By Choi Hoe Chang (18S07A) and Adri Faris (18A13A)
couch potato
Noun [c] ˈkaʊtʃ pəˌteɪ.təʊ
(disapproving)
a person who watches a lot of television and does not have an active life
Source: Cambridge Dictionary
We know it’s that time of the year where most of your friends are out of the country while you’re stuck in Singapore, but you don’t feel like getting started on those revision papers. Even if some of them are indeed still in the country – let’s be honest: you’d much rather stay home and binge-watch all your favourite TV shows. “But there’s a problem!” you cry. You’ve rewatched your favourite series (all six complete seasons) about three times already.
Here’s where Raffles Press comes in – the real reason you clicked on this article in the first place anyways. We’re back with our second installment of our 2-part Holiday Special Binge-watch List – and this time, it’s TV shows.
Click here for Part 1 (Movies).
TV Shows You Cannot Miss
1. The Blacklist
We’re starting off the list with one of our favourite TV shows of all time: The Blacklist. First aired on NBC on 23rd September 2013, The Blacklist is an American crime thriller TV series starring James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington. Raymond Reddington has been on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Fugitives” list for decades. But he decided to turn himself in to the FBI; promising to deliver a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world and to inform on their operations, on one specific condition: he only speaks to rookie profiler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). Spader’s stellar performance on the show has been praised by many critics – and it’s one of the reasons why you should start binge-watching this series ASAP.
2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Next up is Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It is a lighthearted and hilarious American police sitcom set in the fictional 99th precinct in Brooklyn. The series follows the lives of a group of detectives with very different personalities – from the amusingly childish but talented NYPD detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), to the reliable and quirky people-pleaser Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) and sarcastic Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) who seems to value everything else over work and does anything to avoid her job. Working under their commanding officer, Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher), we see the team grow through the thrills and spills of everyday police work, often with uproarious results. Ever since its first episode, the series has received critical acclaim, especially for Andy Samberg’s and Andre Braugher’s performance.
3. Modern Family
Modern Family is a show which needs no introduction (but we’re going to give you one anyways). It has been acclaimed by critics; winning a total of 22 Emmy awards out of 75 nominations through 9 seasons so far. The American television mockumentary family sitcom revolves around three different but related families (a traditional nuclear family; a same-sex couple family; and a May-December couple family) who deal with trials and tribulations in their own comedic ways. As if having Sofia Vergara on the show isn’t a good enough reason to start binge-watching this series already, the scripting and dialogue is hilarious, with memorable and zippy one-liners from Lilly Tucker Pritchett (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons)!
4. Riverdale
Based on the long-running American comic series Archie comics, Riverdale is a high school teen drama set in the fictional town of Riverdale. The show follows the lives and struggles of many characters: Archie Andrews (KJ Apa), Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart), Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse), and Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) to name a few. Riverdale has it all – mystery, romance, drama, friendships, sports, and music. Not only that, but Riverdale also addresses many relevant social issues such as mental illness, feminism, and toxic conceptions of masculinity. The first season of Riverdale concluded in May 2017, and the show is currently in its second season (as of December 2017).
5. American Gods
American Gods is based on Neil Gaiman’s award-winning novel of the same name. It’s based on the premise that Gods and mythological creatures exist because people believe in them, and thus immigrants brought their mythological Gods and monsters to America. The show focuses on Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), an ex-convict trying to cope with the recent loss of his wife, who becomes the bodyguard of the enigmatic Wednesday (Ian Mcshane). The two travel across America, Shadow unwittingly tangling himself in the cosmic battle between the Old Gods and the New Gods. The various mythological Gods, monsters, and creatures that Shadow and Wednesday encounter are definitely the highlight of this show. If not, the surreal performances of award winning actors like Ian McShane, Ricky Whittle, and Emily Browning should leave you spellbound. The first season of American Gods has recently concluded in June, and it was renewed for a second season.
6. Feud
Feud is a docudrama anthology series focused on the conflict between historical figures. The first season is subtitled Bette and Joan, and it focuses on the rivalry between the two actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, during the production of the 1962 horror film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Feud: Bette and Joan boasts 1960s aesthetics, music, and fantastic performances of the main cast comprising Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon. What’s more, the first season consist of only 8 episodes, each of about 45–58 minutes long – making Feud a perfect series to binge-watch this holidays.
(Cover image sources: http://itmustbejam.com/2017/06/21/halfway-through-series-tv-shows-weve-loved-so-far/ and http://www.notesfromourcorner.com/author/notesfromourcornergmail-com/)
