December was a very busy month between prepping for the holidays and work, and unfortunately the amount of TV shows I was able to watch reflects it. I think this was also due to so many shows having "Fall Finales" and taking a winter break near the beginning of the month. There just didn't seem to be much to watch. I've scrounged through what I've been watching lately (some on Netflix) and put together a list of my December TV Favorites.
Reckless (CBS - Netflix)
I started off last month with a perusal of some of Netflix's TV series offerings looking for something new and different that I hadn't heard too many people talking about. I just wanted to find something random to distract me and found it in the form of Reckless, a law drama that aired on CBS over the summer but was cancelled at the end of its season.
The show is a bit like Hart of Dixie but with lawyers and a competitive streak. I've borrowed a synopsis from IMDb because I think it breaks it down better than I could:
In sultry Charleston, where summer is long and secrets simmer behind every door, sex and crime walk hand in hand as two adversaries, a gorgeous Yankee litigator and a southern City Attorney, struggle to hide their intense attraction while clashing over a police sex scandal that threatens to implode the city.
The romance between the lawyers was actually kind of meh in my book. I thought the chemistry was a bit off and they were always playing at having a stronger sexual attraction than the spectator could actually feel. The police sex scandal case that ran throughout the whole season is what actually held my attention. It was great seeing how deep the corruption ran in the police department and watching the case shift and twist throughout the season. The case definitely takes some turns which I did not see coming and it really put the show on a higher level for me. I'm not surprised that the show didn't last on CBS, as I think it was a bit racier than what they're used to.
The Mindy Project (Fox)
Last month I also tried to get caught up on the episodes of The Mindy Project that I had missed. I was once again astounded by how much the show has improved in its third season. Usually, when there is tons of sexual tension between characters, a show can become stale once the couple finally gets together, but Mindy has only gotten better and better. I love Mindy and Danny together and think that their comedic dynamic is the lodestone of this show. I'm so happy the show is back!
Velvet (Netflix)
During my random Netflix perusal earlier in the month I also stumbled across a Spanish series called Velvet that intrigued me, before settling on Reckless because it seemed like less of an investment. I kept the show in the back of my mind, just waiting for a long weekend to start it, and the holidays brought me some lovely free time to binge. And binge I did! It took some time but I've watched all 16 episodes of the first season, each approximately 85 minutes long.
The show chronicles the clandestine romance between Alberto, heir of Galerías Velvet, one of the most prestigious Haute Couture fashion stores in Spain in the late 1950s, and Ana, one of the store's seamstresses. I would describe the show as The Paradise meets Mad Men, but in Spanish. Apart from the push and pull of the Romeo & Juliet-esque story, you get a look at the social divide between the family that runs Velvet, the wealthy customers and the hardworking staff. You really grow to love the characters throughout the season, rooting for their romances and hoping that their talents will be acknowledged. The friendship and camaraderie between the ladies in the workroom is palpable. And the costumes! This show is basically retro fashion porn.
I'm absolutely hooked on this show, and very much invested in finding out what will happen to the characters. I'm anxiously waiting for Netflix to put up the second season but if you have a bit of time on your hands now that the Winter TV schedule is slim pickings and you don't mind subtitles—or you speak fluent Spanish—then check out Velvet.
That's it for the month of December. I've already started putting together a list for January with some of my returning favorites and new shows that are just premiering. If you're interesting in hearing more of my thoughts on what's new on TV, you can listen to my TV podcast, Antenna Heads. Every week we discuss new TV premieres and reminisce on some old favorites.
No comments