Hidden Gems
The good TV not getting enough airtime
For the last few years, it feels like we’ve had a never-ending run of good television to watch. When I’ve finished a brilliant show and felt bereft, there’s always been something waiting in the queue to devour: Succession, Severance, Mare of Easttown, Hacks, The Bear and so on. We have the Peak TV era to thank for that but actually, I’m feeling a bit of a lull at the moment. And beyond the big hitters that get loads of hype, there is so much under-the-radar, under-appreciated stuff that’s easy to miss.
I finished Bad Sisters over the weekend and oof, it was such a perfectly formed, faultless series of television. All hail the genius that is Sharon Horgan for consistently creating high quality entertainment in these troubled times.
Yes, The Crown is around the corner but what else is there? I’m in the market for a scrappy underdog. As you all know, I am very happy to go back in time to re-visit missed or forgotten series. We all have one or two of them, the things we’ve watched that have brought surprising delight or we’ve been told about only to forget about when the Strictly music starts.
There is one show that my Book Club WhatsApp chat reminded me about last night - Better Things. My friend Emily articulated it perfectly when she said, “It’s on my “been meaning to watch it but never remember it when it feels like there’s nothing to watch” list.” This is the list I want!
A few people have told me about Better Things, a US series about “an actress raising her three daughters while juggling the pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent.” Sounds right up my street and there are 5 series so that should keep me going for a while.
The other show that I feel falls neatly into Emily’s category is This Way Up from the aforementioned Horgan and Aisling Bea. Two perfect series of sad, funny, easy to devour telly about a woman getting her shit together after a breakdown.
I’m very receptive to any more under the radar recommendations of this type. Let’s rack our brains and crowd source a list in the handy comments below?
New Sittenfeld Alert!
The joy and relief I feel that there is a new Curtis Sittenfeld book coming. And apparently it has been designed to fulfil all of my literary desires.
The blurb: A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions—a hilarious, observant and deeply tender novel.
Hook it to my veins.
This week I’m reading…The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. It’s one of those intimate, multi-generational family sagas that follows four sisters growing up in Chicago. So far, so lovely.
This week I’m listening to…The Newsagents podcast though why I’d want to subject myself to more politics is anyone’s guess.
This week I’m watching…nothing, I’ve run out of TV, remember. Save me in the comments!
See you next time,
Hannah
since i have loved all of the shows you recommended i thought i'd dice it up a little - This is Pop for docu series. Reboot, on hulu, it's doing a thing for me. Also - big favorite: Tuca & Bertie. And the modern love series on amazon prime. One Mississippi, the tig series. And reservation dogs, if you haven't gone there give it two episodes and you'll be in.
I agree with Back To Life! (Always have to check I’ve got the right title as I get it confused with the Ricky Gervais grief thing which I’ve not seen and never fancy.) Also Somebody Somewhere (hopefully still on Now/Sky whatever) if you’ve not seen it and strange/sad Somewhere Boy which they’ve been showing on C4 this week. I am very keen on a half-hour show.