Feeling guilty because you locked yourself away from the world like a curmudgeonly hermit in order to binge Stranger Things so you could discover the awesomeness that is Barb for yourself? Worried about the impact of watching 18 straight hours of The Big Bang Theory? Well, worry no more, because no less a luminary than Bill Nye — formerly known as The Science Guy, but for the purposes of today’s discussion using the totally not trademark infringing Science Man — says binging is great for you!
If binging really does give you the ability to crush things with your mind, we should be rulers of the universe any day now. In the meantime, if Nye’s “go ahead and binge” appeal has you looking for something to watch, we heartily endorse the following…
Stranger Things Netflix’s sci-fi/horror mash-up is as much a love letter to innocence at it is to the era in which it’s set (the ’80s)
The Big Bang Theory
If you’re a latecomer to the geekfest, go back to the beginning and see what life for the guys was like when Penny was the only girl they knew!
Law & Order
If you can’t find a marathon airing somewhere that you can DVR, pretty much any day of the week, you’re not trying hard enough.
OJ: Made In America
ESPN’s incredible 10-hour Simpson documentary was overshadowed by FX’s splashier (and shallower) series.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
If Ellie Kemper’s irrepressible alter ego taught us anything, it’s that we can survive anything for 10 seconds, and that “anonymous quotes are never funny… except when you write ‘wash me’ on a car. That’s just funny, ’cause it’s like, ‘Is the car saying it?'”
What’s the last show you binged… and what’s next on your list?
This week on Below Deck, Trevor got wasted (again), Ben and Kate fought (again), and Kelly reminded us that it’s been 5 months since he’s had sex (again). Miss any of the high-seas fun? Then read on for our complete recap!
The Morning After
The action picked up as the crew of the Valor woke up and shared war stories about the previous nights battles with Trevor. They only stopped wagging their tongues when Trevor finally wandered into the galley, at which point the most awkward of awkward silences settled over the room. Emily compares Trevor to a cat on a hot tin roof, which has got to be the first time Tennessee Williams has ever been referenced on a reality show. Lauren continued bonding with Nico, insisting he was probably the kind to roll with the punches until it was time to flat-out punch. But methinks Lauren may be giving Nico way more credit in the macho department than he’s shown any signs of having earned.
Going To The Dogs
The second charter included two couples – one a same-sex pairing – and a puppy named Scupper, listed on his paperwork as being the “guest of Robert and Douglas.” The sheet also listed his favorite foods as chicken thighs, ground up red meet and lamb, and indicated he had no preferred liquor. Now, if I have learned one thing over the years, it’s that when someone says they have “no preference” where booze is concerned, it means they’ll drink anything. Then again, we’re talking about a dog, so maybe that rule really doesn’t apply. Anyhow…
Sierra continues to prove to be something of a disaster, burning a sheet because she forgot to turn the iron off. She utters a line that comes painfully close to one uttered, unironically, in my all-time favorite ad. In the ad for some birth control product or another, a woman looks at us, twists up her face and says, “It’s not that it’s difficult to remember… it’s just that it’s so easy to forget!” Which of course makes no sense whatsoever! And yet, I can totally see Sierra using it as her excuse.
At long last, Kelley pulls Trevor aside for a chat and a demotion. Trevor tells us that Kelley can demote him, but he can’t “deplete his knowledge of his position.” And that’s a pretty clear indicator that his alcohol intake has been depleting his knowledge of the English language.
Tears Of A Clown
Remember how last week, Kate said that Sierra has resting happy face? Well, it’s proven to be fact this week when Sierra opens up about the death of her father… smiling even as she tells us how grief tore her family apart. Up on the bridge, Captain Lee gives Kelley a compliment. No, really. Go back and read that again. Captain Lee says something nice to one of the crew, and he seems sincere! Apparently, the Grinch’s heart grew 10 sizes that day, even if only temporarily.
