A Lighter Twist on Halloween Traditions

As Halloween approaches, the anticipation of our annual horror movie marathon grows. However, this year, I find myself pondering a different approach, one that acknowledges the harsh reality we face outside the world of movies and scares.
It's no secret that the world has become a rather unsettling place lately. For that reason, this year, I propose we simplify and tweak our tradition to lighten the mood a bit.
Instead of delving too deeply into darkness and terror, let's have a little laugh here and then, in a “scary” context. This doesn't mean we abandon our love for horror movies altogether, but rather, we can infuse an extra dose of light-heartedness into our movie choices.
So, if you’re like me this year and want to watch horror movies but at the same time, you also want to have a good laugh, here’s a little list of suggestions.

If, however, you want a good scare, here’s a list I made a few years back, that I still find relevant today.

• The Cornetto trilogy : I’ve discussed these films extensively before (you can read about it here), but they are a must. Especially Shaun of the dead, which, in my opinion, is the better of the 3 movies.

• The cabin in the woods : a group of friends spend their weekend at a seemingly deserted cabin in the forest, but the cabin actually turns out to be an underground laboratory.

• Zombieland : 4 strangers travel across the US, trying to survive the zombie apocalypse.

• The final girls : a group of friends attend the screening of a cult B-horror movie and somehow become trapped in it.

• Extra ordinary : a shy driving instructor reluctantly uses her supernatural talents to help a widow save his daughter’s soul from a has-been rock star who practices black magic to regain fame.

• The babysitter : a young boy spies on his babysitter one night to see what she does in his house once he’s fallen asleep, only to realize that she’s part of a satanic cult. There is a sequel, and although it has some good moments, it really is nowhere as good as the first one.

• Attack the block : a group of teens protect their South London block from an alien invasion. By far some of the coolest looking aliens I’ve seen in a while!

• Vampires vs the Bronx : a group of kids must fight to save their neighborhood from gentrification and vampires.

• They cloned Tyrone : an unlikely trio investigates a series of weird events in their neighborhood and stumble on a sinister conspiracy.

• Ghosbusters - Afterlife : finally a sequel to the original movie we all deserve.
  

The Classics

Need I say more? You have a great night just there, with the original Ghostbusters (the second movie was average at best and let’s not even talk about Paul Feig’s all female remake. For the record, the movie was bad period. Not because it was all female, which I thought was a gimmick, but because there was no story and despite the talented cast, it was very poorly acted), Beetlejuice and Clue. Clue might be a lesser known movie but it is worth a watch! It’s a great who-donnit murder mystery set in a creepy mansion.

TV horror comedies

• Truth seekers : A group of part-time paranormal investigators investigate a series of supernatural events. Starring Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Malcolm McDowell among others, this series was kind of fun to watch. It definitely deserved a second season but was cancelled instead.

• Community : not all the seasons, of course, but this series made some of the most iconic Halloween episodes ever! Check out these episode :

  • Season 1, Episode 7, "Introduction To Statistics"

  • Season 2, Episode 6, "Epidemiology" (my personal favorite)

  • Season 3, Episode 5, "Horror Fiction In Seven Spooky Steps"

  • Season 4, Episode 2, “Paranormal Parentage”

• What we do in the shadows : this TV adaptation of the movie by the same title surpasses by a lot its source material. One of the major reason is the addition of energy vampire Colin Robinson. The series (and the movie) revolves around a group of vampires who live together in a house in Staten Island.

There are a lot of other titles, of course, but these are the ones I really enjoyed, liked and recommand. Hope you have a great Halloween!

Best TV shows of 2022, so far (January-Mid-March)

So I’ve decided to break my TV watching recap into 2 or 3-month brackets instead of waiting till the end of the year. One reason is that my memory really is no longer what it used to be and another is that my end of year recap doesn’t include shows that maybe deserve a spot. Recapping what I’ve watched over the past 3 months allows me to have a fresh memory of the shows as well as it gives more room for more shows.

In all honesty, this beginning of the year was full of surprises! Shows I was convinced I would hate turned out to be favorites while shows I was waiting in anticipation to watch turned out to be duds.

Between January and mid-March, there’s been 5 show that deserve, in my opinion, a mention.

The Silent sea

This Korean scifi series is far from perfect but it has enough originality and intrigue for me to tune in for another episode and want to know more. The story takes place in the near future where Earth suffers from extreme water shortage and follows a space crew sent to the moon on a mission to retrieve mysterious samples from an abandonned research facility where five years prior, all the staff died in bizarre circumstances. Sure, there was some clumsiness in the writing and my first opinion after the first few episodes was that it’s probably an Alien rip-off, but they’ve managed to turn things around and some plot twists have made The Silent Sea a show deserving of more attention.

Archive 81

My previous comments about The Silent Sea’s clumsiness also applies here, for Archive 81. This is a supernatural horror series about a man who’s hired by a mysterious company to restore videocassettes belonging to a student who made, 15 or 20 years prior, a documentary about an appartment building in New-York. As he restores and watches the seemingly mundane footage, he quickly realizes that he’s getting pulled into an intrigue involving mysterious fires, disappearances, cults and conspiracies. Are there plot holes? Yes. Are there unnecessary jump scare techniques? Absolutely. But once again, the show has managed to bring enough to the table to catch the viewers’ attention and make them want to know more.

Suspicion

Suspicion premiered on February 4 and I’m only a few episodes in so my critique will only be about what I’ve seen so far. Four strangers, all ordinary British citizens, are accused of kidnapping the son of a high profile American media mogul. The kidnapping happened in a New York hotel, when all four characters happened to be there. As they desperately race to prove their innocence, one can’t help but wonder if they’re really telling the truth. I must admit that the 4 main characters are nor really sympathetic and I’m not really rooting for them, but curiosity got the better of me. I want to know what happened, who did it and why.

C’est comme ça que je t’aime

Being born and raised in Montral, Quebec, I’ve always been very critical of local TV shows. They very often lack creativity, borrowing from existing American shows, and/or lack nuances and subtility. I can literally count on the fingers of one hand all the Quebec productions I actually like : Rock et Belles Oreilles, Tout sur moi, La petite vie, Les Invincibles and Infoman. Last year, another series can be added to the list : C’est comme ça que je t’aime, a show about two couples who turn into murderous criminals during their kids’ stay at summer camp. The show is not constant but it’s got some killer hilarious lines! The second season has just begun to air and we binge-watched it in no time. Still pretty funny.

Peacemaker

Now this is a show I was sure I would hate! I didn’t even have the intention of watching it because I dislike anything about superheroes. What changed my mind was when I heard some hype about the opening credits and checked it out on Youtube. It was pure genius and convinced me to give the show a chance. I have to say that Peacemaker was a big surprise. Funny, silly, insightful and action packed, with a great ensemble cast and killer dialogues, this series is so different from the movie it’s supposed to come from! I saw bits of the Suicide Squad (1 and 2) and hated it. The TV series is nothing like the movies. The first half of the season is better than the second, but still, I can’t wait for season 2.

So that’s my top 5 series so far, but that’s not all I watched, though. I mentionned earlier that there were some shows I was waiting for with much anticipation. Well, when they finally aired, I was deeply disappointed. These are shows like Severance (too much emphasis on purposeless visuals) and The Afterparty (bad writing for such a talented cast). And then there were shows I just watched out of boredom, hoping to stumble on a surprise, like Dollface (season 2), The woman in the house across the street…., The girl before, Murderville, Shining Vale, Our flag means death. Unsurprisingly, they were disappointing. I also started watching the 4th season of Killing Eve but my interest wanes with each season.

Anticipated for the next months

Shows I’m excited to watch for the next few months include:

• The Larry David story

• Peaky Blinders (season 6)

• Stranger things (season 4)

• Better call Saul (season 6)

Hopefully, I’ll discover someting new as well!

Favorite TV shows of 2021

Hey there, it’s been a while. I haven’t found the time (and energy) to manage this account until the Christmas break, but hopefully, I’ll get back on the horse and find a better way to handle my free time!

The year 2021 has ended already and I want to reflect on what’s been good entertainment. I know I should have released this before the end of the past year but lazyness kicked in during my Holiday’s first week off! But better late than never, I guess!

