My kids fight bedtime so hard they must think their dad and I spend evenings watching unlimited episodes of Wild Kratts and eating all their Halloween candy. (Which is only half-true.) Here’s what the grown-ups in our house actually watch after bedtime these days:
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
During this dark time in our nation’s political history, I think it’s safe to say we all need a laugh. John Oliver is terrific, but Samantha Bee’s untethered lady rage is the soothing balm my battered American soul really needs. (And if you guys haven’t watched her mock lewd “leaked tape” yet, do yourself a favor and find one minute while your kid is out of earshot to watch it. You’re welcome.)
Westworld
Two episodes into HBO’s presumptive heir to Game of Thrones and I’m feeling it. Sci-fi isn’t my thing, but just like GOT, Westworld is pushing the boundaries of what I *think* my tastes are with terrific acting, movie-caliber sets, and an uber-ambitious premise. (Also, James Marsden looks ?? in a cowboy hat, so there’s that.)
Catastrophe
Television shows rarely get the way couples actually talk to one another right, let alone the absurd private dialogue between parents. Amazon’s Catastrophe nails it all, with a brilliant, laugh-out-loud Season 1 and painfully real (if a little dark) Season 2. I doubt many marriages are quite like Sharon and Rob’s accidental union, but their punchy banter is something I suspect every couple will recognize.
Ali Wong: Baby Cobra
How many moms, let alone pregnant ladies, do stand-up? Uh, zero, which is just one of the many reasons why Ali Wong’s Netflix special is so rad. She treads a lot of familiar stand-up territory like dating and sex, but from the completely fresh perspective of a married, college-educated, Asian-American (and pregnant) woman. She’s the wise-cracking, whip-smart, potty-mouthed mom we all hope we’ll meet at the playground someday.
And I’m Patiently Waiting for…
The Crown (filling my period drama quota), The Man in the High Castle (a show my husband and I can *actually* agree on), Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (OMG OMG OMG) and Top Chef: Season 14 (the only reality show I can stomach. Ha!)
//