There's just no better feeling than knowing that once my children are finally settled and snoozing in their beds, I can switch off my over-active mind and put my seemingly endless to-do list aside for another day - and just loose myself in an imaginary world for a while.
But considering that we're armed with hundreds of TV channels and on-demand options nowadays, it can often be a struggle to find something to watch! Something about having too many options perhaps?! It can be hard to narrow down the choices and decide what to spend my precious TV-time on. I'd often end up watching my comfort show, Gilmore Girls, on repeat because it was just easier than deciding on something new - but I swear I saw my partner mouthing the words along with Lorelei one evening so perhaps I've worn that one out!
I thought I'd share some of the TV shows that I've really enjoyed lately - so that perhaps you can enjoy them too, if you find yourself in a similar decision-making pickle!
Bad Sisters
This dark comedy/crime mystery series is unlike anything I've watched before but it is easily one of the very best shows I have ever seen. It's set in Dublin, Ireland and it follows the lives of the five Garvey sisters and their relationship with one man in particular - John-Paul, AKA The Prick.
The series begins at The Prick's funeral and you soon come to realize that he was married to one of the Garvey girls, Grace. But as the story is slowly revealed, we learn of how abusive and unpleasant a man he was - not only to Grace and their daughter, but to each of the Garvey sisters.
Each episode reveals the history between one of the sisters and John-Paul, and as their history with him is unravelled - you begin to realize that every one of them has a motive to kill him. And in actual fact, they make a pact to do exactly that.
But did they actually go through with it? And if so, who was the killer and how did the murder come to pass? The series slowly reveals the story to us alongside the insurance men who are desperate to find a way to avoid paying out for John-Paul's death in order to save their crumbling livelihoods having become entangled in a mess of their own.
The cinematography of the show is beautiful, the acting and writing are flawless, and the dark humor is a welcome relief from the unpleasant abuse that John-Paul inflicted on everybody around him - he really is the most deeply detestable character I've ever known but so wonderfully played.
If you only watch one suggestion from this list, make it Bad Sisters!
Everybody Else Burns
This Channel 4 comedy starring Simon Bird of Inbetweeners fame was something I didn't start out with high hopes for as this kind of British comedy can be hit or miss for me, but I was pleasantly surprised.
It follows the life of a Mancunian family and the puritanical Christian sect they have devoted their lives to. Predominately looking at life from the viewpoint of their teenaged daughter, the show manages to be both funny and moving in equal measure and I found myself loving the characters more with each episode. Although I did find it strange to watch Simon Bird playing the Father, it only feels like 5 minutes ago that he was playing a school boy?! Where have the years gone?! Anyway, this is definitely worth a watch!
Back To Life
I stumbled across this show on Netflix recently, and was pleasantly surprised by it - to the extent that I binged 2 seasons in a week!
This is a British dark-comedy following Miri Matteson upon her release from prison, where she has just served 18 years for a terrible crime committed in her teens. The show follows her attempts to re-integrate into a community which hasn't forgiven or forgotten her crime, and to rebuild her relationships with her extremely dysfunctional family and her equally messed-up childhood friend.
The details of Miri's crime are slowly revealed throughout the series, and all is not quite as it first seems. This was a great mix of comedy and mystery, and kept me guessing to the very end with some wonderful performances too.
Schitts Creek
I know, I know - how have I been sleeping on Schitts Creek for all of these years?! But somehow, I had! It had been recommended to me countless times by countless people over the years, but for some reason I just couldn't get into it - I watched a couple of episodes here and there, but I just found it to be "ok" - it didn't grab me, and I just couldn't get invested enough to commit to it.
But one evening, I decided to try again - and somehow I ended up watching 3 or 4 in a row. And that was it...I was HOOKED. This is a show that I feel you need to allow yourself time to fall in love with - don't give up on right away like I did, because you WILL eventually fall deeply in love with these characters - I guarantee it!
The show follows The Rose Family - a very wealthy couple who have lived for many years in their LaLaLand Bubble, along with their 2 adult children who are the epitome of spoiled and out of touch. After suddenly losing all of their money and possessions, they find themselves with no option but to piece their lives together in the tiny, working-class town of Schitts Creek which Mr Rose happens to own. They move into a cheap motel, and set about making the best of the situation they find themselves in and try to integrate into a world that is completely alien to them.
It was hilarious, endearing, emotive and affirming in so many ways - I adored every single character in it, even the ones I thought I would hate at first. And I just can't get enough of it - I never wanted it to end!
Derry Girls
Again, this is another show that somehow passed me by for years and - for some reason - I thought it wouldn't be my cup of tea. But I was so very wrong!
The show follows a group of teenaged girls and their British friend growing in 1990s Derry, amid all of the political troubles of the time.The writing, the wit, the characters and the relatability of their 90's schoolgirl life to my own make this is a really endearing and magical watch with some absolutely wonderful performances. I adore this show!
Now that I've worked my way through all of these beauties, I'm back to square one again - trying to find a new series to settle in to. I'm looking forward to new seasons on the way of some favourites such as Heartbreaker (If you haven't watched Season 1 yet, you must! It's such a delicious, feel-good show with amazing performances) and I'm hoping for a new season of Little Fires Everywhere as I really enjoyed the first one.
For now I've just started watching the American reality show The Jury - so we'll see how that goes!
If you have any recommendations of shows you think I'd enjoy, please do let me know - I'd love to hear them!
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