Sitcoms

Only murders in the building

Starting strong with a Martin Short/ Steve Martin/ Selena Gomez collaboration about 3 neighbors, obsessed with true crime podcasts, investigating a murder in their fabulous New-York appartment building while improvising their own murder podcast. Needless to say that Martin Short and Steve Martin are comedic geniuses, and though Selena Gomez’s performance is far from being able to equate that of the legendary duo, her youthful presence does provide some very necessary balance to the show. Only murders in the building is as suspenseful as it is hilarious. And although some episodes are at times over the top, Martin Short and Steve Martin are always a pleasure to watch and I cannot wait for the second season!

Kevin can f**k himself

This show is like nothing I’ve seen before and I cannot believe more people are not talking about it. Definitely the most underrated show of the year! Set half in the stereotypical wife/husband sitcom, half in a dramatic show about an unhappy marriage, Kevin can f**k himself is a dark comedy about a wife who wants to regain some control in her life, after 10 years with a selfish, manipulative, child-like husband. Funny, smart and at time very frustrating, this show was a lot of fun to watch. Also, what a pleasure to see Annie Murphy in a role so opposite to the one she had in Schitt’s Creek!

Schmigadoon

Now this came as a surprise to me. There is nothing I hate more than musicals, and yet, when we played Schmigadoon (almost by accident), I was enthralled! We binge-watched the whole season in no time and the musical numbers never bothered me, quite the contrary. They were spectacular, actually.

Made for love

The season is unequal but the good moments were brilliant. This is a show about a woman trying to regain her independance by escaping the grips of her controlling husband, a tech genius billionnaire who implented a tracking device in her brain to monitor her movements as well as her physical and emotional data. Though Cristin Milioti and Billy Magnussen are amazing as the feuding couple, Ray Romano really steals the show as Milioti’s father.

What we do in the shadows - Season 3

I was certain that after 2 seasons, they’ve pretty much covered everything and the series would become somewhat repetitive, but I was dead wrong. The third season made me laugh as much as the first two.

Drama

Succession - Season 3

I’ve become obsessed with Succession! Each season is better the last and I cannot get enough of this dysfunctionnal family’s downward spiral, banter, infighting and disconnectedness. This show has managed to beat The Office and Curb your enthusiasm in terms on cringe (think of Kendall singing, cousin Greg in general, Shiv and Tom’s marriage, and so much more!), all the while displaying an incredible visual aesthetic, and not to forget killer dialogues. The third season ended so incredulously that I need to see season 4 right away. Unfortunately, no release date has been revealed yet…

Squid Game

Speaking of incredible visual aesthetics, Squid Game is one of the rare cases of “believe the hype”. It’s probably one of the most talked about shows of the year, and it’s also one of the best. I’m not sure a second season is the best idea, but I’ll watch it for sure. I don’t have anything to add to the multitude of things that have been written about this show, except that if you haven’t watched it yet, what are you waiting for?

Yellowjackets

The season is still ongoing so I might be getting ahead of myself here, but so far, it’s one of the best dramas I’ve seen this year. Set in two timelines, the present and 30 years ago, when the characters were teenagers, this show is a mix of survival epic, psychological/supernatural/horror and coming-of-age drama. In the 1990s, a plane carrying a team of high school soccer players to their national tournament crashes in the Canadian wilderness. The survivors held on for 19 months before being rescued, but what actually happened during these harrowing 19 months remain a mystery as all the survivors swore to secrecy. However, the events will come back to taunt them decades later. Though the series reminds me a lot of Lost at times, it is intriguing enough for me to want to continue watching and learn what happened.

Docuseries

Get back

I wouldn’t call myself the biggest Beatles’ fan (I don’t hate them either) but I found this series illuminating as it debunks a lot of preconceived ideas I had about the Beatles and their break-up. It’s also fascinating to be a fly on the wall and observe as one of the greatest band in history created from nothing some of the most significant classics of modern music. There are 3 episodes overall, each averaging 2 hours, detailing the days leading up to the band’s legendary roof-top performance.

Pretend it’s a city

This series of conversations between Martin Scorsese and Fran Lebowitz is a continuation of sorts of Scorsese’s 2010 documentary, Public Speaking. Fran Lebowitz is quick-witted, hilarious and opinionated, and listening to her vent about everything and everybody is a true pleasure!

Honorable mentions

• Ted Lasso - Season 2 : The second season was nowhere near as good as the first but there were some very good moments. However, the level of saccharin errs dangerously towards the tacky, while Nate’s story arch feels unnecessary.

• Mythic quest - Season 2 : my previous comment about Ted Lasso’s second season not being able to level up to its first applies also to Mythic Quest’s second season. It’s good, but nowhere near as good as season 1.

• Physical : Rose Byrne is amazing as an unhappy housewife who finds aerobics as a way to regain control over her life. However, the series kind of lost its way after a while and it’s hard to see where the story is headed. That being said, I’ll watch season 2 if there is one.

• Mare of Eastown : Interesting series all thanks to the amazing cast, but underwhelming story and extremely poor use of Guy Pierce.

• Queen of the south : I’m putting it here only because the first seasons were so good. The final season, which aired in 2021, was, in my opinion, terrible. Too many twist and turns, with an unrealistic happy ending. That being said, rare are TV series where viewers get to witness such incredible showdowns between two powerful female characters, especially when set in the drug trafficking world. While Teresa is the hero, I find that Camilla is a formidable antagonist and the most interesting character.

• It’s always sunny in Philadelphia : Officially the longest running live-action comedy in history with their 15th season, It’s always sunny in Philadelphia is still extremely funny but their 12th season is by far their best. This season is great, with the first episode being the funniest, but it’s very uneven.

I think that’s it for 2021! Hopefully 2022 will be just as good or better!

Favorite TV shows and movies of 2020

When I need an escape, I usually turn to my TV for comfort, and 2020 was no better time to do so. There have been quite a few interesting finds, but because of COVID, there were also a lot of delayed releases and several highly anticipated shows and movies could not be finished properly, or saw their production halted. Hopefully, we’ll get to enjoy them in 2021! I’m especially really looking forward to finding out what happens in the third season of Succession.

I must admit, although I tried to look for new things to watch, this year has been more about making myself feel good and get a laugh. There’s been a lot of Golden Girls, Friends, Community, Archer playing on repeat. There were also a lot of highly talked about shows I chose not to watch, like Tiger King, because they did not resonate with me or intrigued me as much as they did everyone else.

But I digress. Here’s a list of my favorite shows and movies of 2020, in no particular order.

Television

Better Call Saul (season 5)

The fourth season was a disappointment and I even went as far a wondering if I’ll watch season 5. I’m thankful I did because they got right on track with what turned out to be the best season since season 2. The tense story line between Nacho and Lalo, who, by the way, turned out to be a formidable villain, kept me on the edge of my seat, and I’m glad something is finally happening with Kim.

Best episode of the season : Bagman (episode 8)

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (season 1)

Mythic Quest was one of those shows that looked so silly in their trailer that I held off for a while. As huge a fan as I am of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I was pretty much disappointed in all the creators’ and actors’ side projects (The Cool Kids, A.P. Bio, The Mick, etc), which made me a bit reluctant to give Mythic Quest a chance. Silicon Valley had just ended and I felt like Rob McElhenney’s new project was a bit too similar a show. How wrong was I! Mythic Quest ended up being one of the highlights of the year.

Best episode : Quarantine (special episode filmed during, you guessed it, quarantine)

What We Do In The Shadows (season 2)

That show was a revelation. Season 1 aired in 2019 but I didn’t start watching it until this year, mid season 2. From that episode on, I was hooked. I saw the movie the series is based on a few years ago and it was OK. There were some very funny bits but as a whole, the film was just alright. So when they announced a TV adaptation, I was nonplussed. Turning movies into TV series usually dilutes the story, but I have to say, in this case, it’s false. The series was created and written by the same people as the movie, Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, and it appears that they saved their best ideas for TV. Following a different set of vampires, the TV version is more diverse, wittier and way funnier! The idea of Colin Robinson, an energy vampire is pure genius!

Best episode : Colin’s Promotion (episode 5)

Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun (season 1)

This American-Australian sketch comedy show is silly, weird, chaotic, absurd and it’s exactly what we all need right now. Their comedy reminds me of Monty Python, and I dare you to watch their show without cracking a smile!

Best sketch : The Mr Gentlemen's Barber

Truth Seekers (season 1)

Every time Simon Pegg and Nick Frost team up, they hit comedy gold. This time they co-created a paranormal comedy TV series for Amazon about two engineers working for an Internet provider who, in their spare time (and during work hours) also investigate paranormal activities. The series is at times funny, spooky and endearing, and is, as a whole, pretty entertaining.

