April 26, 2024 | WTOP offers ideas for summer TV binge watching (Jason Fraley)
WASHINGTON — Summer will soon get so unbearable that staying in is the only appealing option. A summertime strain of cabin fever sets in. All that air conditioning? Not cool.
Fortunately, we live in a miracle age, one of streaming video and cable TV, and nothing breaks up that cabin-fever monotony like a good binge.
With so many good shows available 24/7, there’s nothing stopping you from binging ‘til the temperature drops, which should be sometime in — what, November?
Here are some good dramas, comedies and “dramedies” to start your binge.
So Netflix, chill and stay hydrated.
‘Arrested Development’Mitchell Hurwitz’s gloriously weird family sitcom is hard to describe. Let’s start with the Bluth family themselves. Take the Carringtons of “Dynasty,” double their dysfunction — and then subtract all their wealth. Then watch as the patriarch is thrown in jail on charges that include “some light treason.”Jason Bateman was born to play wiseacre/straight-man Michael Bluth, the good son just trying to keep his formerly rich family together. The supporting cast (Tony Hale, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambour, Jessica Walter) is equally memorable. Heck, they’re pretty much legendary. Each could anchor a spinoff if it ever came to that.And the writing: Jokes upon jokes upon jokes, some of which go unnoticed until a second or third viewing. Considered by some to be the greatest sitcom ever, “Arrested Development” was ratings-challenged in prime time, despite FOX TV’s best efforts. But it maintained a cult following, and seven years later, Netflix gave it new life with a fourth season. A fifth is officially now in the works as well.After all, there’s money in the banana stand.
WATCH IT ON: Netflix
‘Law & Order’
It’s the comfort food of television. The beats are as steady as a drum machine’s:
1. “In the criminal justice system …” etc.
2. KUNG-KLUNG.
3. FADE INTO pedestrians’ inane conversation. Pedestrians stumble over dead body. Tragic.
4. CUT TO detectives sizing up the scene. Detective cracks a funny.
5. Here’s the song.
There are three reasons why it stuck around for 20 seasons: The writing is solid, the acting is generally fine and Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) is everything good and decent about America.
WATCH IT ON: Cable. ION Television (WPXW-TV) has marathons on Wednesdays and Fridays. TNT and We TV have it as well (with on-demand streaming available through the Sling TV app).
Or perhaps you would like this for only $295? It’s guaranteed to impress her on that first date.
‘Catastrophe’U.S. boy meets British girl. Boy gets girl pregnant. Boy and girl get married — even though they barely know each other.So begins “Catastrophe,” developed originally for Britain’s Channel 4 and available on Amazon Prime here in the U.S.The raunchy sitcom follows the gritty reality of newlyweds Rob (Rob Delaney) and Sharon (Sharon Hogan) through parenthood, postpartum depression, in-law weirdness, alcoholism, aging and even infidelity.Heavy stuff, yes, but this smart romantic comedy navigates it with wit, honesty and heart.WATCH IT ON: Amazon Prime
‘House of Cards’Frank Underwood is a role model.Think about it: He’s ambitious. He values his marriage. He’s in touch with his family history. And he believes in bipartisanship (when it’s convenient). The Netflix original series just wrapped its fifth season and it looks like ol’ Frank (Kevin Spacey) isn’t about to change his stripes. Neither is wife Claire (Robin Wright), bless her heart. The writing can be a stretch, even amid the current D.C. climate. But this American adaptation of the 1990 British miniseries is delicious fun. Spacey and Wright are in their prime on screen, and they capably sell even the most complex and implausible plot points.And besides, if we really wanted realistic political drama, we’d just watch C-SPAN.So, order up some barbecued ribs and rehash the exploits of D.C.’s most beloved power couple. WATCH IT ON: Netflix
‘Veep’
Just wrapping its sixth season, HBO’s brilliant comedy has been called an accurate portrayal of how this town works (Sens. Al Franken and John McCain, as well as various political staffers, have advised behind the scenes).
And unlike the cloak-and-dagger brutality of “House of Cards,” this sitcom’s brutality comes in the form of gloriously filthy, profanity-laced insults — usually directed at somehow-successful jerk Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons).
