May Top 10!

How is it the end of May already?!? But here we are again 🙂

So this month I thought I would avoid writing about ‘Lockdown’, as I know there’s enough of that going around at the moment, and I don’t feel like I can add anymore to that without sounding repetitive. Instead I’ve decided to, seeing as lockdown has given me more time to actually settle down and watch a bit more with the family… write a Top Ten TV Programmes/Series list… because that is definitely an original idea….

Yeah, OK, so this blog post isn’t going to change the world :). So in no particular order…. here we go!

Number 10: Games of Thrones

What a series! Honestly one of the best I have ever watched (and yes that includes the series finale). Ciara and I started watching this back in 2014; we were late to the party, and, at first we weren’t too sure. Ciara was back, and forth from university, and time was short. Game of Thrones I feel falls into that category where you have to get through the first series, and then you’re hooked!

My favourite characters switched every 5 minutes; characters I loved at the start of the first series, I moved onto hating them, and then went back to loving them again- such a tonne of emotions! Those I thought would win the ‘Game of Thrones’, if you wish, didn’t, and those I thought deserved the ‘Iron Throne’ really, really, REALLY didn’t.

Sarah (our cousin) was the one who got me, (and then Ciara by proxy), into GOT, as she bought me the box sets for my birthday; and so when eventually the 8th and final series rolled around, what better way to enjoy it than all together, with dinner and some nice (but terribly unhealthy) food. My new found love of making Rocky Road ended up being our go to treat on a Monday night- GOT night.

If you love anything to do with dragons, dystopia, magic and drama this is definitely for you!

Number 9: Killing Eve

Again, late to the party! Lisa and Ciara watched the first two series without me, and to be honest it didn’t bother me too much. However, once I heard Lisa and Ciara raving about it, and telling me how I was missing out, I caved (not actually normal for me- I usually dig my heels in).

Amazing script writing from Phoebe Waller-Bridge (more on her later) meant that the series was both hilarious and creepy at the same time. Who knew that routing for the assassin, would be so entertaining. Eve and Villanelle are playing a killer game of cat and mouse and the question is will everyone make it out alive?

Jodie Comer is amazing…. literally amazing!! Her acting talent, literal mastery of every accent under the sun, and just stunning complexity as Villanelle is second to none. She’s brilliant, just brilliant- there was no better choice for the role!

If you like murder, comedy, suspense and just a really good watch- get on this! Not sure why I didn’t start earlier?

Number 8: Britain’s Got Talent

Every Saturday we sit down as a family and watch this together. It really is one of my favourite times of the week- not only because Ant and Dec are back on my screen; because seriously, they’re great, but because we ALL sit together in front of the same TV and watch together.

When BGT started many moons ago, Dad wasn’t a fan; Simon Cowell wasn’t nice, the acts were ‘all rubbish’ (they weren’t) and it just wasn’t for him. This year however, dad has started creeping in at 8pm on a Saturday evening to sit with us, and watch. He even goes as far as asking if we have it on record if we aren’t quite finished at the dinner table. It is so lovely to sit together and chat about the acts, decide on our favourites, and who we think might have it in them to go all the way.

Last week, Dad had a Zoom meeting with his work friends and so we went on and watched BGT after dinner without him (he said he didn’t mind)… but after an hour, he walked in and lo and behold we are running him through the acts all over again just so he can catch up, and we could chat again. I don’t think there is anyone who hasn’t watched this, but if you haven’t, please do. There are really some amazing (and insanely wacky people) out there who have so much to show! Go watch 🙂

Number 7: Derry Girls

A show set in Northern Ireland (NI), all about a group of Northern Irish school girls (and 1 English boy) that literally shows (and takes the mick a little) out of the divide between England and NI, but also the Catholic and Protestant argument. Done in the wrong way, this show could have been very different, and would not have been the hit it evidently was, and still is!

The girls and James; an English boy sent back to live in Derry with his cousin, navigate parents, parties, love interests and school against the backdrop of The Troubles, and then later with the backdrop of a precarious peace process. Derry Girls is hilarious, yet it provides you with the shocking realisation that life in NI is actually like this for the children growing up there; perhaps not as haphazard and out of control, but albeit, still being searched on buses for bombs, and not taking any notice of that, demonstrates that for some in this world (NI included) this is almost ‘normal’. A brilliant series, with great messages, and a hell of a lot of hilarity to go with it!

Number 6: Stranger Things

When everyone started talking about this one, I wasn’t fussed about watching it. Sinead and scary/jumpy programmes do NOT mix well! I thought it would pass me by, and I would think nothing more of it.

It turns out, Lisa was absolutely desperate to watch this, and so I found myself being pulled in with her enthusiasm, and sitting down to watch Series 1 right at the very beginning of this lockdown. Despite spending much of the time with one hand either in front of my eyes, or close to, in case of any jumps coming, I thoroughly enjoyed this series, and the characters have just grown on me. Instead of being reluctant about stopping to watch the series, I actually actively sought out when we would be watching the next episode. It’s safe to say that it didn’t take us long to binge watch all of these- all of 2 days were spent.

Bring on the next series- myself, Ciara, Lisa and I’m sure millions of other people are waiting to see how THAT big twist is going to sort itself out!! Plus Millie Bobby Brown is now one of my favourite people- just amazing!

Number 5: Fleabag

I have said it before, both on here already, and to almost everyone I meet, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a genius. Someone who can write both a comedy-drama series about an angry, but confused woman living an everyday life, with twists at every turn, as well as a series about a serial killing assassin who’s spy is slowly falling for her is just something else.

