August Binge Fest – TV Shows
After a pretty busy July, watching new shows was a little slow. August released a lot of solid content and provided an opportunity to catch up. Here’s my thoughts!
The Umbrella Academy – Season 2 (Netflix)
Netflix kicked off August strong with Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy, where we found or seven superpowered individuals stuck in the 1960s, once again trying to stop the Apocalypse. I really enjoyed the first season, but the second season easily surpassed it. This time around the flow was much better and generally less depressing. Add the same group of zany characters and you have a super powered comedic knockout. Arguably the winner for all of August… until the last entry in this post came out…
Billions – Season 5 (Showtime)
Finally caught up on Season 5… well the first half of season 5.1 After a lackluster season 4, I wasn’t all that excited, but the addition of Corey Stoll and a change in focus has brought life back into Billions. Thank God. This show was heading down a bad path after an incredible first couple seasons, but it might be back! Although there is a strong argument that Billions is worth watching purely for Wags.
Hanna – Season 2 (Amazon Prime)
Every once in a while, you just gotta watch a teenage girl murder a whole lot of people. It’s fun! Another show I was hesitant to start despite a pretty solid first season. I’m glad I stuck with it, because after about an episode and a half of the new season I couldn’t stop watching. Just like the first season, the show thrives when the titular anti-hero is out on the hunt or interacting with people in the real world. Any time Hanna’s hiding in the woods, it’s damn boring. Good news though! She doesn’t actually spend that much time in the woods. If you like action thrillers, you’ll like Hanna. Think teenage girl with Jason Bourne syndrome.2
Upload – Season 1 (Amazon Prime)
Upload came out a few months ago, but I’m really glad this didn’t completely slip through the cracks. Imagine a future where, right before you die, your consciousness gets uploaded into a virtual reality where you’ll spend the rest of eternity. I expected a comedy not to be taken too seriously, but Upload ended up being pretty surprised by how intriguing the story is. Best part though? Ten 30 minute episodes, so it’s a quick watch. Robbie’s got the right idea here.
Dark – Seasons 1,2,3 (Netflix)
I’m gonna go out on a limb and call Dark the hidden jewel of Netflix. Following four families in Germany, when one of the younger kids goes missing in town, one teenager discovers that everyone he knows is connected in both the present and the past, all due to time travel. Dark ties together drama, mystery, sci-fi, and thriller vibes flawlessly… and for a show that brings in time travel as the key element, it also feels quite grounded.3 SO HERE’S THE THING THOUGH. It may or may not all be in German. Okay, so the whole thing is in German. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it either… but then after a few episodes I was hooked and didn’t care. Don’t most people watch everything with subtitles anyways? Just try it.
Euphoria – Season 1 (HBO)
I did it! I finally watched Euphoria! Great show! So many drugs! Excited for Season 2! Zendaya is a national treasure!
But seriously, I knew there was a lot of hype here, but I wasn’t sold on whether or not I would like it. What I didn’t know was how in depth it would dive into the issues that teenagers face today. Saying that, Euphoria probably isn’t for everyone. Undoubtedly targeted for the 18-35 demo, it is definitely inappropriate for the under 18 group and as for those a little bit older… I don’t know. Maybe you’ll like it, but I would guess approval ratings will be under 50%. Seriously though, Zendaya is going to be around for a while. She can do it all.
Cobra Kai – Seasons 1,2 (Netflix)
So everyone’s seen The Karate Kid, right? Everyone knows Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi are the heroes and Johnny Lawrence and the Cobra Kai Dojo are the villains. Okay now who has seen How I Met Your Mother? You know how Barney is convinced the LaRusso is actually the bad guy in Karate Kid and Johnny is the one that got screwed over? Well somebody decided to make a show where you actually sympathize with Johnny. In fact, he’s the hero!… Despite being a huge dick. Set 30 years after the movies, Johnny brings back the Cobra Kai dojo, leading Daniel to create a competing dojo and the war between the two is re-ignited. This show is awesome, hysterical, and full of heart. Cobra Kai wins in August for Netflix.
