funny bone

Trying to stay up, but feeling down in the time of Coronavirus. As Californians attempt to follow the rules by staying in and binging on TV, Americans in other states have things ass-backwards. They’re distancing themselves from the guidelines and binging on boardwalks and beaches which of course will not bode well 2-3 weeks from now — for any of us. Ugh.

Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but the writing’s on the wall. Just as my hospital is getting things under control, those who can’t control themselves are gonna mess everything up. They’re gonna make it a longer recovery for the rest of us. Sooooo frustrating.

Binge Shows NOT Beaches!

Meanwhile, back at the screen — here are my recommendations for binging shows. My favorites tend to be about female protagonists who keep getting in their own way and who fall in like/love/lust with someone off-limits. Big shock, right? I know, I know…

NORMAL PEOPLE — Warning: it’s addictive. Everyone who watches Normal People becomes obsessed. OBSESSED!!! Heavy emotions, heavy breathing, lots of sex and melancholy. You’ll fall in love with Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) and want to knock some sense into both of them. Set in Ireland in 2010, it’s gorgeous. 12 half-hour episodes on Hulu.

FLEABAG — I know, it’s not new, but shockingly some people haven’t seen it yet. Second season is by far the best. BY FAR. Phoebe Waller-Bridge deserved every award she received. It’s brilliant. She’s brilliant. She’s the bad girl who is sooooo good. The attraction/seduction between Fleabag and the Priest (Adam Scott) is catastrophic, crushing and electric. 12 half-half hour episodes on Amazon Prime.

NEVER HAVE I EVER –Mindy Kaling’s creation about a first generation Indian family in the Valley is loosely based on her own experiences. It’s a unique, smart, coming-of-age comedy about Devi’s (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) complicated life. Devi, an overachieving high school sophomore, has a short fuse (like John Mc Enroe, the narrator) that gets her into trouble with her Mom (Poorna Jagannathan), her friends, her crush, her nemesis… basically everyone. You’ll love her “perfect” cousin, Kamala (Richa Moorjani) and her therapist, (Niecy Nash.) Snappy dialogue, clever catastrophes, and lots of heart. 8 half-hour episodes on Netflix.