TV Review: 5 Great shows I'm watching right now

 Afternoon all! 

You join me on the recovering end of vaccine number 2. Shortly after my jab on Wednesday afternoon, I started developing what turned out to be 'covid arm' as well as manky flu-like symptoms. Nevertheless, I'm now feeling a lot better!

Anyway, onward with the blog!

When it comes to watching TV, we've all been spoilt recently with the past year's pandemic events leading to a lot of boxset binging and movie marathons. During my furlough days, I was guilty as charged on this front, watching old Waterloo Road series back-to-back along with going back and rewatching The Simpsons from S1, Ep 1! Well, amongst other things as well- I wasn't just a couch potato.

But, like many of you out there, habits die hard and when you're forced to isolate for so long, and the streaming services come up trumps with content that you can barely peel yourself away from. And it's not just new content like Amazon Prime's Clarksons Farm either, oh no. They know just how to catch us and wrap us in that warm, cosy, comforting nostalgia blanket too. Shows like Ugly Betty, Prison Break, Friends, Breaking Bad are all offering that bingeworthy noughties nostagia and I've been lapping it up, along with the new shows too.

Here are the shows I'm into right now.

1. Ugly Betty

Picture: IMDB

This HAD to get top billing here. Ok, so I've finished it...a couple of weeks ago now, but I loved it all the same. Betty's journey throughout the ruthless world of Mode inspired me to get back behind the keyboard and write again and reminded me that a career is a path, not just one static destination.You have to go with what's right for you and try new things in the hope of reaching your dream and growing along the way. Also, I forgot how deliciously witty, bitchy and well written it was. The world of the early 00's was one of big change and anticipation. Social networks were limited to the baby-faced Facebook and MySpace and flip phones were all the rage. The series itself reflects the fashion world it imitates - while being hard and cold on the exterior, it has a huge heart in the centre and it's endearing in it's depth and sensitivity. Even with all the chaos, each character is explored well and fully and you feel satisfied with how it all ends. It's a shame really that Betty wasn't given another series as it got more addicting towards the end, but nonetheless, the ending was very satisfying and I liked the nice touch at the end where the word 'Ugly' faded away, leaving Betty behind living her best life in London. 

> Watch it for yourself on Disney +

2. Jane the Virgin

Picture: Vanity Fair

As soon as the credits rolled on Ugly Betty, I craved a sharp, well written show with that latino spark. That's when Matthew told me about Jane the Virgin. I'm still on series 1- things have been busy- but boy, it's good so far. The show leans right into the classic latino telenovela style and it's written with such humour and characterful wit. There's even an appearance from Ignacio Suarez himself - I was welcomed right back into familiar territory. What seals the deal for me is the narration. The ultimate sassy insider that guides you through everything as it's happening, even with the inclusion of on screen subtitles and graphics helping you navigate the increasingly complex situation poor Jane has found herself in. As if being a devout Christian whose been accidently inseminated wasn't enough, her father is a famous telenovela star with a complicated relationship with her mother, the father of her baby is the son of a drug lord, the brother of the woman who accidently inseminated her, and the husband of a questionable woman who's real name is Natalia and whose own mother is an absolute pyschopath. Phew! There is a whole lot more to unpack, but I wanted to keep this brief! I'm loving it so far and am finding it just as satisfying as Ugly Betty.

> Watch it for yourself on Netflix

3. Britain's Most Historic Towns

Picture: Channel4

Another program that I'm late on the bandwagon of is Britain's Most Historic Towns. From Civil War torn Oxford, Georgian Bristol, coal powered Cardiff and Tudor Norwich, it's so interesting to learn more about the history the UK in more depth from Professor Alice Roberts. I'm a great lover of everything historical, so I'm very surprised I didn't notice this show before. It started back in 2018 with Roman Chester, discovering old Roman architecture and taking part in a traditional Roman feast. I'm yet to watch all of season 3 when Alice explored London, Plymouth and Portsmouth (to name a few) but if it's anything like the rest of the show, it's sure to be a fascinating watch!

> Watch it for yourself on Channel 4

4. Black Monday

Picture: TVLine

Think of Wolf of Wall Street and you'll be right in the same ballpark as Black Monday. Again, like with Jane the Virgin, I'm only a few episodes into series 1, but it's looking really good so far. It's a dark comedy telling the story of events leading up to Black Monday- the day in 1987 when the stock markets crashed, leaving all the budding, testosterone-crazed stockbrockers well, broke. It stars Dominic Cheadle as the ruthless, unruly Maurice Monroe and an unwitting Blair who crosses his path in a chain of events that were carefully crafted by Maurice in an effort to double cross Blair in a shady business deal to buy out Georgina Jeans- the company of which Blair's finace, Tiffany is the heir. As was the culture of Wall Street at the time, this show grabs you by the scruff of the neck with the cocaine snorting livewire, Maurice and his motley crew throwing around profanity and exchanging their cut throat ethos right from the word go. I mean, the show starts with someone falling to their death onto the top of a Lambourghini Limosine. 

> Watch it for yourself on Sky

5. Hampton Court Palace: Behind Closed Doors

Picture: Channel5

Much like Britain's Historic Towns, this show scratched that historical documentary itch for me. I've been to Hampton Court Palace myself a few times now and every time I'm amazed by its gradeur. Just the Great Hall itself holds so many stories and secrets- just look at the wooden panelling high above the door! The series follows historian Tracey Boreman as she discovers more of the palace's secrets and stories, including those of Henry VIII's 2 suffering wives Jane Seymour, who died after bearing a son in the palace, and Catherine Howard, who is said to have run down one of the hallways begging and pleading for her life following the rumours of her adulterous ways! And the history isn't just inside the palace itself. The show also follows the story of the Shire horses and the Astronomical Clock. The palace Shire horses are some of the last of the Shire species and it was Henry himself who had them bred to be used as war horses. If you've ever seen a Shire horse for yourself, you'll know how large and impressive they are. Henry was also behind the Astronomical Clock. He was very into his star signs and had this incorporated in a large impressive clock that installed on the inner side of the gatehouse tower so he had the perfect view of the time from his apartments. I know when I'm there, just the thought of standing where kings, queens and courtiers stood hundreds of years ago sends shivers down my spine. I think my dream job would be working at one of the historical royal palaces. So, HRP, if you're reading this now or in several years time, I'd LOVE to work in some of the most historically significant and awe-inspiring places in the world. It'd be a dream come true.

> Watch for yourself on Channel 5

That's all for this week. If I've inspired you to revisit some of these older series, or go and discover some of the newer ones, I hope you enjoy.

Until next time