Best episode : The Haunting of Connelly’s Nook (episode 1)

Also noteworthy:

• The Queen’s Gambit : Loved the outfits, liked the story as a whole but hated the finale.

• C’est comme ça que je t’aime : there were some inconsistencies along the line but as a whole, I pretty much enjoyed this show about 2 bored couples getting into organized crimes and killing sprees.

• Schitt’s Creek and The Good Place : the final season was nowhere near as good as the first ones, but it’s the last season of one of the best and funniest feel good series we’ve had in a while, so they deserve a mention.

Stand up specials

Only four specials stood out, in my opinion, and were memorable enough to be mentioned below.

Jim Jefferies : Intolerant

I haven’t seen a Jim Jefferies special I haven’t enjoyed and his latest is no exception. This time, he tackles his newly diagnosed lactose intolerance and as someone who suffers from the same ailment and who chooses to ignore it, I feel seen! His own special spin to a very straight forward story is what makes him stand among the elite.

Jerry Seinfeld : 23 hours to kill

Speaking of elite, Jerry Seinfeld dropped his first special in 22 years, called 23 Hours to Kill. Was it predictable? Yes. Did he take any risks in his content? No. But the risk comes from his reemergence after such a long time and doing a special when the expectations are so high. What 23 Hours to Kill provided was classic Jerry Seinfeld wit, self-assurance and timeless humor. He doesn’t need to take any risks and we don’t expect him to. As Brian Tallerico, from rogerebert.com so well puts it, “If anything, “23 Hours to Kill” is like catching up with an old friend, something all of us wish we could do in person in 2020 more than we can.”

Bert Kreischer : Hey Big Boy

Bert Kreischer’s jolliness is infectious. His specials are usually about his life as a dad and husband, and so far, I’m not tired of hearing about it, because he’s one hell of a good storyteller.

Dave Chappelle : 8:46

This is not so much of a comedy show but an important one nonetheless, where he addresses all the violence and police brutality taking place in the US.

movies

Horse Girl

Co-written by and starring Alison Brie, Horse Girl is by far one of the weirdest films of the year. This psychological drama about a shy young woman slowly dripping into madness (or is she?) is superbly well acted.

Invisible Man

This is another remake of the story we all know too well, but with a surprisingly interesting twist, making the film worth a watch. Elizabeth Moss plays the traumatized and abused girlfriend of a deceased tech giant, who is convinced her boyfriend is not only still alive, but that he’s harassing her by being able to become invisible.

Save yourselves!

We were looking for new movies to watch on Halloween and stumbled on a few comedic horror, including Save Yourselves! This film about a couple deciding to reconnect with themselves by retreating to a cabin and unplugging their phones and computers, only to find out they’re in the midst of an alien invasion is original and pretty funny. They have no survival skills whatsoever and must fend for themselves against an army of murderous, furry pouf-like aliens.

Extra Ordinary

Save Yourselves! was good, but Extra Ordinary was better. This is a movie about a shy driving instructor who reluctantly uses her supernatural talents to help a widow save his daughter’s soul from a has-been rock star who practices black magic to regain fame. A bit of over acting from Will Forte, but the highlight of the film is Maeve Higgins as Rose Dooley, the psychic driving instructor, and the chemistry she has with Barry Ward, who plays the distraught father.

The King of Staten Island

Even though his movies are all about 30 minutes too long, I am a huge fan of Judd Apatow and his body of work. Starring Pete Davidson and loosely based on his life, The King of Staten Island is nowhere near Judd Apatow’s best film but an average Judd Apatow movie is still a pretty good one. The highlight of the film, though, are all the supporting cast, which includes Bill Burr and Marisa Tormei, as well as all the amazing actors portraying Scott Carlin’s (Pete Davidson) friends.

Palm Springs

Yes, it’s Groundhog Day but with 2 (actually 3) people instead of one, but we can forgive this little detail since the film is actually very well written and acted, as well as being very funny. I was actually reluctant to watch this film, the reason being what I mentioned in the previous sentence, and I never really liked any of Andy Samberg’s work (Digital Shorts being the exception). But I must say, he and Cristin Milioti are fabulous as the the two main characters stuck in a time loop, and though his role is small, J.K. Simmons is amazing, as usual. All things considered, Palm Springs may be the best comedy I’ve seen this year.

documentaries and docuseries

The Go-Go’s

I knew the songs but I knew nothing of the band behind them. This documentary revisits the meteoric rise (and eventual break up) of one of the most successful all female bands of all time. The testimonies from the band members are candid, heartfelt and at times, humorous, while the film makes us remember how good the Go-Go’s songs are.

Beastie Boys Story

Instead of a straight forward documentary with an off-camera narrator, the Beastie Boys Story, which was written, directed and produced by Spike Jonze, takes the form of a live stage performance by the surviving members of the band who, in front of an audience, tell the intimate story of their careers and friendship.

The Comedy Store

This is the series to watch for any fan of stand-up comedy. This docuseries recounts, through the testimony of countless comedians, the history of one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the US, The Comedy Store.

The Bee Gees : How to Mend a Broken Heart

I was never a fan of the Bee Gees but this documentary made me one. I had no idea they had such an incredible career and how talented they were!

David Foster : Off the Record

This is another documentary that made me discover the depths of an artist’s career. I vaguely knew who David Foster is and was superficially aware of his body of work, but this film allows its viewers to witness his work process and his evolution through time. Quite an interesting watch.

American Utopia

Not a documentary, but I’ll put it here nonetheless. This has got to be one of the best shows ever. Directed and produced by Spike Lee, from a screenplay by David Byrne, the film is a live recording of a Broadway performance of a modified version of the album American Utopia. An absolute must.

Also noteworthy

• I’ll be gone in the dark : the fascinating story behind writer Michelle McNamara’s obsession with figuring out who the Golden State Killer is. Her book was published a few years after her sudden death, but her indispensable work has allowed the police to finally catch the criminal. The docuseries’ topic is captivating, but it’s a few episodes too long, dwelling a bit too much on unnecessary details.

• Spaceship Earth : the topic alone makes the film worth a watch. The story is so unbelievable that it’s hard to believe such an experiment actually took place!

Alright, I think that’s it for 2020! Give these series and movies a try if you haven’t seen them already, and here’s to hoping for more new amazing things to watch in 2021!

Enjoy and have fun!

Bingeable TV shows

There is nothing I love more than turning my brain off and lie on the couch, in front of my TV, for hours of binge watching. I’ve been doing that since I was a kid and it still remains my favorite activity to this day. A few weeks ago, I made a list of reading recommendations but if TV shows are more your cup of tea, you’re not alone! I’m currently out of new stuff to watch so I decided to revisit some personal favorites and binge watch them. If you’re also looking for something to watch, here is a list. Hopefully there’s something you haven’t seen yet, or something you forgot about and would like to watch again. At the moment, I am way more into comedies than drama, so my list is a bit lopsided!

Sitcoms

Community

By far one of the most brilliant, creative and unique sitcoms ever, Community recently made a return to Netflix (all 6 seasons!). I don’t know how many times I’ve binge-watched this show but I never get tired of it. It has gained a cult following but remains pretty much unknown to the mainstream, which is unfortunate. Their paintball episodes are my personal favorites. They were so good that season 2’s paintball episodes directly led to its directors, the Russo brothers, being hired to take the helm of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Season 1’s paintball episode was directed by Justin Lin, known for the Fast&Furious movies as well as Star Trek Beyond. I’ve lately started researching about the show (its cast and creators) and I sincerely hope that a documentary or a book be made about Community’s behind-the-scene action. The show itself is smart, hilarious and perfect for all pop-culture fans, but what happened behind the curtain also deserves to be documented. Except for season 4 (when Dan Harmon, the show’s creator was fired) and the final season (when half the main cast had left) seasons 1 to 3 and 5 are nearly perfect. I truly hope the movie gets made, with all of the original cast!

The Golden Girls

A classic! On the air between 1985 and 1992, The Golden Girls is a pioneering show on so many levels! This sitcom dealt with deep, edgy and oftentimes serious concepts like sexuality, dating, death, and so much more, while managing to be extremely funny. It’s Sex and the City before it was even a thing! The humor, the banter between the characters and the quality of the writing make the Golden Girls a must for everyone. We watched it again not so long ago, and though the clothes and decor are outdated, the humor wasn’t. It made me laugh out loud then and it still does. Not that many sitcoms have managed to be timeless!

