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My husband, Randy, and I agree on many things, but what to stream is often not one of them. He votes for shows like Stranger Things and The Mandalorian, or what I call weird stuff. I prefer shows with resilient heroines; uplifting stories that tug at my heart, or what he calls emotional stuff. So, we compromise. I watch the living room television; he gets the TV in the kitchen. Afterward, we can meet in the hallway, hug and say hello.
Here are my favorite shows to stream right now.
Hacks (MAX; three seasons; 2021-2024; 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes)
I first fell in love with Jean Smart when she was on Designing Women 30 years ago. She plays Deborah Vance, a stand-up comedian in danger of losing her longtime residency at a Las Vegas casino. Her act is tired, filled with one-liners and insults, but Deborah’s the insulted one when her agent pushes her to work with a young writer to freshen the material.
Enter Hannah Einbinder (daughter of real-life Saturday Night Live cast member Lorraine Newman) who’s as reluctant about the pairing as Deborah but takes the job because she’s currently unemployable in Hollywood. Emmy-nominated twice for Outstanding Comedy Series, this show’s for anyone who’s ever felt like the top half of a Boomer-Millennial generation gap.
The relationship between the two women bounces between disdain and respect, but it’s often touching and always witty. And what fun to watch 72-year-old Jean Smart, winner of two Emmys for her role, navigate the world with droll opinions, a multitude of blonde wigs, and, yes, a few handsome lovers.
The Split (Hulu; four seasons; 2018–2022; 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes)
Raise your hand if you love a British legal series. The oldest daughter in a family firm of female divorce lawyers quits to work for a rival firm. Of course, she ends up going against her mother and sister in London’s highest-profile cases. Nicola Walker plays the oldest daughter. (Walker is one of those British actresses you’ll look at and say: I really like her! Where have I seen her? The answer will probably be Last Tango In Halifax.)
This show has it all. Family fallouts. Ruthless lawyers. An estranged father who pops up after 30 years. (When you ask yourself: Where do I know him from? ... the answer is probably Ted Lasso. He played Rupert Mannion, the rich ex-owner of Ted’s team.) There are also office politics and subplots galore. Along with — all those juicy divorce cases.
Poker Face (Peacock; first season 2023; 2nd in production; 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.)
If, like me, you have warm, fuzzy memories of spending hours watching Columbo, The Rockford Files and Murder She Wrote, you’ll love this mystery-of-the-week series starring Natasha Lyonne (the raspy-voiced curly-haired actress from Russian Doll).
Lyonne plays a casino cocktail waitress who can always tell when someone is lying. At first, she uses her ability to clean up in poker tournaments, (can you blame her?) but thanks to a mysterious murder and a vengeful casino boss, she ends up on the run. No surprise, to all we former Columbo fans, a murder takes place everywhere she lands.
She is charming, charismatic and totally entertaining as a blunt-speaking woman using her “superpower” to prove to everyone else what she and the audience already suspect.
Drops Of God (Apple+; one season; 2023; 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.)
I was so caught up in this story that as soon as I finished the final episode, I was pounding out emails saying: Watch this show! ... only to hear back a chorus of: I watched it last year! Isn’t it fabulous! Well, thanks a lot, all you friends who didn’t bother to tell me about this gorgeous eight-part series filmed in French vineyards, Japanese mansions and Italian hillsides.
A man dies leaving a $150 million wine collection, setting up in his will a winner-takes-all competition between his estranged French daughter and the brilliant young Japanese winemaker the man trained and considered his “spiritual son.” The wine-hating daughter’s one advantage: a killer sense of smell and taste.
Having grown up in a home where the finest wine we ever served was Manischewitz on Passover, I now understand why a single bottle of wine can cost hundreds of dollars. I don’t plan to buy one, but I understand it. This money-loaded world filled with secrets, snobs and characters you’ll deeply care about is why I’m grateful that a second season is in the works.
Girls5eva (Originally Peacock; now on Netflix; three seasons; 2021 to 2024; 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes)
This show was a word-of-mouth discovery. The mouth belongs to my friend Beth and let’s just say it: Thank you, Beth, for introducing me to this wonderfully funny Tina Fey-produced musical comedy.
The four surviving members of a one-hit wonder 90’s girl group reunite for one last shot at pop stardom, and slowly are re-discovered and reborn. Starring Sara Bareilles, each 30-minute episode is a joke-a-minute sendup of self-reinvention. Toss in upbeat original music, guests like Jimmy Fallon, Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert, or Tina Fey as Dolly Parton, and you’ll thank my friend Beth, too.
Crash Landing On You (Netflix; 16 90-minute episodes; 2020; 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes)
Produced in Korea, this is another of those why-did-I-not-know-about-this-sooner shows, especially considering it’s had 1.75 billion online views.
No, that’s not a typo. Billion.
When a beautiful South Korean heiress goes paragliding, an unexpected storm carries her over the border into North Korea. Trapped in a tree, she’s captured by an equally beautiful North Korean Captain. The chemistry between the two will come flying off your screen as they fall in love. Despite having a father who is a high-ranking North Korean official, the Captain wants to protect her and help her return to South Korea. Danger, humor and tears all add up to forbidden love. This heart-wrenching miniseries feels like curling up with a great novel.
That’s my top six. If you want to know about The Mandalorian you’ll have to ask Randy. But add up all the hours for these shows, and you should be happily entertained until 2026.
Photo Credits (tops): HBO Max/Everett Collection; Netflix/Everett Collection; Apple TV+/Everett Collection; Peacock; Netflex/Everett Collection; Sundance TV/Photofest; TV: Getty Images; Remote: Getty Images
What's YOUR favorite TV show right now? Let us know in the comments below.
Paul Spella
Follow Article Topics: Lifestyle
