I've previously professed my love for The Good Wife, but I've found some new loves in its absence this summer.
First of all - Breaking Bad.
Why oh why oh whyyyyy did I not listen when people told me how good this show is years ago? Several of the guys at work are obsessed with it and my mom kept telling me I would love it, so I decided to re-sign up for Netflix and watch it. I was skeptical since the last show that everyone said I'd love (The Wire) did not end up interesting me in the slightest, but OMG I AM OBSESSED WITH BREAKING BAD. I watch it on the bus, on my lunch break, on the treadmill, and when I'm laying in bed at night.
It's taken me about 3 weeks to plow through almost the first 3 seasons (no spoilers please!).
Seriously EVERY EPISODE is so good.
Go. Watch it. Fantasize about making meth to pay off your student loans. Wonder which one of your former professors/high school chem teachers is slingin dope to help out his family. Etc.
My other obsession: Our America with Lisa Ling. I have no idea why this show is only on OWN and not a major network. I think Lisa Ling is an incredible journalist and the shows are SO well done. The last two in particular have been personal favorites of mine, as they've been about two of my obsessions/issues I'm most passionate about.
Last night's episode was about wrongful convictions.
From Oprah's website: In America, we're innocent until proven guilty. But when the system fails, how can an innocent person restart their life? Lisa explores the lives of men who were wrongly convicted, and one man on death row whose daughter is fighting for the truth.
Lisa told the story of an Alabama death row inmate who has had 5+ execution dates and may very well be innocent, as well as talking to some men who have been proven innocent and released from jail to find out what life is like after prison for something you didn't do. While she barely touched on several of the HUGE issues with wrongful convictions (the two that come to mind first being racial issues and why someone confesses to a crime they did not commit), I thought that the show did an excellent job showing what it's like to be someone who spent decades in jail for a crime they were later proven to be innocent of.
(Video from the episode)
The week before was a show about a man dealing with being a registered sex offender on parole after almost 20 years in prison for a poorly investigated alleged "statutory rape" involving him and a 16 year old girl when he was in high school. Oh yeah and the statutory rape was actually touching of her breast, which may or may not have actually happened. (!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(Videos from that episode)
And a few weeks before that was a story about young women in the convent which, as a lifelong Catholic who has felt absolutely zero call to that sort of ministry, I also found fascinating. (Side note - I have an aunt who is a Catholic convent dropout. ... Have I ever mentioned that before?)
Okay - so those are my TV obsessions for now. Netflix on my iPhone makes the treadmill and public transportation time go a whole lot faster, so I think I'm generally a more pleasant person with more TV in my life. I think after I get current with Breaking Bad and Damages I am going to start Sons of Anarchy. Anything else I need to ad to my Netflix queue? Or good articles/studies/case law on statutory rape or wrongful convictions?
First of all - Breaking Bad.
Why oh why oh whyyyyy did I not listen when people told me how good this show is years ago? Several of the guys at work are obsessed with it and my mom kept telling me I would love it, so I decided to re-sign up for Netflix and watch it. I was skeptical since the last show that everyone said I'd love (The Wire) did not end up interesting me in the slightest, but OMG I AM OBSESSED WITH BREAKING BAD. I watch it on the bus, on my lunch break, on the treadmill, and when I'm laying in bed at night.
It's taken me about 3 weeks to plow through almost the first 3 seasons (no spoilers please!).
Seriously EVERY EPISODE is so good.
Go. Watch it. Fantasize about making meth to pay off your student loans. Wonder which one of your former professors/high school chem teachers is slingin dope to help out his family. Etc.
My other obsession: Our America with Lisa Ling. I have no idea why this show is only on OWN and not a major network. I think Lisa Ling is an incredible journalist and the shows are SO well done. The last two in particular have been personal favorites of mine, as they've been about two of my obsessions/issues I'm most passionate about.
Last night's episode was about wrongful convictions.
From Oprah's website: In America, we're innocent until proven guilty. But when the system fails, how can an innocent person restart their life? Lisa explores the lives of men who were wrongly convicted, and one man on death row whose daughter is fighting for the truth.
Lisa told the story of an Alabama death row inmate who has had 5+ execution dates and may very well be innocent, as well as talking to some men who have been proven innocent and released from jail to find out what life is like after prison for something you didn't do. While she barely touched on several of the HUGE issues with wrongful convictions (the two that come to mind first being racial issues and why someone confesses to a crime they did not commit), I thought that the show did an excellent job showing what it's like to be someone who spent decades in jail for a crime they were later proven to be innocent of.