Having clearly watched past seasons, one of the guests insists that there should be “no stress” on Ben, while Kate is pretty bitter about the high-life being lived by Scupper, who has his tuxedo pressed and then pukes on the poop deck. Which is probably better than pooping on the puke deck. Kate’s day doesn’t improve when yet again, she and Ben butt heads over the fact that she didn’t call the guests’ 4:30 beachside clambake “an early dinner,” meaning they asked to be fed again later that night. Now, as cruisers, we’re clearly gonna side with Kate, who tells Ben, “I don’t think if I called it the last meal of your life, that would prevent them from becoming hungry later!” After all, we wanna eat when we wanna eat, which is pretty much every three or four hours!
Dinner And A Show
At this point, Kate and Ben do something we’d never allow: They fight within earshot of the guests. And once everybody’s back on board, the Bickersons keep pushing one another’s buttons, with Trevor and Kelley doing some headbutting as well. At this point, it becomes clear that these guests are the most laid back people on the planet, because when one of them asks for a gin and tonic, Sierra asks, “Did you want alcohol?” And God bless the guest, he simply replies, “That would be the gin part.” I can assure you that my response would have been more… pointed. Ben makes an incredible dinner, the highlight of which (for me) is the crabcake topped with turkey bacon.
The next day, while Scupper is taking a constitutional on the beach, Ben tries to call a ceasefire with Kate, admitting that she’s better at the whole fighting thing that he is. Why? “If I wind her up, she won’t show it,” he says, which only winds him up more! Speaking of wound up, Trevor decides that the best way for him to relax is to invite himself to do shots with the guests. “What’s one shot of liquor going to do?” he asks. And he’s right, one shot has no impact on him. The numerous drinks he slams later that night, however, most certainly do. Ben perhaps puts it best when he tells Trevor that when he drinks, he becomes “a total tosser.” And let’s face it: When even Ben, lover of underdogs, is fed up with you, chances are good there’s big trouble ahead…
Do you think Nico and Lauren will actually hook-up? Should Trevor be booted from the yacht? Sound off in the comments below!
Every year around this time, the big networks begin pimping their new programs. And let’s face it… a whole lot if it is crap. I mean, how many CSI or Chicago PD spin-offs does one really need?
But every now and then, something comes along that makes you sit up and say… wocka wocka!
That’s right, kids, The Muppets are back… and they’re better than ever! We’ll admit that upon hearing ABC’s pitch for the latest rebooting of the much-loved franchise, we were more than a little nervous. After all, it was described as being “more adult” and delving into the personal lives of Kermit, Miss Piggy and their pals. For many of us, it started to sound a little too much like the racy Broadway play Avenue Q, which is not what we want from our favorite furry pals.
But now, ABC has released the first trailer for the show and we’re left saying, to quote Sam the Eagle, “God Bless America and its broadcasting company!” Want a peek at the new show? Here ya go!
Welcome to the bizarre world of Danger 5, an Australian series which last month made its Netflix debut. Although it pretty much defies description, we’re going to do our best. Set during World War II, Danger 5 follows the adventures of a group of international spies — bet you can guess how many based on the title — who are out to kill Hitler. Along the way, they must deal with She Nazis, blimps which steal the Eiffel Tower and someone claiming to be from the lost city of Atlantis.
Tell us you’re not intrigued. On the off chance you somehow aren’t completely convinced yet, here’s the trailer. But be warned: Once you’ve seen it, there’s no turning back. Close the shades and block the doors, because you’re about to go on a binge.
If the great song and cool moves featured on the season premiere of THE AMAZING RACE left you wanting more, we’ve got it for you. The tune is both called and by World Order, and is a huge international hit. Want to give it a listen and maybe see if you can do some of those great moves? Here ya go!
As fans of both THE LOVE BOAT and DOCTOR WHO (especially the David Tenant years), this fan-created faux opening credit sequence might as well have been made for us!