What I've Been Binge-Watching & Loving: Vampires, Likable Serial Killers, Quirky Families & Awkward British Sex

As a writer, I consider watching quality (and sometimes not-so-quality) television as part of my job. Yes, I do it for fun, too, but great television shows can also fill the creative well and offer a lot of inspiration. That’s why I’m glad I live in the time of streaming TV. I love being able to focus on just a handful of shows and watch them in close enough succession to see the story and character arcs in all their glory.

However, sometimes I don’t know which show to pick. There are so many now! In fact, one of these shows was selected for me by my reader group The Fearless Romantics when I went to them for suggestions. (And they were totally spot on!) So in case you suffer from the same affliction, I’m sharing some of the ones I’ve been loving lately and who I think they’d be a good fit for.

If you’re like me and missed the Buffy the Vampire Slayer phenomenon…

This was the show that my reader group overwhelmingly voted to be my next binge watch. Now, I obviously was aware of the show and had probably seen a few episodes randomly here and there back in the day. But season 1 premiered in March of 1997. That was two months before I graduated high school. I had so much going on during that time that I wasn’t in a place to pick up new TV shows. So I missed the train.

However, I’m so glad that I’m no longer out of that loop. I started watching season one in October 2018 and got through all 144 episodes this past Wednesday. That is a LOT of episodes, y’all, especially considering I only watched TV at night because I was drafting a book at the same time. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. The characters, the humor, the horror, and romance were all like TV crack to me. I should’ve known. I’ve always appreciated a good vampire story. I loved the True Blood series and the first few seasons of The Vampire Diaries (I still have seasons to catch up with on that one.) But I didn’t expect to get through these that quickly and to grow so attached.

That’s why I got enormously excited this week when I was browsing in a Barnes and Noble and randomly spotted the new Kiersten White book Slayer, which just came out and takes place in the Buffy universe. That came home with me.

So most of you are probably like, wow, how have you never watched this before? But if you’re like me and missed it, it’s a good one to dive into if you like supernatural shows. Some seasons are stronger than others, and don’t judge it by the first short season. I don’t think Joss Whedon took more control until the very end of season one. Things picked up after that.

My favorite seasons were seasons 2 and 3. I really loved season 6, too, until late in the season when they had a scene with my favorite character, Spike, acting in a way that didn’t make since for his character or the story arc. That pissed me off. I still loved the season, but that put a damper on it. The last season was just meh for me but still worth watching.

I’m now moving onto Angel, the spinoff, which has five seasons for me to enjoy. :)

Where to stream: Hulu

If you’re into snarky serial killers who think they’re in their own rom com movie…

The show YOU is based on a book of the same name by Caroline Kepnes, and I’m not sure how I first heard about it, but I’m glad I found it. Joe is a bookstore owner and seems to outsiders like an every day nice guy. He could be the Tom Hanks character in a rom com. That is, until you hear his inner thoughts, which are done voiceover style in the show, and he starts stalking a woman he’s interested in. Joe is a sociopath, but the beauty of this show/book is that he’s so snarky and smug (and kind to children), that he’s oddly likable. The female lead, on the other hand, isn’t all that likable so you kind of understand why Joe has issues with some of her actions. (Not that it justifies his behavior of course, lol.)

The show can be over the top and don’t watch with your kids nearby because it’s explicit, but it’s a compelling ride with a lot of tension and dark humor. I found that the middle of the season slowed a bit because it ventured a little too far into the over the top territory, but it picked up again toward the end. There will be a second season, but until then, I’ve picked up book 2 on audiobook.

Where to stream: I started watching YOU when it was streaming on Lifetime, but it has recently moved to Netflix, so it’s easy to access.

If you’re into edgy and smart yet endearing shows about the messiness of being a teenager…

Sex Education is a new show that just premiered on Netflix last week. I’ve already watched 6 of the 8 episode season if that tells you anything about how much I’m enjoying it. This is considered a “dramedy” and I’d say that’s an apt description but leans more to comedy. I’ve laughed out loud a lot for this one. It follows Otis, a teen whose mother is a sex therapist (played by Gillian Anderson.) He pairs up with the edgy outcast girl at his high school and they start charging other teens for sex therapy. Otis is awkward and adorable and earnest. You can’t help but be endeared. And his best friend and the female lead are equally as compelling. This kind of feels like if John Hughes movies had been explicit. It has that nostalgic quality, too, even though it’s set in present day. The show captures the awkwardness of being a teen full of hormones, insecurity, and angst. Warning: this show is explicit with nudity, sex, and language. Also, it’s British, so the accents can be a little bit of a challenge. My American ear needs to put on subtitles for this one to help. But I love this show and hope that it continues for many more seasons.

