TV Show Round-Up

Fall is such a great time for TV. I remember when I was a kid, all of a sudden it would be summer- the perfect time to watch TV, right? I never went to camp, I didn’t have school- so I had tons of free time and a TV in my bedroom. And yet Sabrina The Teenage Witch was in reruns. Boy Meets World was airing the same old episodes I’d watched eagerly all spring. I didn’t get it. I had to wait until fall for new shows? Now that I’m an adult with a laptop and thousands of shows at my disposal, I still really enjoy the fall TV season when everything is new and everyone is discussing television again like its the 90s. Autumn is the TV season where you don’t just have to binge the first three seasons of 30 Rock again on Netflix- there’s always something new and fresh to get into. We have to wait week to week to find out what happens on our new favorite shows, with that 2016 flavor, and it’s like we’re kids again.

Here are the four shows I’m absolutely loving this season:

YOUNGER

I only recently even heard about this TV Land show starring Sutton Foster (who I hated on Bunheads, but that’s probably because I hated Bunheads) and Hilary Duff (trust me, that’s a good thing) set in New York City. It has a GREAT premise and even better pacing. Here’s the official description:

Trying to start a new career gets more difficult as you age, which Liza realizes when she tries to re-enter the working world at 40. After a young tattoo artist convinces her she looks younger, Liza decides to do something about it. Her solution: Try to pass herself off as 26, courtesy of a makeover by her best friend, Maggie. The newfound confidence helps get her a job assisting temperamental Diana. Teaming with 20-something co-worker Kelsey, Liza hopes to make it a dream career — while no one discovers her secret.

Once I learned about this show from a podcast, I settled in and quickly watched the first two seasons. Watching such a good show so quickly was a treat I haven’t experienced since Scott and I watched the first two seasons of House of Cards in two weeks. Now, I’m all caught up and wait eagerly for the new episodes of season three each Wednesday. I’m both Team Josh and Team Charles, and I unabashedly call this “my show” when I see ads for it on TV at the gym. I straight up LOVE it. Watch it, please!

2. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

It may be because I’ve always been a huge fan of Collegehumor (especially Jake & Amir, who I am still low-key obsessed with) and now Collegehumor alum Sara Schneider is SNL’s co-head writer (and her old CH coworker Streeter Siedell is also on staff), but I think the show is entering one of its best seasons in years. I also love this year’s cast. Case in point:

tomhanksdavidspumpkinssnl-png-crop-promo-xlarge2 — *I love David S. Pumpkins.*

And if you’re not watching Saturday Night Live during an election year with Trump as a candidate, what are you doing with your life?

3. THE GOOD PLACE

All summer, I heard Demi on Gilmore Guys (one of my favorite podcasts) asking listeners to watch the NBC show he wrote for once it aired. So, more out of loyalty to one of my favorite Viners and Podcasters (2016 is weird) than anything else, I checked out The Good Place on NBC.com, and was hooked one minute in. It’s a Michael Schur comedy starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson (who’s not a human but is delighted and fascinated by humans) about becoming a better person in the afterlife, which has frozen yogurt and soulmates and Janet, a Siri-esque robot. It’s much funnier than the promos and trailers make it seem, and I love the fast, witty humor. I look forward to it every week.

4. CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND

You’ve probably seen season one on Netflix, and now it’s back for season 2. This show is about Rebecca Bunch finding love, being awful, and living in West Covina, California. There are great musical numbers (and this is coming from a person who doesn’t really like musicals) and the characters all have intense chemistry. I’m team Angry-Sexy Greg, although it’s the kind of darkly humorous show where it can be hard to root for anyone.