Hi all,

 

I’m back with some more quarantine sanity-saving recommendations (whatever that means to you). Lately, I’ve found myself sitting on my butt and binging TV series a lot more than usual. I am definitely grateful to have the time to finally catch up on my list of shows to watch and also have the opportunity to share them with you all! After reviewing my list, it is no doubt that I absolutely love suspense and thrillers. Many of the suggestions below generally involved murder, crime, and sometimes just comforting humor. I’ve always been one to gravitate towards drama and intensity. What about you? Can you not stand the sight of blood or gore? Maybe you just like to consume docu-series or romance. Either way, I hope you take the chance to review some of the trailers and hopefully you’ll find a new pastime. 


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Big Little Lies - Season 1

Streaming Service: HBO

Trailer Link: https://youtu.be/8XgMvMpvCFI

Series Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée and Andrea Arnold

Series Writing Credits: David E. Kelley, Liane Moriarty, Matthew Tinker

Series Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, Adam Scott, James Tupper, Alexander Skarsgård

 

Whew. There is almost too much to say about this show. Not only is there a superb, award-winning, all-female cast, but also a mysterious death right from the start. Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty, the viewer follows the complex lives of mothers in wealthy Monterey, California. And no, you might be thinking, “is this a reality show?” Maybe in some ways, but what I cherished is the rollercoaster ride of feelings I went through. Some episodes I was either laughing at the absurdity of trivial power plays or relating to the characters’ moments of loneliness, abuse, and guilt. All in seven episodes (if you decide to only watch the first season like me), there is a blend of societal parody, whodunit, and passionate acting. I personally believe they should have made it a limited series because the conclusion is so beautifully satisfying. I knew a couple minutes into the second season that it would taint the ending for me, so I stopped, but please feel free to continue. 


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The Undoing 

Streaming Service: HBO

Trailer Link: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2746007833?playlistId=tt8134470 

Series Directed by: Susanne Bier

Series Writing Credits: David E. Kelley, Jean Hanff Korelitz

Series Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Edgar Ramírez, Noah Jupe, Lily Rabe, Matilda De Angelis, Donald Sutherland


    For being a limited series, this show gives you a whirlwind of psychological screw ups. I don’t know about you, but I grew up with dreamy Hugh Grant. The one we see in romantic comedies, charming up the audience with his quaint English accent. However, HBO definitely decided to take advantage of that stereotypical view of him and turn him into a full-on psychopath. Can you even imagine? I definitely couldn’t when first tuning into this show. It has all the makings of a true crime-thriller. We are given context and backstory on the life of the esteemed couple, Grace and Jonathon Fraser. Grace (Nicole Kidman) is a licensed psychiatrist and Jonathon (Hugh Grant) is an award-winning, well-known, doctor who specializes in pediatric care. From there, the audience experiences a chaotic dismantling of this family’s private and public life. We see the toll it takes on Grace and follow her on the journey to figure out who exactly she married. Be wary, however, the climactic death we see is violent and gruesome. Definitely not for the faint of heart. And there are some episodes that are boring, but overall for only being six episodes, it feels much like a continuous film. 


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Ozark

Streaming Service: Netflix

Trailer Link: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi3030564377?playlistId=tt5071412 

Series Directed by: Jason Bateman, Alik Sakharov, Andrew Bernstein, Ellen Kuras, Daniel Sackheim, Amanda Marsalis, Benjamin Semanoff, Phil Abraham, Cherien Dabis

Series Writing Credits: Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams, Paul Kolsby, Ning Zhou, Martin Zimmerman, Chris Mundy, Ryan Farley, Alyson Feltes, Whit Anderson, David Manson, Miki Johnson, John Shiban, Laura Deeley

Series Cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Julia Garner, Lisa Emery, Charlie Tahan, Janet McTeer

 

    Jason Bateman. Need I say more? Just kidding. Not really. But he is an absolute star in this. I love how he wears many hats and that you can tell. The episodes he wrote and directed are so distinct it makes you wonder how this man can do it all. If you are a fan of Breaking Bad or Narcos then you will definitely be a fan of this. The writing is strong and consistent, which is hard to come by with TV shows that have this many moving parts. The viewer follows the Byrde family as they relocate from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks due to a drug deal gone wrong. Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) is a master money launderer and unintentionally, it all becomes a family affair. My favorite aspect of this show is how much every family member develops overtime. I especially am most impressed by Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) because she becomes more confident despite how much I disagree with a lot of her decisions. I hope you also notice the charm of all of the protagonists, even the infamous Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) and her quotable self. She is definitely a woman who speaks her mind.  I also recently found out there has been approval for a fourth season so there will be plenty to watch beforehand. 


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Queen’s Gambit

Streaming Service: Netflix
Trailer Link: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1185857817?playlistId=tt10048342 

Series Directed by: Scott Frank

Series Writing Credits: Scott Frank, Allan Scott, Walter Tevis

Series Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chloe Pirrie, Bill Camp, Marcin Dorocinski, Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Moses Ingram, Harry Melling

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if chess board sales increased in 2020 because of this show. I don’t think I’ve ever watched anything like it. Anya Taylor-Joy is phenomenal and brings a new kind of personality to the show. It takes place around the 1950’s to the 1960’s and introduces the audience to an introverted chess prodigy who goes on to compete in chess tournaments. Beth Harmon becomes a household name, yet the secrets of her success comes at a price. One of my favorite points of the plot has to do with how the writers portray the power and consequences of addiction. It can make you think the worst of yourself, yet make you believe you cannot function without external factors. This makes the ending of the show all the more powerful, reminding the viewer that talent and happiness have always come from within. Another thing to note is how delicious the costuming is in this series. I absolutely adore all of the clothing and set builds, further enhancing the experience. I hope you’ll give it a chance!

Post by: Beauty Kussoy