Why eleven? Maybe a part of me misses football. What can I say?
GLOW: This Netflix series follows the personal and professional lives of female wrestlers in Los Angeles during the 1980s. This was a period when women rarely got such chances and the challenges they face are depicted on screen, which is loosely based on the experiences of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling of the 1980s. It stars Alison Brie (Community) in a leading role, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron. Available to watch on Netflix with 3 seasons in the bag. It has been renewed for a fourth and final season which should be released later this year.
INSECURE: Insecure is a comedy series set in L.A, following the life of a young lady and her best friend battling their numerous weaknesses and other shortcomings that make them a human boss lady. You’d expect it to be an “ooh she’s a movie star, ooh she’s an aspiring movie star” type of series. But No! This is INSECURE! where the lead actress, Issa (Issa Rae), who works as a guidance and life counselor in disadvantaged high schools can’t even guide herself to a stable relationship. Neither can her friend, Molly, a corporate attorney (played by ever representing Naija gurrl, Yvonne Orji), who is even worse off. Funny part is that they keep having these pieces of advice for each other every now and then. Unfortunately, it’s either it doesn’t work or they don’t follow the advice at the moment when it’s meant to work. For every fallback and fallout, they are always there for each other, which is the most important thing- having your gal’s back and your gal having your back to eternity spinsterhood. You might find one or two songs to add to your playlist after each episode. Insecure is currently in its fourth season and is streaming on HBO.
ATLANTA: Atlanta is basically humour infused into a broke man’s hustle to being successful while serving as his estranged cousin’s manager who is an upcoming rapper in the music scene of Atlanta. It doesn’t just push us around studio vibes (we are never even shown inside a studio, SPOILER!!), still we see and feel in the event of things that someone is making music as an art, is confident about what he’s got and really wants to hit it big in the music scene. It presents a range of goofy side characters who leave a mark, notwithstanding the number of episodes featured in. Atlanta’s two seasons stream on FX.
COMMUNITY: When a group of misfits come together to form a study group in a community college, what could go wrong? This group includes an ex lawyer who got caught for practicing without a degree, a pretty face who really needs this study group, an over achieving high school student who could not graduate the right way due to drug problems, an ex high school jock, a cinephile who won’t stop making cinema related jokes that I live for, a mother who tries to balance her family life with college and a towelette magnate who makes offensive jokes at every chance he gets. The mixture of these seven characters and other recurring characters provides the most unusual and entertaining moments on our screens. Community currently streams on Netflix internationally and has six seasons. #SixSeasonsAndAMovie?
LAST MAN ON EARTH: what do you do when you find out you are the last man on earth. Not giving anything away, this show is one of the most underrated series in the last few years. This can be blamed on peak TV era. LMOT stars Will Forte as the last man on earth after a global pandemic wiped out all of those he calls family and friends. What does this newly found freedom and liberty grant him? A seat at the oval office? Does he search for other survivors? For such a lonely man, he sure knows how to have fun. He might teach you one thing or two. It leaves you guessing and does not mind making hard decisions that lead to amusing twists. The three seasons are available to stream on FX.
UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT: After being kidnapped as a teenager and spending 15 years captured in a bunker, Kimmy moves to New York to enjoy the time she has missed out on and she aims to kickstart her new life in this fast paced city. The series is far from reality and sometimes aims to be a slapstick filled with absurd moments that might not happen in real life. However, this colourful world of Kimmy and her talking rucksack does not lack in key messages that one could learn from. Four seasons are available to watch on Netflix and an upcoming interactive episode which debuts on May 12.
ATYPICAL: It depicts the life of a young high school student who is on the spectrum. Nothing to be laughed or joked about, but Atypical portrays autism better than any other TV show has. We follow him as he faces challenges in his family and daily work life. The TV show boasts of fully formed characters who are not just there when words need to be spoken. He is very dependent on those around him and would need to be less dependent as his time in high school draws to an end. This is a heartfelt comedy with three-dimensional supporting characters who also have their strengths and flaws. Three seasons of Atypical can be found on Netflix.
F IS FOR FAMILY: This is a Netflix animated show about a family living in the 1970s suburbs of the USA. It is partly inspired by the life of stand-up comic Bill Burr. It features an A+ theme song and comedic timing that relies a lot on the profanity-filled rants of an exhausted father, career mother and ‘never at home’ kids who are always up to something on the streets. Watching this middle class family evokes nostalgia- especially with the music, dressing and events that took place in the 70s. The three short seasons can be streamed on Netflix.
AMERICAN VANDAL: American Vandal is a satire on true crime series. Every season, two students dedicate their time into finding the culprit behind crimes that have take place on school campus. These crimes are often absurd. The investigation features the common tropes that we see in true crime series. Elements that we have come to love and hate in true crime, can be found sprinkled all over American Vandal. The first season investigates who drew penises on multiple vehicles in a school parking lot, while the second season delves into a matter involving a school, cafeteria and multiple diarrhea incidents. American Vandal has just two seasons and can be enjoyed on Netflix.
SICK NOTE: What could go wrong with a misdiagnosed patient in a British series? After getting misdiagnosed for cancer, Daniel (Rupert Grint), starts to have the time of his life- more love in his shaky relationship and more attention at work, that might even lead to an improved life. Does he come clean about the misdiagnosis? or does he keep living this life? It could only lead to more misadventures which he would have to solely clean up. It stars popular Nigerian comedian, ‘Don’t Jealous Me’, in a supporting role. The two seasons can be found on Netflix outside the UK.
MR IGLESIAS: It stars stand-up comic, Gabriel Iglesias, as a well-loved high school history teacher who tries to help gifted misfits. He always sees the gem he can extract in a debris of waste. This functions like a high school series which focuses on his relationship with the students and co-teachers, who are sometimes jealous of him. It promotes Latino characters and provides a platform for their stories to be shown. If you are familiar with Gabriel’s stand-up, the jokes in the series are often styled the same way as his stand-up performances. This can also be watched on Netflix and has just one season, with a second season confirmed for later this year.
Most of these TV shows being comedic in nature are 20-30 minutes in length and episode count ranges from 8-25. They can be binged and finished in a short time or enjoyed over a couple of days. I hope you find one that suits your mood and personality. This curfew won’t last forever. Watch a series and laugh.
Bis Bald!
1 Comment
Pingback: ‘The Closer’ Review: Dave Chappelle Defends His Foolery – What Kept Me Up