Welcome to 2019! No matter what your New Year’s resolutions are, chances are you will find yourself binging something within the coming year. Here are our staff’s recommendations.
Sarah’s Picks:
Glow, Netflix
This Netflix original series chronicles the life of a new professional wrestling promotion called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Most of the women are aspiring actresses or down on their luck and decide to take on this new role. Each episode is full of impactful dialogue, even touching on sensitive subject matters like anxiety, miscarriages, and more. The show is character-rich and entertaining, all set to an 80s soundtrack. The entire show is available on Netflix.
Cast: Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Sydelle Noel, Brittney Young, Marc Maron, Britt Baron, Kate Nash, Gayle Rankin, Kia Stevens, Jackie Tohn, Ellen Wong and Chris Lowell, to name a few.
iZombie, The CW
Follow Liv, (Rose McIver) a medical resident with her life together, as an accident transforms her into a… zombie. Now as a zombie, Liv works in a morgue and can still talk and think like a human if she eats brains. It is a little cliché, but there is a catch: she takes on the personality and memories of the person the brain belonged to. This leads to many shenanigans as she works with a detective to solve crimes, pretending to be a psychic. The first four seasons are available on Netflix and season five is set to premiere mid-2019.
Cast: Rose McIver, Rahul Kohli, Malcolm Goodwin, Robert Buckley, David Anders, Aly Michalka, and Bryce Hodgson.
Deb’s Pick:
V-Wars, Netflix
This Netflix original is based on the anthology series by New York Times best selling author Jonathan Maberry. A mysterious disease is turning people into vampires, and as the disease spreads, the world becomes a battleground between humans and vampires. Ian Somerhalder stars as Dr. Luther Swann, a physician who must battle his best friend, Michael Fayne (Adrian Holmes), who has become the vampire leader. Dr. Swann is on a quest to learn as much as he can about the disease that has turned the world into a war zone in the hopes that he can create a cure to save his friend and the rest of humanity. V-Wars releases on Netflix in early 2019.
Cast: Ian Somerhalder, Adrian Holmes, Jacky Lai, Peter Outerbridge, Laura Vandervoort, Kyle Breitkopf, and Kimberly-Sue Murray.
Kailin’s Pick:
New Amsterdam, NBC
Based on the book Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Eric Manheimer, New Amsterdam is the newest medical drama on NBC. The show follows Max Goodwin, a doctor who becomes the medical director of one of the United States’ oldest public hospitals, New Amsterdam. According to the premise of the show, his main goal is “to reform the neglected facility by tearing up its bureaucracy in order to provide exceptional care to patients.” However, the story takes a turn when Max ends up becoming a patient himself, giving him a new look on the healthcare system through a patient’s perspective. You can catch new episodes Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
Cast: Ryan Eggold, Janet Montgomery, Freema Agyeman, Jocko Sims, Tyler Labine, and Anupam Kher.
Emily’s Pick:
Firefly, Facebook Watch
Taking place nearly 500 years since the Earth was used up, this sci-fi western (yes, you read that correctly) follows nine people trying to survive on the edge of the universe. From Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), to pilot Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Alan Tudyk), to doctor and scientific phenomenon sibling duo Simon and River Tam (Sean Maher and Summer Glau), this merry band of bandits gets into hilarious and poignant situations that allow the audience to reflect on happenings today despite the futuristic setting. From the brilliant mind of Joss Whedon, Firefly is just fourteen episodes and a movie long, making it the perfect short show to watch, although be warned: the show may be short, but the obsession is eternal. And, the entire show (as well as Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Angel: The Series) are available to watch for free on Facebook.
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite, Adam Baldwin, Ron Glass, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau. Special appearances by Christina Hendricks, Michael Fairman, and Mark Sheppard.
We hope you enjoy our picks for 2019 – let us know in the comments below what you recommend to binge in the coming year.
