3 Shows, 2 Books, 1 Podcast

Well, we’re in the thick of summer now. God save us. We have had multiple heat waves in the Northeast and everything’s terrible and I’m dying. Just kidding, I’m fine. I chose this life. I’m trying my best to EMBRACE THE SEASON I AM IN, but it’s been a struggle so I have spent a lot of time watching good television in my air-conditioned apartment or walking through the woods listening to audiobooks and podcasts on nice days.

Since many are finally vaccinated and getting out of town, I thought I would suggest some options for reading on the beach, listening to on a long drive, or watching in your own air-conditioned space. I like to add wine and “nice cream” (bananas blended with peanut butter and self-hatred) but add some snacks and beverages of your choice!

3 SHOWS 

1. The Fall (streaming on Prime). This was a crime drama/thriller that aired on the BBC in 2013. It stars Gillian Anderson (you know, The X-Files and Margaret Thatcher on The Crown) and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey). They were both SO HOT. There are three seasons and each only had six episodes, but it was SO intense and exciting to watch because you get both points of view - the cop and the killer. It didn’t have a satisfying ending, and the whole last season was kind of weird, but the entire show/story was REALLY good and one of the best series I’ve watched in a while. Did I mention how hot they both are?

2. Girls5Eva (streaming on Peacock). I knew this would be good because of Tina Fey, obviously, but also the WHOLE CAST. Paula Pell (fucking hilarious long-time SNL writer and actress), Busy Phillips, Sara Bareilles, and RENEE ELISE GOLDBERRY. (Angelica!!!) It was even better than I thought it would be. It was funny, musical, and heartwarming. I really loved the cast chemistry, and have been listening to the songs on Spotify. Also, Tina Fey does an oddly fantastic impression of Dolly Parton.

3. Seduced (streaming on Starz). If you know me, you know I love cults. I got a free trial of Starz just to watch this show because I had already watched The Vow and recently listened to an episode of a podcast where India Oxenberg talked about creating the docuseries. It’s a four-part series about her time in the cult, NXIVM, and was more shocking than I thought. It went way deeper into the details and exposed some talks Keith Raniere gave about how rape victims aren’t victims and it’s not a crime. You hear recordings of him planning the branding and admitting it was his initials. It also showed an interesting look at the people in NXIVM that were not involved in the weird sex stuff. The series was so well done, but the content is disgusting.  

2 BOOKS

1. The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz. This was a really great thriller that was different from any other book I’ve read. A teacher at a Vermont writing program is told an idea for a GREAT novel by one of his students. He thinks about it for years, then searches for the student and finds out he died. According to his obituary, he had no living relatives. He decided to steal the idea and write the book himself and it’s immediately a bestseller. As his star shines brighter, the more anxious he becomes and he falls into a downward spiral. The end shocked me, although it really shouldn’t have been that surprising.

2. The Wreckage of My Presence - Casey Wilson. I loved the show Happy Endings and have casually followed Casey Wilson’s career ever since. I was looking for a quick, light read and this was surprisingly heavy. I listened to it in one day. I laughed a lot, but there were some tough moments, too. Some celebrity/comedian memoirs are so meh, but they’re getting better and better every year and this was no exception. 

1 PODCAST

1. Behind The Bastards - “Hitler: YA Fiction Fan Girl”. My sister introduced me to this show and I’m still making my way through every episode (it’s been out for three years.) I’m a history nerd, and he goes through all the great bastards of history! There are many Hitler/nazi episodes but this one was amazing. It tells the story of Karl May, a German man who wrote wildly popular young adult novels in the 19th century ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS. He brings up how Karl May influenced Hitler, which is hilarious because it’d be the same as trying to take over and control a country based on the Harry Potter series. (Instead of 50 states, we will have four houses!)

   It’s seriously wild. Needless to say, both Karl May and Hitler were insane individuals.

That might be a dark list… but OH WELL. IT FEELS LIKE LITERAL HELL OUT THERE. STAY DARK AND COOL.