I began to watch Fleabag on my own, but since then I have rewatched it more than three times, with various different people; that’s how good it really was. It makes you feel so many emotions all at once and the show is a rollercoaster. Phoebe Waller Bridge portrays ‘Fleabag’ so effortlessly, and the subtle hints of true feelings throughout the show, and the series are breathtaking. She is surrounded by amazing talent in the show too; Sian Clifford, Olivia Coleman, Brett Gelman, Hugh Skinner, Fiona Shaw, and of course Andrew Scott (another favourite of mine :D).. All play their part in making this series as successful, hilarious and brilliant as it is.

A series about a strong, opinionated, hilariously funny and quick-witted woman has finally flown, and aren’t I overjoyed about that!! Watch this now if you haven’t 🙂 Then again if you haven’t, where have you been?

Number 4: 13 Reasons Why

Since its arrival on Netflix, this series has had its fair share of controversy. The series starts off with a girl (Hannah), who has committed suicide and has left 13 tapes, with her ’13 Reasons’ why she did it on them. The first series works it’s way through the 13 Reasons, and the people who contributed to Hannah’s decision to end it. It sounds terribly depressing, and in some ways it is, but there’s something else there that drew me in.

I enjoyed listening to the reasons ‘why’, and watching how it all unfolded, and some of it resonated with me. Anyone can make a mistake, can say something out of line, do something so tiny that it may seem insignificant when looking at it in isolation, but when put with the rest of life’s challenges and problems, it could ultimately be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and can bring everything crumbling down. around you.

The second series focuses on the ‘Baker’ trial and the third on a ‘mysterious death’ but for the benefit of people wanting to watch it, I won’t post too much more on those. Yes the series is sad, confusing, emotionally draining but I genuinely feel it is massively important to watch, as this could really happen, and most likely does happen, and awareness could be raised through this. Series 4 comes out in 5 days, and I for one will be one of the first to watch!

Number 3: Gogglebox

Surely everyone has heard of this? This programme shouldn’t be as good as it is. If you don’t know already, The programme, is literally a group of people in their own homes, watching TV programmes from that week, talking about them, and you as viewers are watching them, watching TV. Absolutely bizarre!

The ‘cast’ if you will, have been chosen brilliantly and the comments they come out with… hilarious! What they say from their own sofas, are literally what we are all saying at home on our own sofas. There is a homely feel to the programme, and such a diverse range of characters that will appeal to many different people. We feel like we are sat on the sofa with these people, watching the programmes with them. We feel every emotion; we laugh and we cry, all with them.

We see these families on the sofa every week, and we have grown to love them and where they’re not on one week, we wonder where they’ve gone, and if they’re ok. Gogglebox- a crazy idea but a must watch!

Number 2: Noughts and Crosses.

I grew up on Malorie Blackman’s books, and Noughts and Crosses (the whole series) was a huge part of my teenage years. I absolutely loved it! There are two sets of people- Crosses (darker-skinned people) who are superior, owning most of the wealth, have good jobs, go to different and better schools etc…, and Noughts (lighter-skinned people) who are at the poorer end of society, usually doing manual labour, or being servants to the Crosses. The story follows two children- Sephy; a Cross and Callum; a Nought as they grow into young adults, and face the reality that, in a world like theirs, a friendship (and anything more) cannot happen, and it’s dangerous to even think otherwise. Honestly, I could actually go on all day about this book series- I may even have to write a separate blog about it…

The TV series is what I am here for though today 🙂 I was mega excited, like talking about it with everyone I met, excited. Something I had grown up reading, and enjoyed so much, was finally making it’s way onto our screens and I was so here for that!

I was not disappointed! Yes, I won’t lie there are major differences to the books, and some things that I thought would have been shown in one way, was portrayed in a completely different way, or not shown at all. Some of major elements in the books weren’t shown, and new things were slotted in its place to tell this particular version. Despite this, Noughts and Crosses on the TV stood on it’s own two feet- telling the story it needed to tell, in the way it needed to be told on screen. The way it has been left, means there is scope for Series 2, and I am already looking forward it, regardless of the fact that it has not yet been announced, nor has there been any hint of it anytime soon. But please, for little 12 year old Sinead, who sat, and has sat very recently re-reading these books, (I am obsessed… have you noticed?) someone please make Series 2!!

Side note: Jack Rowan and Masali Baduza are epic as Callum and Sephy; just epic!

Number 1: How to Get Away with Murder.

Here we are at Number 1; How to Get Away with Murder. A series that we began perhaps 2 weeks ago, and are just about to complete Series 5 of (right now… literally as I write this on May 30th- 11pm).

This Netflix series focuses on Annalise Keating, a law professor at the prestigious Middleton university, and a group of her students who all become entwined in a murder plot. Every series begins with flash forwards- usually to the major events that will unfold, which will then be built up throughout the series to form the whole picture and story. The series is dramatic, tense, funny, sad, and downright frustrating all at the same time! One minute you are suspecting one person of committing the crime, and then a couple of episodes later, you have done a complete 180, and are off suspecting someone completely different!

The murder plot is just the start in Series 1. What comes afterwards is mind-boggling but you can’t help but press the ‘Next Episode’ button. Every night we have sat down intent on watching 2, maybe 3 episodes and numerous times we have looked at the time and we have gone hours past our ‘deadline’ and have gotten through 5 episodes instead. Bring on the 6th Series; we’re here waiting… perhaps not so patiently!

So there we have it, my May Top 10. Do you have any favourites/series I need to watch? Let me know 🙂 There is probably so much more I could have said about all of these, so much that I have probably missed out. However, I hope you enjoyed having a read, and if you haven’t yet seen what’s listed above for yourself yet- GO! You won’t regret watching any of these, I’m sure of it 🙂

There is another month’s blog complete, and time to start working on the next one!

Keep well, and stay safe everyone!

Sinead xx