As Selina Meyer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has crafted a persona that has only grown nastier through the years. And there is no weak link in the supporting cast.
It’s the perfect binge when, in Selina’s words, “it’s a hundred and f**k degrees” outside.
WATCH IT ON: HBO Now (all seasons) or Amazon Prime (first two seasons)
‘Empire’Lucious Lyon was once a rap phenomenon. He’s now a music mogul — and he’s dying. So let’s talk succession. Which young Lyon is the heir? Well, it’s not so apparent:-Andre the CFO is shrewd, but knows nothing about music. -Jamal, the talented artiste, doesn’t care about money. -And Hakeem, the brash hot rapper, has drama issues.But what’s this? Lucious’ ex-wife, Cookie, is out of prison 13 years early, and she’s rather eager to take over the company — after all, it was her $400,000 in drug money that helped launch Empire Entertainment.FOX’s epic prime-time musical drama is worthy of the buzz. The music is catchy (R&B producer Timbaland is a consultant), and the acting is decent, with Terrence Howard leading a solid cast. And then there’s D.C. native Taraji P. Henson, who is magnetic as Cookie. The character is a bit reminiscent of Alexis Carrington, but this tough Cookie has flavor: Henson breathes vulnerability and depth into the role. Now’s a good time to catch up before Season 4 rolls out in the fall.WATCH IT ON: Hulu
‘Mozart in the Jungle’Inspired by the book “Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music,” this comedic drama chronicles the colorful lives (see book title) of musicians in the New York Symphony as it struggles to stay relevant.The acting in particular is terrific here. As the eccentric maestro (based on Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel), Gael Garcia Bernal owns every scene he’s in. Standouts in the supporting cast include Malcolm McDowell as the maestro’s predecessor and Bernadette Peters as the symphony’s president.It’s also well-shot: New York has never looked better.WATCH IT ON: Amazon Prime
‘The Leftovers’Two percent of the world’s population just disappeared in an instant. What does this mean? Is The Rapture at hand?Tom Perrotta builds on his novel of the same name with the help of screenwriter/producer Damon Lindelof (“Lost”), and the result touches on both the divine and the metaphysical. (WTOP Entertainment editor Jason Fraley calls it an amazing allegory for 9/11 survivor guilt).The third and final season just wrapped up on HBO to much critical acclaim (it really kicks up in Season 2), so rest assured: You won’t be ending this binge with a cliffhanger.WATCH IT ON: HBO Now
‘Gilmore Girls’“Gilmore Girls” features volumes of the sharpest, funniest dialogue ever put to paper. Credit creator/writer Amy Sherman-Palladino — and what likely were medical-grade amounts of caffeine.As Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel capably handled that machine-gun dialogue for seven seasons (2000-2007). Netflix brought them all back for a good four-movie run last year and it all proved to be no less adorable.The plot lines can be teen soapy at times, but the residents of this quirky corner of Connecticut are all lovable and exceptionally well-crafted. Liza Weil (type-A overachiever Paris Geller) and Melissa McCarthy (B&B cook Sookie St. James), in particular, are memorable standouts.Like autumn in New England, “Gilmore Girls” has a timeless charm. WATCH IT ON: Netflix
‘Better Call Saul’How could you not enjoy the meth-fueled rise and fall of Walter White?It was disturbingly violent, occasionally funny and it taught us all that a chemistry teacher can mount a remote-controlled machine gun inside a car trunk.“Breaking Bad” justifiably tops many critics’ “best-of” lists — not to mention many “please-stop-nagging-me-about-this-show” lists. Part of its appeal was slimy lawyer Saul Goodman, a part that was supposed to have a limited run originally. But the great Bob Odenkirk was so watchable that he managed to (spoiler) survive the “Breaking Bad” season finale.The events of “Better Call Saul” give us Saul’s back story: a well-meaning con artist evolving into the flashy cut-rate criminal lawyer you know and love. It also brings back “Breaking Bad” fan favorite Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), an ethically conscious tough guy whose stare somehow toes the line between serenity and boredom. WATCH IT ON: Netflix
‘Master of None’Each episode of this beautifully shot sitcom tackles a particular subject as it relates to our protagonist, commercial actor Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari).While the general premise, on paper, seems a little familiar (30-something pursues love and happiness in New York with his friends), this Netflix original touches on subjects that have been mostly ignored by conventional network sitcoms: e.g., the experience of a first-generation American; connecting with your immigrant parents; parenthood; aging; etc.Not only does “Master of None” touch on such material, it does so with maturity and sensitivity.And yes, it is funny. Ansari and co-creator Alan Yang have crafted something that’s even smarter than the late great “Parks and Recreation,” their old job.Bonus points to Ansari for having the funniest comedic whine ever.
