Shows I Started Watching in 2015
Show:
The Daily Show (1996/2015)
What I Liked:
To be clear, I watched this back in the day when Jon, and the Steves were killing it; however, Trevor Noah is a comic worth watching on such a big stage. As a bonus Nadia took me to see Trevor play Toronto right before his episodes started airing this year.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I will watch ALL the Trevor Noah episodes I can!
Show:
Black Mirror (2011)
What I Liked:
There were too many people I respect, like Ian, who were watching this show for me not to check it out. I enjoy most of the concepts on this show, but the stories always seem so dark and mean spirited. Maybe I'm just not bout that life... The Jon Hamm Christmas special was what I thought the whole series would be like. Bad people getting their comeuppance but that's not to say that there weren't some really cool episodes throughout.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I'll keep an eye out for the next batch of episodes, but wouldn't be sad if they never came to fruition.
Show:
Black-ish (2014)
What I Liked:
I'm still on the first season... like really early first season, but, the episode where Kanye's neighbour/friend (@4:20) thinks her son's softball announcer is being racist is my favourite and is what I want more of. However, and this is a big one, my desire for this show to be better than ok due to the nature of it ultimately being put in the position of being the bastion of "black" television has left me underwhelmed by the show. I guess I'm too close to the material of this show espeically because of when I was born and how I anticipate raising my kids. I want the show to dig deeper.
Will I Keep Watching?:
My mom seems to think it's great... so yeah, I'd love to be able to keep talking about it with her.
Show:
How to Get Away with Murder (2014)
What I Liked:
If anyone was going to get me to watch a non HBO/ShowTime drama it's going to be Viola Davis. If we ignore the character Wes, I think the show is pretty engaging, especially since they have a show you the end result and work backwards approach to story telling so you can guess at what will happen with each episode.
Will I Keep Watching?:
It is mandatory Pauline & YG viewing nowadays... so yeah!
Show:
Scrotal Recall (2014)
What I Liked:
I enjoyed the set up of each episode being a trip back in time to one of Dylan's romantic encounters. However, I always wanted the actor playing Luke to switch places with the actor playing Dylan. I might be the only one who wanted that. If you fancy yourself someone who just 'gets' British humor, I bet this is a show to watch. Otherwise you can enjoy seeing British actors from other things you might have seen in this show.
Will I Keep Watching?:
If Netflix ever makes with a second season, I'll be on it!
Show:
Agent Carter (2015)
What I Liked:
Anytime I get to watch Haley Atwell operate as Peggy Carter I'm down, but this really did not deliver on what the internet was saying was a great show. What became even more of a let down was the fact that this show has turned into a full on series as opposed to the mini-series event I thought it was going to be. Here's a theme you'll see a lot going forward; Marvel does not need to extend their universe to TV.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I really don't know. Will my enjoyment of Hayley Atwell's portrayal of Peggy Carter win out over my distaste for Marvel trying to connect to their cinematic through tv?
Show:
Another Period (2015)
What I Liked:
There are some good jokes in this show and if you like the State and Ben Stiller then every episode is littered with "OH MY GOD IT's (fill in the blank)" moments. However, the one knock against this show I have is that Artemis Pebdani didn't make it past the first episode. No disrespect to the actress who took over her role, but Artemis was able to hold her own and had a chance to make her character be the stand out... wait a minute... maybe that's why she didn't make it.
Will I Keep Watching?:
If I remember it's on next year, I'll definitely watch.
Show:
Better Call Saul (2015)
What I Liked:
I was never a Saul Goodman fan. Why I chose to watch this show is beyond me. I guess I was up for some Mike fun, but the show took too long to get to him and now I'm sitting here like... I gotta get to the fireworks factory. From what I've seen there is undeniable talent on display but much like Breaking Bad I'm only watching because everyone else is talking about it. It's not the best TV I've seen.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I'll comit to finishing the first season then reassess.
Show:
Daredevil (2015)
What I Liked:
If you'd like an aural version of what I think of this show, listen HERE. To sum it up in print, however, I liked the show, didn't think it needed to be connected to the MCU, and though it felt too much like Law & Order at times, it is one of the best Comic Book TV shows.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Definitely, they're bringing out some big guns next season!
