[Cilla's 2016 Highlight Reels] Television Shows

08:00 Cilla 4 Comments

I've always loved reading end-of-year best-of lists. Now that I have my own blog, I thought I'd write a couple of my own! Starting with this post, I'll be sharing some of the highlights of my 2016 in music, television shows, books (of course), and life.

As the title suggests, today it's all about my favourite music and television shows from the last year. 😁 These are the shows I've binged, newly discovered or re-discovered, and generally fallen in love with. If you haven't had to listen to me squeal about them, you're about to now.

Gilmore Girls - I'm about a decade late to this fandom, but I finally watched the original seasons of Gilmore Girls. I totally understand why it's such a beloved show. The lovely small town with quirky characters who, at the end of the day, will always have your back. The easy and open mother-daughter relationship between Lorelai and Rory, as well as the thorny and difficult one between Emily and Lorelai. Lorelai's efforts to balance between her daughter's best friend and being a mother. The boys (I'm Team Luke and Lorelai, and Team Jesse After He's Grown Up and Got His Head On Straight). It's all fascinating, as well as charming. I have mixed feelings about the revival, but I love the original.

The Flash - The Flash is the kind of superhero show I needed. It's funny, hopeful, a little bit ridiculous at times, and generally just good fun. It's the show I would watch after a long, exhausting day. Also, it has scientists fighting bad guys and being a superhero, which I find to be a really cool change from purely brawny superheroes.

The Librarians - A magical library that protects historical and magical artefacts. A labourer/genius, a mathematician with a brain tumor, a thief/expert hacker, a former military personnel banding together to look after said library. The adventures that ensue are delightful, and they satisfy the mythology and fantasy fan in me. Plus, I've always adored the roles Rebecca Romijn takes in her projects, and this time she's the beautiful girl who has no problem kicking ass and keeping up with the geniuses.

The Crown - This portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II's ascend to the throne is compelling. The shots are beautiful in terms of costumes and such, but my favourite part about it has been the emotional heart. Elizabeth's struggles to be the straight-backed, stiff-upper-lipped Queen who puts the crown before anything and anyone else are fascinating and her choices understandable, as often as I may be disappointed in the end results.

Jane The Virgin - If I haven't tried to recommend this show to you, clearly we haven't talked enough. I've tried to get all of my friends on the Jane train by now, and at least three of them are fully on board now. There are the obvious reasons to watch this show: it's funny in its dialogues and embrace of the telenovela structures and tropes; Gina Rodriguez; the gorgeousness that is Rafael Solano. Then there are the deeper ones: the exploration of what makes a happy family; immigration issues; what makes a good parent; how to balance your creative pursuit with what pays the bills, and how to do that while also juggling motherhood.

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries - I've heard about this show for a while, but it wasn't until I got Netflix that I sat down to watch it. I finished two seasons in four days. Phryne Fisher is a lady detective in 1920s Melbourne. She loves her beautiful clothes, and is armed with wit, a pistol, and a modern understanding of feminism and equality. I could watch it purely for her, but it's also fun to see Melbourne in the 1920s, and the supporting cast is delightful as well. Not to mention, that seriously slow burn romance...

Poldark - Poldark has become one of those shows I watch mainly because yelling about (or at) it is pretty much a bonding experience with a close friend. The main character frustrates me to no end, I pretty much growl at the TV every time the villain shows up, and the almost constant roster of tragedies is depressing. However, a show that manages to make me feel so much is not a bad show at all. There's also the fierce leading lady to keep up with, and the romantic subplot between a poor doctor and a rich heiress that's stealing my heart.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - At first I wasn't sure this kind of comedy was up my alley, but then I watched it. There hasn't been an episode that has failed to put a smile on my face. It's ridiculous in the best way, and there are moments of genuine emotions as well. The entire cast is brilliant.

What your favourite TV shows of 2016? Do we watch any of the same shows?

Do you have any recommendations for me?

4 comments:

Clara28 December 2016 at 08:22
I LOVE Jane the Virgin! I watched the first two seasons over the summer, and I've been keeping up with Season 3. It's so good! And I really want to watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine! I don't really watch a lot of TV shows, so I haven't even heard of a bunch of the ones on your list, but maybe I'll check them out! I'm kind of afraid that if I watch too much more TV I'll barely have any time for reading, but some of these look like they'd be worth it.
Catherine30 December 2016 at 02:24
I'd not heard of Miss Fisher but it sounds great! And I hadn't really thought about it, but Poldark really does have some depressing plotlines - can't wait for series 3 though, excited to meet the new characters :D