Now that a lot of us are spending a lot more time at home, I think it's safe to say that we can finally start watching all those tv shows we've been meaning to get around to. I am a tv expert- I love tv and watch it all the time. Some shows Eric and I like to watch together and some are shows that I am way into that he's just not. So to help you pick a new show to watch, I've compiled a list of some of my favorite tv shows that I think everyone needs to watch.
1) BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
Easily one of the best shows I have ever seen. It's a dark satire on Hollywood and fame. But don't let the first half of the first season fool you- though very funny, the show takes a sharp 180 and you see what it's really about. It deals with tough subjects like mental illness and addiction. It also has an all-star cast- Will Arnett, Paul F. Tompkins, Aaron Paul, and Alison Brie are just a few. I could talk about this show for hours because it is just incredible. It's a Netflix original and just came to an end, so you can watch it in its entirety there.
2) Schitt's Creek (Netflix)
This is one of the funniest shows I have ever watched. It's Canadian humor which, like British humor, can be a little too dry. But Schitt's Creek is an absolute riot. Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy are at their finest in this show about the Roses, and very wealthy family that has everything seized by the government except one thing- the town they own, Schitt's Creek. The series was created by Eugene and Dan Levy, who also play father and son on screen. Eric heard me watching it one day and decided to try it for himself- he finished the show in two weeks and immediately started it back up. The show is currently in its final season, so you can catch the first five seasons on Netflix.
3) Parenthood (Hulu)
I started watching this show a long time ago when I needed something new to watch and I saw that Lauren Graham was in it (I loved her in Gilmore Girls). I was hooked by that first episode, which is rare for me (it usually takes me an entire season to determine how I feel about a show). I feel like the show does a really good job at depicting what families are like- fighting, constantly talking over each other, personality traits of older siblings to younger siblings, etc. Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Dax Shepherd, and Erika Christensen play the Braverman siblings (who are all raising families of their own) and Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia play the Braverman parents. The show is very funny but also has a lot of very real moments. It's definitely more of a drama than a comedy, but that doesn't stop it from being an incredibly well written and well acted show. The series came to an end a few years ago, so it's available to watch in its entirety on Hulu.
4) Community (Hulu)
This was Dan Harmon's baby before Rick and Morty was even a thing. Community is absolutely hysterical. It is so wacky and off the walls that the show itself becomes self aware of its absurdity. It's just about a study group at a community college that are just trying to get by. The best episodes are the paintball episodes, don't try to tell me otherwise. Plus Cleveland native Yvette Nicole Brown is one of the stars. The cast also includes Chevy Chase, Joel McHale, Donald Glover (pre-Childish Gambino days), and Alison Brie. The show ended a few years ago as well, so you can watch it all on Hulu. #sixseasonsandamovie
5) Chernobyl (HBO)
Obviously Game of Thrones gets a lot of attention from HBO. But I feel like nobody talks about Chernobyl? I thought this show was incredible. I wasn't around when the Chernobyl meltdown happened, but I've done a lot of reading about it over the years because I'm just a curious person who likes to learn. This show does a really good job of portraying the meltdown, the aftermath, and how everyone's lives were affected. It was also pretty historically accurate, which is something I always appreciate. It was an HBO show, so you can watch it there anytime.
6) Dead to Me (Netflix)
Man, this show is weird in a good way. It has a really creative way of dealing with grief, something I can personally relate to after losing my dad in 2015. You usually see Christina Applegate in slapsticky comedies, but Dead to Me truly showcases her range and reminds you that there is a lot more depth to her. I can't say much more because it'll give it away. It's a Netflix original with only one season and a second season in the works, so it's a super easy watch.
7) Parks and Recreation (Netflix and Hulu)
I love The Office, don't get me wrong...but I think Parks and Rec is a way better show. The cast is incredible, the writing is great, and I think it ends a lot better than The Office did. The first season is kind of slow, not gonna lie, so you have to get through that. By the second season though, it's like someone flipped a switch and everyone had a really good feel on their characters. It's easily my favorite show of all time. I can watch any episode and still laugh. Amy Poehler is so great as Leslie Knope and you see Chris Pratt pre-Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy. This is one of the few NBC shows that is available on both Netflix and Hulu.
8) Good Girls (Netflix and Hulu)
This show is like a darker Desperate Housewives. Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman all play regular women who are in desperate need of money. They decide to rob a store, but things get bad and they get bad quick. The women go to incredible lengths to protect their families and each other. The show is in its third season now, so you can watch new episodes as they drop on Hulu and you can see the first two season on Netflix.
9) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Hulu)
NINE-NINE! I'm going to start this off by saying Chelsea Peretti's character is my favorite character on this show. This is from the same guy who gave us The Office, Parks and Rec, and The Good Place. It's absolutely hysterical and full of so many characters. I know a lot of people can only take Andy Samberg in small doses, but he is golden in this show. The writing and character development is spectacular. The show is currently in its seventh season, so you can get caught up and start watching new episodes on Hulu.
10) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Hulu)
An absolute classic and one of the funniest shows to ever exist. You have to have a thick skin to watch this show though. You also have to understand that the actors are playing characters and that what the characters do don't reflect the actors all that much. Danny DeVito saved this show from cancellation many years ago and he is so great in it. Rob McElhenney gained 40 pounds in real life as part of Mac's story arc in season 7 just...just because! All 14 seasons are available to watch on Hulu. There will be another season, but I'm not sure when that will start airing.