We’ve got TV recommendations for everyone from history buffs to fans of comedy
The holidays are over, New Year’s Eve has come and gone… so what is there to do in January? Why, binge watch a new series, of course! Think you’ve already seen everything the wide world of TV has to offer? Don’t fret — no matter what genre tickles your fancy, we’re here with some KCM- approved suggestions that will help you skip the endless scrolling and dive right into something you’ll love.
Loved Downton Abbey? Then watch Bridgerton (Netflix)
Bridgerton is more like an R-rated Downton Abbey crossed with Pretty Little Liars, but if you’ve been missing the Crawley family then you’ll love the Bridgertons. Based on the book series of the same name and produced by Shonda Rhimes, Bridgerton follows the young men and women of London’s high society in 1813 as they attempt to find love and marriage within the confines of court. But here’s the fun part: a mysterious gossip columnist known only as Lady Whistledown begins exposing all of the secrets these proper ladies and gentlemen have been hiding, one scandal at a time.
Loved Deadwood? Then watch The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)
For all you historical fiction buffs out there, it’s been hard to find a TV series that holds a candle to Deadwood, the post-Civil War drama about life in the wild west… until now. The Good Lord Bird, based on the novel by James McBride, stars Ethan Hawke as abolitionist John Brown, who in the mid-1800s felt an intense religious calling to end slavery by any means necessary. The story is told through the eyes of a naive, newly freed boy named Onion, who Brown mistakes for a girl and decides to take under his wing. The Good Lord Bird manages to be equal parts hilarious and gut-wrenching, as little Onion attempts to keep up his facade of womanhood while witnessing the everyday violence and humiliation inflicted upon slaves in the American south.
Loved Making a Murderer? Then watch Trial 4 (Netflix)
We all remember the hype around Making a Murderer — could the criminal justice system actually put a man in prison for life who was clearly framed? Although the legitimacy of Steven Avery’s innocence has been called into question since the series premiered, there is no question that Sean K. Ellis, whose story is detailed in Trial 4, was the victim of the rampant corruption and insidious racism that plagued the Boston Police Department in the 1990s. In 1993, Ellis, a black teenager, was charged with murdering a police officer while out buying diapers at a Walgreens. He spent 22 years in prison and endured three trials before finally being released on bail in 2015. The docuseries takes a deep dive into the police corruption, brutality, and deep rooted racism that led to Sean’s imprisonment.
Loved Lost? Then watch The Wilds (Amazon Prime)
If you’ve been craving a new show about a mysterious plane crash, a creepy island, and a group of seemingly completely different individuals who are forced to work together in order to survive… then look no further than The Wilds. Part Lost, part Lord of the Flies, the series follows a group of teen girls en route to a female wellness retreat when their plane crashes on a mysterious island. After waiting for days for rescue, the girls realize that they must work together to care for each other since they’re now totally and completely alone… or are they?
Loved The Undoing? Then watch The Third Day (HBO)
Did you know right off the bat who killed Elena in The Undoing? Well let me assure you, The Third Day will have you guessing who the good guys are and who the bad guys are right up to the last episode. The series stars Jude Law as Sam; a traumatizing event leads him to a mysterious island town, accessible only by a causeway which appears only at low tide. Just when things start to get a little bit creepy, the causeway closes and Sam is stuck trying to figure out why exactly the people in this town don’t want him to leave.
Loved Schitt’s Creek? Then watch Pen15 (Hulu)
Let’s be clear: Schitt’s Creek was a sparkling gem of a show that comes along once in a lifetime. But if happy escapism, lovably awkward characters, and laugh out loud humor is what you’re in the market for, Pen15 has you covered. Now in its second season, Pen15 follows two middle school girls as they navigate puberty, friendship and romance in the year 2000. The twist? The middle school protagonists are played by adult comedians Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, while all of their middle school classmates are played by children. Although the concept sounds a little odd, the instant you see Maya in her bedroom attempting to give herself a Sarah Michelle Gellar-esque haircut in anticipation of her first day of seventh grade, you’ll instantly forget that she is, in fact, a 33-year-old woman.
This article was written and reported by Emily Pinto.
