What I'm watching #2:

Last month I subscribed to Netflix which, as some of you may already know, is both a great and terrible thing.  On one hand, I now have a massive number of new films and TV programs at my fingertips.  On the other, there is a lot of nonsense on Netflix, and watching it takes up quite a bit of precious time...

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My main reason for signing up to Netflix was to watch the recent and highly anticipated fourth season of Arrested Development, which went live on Sunday 26th May.  After being cancelled in 2006, the show has returned as a Netflix exclusive seven years later, with all of its original cast members still on board.  My old flatmate, Liam, first introduced me to Arrested Development during my fourth year of uni, and I'm very glad he convinced me to watch it.  I usually describe it as the most British comedy I've ever seen come out of the US, and encourage whoever I'm speaking to to watch it as soon as possible.  Craig and I raced through season four, so I may have missed some of the comedic subtleties that the show is famous for, but I was still entertained and comforted by the familiarity of the characters.  After such a long gap, the dynamic of the show is bound to have changed a little, but if you loved the first three seasons, then season four is definitely worth a watch.  And if you haven't seen Arrested Development, then start from the beginning.  Right now!

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Countless people recommended Girls to me before I finally got around to watching it. I love living vicariously through Hannah, the main character, who is an overdramatic, penniless writer living in New York City.  I also am in awe of Lena Dunham (the show's creator, and actress who plays Hannah) and wish she could be my friend.  Both male and female friends suggested I watch Girls, so don't let the gender specific title cloud your judgement.  This certainly isn't Sex and the City, but there is quite a lot of the former involved.  It's vulgar, and it's great.

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I started watching Dexter years ago, and got completely hooked, but somehow didn't make it past the second season before I stopped watching.  Craig hadn't seen the show at all, so when we noticed that it was on Netflix in bulk I suggested that we start watching from the beginning together.  It had been just long enough between viewings that I enjoyed the earlier episodes without remembering too much of the plot, and now we are well into the third season.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't go into plot detail, but if a crime thriller with hints of black comedy sounds good to you, then Dexter is probably worth a shot. Also, Michael C. Hall is great as Dexter!

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I know, I know, The Hills definitely falls into the 'nonsense' category that I was talking about earlier, but there's nothing better than a bit of guilty pleasure, easy viewing once in a while.  Lately I've been watching about a million twenty minute episodes on my days off while I'm doing housework.  It makes the time pass much faster!  I can't stand the more recent 'staged reality' TV shows like The Only Way Is Essex or Made In Chelsea as they are so cringingly fake, but for some reason this predecessor to those shows is much easier to watch.  You can't beat some old school drama and angst!