Silicon Valley

After 6 seasons, Silicon Valley’s series finale aired on December 8, 2019. This is one of the best, funniest and most accurate TV shows about tech culture and it has managed to be great from beginning to end. Watching the characters and their pet project, Pied Piper, progress while at the same time slowly implode was a true pleasure!

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

With 14 seasons, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is now tied with The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as television's longest-running live-action comedy. It’s just been renewed for a 15th season, which will officially make it the longest running sitcom on the air! This show is not for everyone. It’s irreverent, its characters are horrible human beings with no moral compass who have done despicable things to each other and to other people, but it is also one of the funniest and smartest shows on the air right now. Definitely worth a watch. It’s very hard to find a clip that best represents the show so I included here a scene from one of my favorite episodes.

Life in pieces

I loved that show I cannot understand why CBS would cancel it when its programming was so lacking. That’s a real shame because Life in Pieces, which is way better than Modern Family by the way, had a stellar cast and was really funny. All four seasons are now available on Netflix.

Archer

I’m not a fan of animated series but Archer is one (out of 2) exception. With 10 seasons available, Archer is an incredible series rife with great humor, pop-culture references and Easter eggs. It’s The Office meets James Bond. Yes, we sometimes see Duchess (Archer’s code name, named after his mother’s dog) out on a mission, but most of the action takes place in their headquarters where the spies have to file expense reports and deal with HR. The last few seasons are a bit weirder because they take place in comatose Archer’s mind, but they remain nonetheless very entertaining. The series was supposed to return for an 11th season on May 10th but the release date was pushed back because of the pandemic.

People of Earth

Another great show, funny and original, that was cancelled too soon. After only 2 seasons, TBS decided to pull the plug for some reason. Half The X-Files and half The Office, People of Earth takes place at 2 different places : on Earth, in Beacon, New York, where a group of abductees (they prefer to be called Experiencers) meet up in a church basement to discuss their alien abductions, and in a spaceship, where 3 aliens of different species work together, abducting humans. Smart, different and insightful, it’s a shame that this show was not given more rope.

Fleabag

This show has been a revelation! It’s brilliant, emotionally charged and hilarious. There are only 2 seasons, the second being the best one, but what awesome seasons they are! No more can be said about this show.

Dead like me

Another cancelled too soon show. Dead like me was a truly original and different dramedy about a young girl, George, who was killed by space debris and became a grim reaper, collecting people’s souls before they die. Since grim reapers don’t get paid, she must also hold down a job in order to pay for rent, food and anything else. And, as it turns out, there is as much bureaucracy and paperwork in death as in life. In a Vulture article, Margaret Lyons perfectly explained why Dead Like Me resonated as much to its audience : “Dead Like Me isn’t about George finding herself through the gentleness and thrill of romance – it’s about her finding herself through the cruelty and randomness of grief.” Shit happens but we must find a way to power through anyways. Or else, what’s the point? Funny, witty, real, Dead like me deserved much better. Only 2 seasons aired before the show was cancelled. There was also a movie but it’s so horrible, no one should watch it.

Drama

The Americans

I still can’t believe a show as amazing as The Americans did not get the recognition it deserved. A lot of people still haven’t seen this series yet, and they are missing out on what I consider among the top 10 best TV shows ever. The series ended in 2018, after 6 seasons, with a series finale that will probably go down history as one of the best. Based on actual events, where KGB agents infiltrated the US government while pretending to be American citizens, The Americans follows two such agents, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, during the cold war. The show is not entirely about espionage. It’s also about one’s sense of identity, morality and loyalty.

Star Trek - The original series

Don’t mind the over acting and pay attention to the themes. Then, you’ll realize that this series from the 1960’s is far superior and more forward-thinking than most current sci-fi shows and that without it, most programs would not have existed in the first place.

Hannibal

This TV show based on the characters from Thomas Harris’s books, Hannibal mainly focuses on the relationship between the iconic cannibal psychiatrist and Will Graham, a gifted profiler with some dark issues of his own. Hannibal is mainly a police procedural where some very disturbing murders are being investigated. It is visually captivating and unsettling at the same time. The discomfort stems from the brutality of the murders but also from the fact that cannibalism kind of makes us hungry. We are aware that human flesh is the main ingredient in Hannibal Lecter’s meals but they are all so beautifully plated and look so exquisitely appetizing that a part of you sort of want to taste…

Succession

I watched the first season with a detached interest but was captivated during the second season. There is something about watching the filthy rich make terrible decisions and self-destruct that is incredible mesmerizing. This saga about siblings and their father fighting over the control of the family’s media conglomerate, willing to do the worst to each other and to other people, becomes an addictive watch. It is over the top and it is soapy, but it’s also extremely well written and acted.

Dark

This German mind-bending show about time-travel is fascinating. Watch as many episodes as you can in one sitting so you don’t get too lost in the story line. It is confusing at times, but it’s also definitely worth it. A bit slow at the beginning, but once the pace picks up, it doesn’t stop! A third season was recently released, where they’ll tackle time-travel as well as inter-dimension travel!

one day binge

If you don’t want to spend more than a day watching TV shows, there are a bunch of great 1 season series that you could watch.

• Lodge 49 : there are technically 2 seasons of Lodge 49 before it was cancelled by AMC, but you could only watch season 1. That first season was magical; they expertly managed to walk the fine line between tragedy, comedy and the fantastic but for some reason, they failed to recreate that particular mood, the quirkiness and eccentricities, for the second season, and for that reason, it fell flat and felt a tad over the top. That being said, even though season 2 was a bit disappointing, I still believe that Lodge 49 was cancelled too soon.

• Good Omens : this adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s classic has a lot of flaws but we’re willing to see past them because there is also a lot of positive, starting with the incredible chemistry between the two main actors, Micheal Sheen and David Tennant.

• Russian doll : this special take on the Groundhog Day concept is a lot of fun to watch. I thought I’d quickly get tired of the repetitiveness (every time she dies, she wakes up again, in her friend’s apartment, during her birthday party) but they’ve managed to make it interesting.

• Mythic Quest : Raven’s Banquet : Despite the fact that it was created by Rob McElhenney, co-creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, one of my favorite shows, I still was so reluctant to give this show a chance because it looked so ridiculously over the top. It turned out to be a whole lot better than expected! I’ll even go as far as saying that it’s very good! Their quarantine episode was pure genius.

• You, me and the Apocalypse : This is a British/ American mini series about a group of people who struggle with the inevitable apocalypse after it is discovered that a comet is on a collision course with Earth. The series as a whole is a bit uneven but there are some pretty funny moments that make it worth while!

• Police squad : before there was the Naked Gun franchise, there was a TV show called Police Squad, also starring Leslie Nielsen. Unfortunately, no one understood the Zucker brothers’ sense of humor then and the project was quickly thrown away. It’s hard to believe what made the Naked Gun so legendary is also the reason why Police squad was cancelled.

That’s about it for the moment. There are, of course, a ton of other watch-worthy TV shows, but these are the ones I liked best.

Have fun!

Movies and TV shows I thought were going to be bad but turned out to be pretty great

This is my mea culpa. I’m usually good at predicting whether a movie or TV show is going to be watch-worthy or not, but there has been a bunch of cases I have judged way too quickly, without having given them a chance and then I realized how great they were. Sometimes, these flash judgement we make can cause us miss out on some pretty good content, which is why I now watch any new TV show for at least 3 episodes before deciding if I’m going to continue giving it a chance or if I want to ditch it. For movies, I must say that the art of making good trailers has been lost. All movies look bad now if we only watch their trailers.

Anyhow, I’ve compiled a list of my top five movies and TV shows that I have misjudged the most. Here they are.

movies

John Wick

When I saw the trailer for John Wick’s first installment, I simply thought “not another mindless action movie where Man gets mad, man wants revenge, 60 minutes of unrealistic action scenes, man kisses woman”. But you know what? As soon as the bad guy killed that puppy, I just saw red and wanted bloody revenge. Kidding aside, though my projected summary is relatively accurate (he did want revenge, but he did not kiss a woman at the end), the cinematography is way better than any contemporary action movie, like say, The Fast&Furious. The action sequences are very well thought of and well choreographed, and did not overly rely on CGI. I waited some time before agreeing to watching this film and I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised! I had a great time viewing it, so much so that I watched the second and third installments, and will probably watch the upcoming forth! John Wick 2 is not great. Far from it but John Wick 3 was a lot better.