Show:
Empire (2015)
What I Liked:
This is a soap opera through and through, but boy does it suck you in. Yes you'll be enchanted by the star power in this show, especially if you love New York Under Cover and Cool Runnings. However, the music (by Timbo the King) mixed with Cookie taking back what's hers an episode at a time will have you tuning in without an ounce of irony.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Yep.
Show:
Fresh off the Boat (2015)
What I Liked:
Brooo, Brooooo! Listen to the kids, Bro! Fresh off the Boat is my favourite show of 2015! And no it's not because the parents who run all three kids' Twitters interacted with me on Twitter after I wrote this post HERE. But if you read said post, you'll get an idea of why I like the show sooo much!
Will I Keep Watching?:
YUP!
Show:
Jessica Jones (2015)
What I Liked:
Once again, the aural assessment of this addition to the Marvel cannon is HERE. However, since you're reading this I might as well tell you I dug this show... A LOT! My only problem is that I don't buy a world where people have lived through the events of both Avenger movies but scoff incredulously when mind control is brought up, let alone having that person be someone with impenetrable skin and super strength.
Will I Keep Watching?:
You're darn tootin I want to see the continued stories of Jessica and Luke!
Show:
The Jinx (2015)
What I Liked:
I liked the last three episodes. In some sense I guess it was a slow burn whodunnit with Robert being the person everyone immediately goes, "oh it's him." But, watching him try to rationalize what he's done and see his body reject it is amazing TV.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Like Peggy up above, I hope this does not go any further.
Show:
The Last Man on Earth (2015)
What I Liked:
If you like cringe comedy, you're going to dig this show. It's hard to buy Will Forte as a crummy guy at first, but boy will you be sold by the end of season one. I doff my cap to him. Plus I'm glad Kristen Schaal is killing all her scenes while also getting to have some dimensions to her character.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I'm definitely in to keep watching.
Show:
Man Seeking Woman (2015)
What I Liked:
I'm not the target audience for "stoner comedies" but i feel like this is a real stoner comedy. There are such surreal moments played so straight that I it's trippy without the augmentation of any other substance. I'm also happy to see Eric Andre play it relatively restrained in a show that films in Toronto so that Pauline and I can bump into him before seeing the, honestly, not that bad, Robert De Niro film, The Intern.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Sure.
Show:
Master of None (2015)
What I Liked:
If you don't know by now, I like comedy that has some emotional gut punches in there for good measure. I think the episode that focused on parents and how everyone gets to an age where they try to block them out will resonate with a lot of people and get them to reach out to the parental figures in their life. I liked that this show proved Aziz is more than thinking of funny names for food and doing Randy on stage. He's a thoughtful dude, word to the brown face episode and dope hip hop soundtrack.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Mos def.
Show:
Mr. Robot (2015)
What I Liked:
I liked that first cafe scene, bruh! It felt like Dexter in it's heyday without the blood and knives. The show definitely moved away from that as the season went on and I was ok with that. However, I really didn't think the twists were as obvious to see as the internet made them out to be. Some of them didn't make sense within the world the show created, but, I'm never good at spotting twists, word to Edward James Olmos in Dexter.
Will I Keep Watching?:
I've got to.
Show:
Schitt's Creek (2015)
What I Liked:
I like the Canadian powerhouses that are Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. However, the show didn't offer up much else to enjoy and unfortunately, the show dropped off the radar for Pauline and me.
Will I Keep Watching?:
Nah.
Show:
Scream (2015)
What I Liked:
I liked the time spent with Pauline as we watched in disbelief while a main character on a show kept making the case that she should be killed off episode after episode. The Topher Grace lite in the gif above started off strong then I was more and more ok with him being killed off too.
Will I Keep Watching?:
The show made a good point in an early episode, you can't do a slasher film as a TV show... they were right, one season was enough.
Show:
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)
What I Liked:
I am a huge Ellie Kemper and Tina Fey fan. I thought Ellie was wasted in Bridesmaids and was happy that the intersecting talent of Tina and Ms Kempercreated the first Netflix original I consumed in under a week not called Arrested Development Season 4. That trial at the end goes hard!
Will I Keep Watching?:
Yes please!
-YG