As someone who considers watching TV to be a legitimate hobby, it's probably a wonder why I've never done a post like this before. It's maybe because I have so many post ideas come my Saturday lifestyle post that it gets pushed to the backburner, but it's largely because I don't think I'd bring much to the table that other blogs or mainstream press aren't already covering. I mean, who actually doesn't know what Game of Thrones is about by now?
So alas, I'm finally getting around to it. I've binged watched enough TV seasons now that I've built up my blog post with tv shows you've maybe heard of but it's not what everyone is talking about. I've watched Game of Thrones, American Horror Story and Orange is the New Black, but I've left those out as any self-respecting TV junky has already watched them. And I've thrown in a film too.
The Carrie Diaries
As far as I'm concerned Sex & The City was one of the best television shows that has ever graced our screens. I know people who vividly disagree with that, but they're not very clever people (and definitely wrong). But the films...yeah, the films. So when I opened up The Carrie Diaries - which follows a 16 year Carrie during her high school years in Connecticut - I wasn't holding my breath. But I liked it, though not for the reasons I was meant to. You see SATC didn't follow the books very well, but TCD did. So you see plot flaws and timeline inaccuracies all over the place. Which has been annoying a ton of die-hard SATC fans. But? It's a really good teen show.
So if you love a witty coming-of-age series, I'd give it a bash. But if you're looking for something to fill your SATC fan girl heart, well, don't hold your breath.
Scream
The Scream movies were a massive part of my teenage years (even if the first one came out when I was learning the alphabet). And I also loved the second film. The third film. And the fourth. Even if everyone else only thinks the first one was any good. So when the MTV show arrived I added it to the top of my list (and finished the first season in two days). Now, this is an 'updated' and 'modern' version of the films staring millennials so the producers (who I guess probably aren't millennials) got a bit overenthusiastic about incorporating social media into the plot (there's a Gayle Weathers-esque character who instead of being a journalist, is a podcaster). And the articles criticising that portrayal of female characters when the original films were Betchel test friendly are legitimate. However, the TV show stays true to the films roots, provides plenty of nods to the original work, and there's jokes only people who've seen the films will laugh at.
Gotham
By now you can tell I'm a sucker for a TV show that adds to a franchise I'm already a fan of. Batman, unlike a lot of cannons, works well in many different forms as the whole thing lacks any definite timeline. Which is probably a good thing. Gotham concentrates on the story of a young Jim Gordon as he strives to be the the moral code in a corrupt city with a corrupt police department in the aftermath of Mr & Mrs Wayne's deaths. The characters are pretty much a who's who of Gotham heroes and villains, but while they were youthful. So backstories central. Carmine Falcone? Check. Selina Kyle pre Catwoman? Check. Edward Nygma pre-Riddler? Check? Young Bruce Wayne? Check. Alfred who is the same age no matter what version of Batman you're looking at? Check. I'll be honest it's not brilliant, but it's decent and I'll keep going forward with the other series.
Hollyoaks #20years
Sorry, but not sorry for this. If you follow me on Twitter you'll know I'm a huge fan of the 'oaks however I was a bigger fan back in my teenage days (the same days as the Hunters and the Deans). Thankfully to mark their 20 years birthday they've went and flung some of their most iconic episodes onto the Channel 4 website. Including their very first episode (which is pretty bad, and stars Will Mellor).
The Goatman Murders
As a teenager I used to watch a shit ton of horror films. Back when I was visiting my parents one summer I decided to try and recreate that and decided to pick the most obscure and random looking horror DVD in ASDA. Took my forever to watch it though. Finally I got round to it and realised it was actually a very low budget horror (despite what the cover suggests). Myself not being a low-budget horror fan decided to invite my friend, who is a fan of low budget horror, round to watch it with me. I sat and visible cringed the entire time whilst he fell about laughing. The DVD now belongs to him.