Asterix : Mission Cléopâtre

The Asterix comics have been a staple in my childhood, as well as that of most francophiles in the world. The animated film versions became a must for all my Christmas holidays. I love the humor, the sarcasm, the stories and the characters so much that I’ve read the comics over and over again. When they announced they’ll be adapting them for the movies, in 1999, I was concerned and rightly so because Asterix et Obelix contre César was a horrendous film. I tried to watch it but had to stop. The costumes, the set, everything was horrible. In 2002, they decided to make another adaptation, this time written and directed by someone else, Alain Chabat. And behold, Asterix et Obelix : Mission Cléopâtre. Though I kept hearing good things about this film, I was reluctant to see it for fear of being disappointed again. I finally caved and went to watch it at the movies. It’s now by far one of my favorite comedies! I still quote some scenes every now and then for a laugh! Other adaptations have been made after this one but all failed to live up to it. This one and only Asterix cinematic adaptation is the only one worth a watch. Am I glad, now, that my sister literally forced me to go watch it with her! Though not all that faithful to the story line, the movie succeeded at encapsulating the mood, the in-your-face attitude of the characters, the humor of the comic series. And that’s what matters.

Jumanji : Welcome to the jungle

Every now and then, I plan a “Me” day. During such day, I just spoil myself by spending a whole day just by myself, doing what I want. It helps me disconnect a bit and not having to interact with anyone sometimes relaxes me. Over a year ago, during a particularly uneventful “Me” day downtown, I decided to go to the movies. The only film that hasn’t already begun was Jumanji : Welcome to the jungle. I really wasn’t a fan of the original film and hadn’t heard anything about that one, but, what the hell, I decided to go. It was mid-week so the room was empty (the best!). I really did not expect much from the experience and as it turned out, I had a lot of fun! This was a really imaginative way of rebooting the film, the jokes were very funny and the actors excellent! I came in expecting a boring movie for kids similar to the 1995 version but came out happy and satisfied because a lot of jokes are for people my age. It’s not great cinema but very good entertainment! The follow up film wasn’t as good, but that was kind of expected.

21 Jump Street

Really did not expect to like that film at all! I was not a fan of the original TV series, and I am not really a Channing Tatum fan. The only reason I went to see it was because we were bored and needed to pass some time before out dinner reservation. We didn’t want to watch anything dramatic or too serious and 21 Jump Street looked like the light comedy we needed at the time. To be perfectly honest, I expected some dumb teen movie with lots of slapstick and genitalia innuendos, but little did we know that we’d actually have a good time watching it! Some jokes and lines were actually hilarious! The follow up movie was good but not as much as that first one.

Spy

If there’s a movie that suffered from bad advertising and could use a much better trailer, it would be Spy. That film looked so stupid, judging from the trailer. I thought it’d be another lame spy comedy like Johnny English or Get Smart, filled with terrible slapstick jokes. I refused to give it any time a day for a while, till one night, it was playing on TV. There was nothing else to watch so I thought “sure, why not?”. As it turned out, I laughed so hard during Spy! Jason Statham’s character requesting the face-off machine still cracks me up! That movie, written and directed by Paul Feig really is hilarious. Check it out for a good laugh.

TV shows

Better call Saul

Breaking Bad was such a perfect series that I honestly thought that Vince Gilligan throwing himself into a spin-off so quickly (or at all, for that matter) would be a bad, bad mistake. And with Saul Goodman, of all the characters? He was the comic relief in Breaking Bad, but would an entire show revolving around him be watchable? Wouldn’t he get old and/or annoying after a while? The answer is no and no! Hence the genius of Vince Gilligan. He’s managed to create a whole new captivating show around a known character, brought back other characters from Breaking Bad, but it never felt like a Breaking Bad series. It’s something completely different, leading to the events of Breaking Bad. How amazing is that? I think Vince Gilligan succeeded where Fear the Walking Dead failed : a spin-off prequel that can stand on its own. We’re into the 5th season and I still can’t wait to see what happens!

Archer

I’ve never been a big fan of adult cartoons. Sure, there was a time when I watched The Simpsons and Family Guy, but that got old pretty quickly and I soon lost interest. I was told Archer was a perfect show for me but I was reluctant to give it a chance. I saw tidbits and thought it looked kind of vulgar, so I brushed it aside. One night, there was nothing to watch on TV and I stumbled on an Archer marathon while flipping through the channels. Since there was nothing else on, I decided to give one episode a chance. I ended up going to bed so late that night because I could not stop watching and laughing! Archer is rife with pop culture references and incredible humor. And it IS made for someone like me! I became obsessed with it. The good thing is that Archer had already been airing for a few seasons when I picked on, so I treated myself to an amazing marathon! Archer is the perfect mix between Arrested Development (Jessica Walter, who plays Lucille Bluth, actually lends her voice to play the mother in Archer as well!) and The Office.

Rick & Morty

I pretty much started watching Archer and Rick&Morty almost at the same time. I had heard of Rick&Morty before, hearing that it’s hilarious, super smart and funny, but like with Archer, I saw a clip and deemed it too vulgar as well. I mean, an old guy burping all the time as he speaks? Really? That’s supposed to be funny? And just like Archer, I started watching Rick&Morty when there was nothing else on TV! I actually gave it a chance because of how much I liked Archer and reconsidered my stance on animated shows for adults. And what a discovery that was! I could not stop watching and reveled at how smart that cartoon was! I was disappointed there was so very few episodes per season but loved them all nonetheless. This is a series that is filled with pop culture references, that sometimes deals with deep scientific facts in an incredibly humoristic context. I don’t know how they do it but I can’t get enough.

The Good Place

I was reluctant to give the Good Place a chance for two reasons : first, it comes from NBC, a regular network and not cable. It has been a long while since I’ve watched and enjoyed a show that comes from a network that isn’t cable or a streaming service. NBC and the likes are no longer what they once were, especially NBC. The times of Must-See-TV are long gone. The second reason I expected The Good Place to be bad is the super colorful, super bright visuals of the show. I thought it’d be too happy and obvious a show for me to enjoy. She’s a bad person who ended up by accident in the Good Place? Time for some ridiculous misunderstandings and over-the-top scenarios! Is what I thought the show would be. And how wrong was I to underestimate The Good Place! It has got to be one of the smartest TV shows there is. It teaches philosophy and morality in each and every episode, with great humor and originality. The Good Place is brilliant in how it teaches its viewers about complex concepts, how it renews its self every season and how hilarious it can be at the same time. The finale was a bit of a misstep but who cares when the rest is so great?

Schitt’s Creek

I have already talked about Schitt’s Creek in a previous post about the best TV shows of 2019, and I’m going to talk about it again, because I absolutely fell in love with this series. This is my biggest mea culpa. I used to roll my eyes whenever a commercial for Schitt’s Creek would play on TV or at the movies. The title sounded crass, it’s Canadian and quite frankly, a riches to rags story sounded unimaginative. Yes, I do have a bit of a prejudice when it comes to Canadian television, for many local shows I have watched haven’t demonstrated any level of originality or creativity. After a while, well, yes, I start assuming things. Anyhow, I don’t exactly remember how or why we decided to give the show a try, but I do know that we started watching 4 seasons in. I was hooked during the very first episode. Catherine O'Hara is amazing! Her weird accent, her wigs, her mannerism, are all priceless and her character will go down history as one of the greatest. The sitcom is now a few episodes short from its series finale and I cannot wait to see how it goes. I’ll be sad I won’t get to see all these colorful characters anymore, but I’ll be glad I caught on soon enough to live it with everyone!

Well, that’s it! If you haven’t watched any of the movies or TV shows yet, for the same reasons I did, may I suggest that you take the time to give them a chance. We may not have the same tastes, but you might discover something new! You never know.

Until next time, enjoy!

Best TV shows of 2019

It’s that time of the year where I recap my favorite TV series of the past 12 months! Truth be told, 2019 was an OK only year in terms of television shows to watch. I must say that this year, there was a lot of shows I really enjoyed watching but was infatuated with very few of them. Also, I am pretty convinced I missed out on a few gems since I cannot afford to subscribe to all streaming services…

Anyways, the shows below are my top tens, the ones I enjoyed watching the most this year and they really did stand out amongst all those very average programs out there. In a separate post, I’ll be discussing my favorite episodes of the year.

