Considering that Netflix makes the best rebound boyfriend ever, I figured I would write about the not so new, but revisted love of my life. Love IS lovelier the second time around, as Tony Bennett would say. But as I’m laying in bed with dear ol’ Netflix before drifting off to slumber land, I really don’t want to be scared out of my wits or so keyed up that I can’t sleep. No, I want my new boyfriend to get me to giggle to sleep. And so, here is my top five list of what Netflix has made just for me… and the rest of it’s subscribers. These are only original comedy series, and only the ones I love.
5. Bojack Horseman
I’ve been told to watch this one for a while, and I’m already on Season 2. I have to say that it takes a couple of episodes before you can fully commit to these zany characters. Like King of the Hill meets Family Guy, Bojack Horseman tells the story of a horse, voiced by Will Arnet, who had a huge sitcom in the 1990’s called Horsin’ Around. He is now a washed up celebrity living with a slacker named Todd, voiced by Aaron Paul, and has a feline agent named Princess Carolyn, voiced by Amy Sedaris. Oh yeah… did I mention that this is an alternate universe where humans and animals can all talk and live as equals? The show’s sneaky and sardonic laughs come a mile a minute, and while this isn’t the most fun comedy on Netflix, it’s certainly one of it’s darkest. Also, please do yourself a favor and watch the Christmas special, but you might want to wear Depends Adult Diapers while doing so…
4. Orange is the New Black
OK, before you shenk me for putting fan favorite, Orange is the New Black, at number four, admit that the last season was a little lack luster. And although the first two seasons were incredible, I’m looking at all of these series as a whole. That being said, if Bojack is dark, then OITNB, is black as night. Dealing with every taboo subject in the book, this show could very well be a drama, but has enough laughter to still be classified as a comedy. If you’ve been living under a rock, OITNB tells the true-ish story of a privelidged young woman, Piper, and how she survives in prision. But the best part of the whole show is getting to know the other inmates. It’s so crazy how you start out feeling one way about a character and then completely change your mind when your hear his/her back story. Obviously, Netlfix and I don’t watch this one before bed, but it’s good to know that he understands my dark side enough to suggest this show to me. He’s so thoughtful that way.
3. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
A prequal to the cult classic film Wet Hot American Summer, WHAS: First Day of Camp, takes the entire original cast and has them reprise their characters over a decade later. Even more hilarious, the original film had the actors, playing teenagers while pushing 30. Now these actors, who are 14 years older, are playing the same characters they did before, but a couple of months younger. HA! The incredible cast includes Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Janeane Garafalo, Michael Ian Black, Christopher Meloni, David Hyde Pierce, and Molly Shannon, and the series adds Kristin Wiig, Jason Schwartzman, and John Hamm. If that doesn’t get you interested, I don’t know what will. First Day of Camp, follows the lives of the teenage junior councelors on their first day at Camp Firewood. The series, like the movie is not just a “Camp” movie but literally a CAMPY movie. You see every single cliche in the books overacted and love every second of it. My suggestion is to watch the film first, then the series, then watch the “making of” documentary, Hurricane of Fun, which are all currently streaming on Netflix. You’ll wish you could have a “wet hot American summer” too!
2. Arrested Development
Arrested Development was the show that got me to subscribe to instant Netflix… and I’m pretty sure it was the show that made at least half of Netflix’s subscribers bite the bullet as well. Arrested Development is one of those shows upon which you base a friendship. You’re meeting someone for the first time, and you ask them, “Do you like Arrested Development?” If they say yes, you can be friends for life. If they say that they’ve never seen it, watch it with them, and then judge. If they say no, sorry you can’t be friends with them because clearly this person has a terrible sense of humor. The series started on FOX network, but sadly didn’t have a large enough following to stay on for a fourth season. And like a knight in shining armour, Netflix came into save the day and give the series a new life! Arrested Development tells the story of the enourmously wealthy, but incredibly self-ceneterd Bluth family, and how they deal with their patriarch being indited for embezzling company funds. Seriously, if you want more friends, watch Arrested Development. It’s at the crux of every important relationship.
1. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
I’m not ashamed to say that I have marathoned Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt five times now. When I’ve had a bad day at work, Kimmy and Titus make it all better. When a man breaks my heart, Titus’s ode to the black penis, “Peeno Nior,” reminds me that all is right within the world. Unbreakable follows the story of a plucky girl, Kimmy played by the delightful Ellie Kemper, from Indiana who was kidnapped by a crazed, religious freak and kept in an underground bunker for the past 15 years with three other women. The women finally get rescued, and Kimmy decides to live in New York City. She finds an apartment with a flamingly ridiculous man, named Titus Andromedonn, who has tried out for The Lion King 14 times, but now has a restraining order. She also finds a job working for Jaqueline Vorhess, played by the incredible Jane Krakowski, a self-centered, rich bitch Manhattan-ite. Created and written by the incomprobale Tina Fey, the show has laughter, heart, and ALL of the silliness that you can imagine coming from Fey’s mind. If you can’t watch this show and instantly feel better, well then, I just feel sorry for you, becuase Unbreakable is EVERYTHING and more. And I can’t wait for Season 2. “It’s a miracle!”
