I thought I’d recommend some of my favourite TV series if you fancy a break from studying! My sense of humour is pretty light-hearted, and I quite like slapstick comedy, so most of these recommendations follow that type of humour and comedy just to give you guys a head’s up!

Insatiable

Although I know quite a few people aren’t keen on this show, I really liked it. I honestly thought it was quite funny and entertaining. It follows the story of Patty, a former heavier girl who loses weight after being punched in the face by a homeless man and becomes a beauty queen. The 2 seasons follow Patty’s interest in beauty pageants. The main thing I enjoyed about this series was how unexpected the plot was. I could truly never predict what would happen in the next episode, which made it quite addictive to watch. The main character, Patty, is a flawed character. Although she is not a very nice person the viewer takes her side and routes for her. Patty ends up killing albeit accidentally as it’s presented, several other characters like Christain and her pretend dad. This provided some sympathy from the viewer as she explains she didn’t mean to. I won’t spoil the ending, but I thought it was clever and really liked the end of the series. It was a crazy ride, so check it out!

Friday Night Dinner

This tv series is pretty popular! Friday night dinner follows a family having their dinner on each Friday evening-duh! It’s a comedy and I thought it was amusing. The boys Adam and Jonny have a typical sibling relationship where they tease and wind each other up, which is amusing to watch. Their dad Martin is also quite a character. The idea is simple but well executed. My favourite character was their next-door neighbour Jim. He made each episode and I thought he was absolutely hysterical. Mark Heap did a fantastic job of portraying him. Jim fancied Jackie, the boys mum, and some of his lines were brilliant. He also has a dog named Wilson who he is scared of which I thought was really funny. A lot of the comedy from his character was based of movement and speech. Honestly Jim is a scream. I’d really recommend watching this cracking series.

Superstore

Superstore is also a comedic tv series based on characters working in a large store in Missouri. Some central characters are Glenn, Dina, Amy, Jonna, Mateo and Garret.  What makes this series funny is how they all have very different personalities. This influences the way they interact as well as the humorous interactions they have with their customers. My favourite character was Dina. Although she could be very blunt, assertive and sometimes aggressive I thought she was really funny and added a lot of dynamism to the show! She really grew on me. Another character I liked was Jonna mainly because he is so sweet and likeable. His need for approval was quite amusing. I also liked Glenn, the manager, because he was so wholesome and just such a nice person as well as having funny lines. I’d recommend this show if you want to disconnect as you don’t have to focus too hard, and the show is quite light! Amy and Jonna’s relationship was charming and added some momentum to the show.

Derry Girls

Derry Girls is a brilliant series that follows a bunch of schoolgirls growing up in Northern Ireland with political tensions rising high. It’s a comedy. It’s retro. It has a captivating background of the Troubles. It’s a coming-of-age drama that provides a lot of laughs too! It features 4 catholic girls and an English boy James who is my favourite character. He is funny and very out of place there which adds to the amusement. I also love Erin mainly because her facial expressions are hysterical and she’s a funny character. Most of the episodes are pretty eventful. You get a good sense of what it would be like growing up during the Troubles. This is a great series to watch if you want to watch something that feels a bit more real but is also humorous! I loved their accents too although I can’t really do an Irish accent myself!

You

You is quite different from the rest of these recommendations! You is a fantastic phycological thriller which follows Joe, who in season 1 works in a bookshop and falls for Beck. Joe has obsessive and psychopathic tendencies. He sees himself as a good guy and believes he is harmless, yet he is very dangerous in reality. This disconnection between the way he views himself and how he is makes a captivating dichotomy. He believes he is a hero, yet he is a villain. His flawed perspective creates many twists in the show along the way. The viewer can see him from different perspectives too and it is easy to end up rooting for him as we are told his side of the story. He is a humanized villain. This reveals the multiple complexes of the human condition and the multitude of layers that make up a person.  In season 2 we see Joe moving to LA and falling in love with another woman called Love. Yet gain his dark personality traits come to the surface and he repeats his behaviour. However, Joe is not entirely bad as this show highlights as he does take down a pedophile. This show is well worth watching for anyone who wants something slightly different to watch! Good luck following all the twists and turns that this series provides.

In conclusion, these are all great shows to watch- at least according to me! If you want pure comedy then check out Friday Night Dinner and Superstore! If you fancy something totally wild and unpredictable why not watch Insatiable! If you fancy something more coming of age yet still with humorous tones put on Derry Girls and finally if you’re in the mood for something darker and more twisted check out You! Happy procrastinating!