Dark

This German science-fiction series is fascinating and visually beautiful. Taking place in the fictional town of Winden, Dark weaves an interesting intrigue about child abductions, dark hidden secrets, time-travel conspiracies, spanning generations and different time-lines. Two seasons are currently available, with a third one on the way. A bit slow at the beginning, but once the pace picks up a bit, it’s hard to stop watching!

Stranger Things

I must admit that I really hated Stranger Things’ second season, and was really not interested in watching the third season. Thank goodness that it was released in July, when there is literally nothing else to watch! Otherwise, I definitely would not have given it a chance, despite how much I loved the first season. The third season has managed to give a more defined role to secondary characters, as well as write a better story line. Fun, touching, funny, gripping, the third season of Stranger Things made me fall in love with the series all over again.

Russian Doll

I’ve often mentioned that I’m usually very weary of Groundhog Day types of stories. It’s been done so many times before that it’s hard to imagine how anyone could make it original again. Russian Doll did make it interesting. The story is about Nadia, who dies the night of her birthday party only to wake up at her birthday party again. Every times she dies, she wakes up at the party again, and must find how to fix this weird time loop. Funny , witty and weird at the same time, Russian Doll was actually fun to watch!

Silicon Valley

The series recently ended with a perfect finale, encapsulating everything that made the show great, closing all story-lines and staying true to the mood of the sitcom as well as its characters. This is an absolutely amazing TV series that must be watched from beginning to end to be truly appreciated. Watching Pied Piper evolve throughout the past 6 seasons has been a blast.

Good Omens

Good Omens is a fantastic show about the unlikely friendship between an angel and a demon who must join forces to prevent the apocalypse from happening. It was a joy to watch David Tennant and Michael Sheen, two brilliant and charismatic actors, interact. Though the series felt a bit long at times and some plot lines a tad unnecessary, it’s a great adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s book by the same title and its wry humor really makes the show fun to watch.

The Movies

This docuseries by CNN and co-produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman is a must watch for any cinephiles out there. Expertly made, this series showcases cinema’s history, decade by decade, with testimonies from film critics and directors alike. Like its series about the history of television, music and social history, The Movies is absolutely brilliant.

Chernobyl

On to something less fun but no less great. Chernobyl has been dubbed one of the best horror series ever and I would say that’s accurate. Acclaimed for the depth of their research and the quality of the reenactments of the events, Chernobyl was a very difficult series to watch but also a fascinating one as well. Every episode is like a punch in the gut, but it’s so well done and acted that we cannot look away. Like The Handmaid’s Tale, it is an important show to watch so we do not forget what happened and hopefully, we’ll prevent such catastrophic events from happening again.

Schitt’s Creek

I cannot believe I waited so long before giving Schitt’s Creek chance! I must admit that I usually have a certain prejudice about Canadian shows which would explain my initial disdain against Schitt’s Creek despite its stellar cast. It’s also the vulgarity (or lack of subtlety) of the title that was a major turn off for me. But, after having seen only one episode, the first one, I binged watched the rest of the series in no time and cannot wait for the sixth and final season to begin, this January! Superbly played and written, Schitt’s Creek, a riches-to-rags show about the Rose family who lost everything except for Schitt’s Creek, a small town they bought ironically a few years back, has taken a special place as one of my all time favorite sitcoms. Hilarious, sometimes sweet and endearing and other times utterly mean, this show guarantees a good time.

Succession

Succession has been a guilty pleasure of mine. It was at first a show I like to hate-watch (season 1) but with the second season, it became an epic series with which I am totally obsessed. None of the characters have a moral compass. Blood is not thicker than water, and these characters, who already have all the money, all the riches in the world, are ready to stab anyone’s back, step over anyone who stands in their way and perform the most despicable acts, and for what exactly? Be the head of the family’s multinational conglomerate or be daddy’s favorite? Even they are not even sure but watching these underprivileged individuals crash and burn as they try to fight each other is just so much fun to watch! Is it soapy at times? Yes. But the series is so well written, the dialogues are so smart and witty and the actors so expertly portray despicable human beings that Succession truly is a pleasure to watch.

Fleabag

Fleabag, especially the second season, is my absolute favorite show of the year. Brilliantly entertaining and funny, Fleabag is refreshing. With Schitt’s Creek, it is one of the very few comedies this year that have managed to make me laugh. Hilarious, sometimes heart-breaking and other times just cringe-worthy, the second season of Fleabag has been perfect. Too bad there won’t be anymore seasons of this absolutely brilliant comedy!

Runner-ups

Other great shows of 2019 include the following:

• The End of the f***ing World : though very good, the second second could not match the first one. The story line felt very heavy at times but the two amazing main actors have managed to carry the series.

• Afterlife : Ricky Gervais was absolutely brilliant in this show about a grieving husband not caring anymore about life and everything that comes with it. He created, produced and directed this dark comedy and deserves all the credit in the world. Though extremely sad and touching at times and hilarious at others, this show is considerably uneven. I lost interest at times and had to force myself to continue watching, which I did not regret.

• Rick and Morty : the cult favorite returned for a much-awaited fourth season in 2019 and though not as strong as the previous seasons, the show was extremely entertaining to watch! Still just as smart and rife with cultural references, Rick and Morty remains a must to watch!

• Punk : this docuseries co-produced by John Varvatos and Iggy Pop is a fascinating dive into the world of punk music, its history and evolution. The only reason why it’s not in my top ten list is because I’m not that big a fan of the genre, so it did not reach me as much as it would have if I were a fan, but I found it nonetheless very interesting.

• Street Food : for food lovers, this series by Netflix will make you drool and want to travel the world. It tends to dwell a bit too much on human interest and melodrama, but all the meals look amazing and mouth-watering!

That’s all for 2019! I cannot wait for what 2020 has in store for us to watch!

Great TV shows that were seriously underappreciated

Last week, I stumbled on a very mediocre sitcom while casually flipping through channels, looking for something good (or just okay) to watch. I was surprised (or should I rather say upset) to see that this unfunny, unoriginal, lame show was still on the air while so many better sitcoms or dramas had been cancelled and forgotten. I know there’s no accounting for taste, but still …

The point I’m trying to make is that I’ve seen a LOT of TV shows in my time, all ranging between life-changing to downright awful. Somewhere in that array, is a special selection of series that were a lot better than the ratings let on. They deserved more appreciation and must not be forgotten. Or at least, deserved more chance. It’s always baffled me why so many subpar shows live on for years on end, while much better ones just get tossed aside in a heartbeat. The titles in this article are some of what I consider the most underappreciated TV shows ever. Of course, there are many, many more, but these are my personal favorites.

DEAD LIKE ME (2003 - 2004)

I stumbled on Dead Like Me by pure accident. I just turned the television on, and there’s this show that’s about to premiere. Back then, I was very much aware of upcoming TV shows; I had a pretty elaborate calendar of what’s airing, where and when. Yet, I never heard of Dead Like Me. Seemed like it appeared without any promo. As soon as it aired, I immediately fell in love with it. As an antisocial (or is it socially awkward? or is it both?), I tend to identify with such characters. And George Lass is just that: a socially awkward girl who’s trying to figure out how she fits in this strange and hard to understand world. She dies in the first episode. Not much of a spoiler here, that’s the premise of the show. As the space station Mir was reentering Earth, it was fast disintegrating and its toilet seat broke off to fall directly on George, killing her instantly. First blow, she realizes that she’s dead. Second blow, some stranger (played by the amazing Mandy Patinkin), the only person on site who can actually see her, announces to her that she is now a grim reaper (the grim reaper who took her soul before she’s killed reached his quota and finally got a promotion). Then she learns that even dead, she must find work to be able to find a place to live and pay the bills. This is an exceptional show about family tensions, work place dynamics and basic human interactions, but with a morbid twist. Bryan Fuller left after the first season and, because of that, the second season wasn’t as tight as the first, but still, Dead Like Me deserved more viewership.

WONDERFALLS (2004)

Also created by Bryan Fuller and starring Caroline Dhavernas, this short-lived series is about an unambitious college graduate who works at a souvenir shop next to Niagara Falls. Her life is turned upside down when objects around her start interacting and talking to her and giving her orders, forcing her to meddle into other people’s lives for reasons she does not understand. This show was so original and witty that I have a hard time understanding why it only lasted one season! Upon some research, I quickly learnt that Fox did not give Wonderfalls any chance to succeed by not promoting the show at all and giving it horrible and always changing time slots. It’s a real shame because Wonderfalls, in all its perkiness and humanity, deserved an audience. Bryan Fuller went on and created another dramatic comedy in 2007, Pushing Daisies, which was very similar to Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls in its colorful style, but unlike its predecessors, Pushing Daisies was actually a success. Though it was fine a show, I always felt like Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls were much better. But despite its success (12 Emmy nominations), Pushing Daisies was cancelled after its second season.

