The Weekend Watchlist

It’s another edition of the Weekend Watchlist! I feel like January is the month we OFFICIALLY all start hibernating. Our bodies and minds can barely handle the outdoor weather, we either eat just soups or everything in sight, and when we come home from work/school we TURN. ON. THAT. TV. So this weekend I’m serving you some bingeable classic event TV realness. Y’know, something that you can watch for hours on end pretty much without thinking. I like to call it “I-don’t-care-that-my-chin-has-receded-into-my-neck-while-I-watch” TV. Does that make sense? I’m work-shopping it.

LOST (2004-2010)- Lost was a show I always thought was really fun and mystical, but I only got around to watching a couple episodes every now and then when it was on the air (I was far more committed to watching Desperate Housewives). Well, I’ve started it from the beginning and I truly love it. It really was the perfect event television— it presented itself as having a larger mythology and various mysteries, but at its core it was a human drama. Audiences were theorizing like crazy about the mystical aspects of the show hoping to find the answers, but the smartest viewers were merely enjoying that aspect and really finding fulfillment in the stories and backgrounds of the characters. Even so, you can’t deny the spectacle of it all. Following in the footsteps of Twin Peaks, Lost was arguably prestige television for a giant network before shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad took over cable and premium networks. If you don’t plan on watching the entire series, at least watch the pilot. It’s a technical marvel and one of the best of all time.

Now streaming on Hulu.

Living Single (1993-1998) - Airing for 5 very successful seasons, Living Single was a part of Fox’s answer to NBC’s “Must See TV.” While NBC’s talent was whiter than office paper, Fox’s lineup featured actual people of color and guess what? It was extremely popular! It’s almost like featuring diverse talent pays off for networks? This show is great. It’s a perfect hangout show mainly because the cast has great chemistry. Queen Latifah serves as the perfect anchor, while each of her closest friends are unique and hilarious. I laugh every time the naïve Synclaire says ANYTHING, and anytime Max gives someone the stink-eye. Regina channels Blanche from The Golden Girls to hilarious effect. Between the general ‘90's vibe, good music, and light-hearted but always interesting antics, you can turn your brain off and watch this show ALL DAY.

Now streaming on Hulu.

High Maintenance (2016 - ) - This show is entering its second season on HBO since crossing over from the web and it is very enjoyable! From ex-married duo Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, the show follows a weed dealer around New York City, giving us a closer look at the lives of his clients. Each episode usually focuses on up to two storylines, which may be vaguely connected or not connected at all. Although you might only spend 15 to 30 minutes with a character, you get a great sense of who they are in the little vignette provided. The show balances outrageous comedy with the minutiae of daily life extremely well, while also accurately depicting the immense diversity of New York City. Yeah, this show is pretty great, and perfect for something to unwind to while also experiencing a healthy dose of emotions.

Available via HBO subscription/HBONow.

Sorry, that is all I have for you! Hopefully that is enough to keep your brain slightly numb, but still functioning while you hibernate for the next couple of weeks. God, January is the worst.

New in Theaters This Week...

[Click the posters for more information]