and the investigation that follows which turns the community upside down. Created by Chris Chibnall, the series is set in moody, atmospheric tones, shot in a location where the town feels isolated from the rest of the world. And, again, it’s worth mentioning: Coleman is simply stellar.
Where to Find It: Netflix
Parks and Recreation: This show is coming to an end this January in an abbreviated and rushed season, so why not play some major catchup? (As someone who binge-watched most of the series in a month, I can tell you it is possible.) Leslie Knope is maybe the best character on television, and it’s a show that’s funny with an abundance of heart and the ensemble itself is enough reason to check it out.
Where to Find It: Netflix
Spaced: Let me spare you from the wall of love that I could write about this show and keep it short and sweet. It was Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s first time collaborating together and the show has the early marks of what their future partnership would hold. It’s essentially a masterclass done by a young Wright on just how you create comedy with visuals (a lesson more directors should take note of). It’s hilarious, disarmingly touching, has a fantastic female character in Daisy, and in its brief air time created characters that we could genuinely care about.
Where to Find It: Hulu Plus
Friday Night Lights: I have, like, ten episodes left of this series, so I’m kind of cheating, but not really. This is a gorgeous show that wonderfully erases discrepancy between a show about a football team and a show with an endless supply of sentiment. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton play the best husband and wife duo on any television show ever, and the cast is a wealth of talent – I’m still annoyed at how many of them haven’t gone off to be huge stars. I’ve yet to finish the show because I’m not ready for it to end yet.
Where to Find It: Netflix
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