WATCH IT ON: Netflix
‘Bosch’
Titus Welliver is a character actor who has racked up a pretty impressive IMDB bio, yet has somehow managed to stay below the radar. It’s fair to say there aren’t many sandwiches named after him.
But as the lead in the Amazon Prime series “Bosch,” that should be changing.
Welliver is outstanding in the title role of Harry Bosch, a world-weary Los Angeles detective with a dark past and a habit of annoying his superiors. (As TV has taught us, good detectives are unorthodox and regularly upset the boss.) In fact, Welliver is a natural. It’s almost as if he were genetically engineered to anchor a cop procedural.
The series, now in its third season, is based on the Michael Connelly novels and is beautifully shot around Southern California.
This cop drama gets extra bonus points for employing alumni from “The Wire” (Lance Reddick! Jamie Hector!).
WATCH IT ON: Amazon Prime
‘Peep Show’Credit the Brits for exporting this twisted take on an odd couple: slacker archetype Jeremy (Robert Webb), who sponges off his roommate, the uptight and semi-responsible Mark (David Mitchell). The material is surreal, dark and certainly not for everyone.Point-of-view shots and “mind-reading” voice-overs are terrific narrative gimmicks. Factor in the great writing and it’s easy to see why “Peep Show” lasted nine seasons on Channel 4 — and earned more than its share of awards in Europe.“Peep Show” wrapped in 2015 (although rumors swirl about another season). And unlike some shows that stuck around too long, it consistently maintained its edge. The “Moroccan dinner” party episode in Season 9 defies superlatives.Warning: Jeremy and Mark are terrible people. Ergo, “Peep Show” is one of the more offensive binges of the bunch. WATCH IT ON: Hulu
‘Big Little Lies’
Based on a Liane Moriarty novel and adapted by David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal,” “Boston Legal”), this HBO murder-mystery is a smart take on upper-class, middle-age drama.
The utopian setting of California’s Central Coast belies the marital strife and dark secrets shared among friends Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and single-mother Jane (Shailene Woodley).
“Desperate Housewives” this is not. Instead of soapy camp, “Big Little Lies” is mature and, at times, very difficult to watch.
“Big Little Lies” is artfully shot and stocked with top-shelf acting (Adam Scott, Laura Dern, Alexander Skarsgård). Kelley’s writing is in top form as well, with painfully honest dialogue and well-constructed storytelling. Director Jean-Marc Vallée (“Dallas Buyers Club”) presents it all in a gorgeous, dreamlike style.
It’s easy to see why another season might be on the way.
WATCH IT ON: HBO Now
‘Stranger Things’For a couple of kids who weren’t middle schoolers during the ‘80s (*emphatically pounds cane on floor*), Matt and Ross Duffer sure seem fascinated by Steven Spielberg’s heyday, when his summer blockbusters were a capital-T Thing.And they should. Spielberg was printing mountains of box office cash with those engaging, heartfelt fantasies. (Try to watch “E.T.” and not cry.)Those of us in that demographic will see the plot lines, characters and settings of “Stranger Things” as an uncanny tribute to Spielberg’s kids-can-be-heroes-if-they-ride-their-bikes-fast-enough films, which were the toast of the food court set.Oh, and amid its ’80s pop culture tributes, there’s a missing kid (see “Poltergeist”), evil government scientists (see “E.T.”), an inter-dimensional monster that’s scarier than New Coke and a group of pre-teen nerds banding together with their new supernatural friend (see “Goonies” and, again, “E.T.”) to save the day. It all feels familiar at times, but it’s so much fun. And hey, look — it’s Winona Ryder! Where ya been? Wanna go to the mall?WATCH IT ON: Netflix
