Film & TV for the Emotionally Unstable
I’ve always been someone that gets pretty sucked into the stories I watch in movies and tv shows. In college, I went on a Law & Order SVU kick that lasted several months and ended up in me having not one but two trench coats because I wanted to be Olivia Benson. Olivia Benson is bad ass. We should all want to be her at least a little bit.
At its best, I love this digital media because of the amazing stories and intense emotions it can bring up. Characters fascinate me, and some of my favorite shows take a diverse group of individuals and mix them around. Fun times.
At its worst, I realize that I just spent 3 hours sitting on my ass watching Toddlers & Tiaras and TLC extreme medical mini-documentaries. When I realized my TV watching had fallen into the above pattern, I cancelled my cable in 2012 and never looked back.
Now I live in a world of Hulu, Netflix and HBO Now. My film & tv watching is much more selective, but I still get just as sucked into the stories and dramas as I used to. Only now with my life direction so much in question, I find myself having interesting monologues sometimes. Here are some of my (not so deep) thoughts with what I’ve been watching lately. [The rest of this post could contain spoilers]
Her
Oh, perhaps OS dating is the way to go! An OS can’t die… oh wait. Scratch that. Make mental note to not spend much time talking to Siri.
Wild
I should walk more.
Bridget Jone’s Diary
Hugh Grant, you’re so pretty.
Bridget Jone’s Diary II
Hugh Grant, you’re so pretty part two.
MasterChef
:: Eats cold, leftover pizza :: I should cook more.
30 Rock
See? Liz Lemon is way older than me and single and she’s fine! I should just take my writing talents and hike up to NYC. Maybe I can get a job on a show. Maybe I can find an older, rich executive to befriend me and give me life advice. Maybe Tina Fey will be my friend and eat cheese puffs with me? Definitely moving to NYC.
Sex & The City
First Season. I can’t believe these women are supposed to be my age. How are these clothes considered fashionable? By the sixth season… Oh my god, I’m so screwed. I’m never dating again. I’m definitely never moving to NYC.
Doctor Who
Anytime the Tardis wants to show up now would be great. ANYTIME NOW!
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Such hair. Very shoulder pads. Token 90’s gay best friend. Cameron Diaz looks like a baby. Become glad I don’t have a close platonic male friend that I’ve been secretly in love with for all my life. That shit looks complicated.
True Blood
I would be a vampire for Alexander Skarsgård. Mental note – eat less garlic and be on the lookout for pale Swedish men.
Parks and Recreation
Why, hello online shopping. #treatyoself
Nashville
Juliette, if I can move apartments, hire a lawyer, get a court date, sell a house AND settle up things with Verizon wireless SURELY YOU CAN GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. You’re about to not be my favorite anymore. Also, maybe I should consider moving to Nashville?
Archer
Pam is my spirit animal.
Do you have any stream of conscious thinking when watching your favorite TV show?
34 thoughts on “Film & TV for the Emotionally Unstable”
Scandal and The Mindy Project are my favs. I also recommend Jane the Virgin. Can you tell I like shows with a female lead? 🙂
Love Mindy & Jane the Virgin, although I hated how Jane ended last season.
Same about the ending. It was a pure wtf moment. So ready for the return on the 12th. Did we really expect a smooth ending with all that drama though? lolz.
Watching Narcos on Netflix right now- very good. My stream of consciousness during that show may not be appropriate for your blog. 🙂
Now I definitely feel like I need to check out that show! 😉
Sadly, I have always had trouble getting into tv shows. I always seem to be behind the curve on popular tv shows. I intensely dislike reality tv, so that cuts out a huge genre right there. I do hook on to a few shows, but then my interest in them seems to peter out quickly and I abandon them after a few seasons.
Right now, the only show I am committed to is HBO’s Girls. I’ve watched every episode and am eagerly awaiting the 2016 season. I think I like it because it reminds me of living in NYC in my 20’s.
I watched the first two seasons, and really adore Shoshanna. Need to catch back up!
Of course you know, we pretty much love the same movies and shows. The last one Ive been hooked on to is BoJack…. I find myself relating to several of those characters, even the genetically modified/enhanced chicken. “Book Beck!”
Of that list, I’ve seen very little, but I’ve watched every episode of Archer. The number of times a week someone randomly breaks out in MULATTO BUTTS! around here is pretty high.
AND THAT’S HOW YOU GET ANTS!
I could binge watch Archer forever!
We JUST finished binge-watching all 7 seasons of 30 Rock last week; such a delightful show!
I loved Call The Midwife and would highly recommend it! Sherlock is very good, too, but the episodes are like 5 hours long.
Oh! Oh! Watched 2-3 seasons of Call the Midwife. Cried like a baby… often. Great show though!
Also love Call the Midwife, ALSO cried MANY TIMES! (It really doesn’t help that I’m currently pregnant either!!)
Archer is the BEST. I totally used to get stuck in the black hole that is TLC when I had cable. They suck you in with kind of normal-ish shows and then they throw the weird shit at you when you’re already unknowingly committed to watching that channel all day. WTF indeed. Right now I’m watching the Mindy Project for the first time, it’s like junk food, I can’t look away.
