Shows to Binge Over Cold Weekends

Through the cold winter it is easy to imagine the feeling of coming home from a long day out in the cold and unwinding with a hot meal and a good tv show. Each of these shows has a place in my heart as a nice little world to come home to at the end of a long day out in the cold. They give you hugs and let you know it’s time to shut down and rest. 

Ted Lasso follows the story of an American football coach, who is brought overseas to coach a team in the English Premier league. Well developed characters define this show. Each character comes to feel very real, this is often challenging in a show with such a large cast, but each is carefully given their place. This is not to say that they are absent of quirks, each has their way that is far from normal, but it never exceeds reality in a way that leaves the viewer feeling stressed or angry at the character. The viewer really feels like the character is doing their best. Each character is lovable because of their unique attributes rather than being unreasonably  inhibited by them. 

Ted Lasso gives the world a clear example of how to love people and things. Ted loves enthusiastically. As the series progresses we learn that it is not without struggle, but to Ted and to us does not make this kindness any less worth giving. As a viewer I can attest to how infectious and exciting this attitude is. We know what the world is like. Ted does too. It was real to him from a young age, but it does not impair his desire to love. It’s evident what he wants, to make the world a little easier to bear. It’s a privilege  to see how he is going to do it. 

Gilmore Girls follows the story of a mother, named Lorelei, who had her daughter, Rory, at 16. The story starts right before Rory turns 16. At this point Rory is self- sufficient in many ways, leaving Lorelei with more freedom than she has ever had before. The two grow and learn how to navigate life, on their own, together. This is laid against the backdrop of their reconnection and reconciling strained with family ties. 

The show is for lovers of fast-paced T.V. It is quick-witted and chalked full of pop culture lovers of all sorts. The characters speak at an astounding speed. The high quality writing allows for their lives to move at a reasonable pace while keeping the viewers engaged. 

It’s significant to see a mother and daughter who love each other so much and who get to be imperfect and still have value. This show sets itself apart as it portrays smart beautiful women struggling. Their value is not diminished by their mistakes or difficulties. Even when our leading ladies cause a lot of problems for themselves, you still love them and you are rooting for them to have the life they want and dream of.  

 Superstore is an NBC comedy that takes place in an American department store, following two main characters, Amy and Jonah.  Along with the two main characters, Superstore’s “Cloud 9”  employs a series of odd people that exemplify the odd people that we interact with everyday in that same environment.

This show feels so familiar and relatable to any American that has worked a minimum wage job or a service job. When working in these kinds of jobs there is a sense of connection you feel with your coworkers as you all share a sense of absurdity. Working these jobs involves meeting a lot of people who conduct themselves in strange ways. Another facet to the feeling of absurdity is the actual completing of menial tasks for strange people. Though what I describe sounds miserable, and it often is, it is undeniable that it is fun to laugh at with the people who are doing it too. 

It feels fresh and present as it addresses the abuse that employees at these large companies face while poking fun at the different ways that we as people perpetuate and react to these situations. 

This show provides that connection between the characters and the audience. We get to relate as we also meet weird people in common places. It has sweet lovable characters that feel familiar but different from any other characters in a sitcom that I have seen.