NSV TV10: January 2021

Hi all,

It's been ages since I've blogged. What with a global pandemic, general stress and other chaos, I just haven't had the confidence to write regularly, apart from reviewing films over on my Letterboxd. But after cleaning up and reorganising my bedroom, I've decided to try and get back into writing more often. So, I introduce to you my NSV TV10: the top 10 tv shows per month. I watch way too much TV and so much of it falls under the radar, so I thought it would be fun to reccommend to you some of my current favourites. I'll aim to do one of these a month, as well as hopefully doing some other writing inbetween. High hopes always.

Also, you may have noticed my blog looks a little different with an updated and very pretty logo, courtesy of my boyfriend, Adam. I love how it's turned out, an intepretation of me and my beloved cat Bowie. Masked up as I should be. Hopefully soon we'll be able to unveil what's hiding behind the mask.

HM. Cells At Work Code Black, The Amber Ruffin Show, Doctor Who: Revolution Of The Daleks, Superstore, Disenchantment

10. 9-1-1 (7Plus)

Still the most insane show on TV. The third season opens with the team dealing with the pandemic, a dambreak and a mudslide and still has time for some surprisingly moving short stories. Also, Texas based spin-off 9-1-1: Lone Star (unavailable legally in Australia) also returned. Still has the same annoying colour filter but is somehow even more OTT than the parent series, involving a lot of lava, a brutal death and a truck full of scorpions. Great, silly empty calories.

9. It's A Sin (Stan)

Watching this on a week by week basis so only seen the first two episodes. But it's excellent; haunting, scary, sexy with hints of the sadness to come.

8. Euphoria: F*ck Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob (Binge)

"How could it be possible Rue loved me as much as I loved her?" A clever character shift but not as strong as the previous holiday special. Love Euphoria's visual panache and overwrought drama so that eye opening pre titles sequence was gorgeous.

7. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (Stan)

An underrated delight, somehow managing to remain light despite the devastating ending to season one. A tearjerker but so much fun too.

6. Bridgerton (Netflix)

The last buzzy Netflix series of 2020 (which I didn't finish until early this year). The Shonda Rhimes bona-fides keep this soapy, but it's the gorgeous production design and lovable characters that make this such a fun watch. That and the Wildest Dreams sex montage.

5. RuPaul's Drag Race (Stan)

Took probably a little too long to get started with three full episodes before one of the Queens was eliminated. I get why Ru did it, to showcase this excellent group, but it led to a flat start to the season. Current favourites: Symone, Utica, Tamisha Imane. Least favourite: Kandy Muse, Tina Burna.

4. RuPaul's Drag Race UK (Stan)

Still prefer the UK version; less product placement, less polish to the queens and more out there challenges. No such starting problems here with one of the best queens going in the very first episode, a trend which has continued. Very twisty and turny. Special mention to the Rats Rusical which managed to be significantly better than Cats. Know that's not hard, but still. Current favourites: Lawrence Chaney (by some margin). Least favourite: Tia Kofi (she's fun but her drag needs a LOT of work), Ellie Diamond.

3. When They Cry - Gou (AnimeLab)

Originally looked like a remake of the original When They Cry anime which traumatised me throughout 2012. Instead, it's actually a sequel, blowing up the horrifying time loop premise in interesting and stressful ways. The most recent Cat Decieving Arc was some of the most violent TV I've ever seen, particularly episode 16. A serene sense of calm gives way to a literal gutwrenching and heartbreak. Not for the faint of heart.

2. Attack On Titan: The Final Season (Crunchyroll)

I've been following Attack On Titan ever since it's very first season back in 2013, so the final season was easily one of my most anticipated anime going into the final quarter of 2020. But after a strange start to the season, following an entirely new group of characters, I feared for the worst. I needn't have been so hasty. Instead, that arc established that both sides of war are hell, giving us more characters to sympathise with before our original favourites decimated them and their town. Morally greyer than ever before, Attack On Titan looks set to wade into some heavy, interesting thematic territory in it's final stretch. And the soundtrack and Titans are still so cool.

1. WandaVision (Disney+)

The strangest thing to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever. If the MCU is to take over the multiplex and our TV screens, I'd been hoping for something less homogenous and more unusual. Thankfully, WandaVision delivers that in spades. Starting out as a loving homage/parody of sitcoms (which works thanks to Olsen and Bettany's pitch perfect performances), it is slowly becoming more and more intense appointment television. The best show on TV currently.

What have you been watching this month? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter :)

Regards,

Not A Sexy Vampire