BLACK MIRROR
For part two, I'm back to British TV, no surprise there. Black Mirror is essentially a technological Twilight Zone, with each episode dealing with a different form of either present-day or futuristic technology gone wrong. Seeing just how ingrained society is nowadays with technology, Black Mirror shows just how dangerous this dependance can be, especially as it evolves over time. The show also features several familiar faces, such as Jon Hamm (hello again!!!), Domhnall Gleeson, Rupert Everett, Rafe Spall, and Kelly Macdonald. Plus, British TV is always shorter (usually most shows have a max of six episodes per season, or series as they call it), so it's perfect if you're busy during the holiday.
THE RETURNED (LES REVENANTS)
No, not the utter travesty known as the remake starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Agnes Bruckner, but the French original from 2012. It's a simple premise; one day, several people presumed dead for four years return to their homes in a small mountain village completely unaged and unaware of their previous demise. The series is based on a movie from 2004, which I hear is super fly, and both seasons are on Netflix. I have no idea where it was filmed, but the location is absolutely gorgeous, and since it's near the mountains, there's always this gloomy fog that really sets the mood and overall tone for the mysterious, dramatic horror that's about to unfold. The series has many twists and turns, which ket me engaged, and many episodes end on quite the cliffhanger. It's quite a big deal over in François, and hopefully the original will catch on in the States as well.
BROADCHURCH
No, not the slightly sad experiment known as the remake starring Anna Gunn and David Tennant, but the British original from 2013. This show centers around the murder of a young boy, whose best friend's mum is assigned to the case. Olivia Coleman, who most recently turned in a Golden Globe nominated performance (YAS KWEEN!) in The Night Manager stars as Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller, who's forced to work with a troubled Scottish Detective Inspector played by David Tennant (he reprises himself in the remake, with a slightly unnerving American accent that just sounds wrong from Tennant) as they navigate this high-profile case where anyone in their town could be a suspect. It's very engrossing and very binge-able, and personally one of my favorite shows. Only downside is that it follows in the footsteps of most British TV; the seasons premiere every other year, but hey man, we all have to wait for the things we want.
IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
So here's what's different about Sunny: I haven't actually watched the show, save for one episode. I will actually be bingeing all 135 episodes throughout the break, so we'll all be in this together! The show centers around five miserable people with large egos who are the proprietors of an Irish pub: illiterate glue-huffing addict Charlie, narcissistic Dennis and his angry birdlike twin sister Dee, self-proclaimed badass Mac, and the twins' formerly estranged father, the LSD loving Frank (who also may or may not be Charlie's biological father). Life often miserably and humorously goes wrong for them as the result of their warped and misanthropic views on their existence, but despite their arrogance and often controversial lives, it's hilarious and it's genius.