RAISING HOPE (2011 - 2014)

I always felt like Raising Hope did not get the praise it deserved. It was there but no one was talking about it and as soon as it stopped airing, everybody forgot about it. It’s a shame because they succeeded at making a very funny and authentic family sitcom, which is hard to do considering the amount of family sitcoms that are made every year. Raising Hope is among the few recent sitcoms that’s made me laugh out loud; it produced some hilarious moments, played by a perfectly cast set of actors (Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt and Cloris Leachman among others). If you get a chance to watch this show, please do and you will not be disappointed. It’s essentially about Jimmy, a clueless 23 year-old who lives with his parents and grandmother, who suddenly becomes the father of a small baby girl (the mother was arrested after their one-night stand, gave birth to the baby in prison and is on death row).

HOMICIDE : LIFE ON THE STREET (1993 - 1999)

If you asked people to name great cop shows, they will mention NYPD Blues, Law&Order, The Wire, but one thing’s for sure is that no one will say Homicide: Life on the street. Strange thing is, most TV fans or cop show fans I talk to don’t even know about it! Though it ran for 6 seasons and was critically acclaimed, Homicide always suffered from low ratings. I never understood why so many bad cop shows went on to become fan favorites while a riveting and raw procedural like Homicide just sunk into oblivion. I think it’s by far one of the most underappreciated show of all time. Real and realistic, intense, gritty and just riveting to watch, Homicide had it all: complex characters, convoluted story arches, captivating interrogations and most importantly, detectives Bayliss and Pembleton, the greatest yet most complicated duo of all police procedural. Like Wonderfall, Homicide suffered from bad promo from its network and an ever changing time slot that might have prevented it from maintaining a proper fanbase.

CARNIVÀLE (2003 - 2005)

Carnivàle was a bit ahead of its time. Had it aired some time around now, it would have been a huge hit, but back then, people seemed to be more into reality TV and lighter-themed programs. This is very frustrating because Carnivàle was one hell of a show. Set during the Great Depression, this supernatural drama is about an impending battle between what must be assumed to be good and evil, with a travelling carnival caught in the middle of it. Different, original, visually stunning and unnerving, Carnivàle deserved a much better fate. While it was considered too weird and slow-paced back then, it would have been called a masterpiece now… And though it won a few Emmys, the series was cancelled after the second season due to low ratings.

MillenniuM (1996 - 1999)

MillenniuM is a thriller with supernatural undertones, much like The X-Files (both shows were created by Chris Carter). The series follows the investigations of Frank Black, a retired FBI agent turned consultant who is gifted with the ability to see inside criminals’ minds. He also works for a mysterious society called MillenniuM Group, whose involvement in world affairs are somewhat murky. Though captivating to watch, the show was met with mixed reviews; viewers and critics alike found the story lines too macabre and thought they could be lighter and more fun, which is just ridiculous. The darker tone of the episodes, the creepy murders and Frank Black’s haunting visions are what made MillenniuM so great. Once again, had it aired more recently, in the era of everything-must-be dark, MillenniuM would have been a great success.

BETTER OFF TED (2009 - 2010)

Better Off Ted is another show that was met with a lot of critical acclaim but failed to pan out in the ratings. Its main character, Ted, is the head of the Research and Development department of Veridian Dynamics, a powerful, soulless and dehumanizing conglomerate that is willing do whatever it takes for a profit, even if that meant weaponizing everything and anything, testing on its employees, or creating weird things like killer pandas. This entertaining and original sitcom was cancelled and forgotten about after just two seasons despite receiving a lot of positive reviews by critics. The network didn’t even bother to air the last 2 episodes.

PEOPLE OF EARTH (2016 - 2017)

People of Earth is so good and so special. I sincerely do not understand how or why more people are not watching it! Because of that, this hilarious sitcom was cancelled after just two seasons. Half the show takes place on Earth, in a small town called Beacon. A journalist is writing a report about Starcrossed, a support group for experiencers (a.k.a. abductees but they don’t like that term) only to realize that he might have been one as well. Together, they share their experiences and try to figure out the reasons behind these encounters. The other half of the show takes place in the alien spaceship that’s doing the abductions. Three aliens, each of a different species, work together to abduct and test their human subjects. People of Earth is part The X-Files, part The Office and it is genius! Its two seasons were fantastic and it came as a considerable surprise to learn that People of Earth was not renewed for a third season. A great shame!

If you have the opportunity to watch any of the shows listed above, please do and you will surely have a great time. They are far from being masterpieces but they did go out of their way to be bold and different, and for that reason alone, they deserve more appreciation.

Best new TV shows of 2018

TV-wise, the year 2018 hasn’t been particularly exceptional. There were a lot of shows like The Terror or Succession that showed great promise but did not live up to expectations. It’s also becoming harder and harder to find great series, now. Not because they are not being made anymore but because they are aired on so many different networks or streaming services and I cannot afford to pay for a membership to all of them. That being said, among the new shows I’ve seen this year, there were a few gems here and there that really stood out. Since the year is almost over, I decided to make a list of what I consider to be 2018’s best new TV series. Here they are, and again, in no special order.

SMILF

SMILF is a dramatic semi-autobiographical comedy created, written and directed by Frankie Shaw, who also plays the starring role. The show takes place in a part of Boston known as Southie, and follows the daily struggles of Bridgette Bird, a young failing actress and single mother who’s trying to make ends meet.

SMILF pretty much flew under the radar and really deserves to be watched. Without being too obvious, it tackles a lot of themes like mental illness, body image, mother-daughter relationships, failed hopes and dreams, friendships or dating with a refreshing but depressing honesty that is rarely seen on TV. Most shows would rather go for cliches that we’ve all seen time and time again, but SMILF stuck to realism. And it’s sometimes painful to watch.

Though Frankie Shaw is great as the main character, Rosie O’Donnell really steals the show as Bridgette’s mother Tutu, who suffers from severe depression. She is amazing in her role, not shying away from anything. Tutu was mesmerizing to watch!

The first season only has 8 half-hour episodes and thankfully, it’s been renewed for a second season!

Cobra Kai

Growing up, I hated the Karate Kid movies with a passion. I despised Mr. Miyagi’s character because he was so stereotypical and I was tired of all my classmates asking me if I could catch flies with chopsticks, I found Daniel LaRusso to be incredibly annoying and the guy won a tournament with an illegal kick, and everybody was fine with it? It made no sense. So, I was less than enthusiastic when I heard that YouTube made a sequel to the movies in the form of a small series called Cobra Kai. But, to my surprise, the show was very good! I still hate the movies, though.

Cobra Kai takes place 34 years after the fateful tournament, and the 2 main characters, Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, are now grown men. The story, this time around, allows us see things from Johnny’s perspective and as it turns out, he’s not the evil, entitled jerk that we all thought he was while watching the movie. Johnny’s life is far from great: he has a serious drinking problem, was fired from his job, is divorced with a seriously strained relationship with his son. Daniel, on the other hand, became a very successful car salesman who still capitalizes on the fact that he won the karate tournament (his tacky ads where he karate kicks the competitions’ prices or offers a bonsai tree for every purchase are everywhere from giant billboards to TV).

Johnny decided to turn his life around and re-open the Cobra Kai dojo after having helped Miguel Diaz, a young teenager who lives in his neighborhood, overcome his bullies at school. His dojo became a sort of haven for bullied kids who, at first find self-confidence only to push it a bit too far, as his tutelage needs some fine tuning. The reopening of the dojo also reignites the rivalry between Johnny and Daniel, who is ready to do anything to shut Johnny’s business down.

Shot with a good mix of drama and humor, Cobra Kai is, to my amazement, an extremely entertaining show. The story line can be, at times, pretty soapy but the characters are all very complex and well written, which is not the case for the movies!

The End of the F***ing World

The End of the F***ing World is a dark British comedy/drama adapted from a comic book of the same title, by Charles Forsmann.