Where to stream: Netflix

If you need something that the whole family can enjoy…

My son and I always pick one or two sitcoms to watch together. It’s our thing. We started with The Goldbergs about two years ago, and when we caught up, we needed another one to binge together. It’s surprisingly hard to find sitcoms that are appropriate for an 11-year old and are also not “kid” shows that I won’t be into. The Middle has been the perfect choice post-Goldbergs. I missed this show during it’s regular run, but kidlet and I have been working our way through the seasons over the past year and we’ve reached the final season. We’re still in the beginning of season 9, but already I’m feeling sad that we’re getting to the end. This show has stayed consistently good through nine seasons, and you really do grow attached to the family. So if you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy, this is a funny and heartwarming show that hits the spot.

Where to stream: Unfortunately this one isn’t on any subscription streaming service, though I think you can get some on ABC’s website.. You can set up to record reruns which I believe play on Freeform. But we ended up buying most of the seasons on Amazon. For some reason, Amazon didn’t have the last season so we had to buy it on VUDU.

So, that’s what I’m watching. What have you watched lately that you’d recommend? Anyone else watching any of the above?

What I'm Watching This Summer

Summertime is the time of sunshine and the outdoors...well, in other places. Here in Dallas, summertime is full of sunshine and unbearable heat. Today it's 90 and it feels like autumn to me because we've been dealing with 105-110 temperatures for over two weeks and 90 truly feels like relief. We'll get a few days of this before the temperature races back up again.

But all this is to say that in summer, I often end up catching up on TV watching because we're indoors hiding from the heat. So I thought I'd pass along what I'm watching this summer both on TV and YouTube. And I'd love to hear what interesting shows you've found recently!

For pure soapy reality TV

Big Brother on CBS

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm a long time Big Brother fan. I look forward to it every summer, and it's become a family tradition. Hubs and I love all the strategy and personality dynamics. Kidlet loves all the competitions. (We fast forward through any not-safe-for-10-year-olds moments.) It's quite a commitment with three episodes a week, but I eat it up like candy. My favorite contestant this year in Tyler. I love that he came on and was all "I'm just a dumb, cute lifeguard" and has turned out to be the most socially strategic and smart player so far. The writer in me loves characters, and Big Brother always gives me good fodder for analysis.

Fun for the Whole Family

The Middle

Last summer kidlet and I picked a show to binge watch together for device-free summer. Last year was The Goldbergs, which has become a family favorite (and kidlet obsession) now. This summer, we've picked The Middle. (Side note: finding a truly family friendly modern sitcom is a challenge! But this one fits the bill.) We're almost done with season 2 and are really enjoying it. If you want to binge watch this one, it's not streaming anywhere for free (last I checked) but Freeform and the Hallmark channel have been running the seasons marathon style and we've been taping them, so look for that.

For the Music Lover

The Big Interview with Dan Rather

This is one hubs found on one of his favorite channels AXS. Dan Rather interviews famous musicians. (He may interview more than musicians, but the ones we've watched have all been musicians.) These interviews were taped a few years ago, but they are fascinating. Dan Rather is a master interviewer, and if you love music, you'll love the stories he pulls out of the people he puts in his interview chair. So far we've watched interviews with Greg Allman of The Allman Brothers, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Even if you don't know much about the particular band/artist (I knew hardly anything about The Allman Brothers) the interviews will pull you in. Highly recommended.

