SomeTV showsgrab you from the very first scene, and you end up watching a 10-hour season in one weekend, but other shows fail to catch your attention until you give them a second try. I more often than not give every TV show I watch a fair chance. However, with so much to watch these days,it can sometimes feel like you’re wasting your time if a series does not grab you within the first five minutes. This is, of course, entirely unfair, and eventhe best TV showscan take time to get rolling.
There are TV shows with only a handful of episodes that can take forever to complete, and there areshows with over 100 episodes that you’re able to breeze through, no problem. There are plenty of honest reasons to stop watching a series after only checking out an episode or less. Maybe the series isn’t what you thought it was, maybe it’s too confusing out the gate, maybe your streaming subscription ended mid-watch through. With these shows, though, I ended up going back to watch them through, and boy, I’m glad I did.
The first episode ofBlack Mirroris a tough one, and if you are introducing someone to the series for the first time, may I recommend not starting with the episode that ends withthe prime minister of the United Kingdom having carnal relations with a pigon live TV. It’s an episode that is totally within the boundary-pushing ethos ofBlack Mirror, but it’s also an episode that made me turn off the TV and go outside. “Kudos to the writers for such an idea”, I thought, but as the saying goes, “That’s enough internet for today.”
Thankfully, I got over my initial distaste and soon went back to the series to find out what more it had to offer.I was delighted to find the other intelligent, creepy, and thoughtful stories of the British anthology, many of which do not have even a mention of forced animal-human breeding.
ThatNathan For YouandThe Rehearsalare such beloved series, andHow To with John Wilsonis not, is a TV crime. Sadly, I can’t say I’ve been aHow To-enjoyer forever. A contemporary of Nathan Fielder who has collaborated with the avant-garde artist for years,How To with John Wilsonis documentarian John Wilson’s own show, which examines the mundane events, places, and people of New York City, under the guise of trying to figure out how to do something.
His journeys to figure out things like where to dispose of batteries inevitably end up leading him to the strangest, most unbelievable places around the city, and you’re able to’t believe the small pockets of Americana he stumbles across and gets on his camera. The first time I watched the show, I was bored with his monotone delivery and slow build-up, but after forcing myself to watch an episode all the way through, I’m convinced he’s almost as much of a genius as Fielder himself.
When I first watchedKingdom, I liked it. What’s not to love? It’s zombies and medieval Korea, a match made in heaven. However, it always feels like Netflix shows are easy to pick up and put down. I likely started it at my parents, then went home, and forgot about it. A little while later, I tried it again, and at that point, I think I finished the entire series within a week. It’s that good. In a packed field,Kingdomis one of thebest zombie TV shows ever.
The series is much deeper and more politically minded than you may initially imagine.
The series is much deeper and more politically minded than you may initially imagine. While zombies and warfare are critical to the series,it’s the infighting and plight of the peasant class against the aristocracy that’s the real thrust of the show. If you go intoKingdomrecognizing that the zombies come second, you’ll have a more enjoyable time.
If you come intoRick and Mortyonly knowing the fanbase, you might immediately hate it before even watching a minute. Add on that theRick and Mortypilot is almost insufferable with the constant vocal ticks creator Justin Roiland gave his characters, and I was done with the series then and there. However, I would occasionally see clips of the show on Instagram and YouTube, and I found myself enjoying what I was seeing.
After Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic battery and false imprisonment, Adult Swim fired him fromRick and Mortyin April 2023.
So I gave the series another chance, and I’m glad I did.Rick and Mortyquickly proves that while it’s not above a fart-joke, there’s a whole lot more to it than that. It’s witty, well animated (even if the artwork is ugly), surprisingly charming, and it has enough emotional moments to make you care about the characters. Don’t worry,there are still plenty of fart jokes to be had that’ll keep you laughing for multiple seasons.
My favorite type of reality TV show is the kind that follows a group of people working at a typical job.Below DeckandVanderpump Rulesare two great examples.Serving the Hamptonsis another of this type of show, this time following the wait and bar staff of restaurateur Zach Erdem’s 75 Main in Southampton, NY. I gave up on the show after about an episode, partially because I felt like I’d seen it before, and partially becausereality shows require little to no loyalty to enjoy.
Having exhausted shows on HBO that I did want to see, however, I eventually triedServing the Hamptonsagain and was pleased to see how interesting the cast of characters was in this series. The beautiful locale also made for a fun watch, and it’s just a simple, ridiculous reality series that doesn’t pretend to be anything new, but does everything right.
The Leftoverspremiered right afterGame of Thronesseason 4 aired, so I was looking for something new to grab my attention after arguablythe best season of that show.The Leftoversseemed like exactly what I was looking for, with a fantastic cast and an intriguing hook that I looked forward to uncovering. However,I quickly realized that the show would not be answering its initial mystery right away, and so I gave up after a few episodes.
Years later, I tried it again, and immediately regretted giving up on the series so quickly. Why exactly 2% of the population disappeared in the series never returns as the focus of the show, and frankly,The Leftoversis all the better for it. The series doesn’t care why something happened; it cares about what happens after, a question which leads to a moving, wise, and thrillingTV show.
