Gravity Falls

i think this was the first tv show to ever rot my brain in a meaningful way. it has such a special place in my heart. twins mabel and dipper pines spend the summer with their grunkle in gravity falls, oregon, a town known for its weirdness, and try to understand the town's curiosities.

this show has so many mysteries to it, both in the plot and out. there's codes and ciphers for viewers to uncover. there was so much lore when it aired. it's a fun animated kids show, but i really liked how it included all of these extra things that you could go home and puzzle over. kids are not idiots! and i think this is one of the first shows that i felt respected that.

Santa Clarita Diet

imagine for a moment. you are one part of an aggressively normal realtor couple with a teenage daughter and a picture-perfect suburban life. now imagine you are turned into a zombie. epic, right? now imagine you are the other half of that realtor couple and you just watched your wife kill a man. welcome to santa clarita diet!

this show is sooooo silly. cartoonish violence. keeping up with the neighbors. the coolest and the lamest 16 year olds to ever exist are best friends. there are some real sweet moments, but it's mostly a tribute to trying to stay normal even in incredibly fucked up circumstances. fair warning, it was canceled on a cliffhanger, but it's absolutely still worth a watch. i hope if i ever get turned into a murderous beast i can have this supportive of a family :)

It's Alway Sunny in Philadelphia

this is a sitcom about five horrible, horrible people who own a bar in south philly. there is danny devito.

i think always sunny works because you can watch really fucked up things happen to really fucked up people without feeling too bad because, you know, they're horrible. i think it also does a good job of making it obvious that you are supposed to sympathize with anyone who has to deal with the gang, instead of the gang itself. could they get better? maybe! but not while they currently make each other worse every episode for 16 seasons. (it's actually p consistently good for all 16 seasons, too).

if you haven't seen it, i need you to understand exactly how many memes come from this show. here's a few

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

the ultimate tv musical comedy. "crazy ex-girlfriend" follows the story of rebecca bunch, a kick-ass, clinically depressed lawyer in nyc through her cross-country move to west covina, california, to win back her ex-summer-camp-boyfriend and (alleged) love of her life, josh chan. through her zany antics to make him love her, she comes to terms with who she is and her own mental illness.

this show manages to be a grim look at the reality of mental illness, while still maintaining the energy of a wacky sitcom. it's a specific brand of humor, but it works. plus, it's a MUSICAL! with hit songs like "i gave you a uti," "gettin' bi," and the classic "let's generalize about men." i love the batshittery of rebecca's hijinks, the soap opera plots, and the idea that we can get better.

Hannibal

the quintessential gay cannibal show. peak 2014 tumblr. peak 2024 tumblr. "hannibal" is about the relationship between fbi profiler will graham and the cannibalistic serial killer hannibal lecter. hannibal consults with the fbi and advises will on how to control his spiraling mind, even as will attempts to persecute hannibal for his, u know, murdering. this is an absolutely beautiful show--there are gorgeous tableaus of gorey victims, fine dining and table-setting, and some neat abstract interpretations of mental illness. if you love blood and fucked up social dynamics, this is absolutely the show for you.

there's a lot i can say about hannibal, which is why i have a shrine just for it! warning for gore and spoilers hehe :P

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

What We Do in the Shadows

a spooky sitcom about four vampire roommates and their human familiar. will write rest later

Ted Lasso

ted lasso is sports anime for people who will never watch sports anime, and i say that with so much love in my heart. ted lasso is an american football coach who goes to england to coach a football (i.e., american soccer) team. the thing about ted, though, is that he is darn rootin'-tootin' delightful! everyone wants to hate him, but they can't. there's a great cast of characters with dynamic personalities. they constantly evolve in unique ways, and you will fall in love with every one. the humor is fantastic. there are some absolute tear jerkers. it is astonishingly like sports anime for a live action emmy-winner.

Severance

severance does NOT get enough credit. it is set in a world where companies can have their employees undergo "severance" procedures to separate their work and personal lives. the procedure cuts a section of the brain that leads to employees having two consciences. one is their "outie," the version of themselves that exists outside of work. they get to clock in and immediately clock out, without having remembered any of the work day's events. the other self is the "innie," which is perpetually at work. they cannot leave. they cannot communicate with their "outie" or anyone outside of work. the show follows a few of the employees who have undergone this procedure, and how it impacts both of their selves.

this concept raises a lot of interesting questions about identity, work-life balance, and what counts as a sentient being. it's a little slow at times, but it will stay in your mind for a good while.

Infinity Train

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

Mob Psycho 100

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

The Good Place

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

Haikyuu!!

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

New Girl

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

Daria

did you hate high school? you'll like daria! daria is a 90s mtv show about a cynical, intelligent teen girl who has to deal with parents, jocks, and friends. it sounds totally cliche, but it's actually really good. daria has a deadpan humor that really cuts through a lot of the bullshit teenagers have to deal with. the show has quite a few touching moments of connection, and overall i thought it did a much better job of capturing how i felt in high school than any teen show i had seen before. high school isn't exciting, it kinda sucks, but friends can make it suck less. i also love love love jane lane i want to be her so bad she's so cool and i love both of their boots. ok i'm done.

Psych

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc non velit vulputate, congue erat ac, molestie sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Nunc in diam vel dolor vehicula dignissim. Etiam laoreet dictum leo sed eleifend. Nunc sit amet vulputate ex. Mauris tempor, elit id facilisis vestibulum, est dolor feugiat diam, ac sodales tortor libero at quam. Morbi tempor lobortis urna. Mauris aliquam velit ut pharetra interdum. Nullam vel leo ut lorem suscipit porttitor nec nec ligula. Aenean ut dui velit. Praesent felis massa, sollicitudin ac tristique aliquam, condimentum et nisl. Phasellus rutrum elementum arcu a suscipit.

Taskmaster

taskmaster is a british reality tv show where each season, 5 comedians compete in a series of absurd and random tasks to earn the favor of the taskmaster (and win a statue of his golden head). each episode starts with a prize task, where the contestants bring in items from home, and ends in a live studio task. the tasks inbetween are prerecorded, but the comedians and audience react live. the comedians are encouraged to think creatively and suck up to the taskmaster whenever possible.

the best part about this show: it's free on youtube! legally! and it's actually good! the channel also has clips of tasks and compilations of great moments if that's more your speed. they've also franchised into other countries, but the only one i've seen is new zealand (also good).

for my fellow tm fans, my fave series are 4, 11, 12, and 16. :)

Game Changer

the only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning. this is a game show where each episode, the players play a different game, without having any prior knowledge of the game they will be playing.

another show with free episodes on youtube! not a lot, but enough to get the gist.

the contestants on game changer all work for dropout/collegehumor, so you kinda get to know and love them through the different episodes. there's some wild moments on here, too. i don't want to give anything away, so i'll let you discover them for yourself.

Last Week Tonight

last week tonight is left-leaning political comedy hosted by john oliver. he has a knack for bringing obscure topics to light in a way that is both entertaining enough to actual learn about some issues, and helps you care about them (for example, his wwe episode). he does a lot of more well-known topics, too, which i think can be informative, but don't hit quite as hard. he also loves to misuse hbo's funding for publicity stunts, like buying russell crowe's jockstrap, winning new zealand's bird of the century competition, owning rat erotica, offering a sitting scotus judge a cash settlement to retire, starting a church, etc etc. it's mostly entertainment, but they do have moments of genuinely impactful journalism, like his interview with edward snowden. also, the episodes are free on youtube!