I have a serious binging issue. I have been binging on so much content this past month. If you’ve read my previous posts on how I deal with anxiety, binging on content is one of the ways I escape reality. I tend to gravitate towards more mindless content since it is a mode of relaxation for me. I watched whole seasons of some shows and listened to a new podcast. So what have I been binging on?

SHOWS:

Only Murders In The Building (Season 2)

If you read my 2021 favourites you’d probably remember that I absolutely loved Season 1 of this show. So with Season 2 out – I had to binge-watch it. The last episode is yet to come out but the first 9 episodes have been kind of eh. It’s possible that I had very high expectations because of the first season but the pace, the storyline, and even the acting of the main trio have been a little disappointing. I’m hoping the last episode changes my mind. If you don’t know the storyline – it’s about the trio of two old men and a young girl that band up together to solve murders happening in their building and start a podcast to discuss their process and findings. It’s definitely a fun watch if you like watching mindless, fun shows. Steve, Martin, and Selena are absolutely adorable.

Boo Bitch

Can you guess which movie I’m talking about? A trio of popular mean girls led by the meanest and most popular girl bullies all the students in high school. She’s dating the school hottie. The unpopular outsider girl takes on the mean girl and steals her boyfriend. This is the exact plot of Mean Girls and the show, Boo Bitch. The show is literally a remake of the movie Mean Girls with some minor changes that made the show so so bad. I think Lana Condor is adorable which is why I started watching this show but two episodes in and I was cringing at how bad the show was. I also hate how such shows absolve the protagonist of all her bad behaviour once she gets back to being her normal self. Definitely pass on watching this show.

Never Have I Ever (Season 3)

After 2 very average seasons, we finally got an amazing season of Never Have I Ever. I started watching this show because I love Mindy Kaling, and a friend said that the main character reminded him of me (no, I’m not like her). I really liked this show because we finally see some character growth for all the characters. I liked how they addressed issues like self-love and standing up for yourself even to your loved ones. I liked Season 3 so much that I finished watching it over a weekend. If you haven’t seen this show it follows the storyline of an Indian-American teenager, Devi, who is desperate to be in a relationship and the adventures that follow her and her friends.

PODCASTS:

Sexy Sunday by Close Up Culture

This podcast was something different that I picked up this month. To be fully honest, they reached out to me for an honest review on my blog so I decided to give it a listen. I listened to the podcast episodes on shows that I had already finished watching or had no intention of watching – mainly to avoid spoilers. The podcast analyses characters and sex scenes from movies and TV shows. I found the premise of the podcast quite intriguing since I’ve honestly never given any thought to these scenes while watching shows. Here is what I liked and disliked about the podcast –

Liked:

• Promoting safe sex: As an adult, I find it quite absurd that so many shows and movies skip on this. A lot of them show how “making love” is all about being in the moment and just going with the flow with no one reaching out for condoms. I do think this is quite irresponsible because it makes that the norm. I liked that in the episode on YOU the podcast discussed safe sex. They also discussed how doing it in public might look hot on screen but being safe is paramount.
• Consent goes two ways and other social aspects: I really appreciate that they dive into social issues like consent and how it goes two ways. While discussing the show Sex Education, they brought up a scene where it didn’t feel like the male protagonist was consenting and how it was brushed away as “okay” – which it isn’t. I like that they highlight such issues from across shows.
• Analyzing the character’s history and connecting it across seasons to their behaviors: I enjoyed listening to their analysis of how a character’s history and past experiences impact their behaviors especially how they behave in bed.
• Appreciating the right things: I loved how they appreciate how the high school girls in Euphoria aren’t catty with each other despite how their stories intertwine and sometimes conflict.
• Feels like friends discussing shows and movies: It literally felt like me and some friends having a discussion which I really liked. They easily slip from very serious conversations to light-hearted banter which is fun.

Disliked:

• Too much giggling: I know the podcast is hosted by two girls but the giggling just gets annoying. I have paused episodes multiple times cause I just couldn’t deal with the giggling.
• Lack of male perspective: I honestly think the show would be better with some male perspective. I would enjoy it more to see how a man analyses the same scenes in comparison to a woman’s perspective. I think their lastest episode, which is on the movie Elvis, has a male co-host but I haven’t listened to that yet because I want to watch the movie first.
• Interview episodes: This is just my personal taste but I am not into listening to interviews on podcasts.
• Format: I do find the format a little haphazard which can be sometimes confusing. For shows like Fleabag with limited characters – the podcast was a little dry (which was disappointing cause I LOVE THIS SHOW). But for shows like Euphoria or Sex Education with just too many characters – I felt like jumping between so many characters was a little confusing to follow. I literally had the show’s character page open alongside so I could remind myself which character was being discussed and what their story was. Maybe focusing on vital characters or vital scenes in the show would work better?
• Picking mainly new content: I understand that new shows would be more relevant in the present but I think picking older shows would ensure more people have actually seen it. Eg: Game of Thrones (can be split over episodes)

I’d love if they’d do a comparison between how older shows and movies dealt with sex in the storyline versus how newer age shows are dealing with it. (Eg: Boy Meets World vs Sex Education or the original Gossip Girl vs the reboot)

Overall I didn’t love love the podcast. I’d listen to it while commuting or during a long flight. But I wouldn’t take out time specifically to listen to it in its current format.

MOVIES

Persuasion (2022)

I love Dakota Johnson and I love Jane Austen’s books which is why I assumed I would enjoy this movie based on the book by the same title. I didn’t. It didn’t feel like the book really sucked us into its era. It felt very modern while still trying to pass off as set in the early 19the century. The whole “breaking of the fourth wall” movie telling just didn’t work in this setup. I’d recommend skipping this movie.

What have you been binging on? Have you seen (or heard) any of these shows? Do you agree with my opinion?

If you haven’t already, show my recent posts a little love –

• Content I Binged Watched Recently: Netflix, Hotstar (Hulu)
• Things On Dating Apps That Make Me Really Doubt My Generation’s Ability to Love
• Need A Serotonin Boost? Here Are Some Tips (Guest Post)
• Come To The Beach With Me: Goa 2023
• April Reads: Mini-Book Reviews & More