February 2015

We’ve talked a lot about ways to get out of the house and things to do around town this winter.  But sometimes, the best decision one can make is to not brave the cold and just hunker down inside with a good TV show and a snack.  So, today we thought we’d suggest some shows for all the Netflix-loving, winter-avoiding Elmwood Manor residents.  We’re going to focus on television shows, because it seems like this winter was made for the joy that is Netflix-binge-watching.

As for comedies, we’d recommend checking out the bizarre, silly Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  Ellie Kemper plays Kimmy, a young woman who was held for fifteen years in an underground bunker as a part of a cult.  After she’s finally released, she winds up in New York City, trying to figure out the modern world.  30 Rock’s Tina Fey is the driving force behind the show, and her trademark sense of humor is all over it.  For more comedies that are slightly-off kilter, we’d suggest checking out Bob’s Burgers, Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development.

If drama is more your thing, we’d highly recommend the BBC cop show, Luther.  It’s a dark, gritty show that combines great detective stories with wonderfully rich, well-developed characters.  Idris Elba is phenomenal in the lead, titular role.  Also check out House of Cards, Sherlock, Breaking Bad, and The Fall.

Science Fiction is another genre that has some fantastic shows on Netflix.  If you’re into heady, mind-bending sci-fi, check out Fox’s underrated gem of a show, Fringe.  It follows the adventures of an FBI division that explores the supernatural and paranormal, who begin to discover there’s a reason for all the unexplained events in our world.  While at times in the early going it borrows lovingly from The X-Files (also on Netflix!), the show evolves into a completely different beast and will yank your brain around every twist and turn at 100 mph.  Other top-notch entries include LOST, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Doctor Who.

As for kids’ fare, Curious George – both the show and the mini-movies – are tremendous.  The gentle, engaging stories are populated with a wonderful assortment of supporting charaters and teach lessons without veering into saccharine.  And hey – who doesn’t love to watch a monkey?  On top of that, there’s just something heartwarming and surprisingly believable about the relationship between George and The Man in the Yellow Hat.  Other fine children’s programming include Dinosaur Train, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Magic School Bus, and Phineas and Ferb.

We hope you’ll find something to enjoy on these cold winter nights, and check in later this week for some ways to spice up those movie-time snacks!