For Nostalgia or a Peek Inside 90s Teenhood

My So-Called Life

I mentioned a while back that I was so excited that one of my favorite podcast duos were starting the My So-Called Podcast where they rewatch episodes of My So-Called Life and then comment on them. This has been so much fun--to rewatch one of my very favorite shows from my teen years through adult eyes and then follow each episode up by listening to Jillian and Patrick pick apart the episodes in a funny yet respectful superfan kind of way. It's made it such a multi-layered experience. It's made me laugh a lot but also has made me wonder what the hell I was thinking loving Jordan Catalano (played by Jared Leto) back when I was 14. I mean, yes, he's beautiful, but dude, he was SUCH a jerk on that show. Adult Me totally wants to yell at him for his behavior. Anyway, if you want to rewatch or watch for the first time. Here's where you can stream it and here's where you can find the podcast.

For Your Brain

The 2000s on CNN

CNN has made series about many of the decades and every time, I am so here for it. I believe they started with The Sixties. That's the first one I watched at least, and they've gone on to make a series for each decade. This summer it is The 2000s. The show is produced by Tom Hanks and is done in such a great way that I get hooked every time. Each show will take one topic of that decade and do a deep dive. So, for instance, the episode we watched this week was all about technology and the "I-Decade"--the iPod, iPhone, iPad, social media, etc. Even though we all lived through it, it's fascinating to look back and really think about how much has changed so quickly. There was also an episode on TV shows in the 2000s and then there are the political ones (9/11, the Iraq War, etc.). I believe there is a music one coming up. All very well done. And if you haven't watched the previous seasons--60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s--they've all been fantastic.

For Your Body and Mind

Yoga with Adriene

I am trying to create a yoga habit, but I have trouble making it to classes because the timing never works out. So I've started doing yoga in the mornings at home. There are tons of free videos on YouTube, but I've found that the ones I like the best are from Yoga with Adriene. The videos are well shot, the routines are doable, there are lots of routines of varying length if I don't have a lot of time. Plus, Adriene is easy to follow and comes across as very down to earth. If you're looking to get some yoga into your life, check out her channel.

For the Planner Lover and Writers

Heart Breathings with Sarra Cannon

Y'all know I love a planner and anything having to do with productivity systems. I recently returned from the RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference where I met up with the writer/planner group I'm in online. So fun! And I happened to sit next to author Sarra Cannon who had brought her 90-day planner. I loved her set up and found out she has a YouTube channel where she talks about all things planning and writing. I blame her for the kanban board I put together this week. But if you're a planner girl (or guy!) like me, her channel is worth checking out. 

That's all I've got for y'all today! Tell me what you're watching and loving this summer. : )

Two Binge-Worthy TV Shows Based on Books

It's that time of the week again--Friday! :) Normally, on Fridays I give you a Friday Read pick. But the last two weeks have required me to do things that involve intense concentration (going through copyedits, checking for typos, getting everything ready for By the Hour's release, etc.) So after hours of doing that, my brain can't face more printed words. So, I've been doing some TV binge watching in evenings to give myself a break. And I've found two totally binge-worthy shows to recommend. And bonus, they're both shows based on books!

First, is Big Little Lies on HBO. This series is based on a book by LIane Moriarty. I haven't read the book, but I was intrigued by the premise and the show had a great cast, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did. This show is dark and suspenseful, yet it's not hard to recognize people you may know in the characters. The perfectionistic mom who really is trying to hold it together. The couple that every one envies because they seem so in love, but no one really knows what the relationship is like in private. The single mom who's just trying to do best by her kid but has her own demons. So it's relatable in that way. And no character is purely "good" so everyone is very layered. 

What I liked best about the show is that it's a fully contained story in 7 episodes. You get a wrapped up ending and aren't committing to some ongoing series. I really enjoyed it and found the ending satisfying. I also liked that it's very focused on the female characters.

I'm not sure if you can get it regular streaming, but I assume it's on HBO streaming and you can get it on Amazon with a free HBO trial.

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Next up is one I mentioned on Monday. I chose the new Netflix show Thirteen Reasons Why for my "watch" portion of April's Read and Watch Challenge. The premise of the show is a high school girl has committed suicide, but she left behind 13 cassette tapes where she narrates her reasons why. The tapes get sent to a certain list of people whom she picked to hear them. So the narrative jumps back and forth in time, showing you everyone before and the main character listening to the tapes in the present. There's a big element of suspense in the show because you don't know how everyone played into the suicide and Clay, the main character listening to the tapes, doesn't know what role he played and is bracing for hearing it on the tapes.