Oh man, some of the stuff I think when I am watching shows. But I watch a lot of American Horror Story and Dexter type stuff. So a lot of it has to do with “why the hell did you do that?”
Glad to know I’m not the only one sucked into TV shows. I might have one too many that I watch…Scandal, Law & Order, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Nashville, Shield, The Voice (OMG I laugh uncontrollably at this), Vampire Diaries, Originals, Mysteries of Laura, Newest addiction Blindspot and actually many more. I even put together an excel sheet of when the premieres were so I made sure to DVR them. Now I can have binge tv days. :/ is there such thing as a TV addict? I think I am one.
Lol that last gif is you and me right now. “STOP. TALKING. ABOUT. WEDDING. CARDIGANS.”
Olivia Benson…so cool Taylor swift named her cat after her! But I digress…parenthood is an amazing series.
You could be neighbors with Hills in Nashville.
I’m ridiculously mainstream–Castle (Captain Mal!) and Big Bang Theory here. Though I have been known to binge watch Deadliest Catch in mid-winter, because I like seeing people who’s lives suck more than mine.
They also get paid more. I try not to think about that.
My current binge watch is Outlander. Oh my yes. Yes, yes, yes.
You’re the one who got me hooked on True Blood so let’s not talk about that. You saw Alex first so I suppose he’s yours. Sigh.
Also, Vampire Diaries. Because who doesn’t love a hot bad guy who is actually sorta good. And try White Collar – highly amusing!
In our house we’ve been watching “Longmire” on Netflix… SUCH A GOOD SHOW!! Great plot twists and the main character is just such a stand-up guy. Also a huge Doctor Who fan, and Once Upon A Time is super fun, too.
I still have cable so I still like to watch medical miniseries like tree man and my 600 lb life. I don’t watch any reality tv though, so no toddlers. I can also watch Big Bang Theory pretty much any time of the day. It’s literally on rerun on 2-3 channels at the same time. On Netflix/HBO I really like The Knick, OITNB, GoT, American Horror Story. Also, Pam is totally you’re spirit animal. Love the gifs.
Love me some True Blood and I’m with you on Alex Skarsgard. His dad Stellan is Professor Selvig in the movie Thor. Not as easy on the eyes, but then you have Chris Hemsworth as a distraction so it’s all good…
Otherwise I might recommend a new show called Impastor. It’s got some good twists and some good adult humor.
I forgot to add in another vote for Longmire.
The Good Wife is awesome, and I LOVE Longmire! Also totally hooked on Vikings and Under the Dome. BTW, all of you ladies on this blog make me smile every single day. Thank you for that, and thank you Lauren for continuing to blog through this shitty time in your life.
I too was/am totally obsessed with SVU. I’m rewatching all of the gossip girl episodes now because i have this thing for melodramatic trashy shows. *shrugs* Gilmore Girls is my absolutest most favoritest show ever. If I’m having a hard stressful time I always watch it. I own the whole show and have probably watched the entire seven seasons a minimum of 20 times…….
I don’t have cable either, so I have to buy DVDs or watch online. I love Star Trek TOS, TNG, DS9( Yes, I’m a nerd), and my favorite show is The X-Files, which is coming back in January. I’ve seen a few Doctor Who episodes with my friend. I don’t really watch any newer shows because I don’t find them interesting, so I haven’t seen any of the ones you watch.
Two Broke Girls…. Not deep or profound, just funny 🙂
I also loved Grays Anatomy for years- haven’t kept up lately though.
And I second what you said about Juliette!! Lol
Have you watched Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Netflix yet? It’s entertaining, not particularly mentally taxing, and the strong single lead who doesn’t seem to need a man around is relevant to my interests right now.
I can never decide which character is more me, Mallory Archer or Lana. Probably Mallory, because I’m just that sarcastic and hateful.
I just finished Another Period, the Comedy Central costume-comedy. It made me giggle pretty constantly, which was appreciated.
OMG, too many comments to count. And I get sucked in, so badly that I will binge watch to the point of ignoring my family. Oh, and fanfiction! I get so involved in my favorite shows I read fanfiction about my favorite couples. And as for commenting, I will comment on any inconsistency or incongruity. Ask MArissa, she knows. Or if my favorite couple is taking too long to get together, or if one half of my favorite couples does something boneheaded. Oh, and there are a lot of WTFs. A lot.
Haha this made me chuckle. I am a tv addict and also have BPD and this is the first time I’ve read a page that totally gets me!!!
Your comments on moving to nyc and nashville are me all over… I am currently obsessed with house of cards, nashville, scandal, greys, good wife, Homeland, castle and Big Bang!!
House of cards – I want money to be that powerful!
Nashville – I want to be a singer who gets houses and husbands like Juliette!
Scandal – I want Olivia’s wardrobe!
Castle – want becketts wardrobe and believe I could be a detective!
Big Bang, – wish I had a flat with neighbours and friends like that and ooh can I move to LA please!!
It’s an escape that I don’t think others understand but I totally relate and my family and friends just see me as a tv addict and that’s fine.. Thanks for your blog, if you have more?