by Julien-Pierre “Johnny” Campbell

I have never been much of a TV person. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I’m much more of a reader, a theatre/opera person, or a writer. I get very antsy sitting still, but books and the like occupy my mind decently. During quarantine, however, and at the behest of my fiancee, I’ve been sitting down and binge watching dozens of TV shows.

So, from someone who isn’t much of a TV buff, here’s a list of shows I’d recommend

–That 70s Show

A childhood/high school favorite of my fiancee, this quickly became one of my favorites too. It is definitely a product of its time, and is worth being looked at with a critical eye. That said, the genuine friendship the characters have makes my heart ache with a kind of nostalgia for a time I never knew. My parents, who were in their late teens and early twenties in the 1970s, noted that it is remarkably accurate to their high school years. Its cheeky humor and the growth of its characters makes it a very fun watch.

–iZombie

iZombie is a show I used to love in high school. I’m a horror fan, and zombies are my weakness. So a snarky-sweet assistant medical examiner zombie and her zombie hunter boyfriend made for some campy fun. The acting isn’t the best, nor is the writing, but it’s a lot of fun. The characters are totally lovable, and the plot twists make it worth watching!

-GLOW

I never thought a show about uber-objectified 80s lady wrestlers would be my thing, but it totally is. This is one of the most brilliantly written shows on Netflix, in my opinion. The costuming is incredible, the moral ambiguity of the characters makes them all the more compelling, and the plot is fast-paced and realistic. One of my biggest must-watches!

–The End of the F***ing World

This is one of the darkest shows on my watch-list, but also one of the best. Two teenagers, one of whom thinks he suffers from psychopathy and the other who is simply bored with life, run away. The young actors are incredible! The show is intense and definitely a black comedy, but I highly recommend it!

Look for my Hulu recommendations next time!