Even though the lockdown restrictions have been eased slightly here in Scotland, I'm still only leaving my neighbourhood once a week to go food shopping. Other than my daily walks, I'm in no rush to go back to "normal" just yet. So I thought that I would share six TV shows to binge watch right now, ones that I've been watching this month.
Whether you're looking for some escapist reality TV, a sobering documentary or a brilliant drama, look no further than these six;
Little Fires Everywhere
I've had Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere on my to read list for years now, particularly after reading Everything I Never Told You. So I was beyond excited to see that there was a TV adaptation in the works. And with none other than Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington involved as producers and lead actresses.
Little Fires Everywhere centres around two women, played by Witherspoon and Washington respectively and their families. For me, it's a story about motherhood and how the choices you make in life can impact others. The acting is brilliant, as is the drama-filled storylines. It's easily one of the best TV shows to binge watch, that I've seen in a long time. And I've got a feeling that you will feel the need to watch it all in one sitting, it's that good. Watch it now on Amazon Prime Video here in the UK.
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McMillions
Now I bet all of us have heard of, seen or taken part in the McDonald's Monopoly game. You know the one, where you can collect Monopoly pieces and win instant prizes like free food. Well did you know that a multimillion dollar fraud actually took place in the US? McMillions goes on to show how one man stole the big instant prize pieces (such as winning $1 million with a single game piece) for over a decade. And the truth is definitely stranger than fiction, with what you see unfolding feeling like something out of a movie.
First of all, what a character FBI agent Doug Matthews is! They could definitely make a spin off show just about his life and the cases he's been involved with. And I would watch it. You also wouldn't believe how little these 'millionaires' actually pocketed after they had to pay for their ticket, split the winnings and then pay tax on top of it. It's definitely some crazy stuff! You'll find McMillions on Sky Atlantic or NOW TV here in the UK.
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Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
I always look forward to a new Netflix true crime documentary series premiering. And given that this one was about a case that I was already pretty familiar with, I was even more interested than normal in giving it a watch. But I have to admit, this wasn't exactly what I expected. This documentary is more about the survivors, than what I hoped it might delve into. We only really scratch the surface of what Epstein and his associates have done over the years. And very little is said about one of the most polarising things about him; his death/"suicide". We also don't really find out how he really amassed all his wealth and in turn, power.
It is worth watching, as the girls who are now women, get to share their stories and truths. But you're not really going to find out anything new, particularly if you're somewhat aware of the case. For me, they could have dug a lot deeper than they did with this documentary.
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Better Call Saul
You can't truly bring up binge worthy TV without mentioning Breaking Bad. But have you been keeping up with its prequel Better Call Saul? It is one of those rare shows that has only got better as the seasons have progressed. So much so that I can now safely say that I think it's even better than Breaking Bad.
If you started watching it and gave up during season one, I would definitely implore you to give it a second chance and stick with it. There's only one more season to go, which will air next year. And the season five finale has set up what will be an epic final season. If you ever wondered why Saul was so scared of someone named Lalo when Walt and Jesse kidnap him in Breaking Bad, you simply have to see exactly why Lalo is as feared as he is. Even though Gus Fring is one of the best villains in TV history, I would have to say that Lalo is even wilder and more unpredictable. All five seasons are available to stream/binge on Netflix.
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The Titan Games
As someone with a guilty pleasure for American Ninja Warrior (I end up watching it every time I'm on holiday in the US), my interest was definitely piqued when I saw this show appear on Netflix this month. Fronted by none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, this is like Ninja Warrior on steroids!
Each week four men and four women compete for the two 'Titan' slots, which will take them to the grand finale. And some of the challenges are insane! You can certainly believe that The Rock came up with these grueling qualifiers and based them on some of his toughest workouts. All I can say is, the budget for concrete and pyrotechnics on this show must be astronomical. If you even watch just one episode, you will know what I mean. It really is the perfect easy to watch show that doesn't require too much concentration. But just know that it will instantly make you feel ridiculously unfit, no matter how in shape you are.
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Selling Sunset Season 2
Just in case you don't follow me on Instagram or didn't see this show included in a previous What I've Been Watching blog post. If you've not seen Selling Sunset on Netflix yet, where have you been?! Particularly when we've been stuck at home. If you haven't seen it yet, or even heard of it, Selling Sunset is brought to you by the same team that created The Hills back in the day. Expect million dollar luxurious LA homes, a brilliant cast of characters and lots of drama.
There are currently two seasons available to stream, both of which are eight episodes long. And there really is something for everyone. Plus, it being set in LA, is giving me some much needed escapism from what is reality right now. Season three drops on the 7th of August. And I have no problem in admitting that I am already counting down the days until then.
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So those are just a few ideas for TV shows to binge watch.
What have you been watching recently? Have you seen any of the TV shows or movies included in today's blog post? If so, what did you think of them?
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