(Video from the episode)
The week before was a show about a man dealing with being a registered sex offender on parole after almost 20 years in prison for a poorly investigated alleged "statutory rape" involving him and a 16 year old girl when he was in high school. Oh yeah and the statutory rape was actually touching of her breast, which may or may not have actually happened. (!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(Videos from that episode)
And a few weeks before that was a story about young women in the convent which, as a lifelong Catholic who has felt absolutely zero call to that sort of ministry, I also found fascinating. (Side note - I have an aunt who is a Catholic convent dropout. ... Have I ever mentioned that before?)
Okay - so those are my TV obsessions for now. Netflix on my iPhone makes the treadmill and public transportation time go a whole lot faster, so I think I'm generally a more pleasant person with more TV in my life. I think after I get current with Breaking Bad and Damages I am going to start Sons of Anarchy. Anything else I need to ad to my Netflix queue? Or good articles/studies/case law on statutory rape or wrongful convictions?
Like you, I have waited to get on the Breaking Bad bandwagon but feel like it's not too late!! I need to watch it!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I feel like The Wire is one of the best shows ever made. I'll admit I wasn't pulled in the first few episodes, but then I started paying attention (my husband initiated our watching it) after awhile and I was truly addicted afterwards. I was SO disappointed when I finished the last season (on Netflix) and discovered that the series was discontinued. I was craving more!
ReplyDeleteMaybe give it another try? Idris Alba is amazing, I think, in the show. Actually, all the actors are good. They also look like real people, not all made up and fake like most shows. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it more, lol.
Sorry about the rant--gotta defend The Wire!
I watched like 7 or 8 episodes of it and never could get in to it.. I really tried! Lol
DeleteMaybe I'll try again once I'm done with what I'm currently watching!
You must add the Breakout Kings to your list! The past two seasons are on Netflix and A&E is probably running reruns of the third season right now.
ReplyDeleteOOOOH yeah heard that one is good too! Lord I am going to become a TV junkie. I feel like I've had so much time on my hands with not bar studying, ha!
DeleteI am absolutely obsessed with Breaking Bad. I just started watching a few weeks ago and am all caught up. I, too, was watching at every chance I could get. Just wait for season 4...just...unreal.
DeleteThe first time I tried to watch Dexter, I didn't get the hype and couldn't get into it. About a year later, I gave it another shot and got sucked in. I'm also now obsessed with Dexter.
I will have to check out Breaking Bad. Have you seen The Killing on Netflix? I started watching it after seeing that Kate & William are into it, and figured I would check it out. Its AMAZING. I watched season 1 that same day. All day.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I am WAY impressed with how much better the Netflix app is now. When it first came out, it hardly ever worked and I kind of forgot about it. Now I use it all of the time, pretty much the same as you (on the bus, during lunch, at the gym). I just finished watching the first 2 seasons of Parenthood and now I'm moving on to Breaking Bad! If you haven't already watched Friday Night Lights, all of the seasons are on Instant, so that could fill up some time for you:)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where my comment went :-).....
DeleteHi, I've been reading your blog for years now but have never commented. I wanted to today after reading this post. Have you heard of the West Memphis Three? In 1993 three 8-year old boys were brutally murdered in West Memphis, AR. Three other teenagers were convicted of the crime. Two of the boys were sentenced to life in prison, and the third was sentenced to death. HBO did a 3 part documentary called Paradise Lost. Also, a reporter from Little Rock, AR--Mara Leveritt--wrote a book called Devils Knot about the case. After 18 years and 72 days time served, on August 19, 2011 the three men were released from prison as part of an Alford plea deal. You should check it out. By the way I love your blog! :-)
One of the occasional characters on Breakout Kings comes from the show Prison Break, which is also an addictive show. There wasn't an episode of Prison break that I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteMy hubs and I jumped on the Breaking Bad bandwagon this summer too...only through season 1, but we are loving it!
ReplyDeletei have hit rock bottom. I spent my lunchtime in my car watching Breaking Bad on Netflix on my phone. Someone please say this is normal. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso big into Breaking Bad. Last Sunday started my day with Chipotle and the first episode of Homeland. Ended it with Thai delivery and the 12th episode. Full season in 1 day. Epic Sunday. I'm a piece of shit. But the show definitely is not! Showtime on demand.
ReplyDelete