10. “Mr. Robot”
This show is a mind-f*ck. Every time you think you know what’s going on, everything in the reality of the show collapses and you’re left scrambling to figure it out again. “Mr. Robot” is about a young hacker named Elliot, played by the amazing Rami Malek, who works for a huge cyber security corporation. One day, Elliot meets Mr. Robot, the head honcho of a secret underground hacker ring, who enlists him to take down the corporation he works for, as well as the entire corporate system. The show is incredibly meta and demands intense contemplation, and I love it.
9. “Peaky Blinders”
“Peaky Blinders” is rooted in history, and tells the story of a powerful British 1920s gang headed by Thomas Shelby. The show focuses on how the gang rises to power and takes over Birmingham. There’s sex, drugs and crime — which is a perfect cocktail for exciting programming. The show takes on a life of its own and draws you in from the very first episode.
8. “Sherlock”
An old favorite of mine, Sherlock dives into the famous detective series “Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle, but makes it contemporary. This show is a doozy, as each episode is 90 minutes long, but they are chock-full of exciting mysteries. You can ship almost any character with another because of all the queer-baiting subtext, which is problematic but I still love it anyway.
7. “Impractical Jokers”
If you ever need to laugh, turn on TruTV and this will be on (because that network milks this show for everything it’s worth) and you will cheer up. “Impractical Jokers” is hilarious and simple, which makes it super easy to get into and watch for hours. The formula for this show is tried and tested, as ”IJ” is in its eighth season and it has a movie currently in theaters. It’s too funny not to love.
6. “Chopped”
This one is very much out of place but I’m obsessed with it lately. I cannot stop watching host Ted Allen describe food. “Chopped” is a cooking challenge show where four chefs compete to make the best dishes for a panel of judges, with the catch being that they have to incorporate random items into all their plates. It’s funny, it’s intense and I love watching people cook.
5. “BoJack Horseman”
This cartoon just ended, with its final season on Netflix as of Jan. 31. The story of BoJack Horseman is one of addiction, celebrity and the messiness of life surrounding those things. The kicker of the show is that it’s a world mixed with anthropomorphic human-animals and normal people. BoJack himself is a humanoid horse, traversing life post-fame as he tries to re-cement himself in Hollywood while he self-loathes and processes trauma, hurting and helping people throughout his journey.
4. “Roswell, New Mexico”
I’m actually obsessed with this show and it comes back on March 16, so I am PUMPED for that. This show is a reboot of the classic ‘90s show “Roswell,” but stands alone as it follows the story of Liz Ortecho as she discovers her high school crush Max, and his siblings Isobel and Michael, are aliens. I am in love with Michael Guerin, played by Michael Vlamis, and the representation in this show makes my heart full. A powerful Latina leading lady, a bisexual alien and high school crushes lasting ten years? That’s literally the recipe of a show made for me.
3. “Watchmen”
This show blew my freaking mind. “Watchmen” is based on a movie, which is based on a comic book, and you need a bit of that context in order to not get confused by the show. Basically, it follows cop Angela Abar (Regina King) as she works to stop white supremacists from taking over her town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This show takes so many twists and turns that you never see coming, which makes it very rewarding as it crafts an electric and vivid world while you watch. If you love vigilante justice, kick ass fight scenes and sci-fi, while also getting history packaged to you in a badass way, then watch “Watchmen.”
2. “The Good Place”
“The Good Place” is a delight in every sense of the word. The characters, the plot, the aesthetic and everything else in between is absolutely delightful in this series. With its finale having aired on Jan. 30, this is the perfect time to binge it because, by God, this show is worth getting to the end of. Never have I seen such a perfect ending to a great show, and this one really hits the nail on the head. Follow Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) as she dies and goes to Heaven, but quickly realizes she should be in Hell.
1. “Fleabag”
I love this show with my entire being. Phoebe Waller-Bridge created the best show on television and in TV history with this perfect mix of tragedy and comedy. “Fleabag” is about a woman in London trying to process grief, familial problems and her obsession with sex, and she does it all by making the audience a character in the show. We follow her through every moment of her life, and she narrates her story to us by speaking directly to the audience. This show is unpredictable and evocative, and will make you laugh while crying your eyes out.
