You know what, mom? You do SO much for your family. I see you driving all over town, packing up the right equipment for all the extracurriculars, making sure your child eats at least one other food besides Goldfish. You deserve some me time. So after you have read the same children’s book three times in a row, fetched a cup of water (“No not THAT cup! The pink one, silly! Oh, did I say pink? I meant green. Back down the stairs you go, Mom.”). Anyway, after you finally have made it to the glorious time I like to call “after bedtime bliss,” do yourself a favor. Ignore the pile of dishes in the sink, pour yourself a glass of wine, and watch one of these shows.
It’s self-care. It would really be a disservice to yourself to NOT binge watch TV. So without further ado, here are my top picks of shows you may not have seen for after the kiddos go to bed. You earned this time after enduring all those episodes of Caillou and Daniel Tiger.
1. Jane the Virgin
This show, about a 20-something year old virgin who is accidentally inseminated after her incompetent doctor gets her chart confused with that of another patient, is just as ridiculous as it sounds, and that is what makes it wonderful. Based on a Spanish telenovela, it has all the drama and silly plot lines you want, but with tons of hilarious jokes and self-deprecating meta comments sprinkled throughout. The writers of this show know it is silly, and they are totally in on the joke. Not to mention, there is a love triangle to end all love triangles. (I am team Rafael, but I will still be your friend if you are team Michael.)
The best part of the show: Jane’s self obsessed father, Rogelio, who you would totally hate if he weren’t so darn sweet and funny.
Where you can watch it: New episodes air on the CW, but you can watch seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix now.
2. The Great British Baking Show
Reality TV competitions in the US are pretty predictable. The contestants are all chosen for their looks or over the top behaviors, there is always a heavy dose of conflict in every episode, and inevitably one person will say, “I’m not here to make friends.” For something completely different and a whole lot more enjoyable, check out The Great British Baking Show on PBS. Every contestant is so genuine and nice. You will want to be best friends with all of them. Plus, I have learned a lot about baking while watching this show. In the UK, it is called the Great British Bake Off, and there are seven seasons. They have aired three of those seasons in the US under the new name.
The best part: The most controversial thing to happen on this show is called #bingate. A contestant’s baked Alaska melted, so he got frustrated and threw it in the trash. Yep. That was it. The most controversial thing. I love the Brits.
Where you can watch it: Well. the show was on Netflix, but it seems to have been taken down. You can catch reruns on PBS, buy all three seasons on Amazon, stream it through PBS if you are a member, or watch not-so-great quality episodes on YouTube.
3. Younger
You probably haven’t heard of this show because it is on TV Land. Yep. TV Land. But stay with me! It is really good! I swear! Younger is about a 40 year old recently divorced mom who needs to return to the workforce but has a hard time finding a job having been a stay at home mom for the last 15 years. She gets the bright idea to pretend to be a 26 year old millennial in order to land an entry level position at a publishing house, and chaos ensues. Liza, the main character, gets caught up in her web of lies, and has to pretend to be a millennial around her coworkers and her new friends. She also has to decide between two pretty awesome men.
The best part: I love that this show portrays women kicking butt in the work place.
Where you can watch it: Season 4 will air on TV Land this summer. In the meantime, catch up on the other seasons by watching on demand through many cable providers or buying episodes on Amazon.
4. Orphan Black
For something a little more serious, check out Orphan Black. This show is so mesmerizing and chilling you will want to binge watch it in one sitting. (There have been four seasons now, so I don’t recommend that strategy.) It follows Sarah, a woman who uncovers the fact that she is a clone and there are others out there. From the housewife to the hippy scientist, each woman was raised by different parents and leads a totally different life. The clones come together to try to find out where they came from and who is murdering them one by one.
The best part: Tatiana Maslany plays all the clones, and her performance is unbelievably good. She carries the show and gives each of her characters a realness that is really impressive. Give this girl some more awards.
Where you can watch it: Seasons 1-3 can be streamed for free with an Amazon Prime membership. New episodes will air on BBCAmerica when the show returns.