I started this week and am three episodes in, so I can't speak to the whole show yet. But what I can say is that so far, the show is really well done and very compelling. I read the book years ago, so I can't remember the details of the story, which is making this all new to me again. It's definitely one that when one episode ends, I immediately want to click "play next episode". Fair warning, I know this was a YA book but the show does have language and some brief nudity. it's a TV-MA rating, so be aware of that if you have kiddos around.

All right, that's what I've got for you this week. Hope you have a great weekend!

What I'm Watching: Something Funny, Something Scary, & Something Sentimental

One of the things that has gotten pushed to the back burner since I began a serious writing career (and had a child) is TV watching. A lot of people assume that since I work from home, I must get the chance to watch a lot of TV. But truth is, when I'm home during the day, I'm in my office, working. I can't remember the last time I watched TV during the day on a weekday. And in the evening, it's family time and dinner time and dishes time. So when I get that hour or so with the hubs after kidlet goes to bed, I have to choose shows wisely. And lately, I've gotten pretty lucky. Here's what I'm watching:

Something Funny:

Jane the Virgin (The CW)- Okay, so I'm not up to date (so don't tell me any spoilers) but I started a Netflix binge of this at Christmastime and am a good way into the first season. It's funny and silly and over the top. All the characters are interesting and the structure (kind of tongue and cheek about telenovelas) is fresh and entertaining. If you're not watching this one yet and like a show that will make you laugh (and has some romance and hot guys), then check this one out. 

Something Scary:

Killing Fields (Discovery Channel) - This is a true crime show about a cold case from 1997 in Louisiana that happened near LSU. The show itself is creepy because of what it's about, but it's particularly chilling for me because I was at LSU during the time of that murder and the serial killer that was murdering students. One of my grad school classmates was a victim (though her case also remains unsolved, most assume she was part of the serial killings). So this whole story hits very close to home for me and brings me back to a very scary time. However, the show is well done and compelling. I don't know how it will end (and they apparently taped it in real time), but I'm really hoping they solve the case. 

Something Sentimental:

American Idol (Fox) - I have watched every season of American Idol from the beginning, which was when I married hubs. So it's been an annual part of our routine from the start. I'm sad that this is the last season because I've never really taken to the other singing shows like I have this one, but I get that everything comes to an end. Hopefully, it will be a good one.

So that's what I'm watching? What's on your TV lately? Any recommendations?

Question: Book Series/TV Show You Wish You Could Experience Again for the 1st Time #atozchallenge

Photo by Nina Matthew Photography (click pic for link)For those of you who aren't familiar, the RT Convention is not necessarily a writer's conference--it's a readers convention. So a good portion of the attendees are not writers, they're fans. This gives a whole different feel to the convention, and it's a lot of fun to see the enthusiasm of readers interacting with their favorite authors.

And this past week I had the pleasure of attending a panel given by a group of paranormal authors including Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series), Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress series), and moderated by Richelle Mead (The Vampire Academy series). Now I'm a big fan of both the Sookie Stackhouse books and The Vampire Academy, but I've never read Jeaniene Frost. So when fans in the audience would whoop and clap when Jeaniene mentioned something about certain characters or books, it made me want to read the books. Clearly, they must be good if people are so passionate about them.

And that got me to thinking--wow, there's this whole great series I've clearly missed out on. But now I get the lovely opportunity to experience these books as a series "virgin". It will all be new to me and I hope that when I do get a chance to pick them up, I feel as rabid as those fans in that room did.

It also got me to thinking about which books and TV shows I wish I could go back in time for and re-experience again because that first time was so, so good. You can always re-read something, but it's never quite like that first time when everything was new and unexpected, when your emotion was fully invested in it.

So I want to know which series or TV shows have given you that "wish I could go back again" feeling.

Here are some of mine...

The Sookie Stackhouse books

The Vampire Academy books

Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Series

The Wrinkle in Time books by Madeleine L'Engle

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander

TV Shows (I don't know if some of these would be the same now or if they just hit me at the exact right time in my formative years):

Dawson's Creek

Friends

My So-Called Life

Lost

Alright, those are a few of mine, tell me some of yours. Share with us what series we MUST read or show we MUST watch. Which do you wish you could go back in time and experience again for the first time?