Most Bingeable Shows

2019 was the year when I started to warm up to streaming video. Yeah, I am slow that way. It took me ages to get used to the idea of watching multiple episodes of a single show back to back. I started watching streaming videos primarily because everyone at work watched and discussed them, and I felt left out.

What a reason to become a couch potato, right? 😀. Anyway, here’s a list of shows that I enjoyed this year. And a list of shows that I watched but didn’t necessarily care enough about to complete.

Disclaimer: These are shows I watched this year, not necessarily shows that came out this year.

What I Loved

Narcos

Narcos was hands down the single best show of the year for me. I started watching season 1 and could not stop till I finished Narcos: Mexico. Entertaining, funny, informative, and sad; I loved how well this show was done. Technically, it’s brilliant. I especially fell in love with the background score and music.

Made in Heaven

This is an Indian show (on Amazon Prime) based on a pair of wedding planners, which I loved. There’s only one season out so far, and season 2 is in the works, and I can’t wait for it.

Big Little Lies

I became a big fan of Liane Moriarty this year, reading multiple books of hers (one review here). I didn’t read Big Little Lies, but I binge-watched and loved this series’s seasons (streaming on Hotstar Premium). Should I read the book as well?

I think Liane Moriarty’s books, in general, would work well as a series, and I’m pretty excited to watch the TV adaptation of Three Wishes (which seems to be in the works).

Mars

This is a fascinating documentary with some fiction mixed in. I loved this format, which interplays scientific interviews with science fiction. It’s on Hotstar Premium, and I urge everyone to watch it. It’s an underrated gem. Sadly the third season has been canceled, and I was looking forward to more about life on Mars.

Game of Thrones

Oddly, I put Game of Thrones way down at the bottom of this list. It’s been one of my favorite shows for years. However, this exciting season didn’t quite have the payoff that I was expecting in the end. Still, I loved it for the fantastic battle scenes and character reunions, and I didn’t particularly appreciate how rushed the ending felt.

Wolf Hall

I liked Wolf Hall (on Hotstar Premium). I saw it at the beginning of the year, and since then, my memory of it has been overshadowed by more exciting shows. Still, it’s an excellently plotted and acted series (so loved Cromwell and Boleyn’s interactions). And I recommend it highly for lovers of the books (Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies).

Sadly no longer streaming on Hotstar 😟.

The Night Manager

This is a short mini-series I saw earlier this year (on Hotstar Premium). It’s based on John LeCarre’s book, which I have yet to read. I loved this show for the beautiful leads, glamorous locations, and Bondian vibes matched with a conscience.

What I Disliked

Downton Abbey

Now, I usually love historicals, but I couldn’t get through Downton Abbey. I loved the costumes, scenery, and accents, but the story seemed slow, tedious, and predictable. I slogged through two seasons and then just stopped.

Beecham House

My mom recommended this very highly, and I went in with great expectations. Gurinder Chaddha directs it, and I hoped to get a nuanced portrayal of the British Raj in India around the Indian mutiny of 1857. Sadly, this was not the case. I watched season one but will not be tuning in if and when the show continues.

Outlander

I really should have liked the Outlander series (on Hotstar Premium) more, but I couldn’t make it past episode seven. I am dragging my feet on this because of the massive rape and torture scene I know is coming up. It was hard reading it in the book, and I don’t think I want to view it on screen.

I guess historicals didn’t work very well for me this year.

What shows did you love or loathe this year?