James is a 17 year old student who believes he’s a psychopath. As the series began, he decided it was time for him to stop killing small animals to evolve into killing humans. One day he meets Alyssa, an impulsive fellow student with deep-rooted issues of her own, and made the decision to kill her. She will be his first human kill. Alyssa hates her life and has a difficult relationship with her mother and controlling step-father, so she decided to run away towards a more carefree life filled with adventures and invites James to come along. He, in turn, accepts, with the idea that he will at some point find the proper time to satisfy his need to kill her. Together they embark on what turned out to be a very strange road trip across England.

The show only has 8 episodes but what is great about it is that there a no cliches. The characters, despite their disturbing flaws, are endearing and we want to root for them.

Kidding

Kidding is a dramatic comedy starring Jim Carrey as Jeff Pickles, a Mister Roger-esque kids show host, whose life and sanity are falling apart after having recently lost his son in a car accident. As his universe spirals out of control, Mister Pickles struggles with existential questions about mortality, honesty, loss, and forgiveness.

Created by Dave Holstein, directed and produced by Michel Gondry, this show is so many things at the same time: heartbreaking, reassuring, funny, grim, disturbing and visually stunning.

I am not going to dwell too much about the show because one must watch it to feel it, and then understand it. I will say this, however: the cast (Catherine Keener as Jeff's sister, Frank Langella as his father and boss, Judy Greer as his estranged wife and Cole Allen as both his twin sons) is absolutely stellar. Michel Gondry’s distinctive style gives the show this extra edge that makes it really stand out above the other series. The opening credits (a new one every week) alone deserve to be watched, acknowledged and praised.

Mindhunter

If you’re like me and have a fascination for psychopaths and serial killers, then Mindhunter is the show for you.

Based on real-life events and on the true crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, the show takes place in the 1970s, at a time when the term “serial killer” doesn’t exist yet. Two FBI agents and a psychologist set out to interrogate the worst killers currently incarcerated in US prisons in order to understand how the mind of the criminally insane functions, with the hope that their study will help them prevent further massacres. The serial killers that the characters interact with were modeled on actual convicted criminals and their prison scene dialogues were taken verbatim from real interviews. Chilling.

Though very slow at times, Mindhunter is, simply put, just fascinating.

Lodge 49

I must admit that although Lodge 49 is probably my favorite new show of the year, I find it a bit difficult to explain what it is about because it’s probably the weirdest show currently on television. Roughly, the story takes place in California, and is about a surfer named Sean "Dud" Dudley who joins a fraternal lodge, hoping to find some meaning or purpose to his life after his father’s mysterious death. That is only the base line. To that, add conspiracy theories, alchemy, a housing crisis, and bunch of other weird stuff and characters.

It is extremely hard to categorize Lodge 49. At its roots, the show is dramatic : all the characters are struggling to deal with a very painful personal drama but, at the same time, the situations are pretty light and played out comically. But all in all, what the show is about doesn’t matter all that much, the adventure is what counts!

Seriously, Lodge 49. Check it out!

Ok. I know I kinda suck at summarizing, but these shows are really good and deserve to seen. I have witnessed too many good shows being cancelled because not enough people notice them or give them a chance, and I really hope that it will not be the case for the 6 above. Check them out and see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

In an upcoming post, I might tackle a specific topic: shows of 2018 that started out amazing but ended up being utter disappointments. We’ll see.

The classics - Drama edition

I started paying more attention to TV dramas during my teens. I seemed to have developed the necessary emotional maturity to fully comprehend and appreciate these shows. When I was little, I would watch TV dramas like Miami Vice, Matlock, China Beach, Columbo and Perry Mason, not because I liked them or understood them. I just watched them because that's what my father watched. He was hooked to these shows and no matter what went on in the household, he would never miss a single episode. As a young child, I could not comprehend why he loved these unfunny, dramatic shows so much. I did not understand it until I was a bit older and the switch seemed to have happened almost overnight, with ER. I don't think I took a single breath while I watched the pilot. Shows like ER made it worthwhile to break curfew. From then on, I too, was hooked, and was constantly on the lookout for new gems.

While sitcom succeed at cheering us up, dramas serve another purpose. They bring up within us strong emotions like anger, sadness, disgust, terror, apprehension and admiration, and remind us that the world is an ambivalent, frustrating, cruel and unforgiving place. They make us face our realities or help us discover someone else's, and for that very reason, we can get very easily get caught up in a drama. We love one character while hating another, we cry, laugh, get angry, worry, and become deeply invested in the storylines. There is no greater form of catharsis than watching a good dramatic show! We get to purge all our repressed emotions!

Making a top-five favorite TV drama of all-time was far more difficult a task than making one for the sitcoms. I have seen my share of dramatic shows over the years and have fallen in love with many of them, but for my top five, I chose the ones that had the longest lasting impressions on me.

1- The West Wing

The West Wing has often been accused of being idealistic, elitist and pretentious, and truth be told, it absolutely is. But what it does do is make people become interested in politics and most importantly, it holds actual real-life politicians to a higher standard. President Jed Bartlet is the American president and world leader that the people need, crave and deserve. No ulterior motives, no hidden agenda. He and his senior staff strive to make the world a better place and are willing to sacrifice their health and personal life to achieve that goal. Why? Because they are public servants and that is their job. That may be unrealistic but that is where all our leaders must set their bar. Now more than ever, everyone must be reminded of that.

2- Law & Order

For 20 seasons, Law & Order followed the exact same formula week after week and it never failed to entertain. In the intro, there's a murder. During the first half-hour of the show, the 2 lead detectives investigate and, at exactly the halfway mark, they make an arrest. The final half portion of the show takes place in court and the lawyers take over. Every single week for 20 years and we never got bored. There was a great sense of morality in Law&Order. Every week, Jack McCoy would get mad and yell almost directly at the TV. Every week, he reminded us all about right and wrong, justice and the law, accountability and responsibility. Every week, his passionate no-nonsense closing arguments would resonate through the TV and into our consciousness. Jack McCoy kept the world in place!

3- Breaking Bad

Breaking bad is probably one of the most perfect show there is. The story arc, the characters, the actors, the photography, the music, everything about the show is just unbelievable and well thought out. The show's sequel, Better Call Saul, which I thought would be an absolute disaster, turned out to be, just like Breaking Bad, an unequivocal masterpiece, thus proving that the show runner, Vince Gilligan, is an incredible genius. Vince Gilligan thought of everything, every detail. He knew from the start how his show was going to end and how his characters were going to evolve. That much is evident from the tight writing, the intricacies of the storyline and the complexity of the characters' psyche. Never have I been so sucked into a TV show, and never has a TV show made me go through such an emotional roller coaster. I started the series pitying Walter White and hoping all works out for him, and by the end, I wanted him to suffer and die! That is how you recognize a show's greatness: by its ability to play with your emotions!

4- The Sopranos

Not a typical show about the mob. Yes, they did beat people up and killed a few. They are involved in a lot of illegal activities, had affairs, took and sold drugs. But the show was not about that. It was about how Tony Soprano, the mob boss, juggled with his personal and professional problems while dealing with massive bouts of anxiety attacks and depression, which he copes with by regularly going to therapy. He is, by all definition, the "bad guy" but we sympathize with him. We watch him do and say all these horrible things and yet, we are on his side. It's both perplexing and exciting at the same time. Tony Soprano is not the stereotypical mob boss who is decisive and in control. Quite the opposite. He is strong and commands a lot of authority and yet, there's a lot of self doubt, self hatred, guilt about him. He is vulnerable and that's why we feel for him. The Sopranos is dramatic, emotional, funny, smart, and so, so violent.

5- Mad Men

Mad Men takes place in the advertising world of the 1960s, back when racism was not considered racism, people smoked profusely everywhere and men treating women like objects or possessions was an accepted facet of life. The main protagonist, Don Draper, is like Tony Soprano in that we are ambivalent about him. He is a paradox, a contradiction. He is impulsive, selfish, unfaithful, inconsiderate of other people's emotions, but he is also noble, chivalrous, loyal to a fault at times and often selfless. He can be extremely conservative (coldly rejecting a friend for being gay, mocking the hippy way of life) but at the same time, he can also be very progressive (he is anti war, he is not bothered by the color of a person's skin, and has given Peggy professional opportunities that were unthought of at the time). Through Mad Men, we got a glimpse of American history, of the best and worst of America's 1960s and 1970s.

Honorable mentions 

• The Americans
• Oz
• Homicide: Life on the streets
• Battlestar Galactica (2003 remake)
• The Wonder Years

Stay tuned for my next posts where I'll be discussing show individually.