There are two things worth doing in the summer heat: going to the beach or watching a TV series in the cool of your apartment with the AC on. For those who opt for the latter, here are three potential choices, all available from streaming providers also in Hungary.
Hacks
HBOMax has this series, a friend of mine recommended it to me years ago, saying it’s very good. Well, I got to it this year, and I don’t regret not watching it sooner, because after the first season I only had to wait a week for the second one. The story is of a strange mentor-mentee relationship between an old/experienced Las Vegas stand-up comedian and a young writer cancelled because of his Twitter post. The key element of the story is the portrayal of the relationship between the two main characters, which works so wonderfully that if there were nothing else to it, I still could watch them for seasons. But in addition to that, we get a funny, touching, likeable, well put together series from Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky. Starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, the latter of whom is, beyond her role, openly LGBTQ+ in real life as well. The series has won three Emmys, rightfully so, and I highly recommend it to watch.
First Kill
If you feel like watching Romeo and Juliet in 2022, with vampires and vampire hunters, starring two girls, then this is the teen series for you. It came to Netflix a couple weeks ago, and I quickly jumped on it expecting something new, something refreshing. To be honest, it didn’t bring any, and it didn’t really hit with the chemistry of the two main characters either, but it does provide a great relaxation after a long day of work. You don’t really need to think while watching, it’s funny just at the right places, the characters slowly become likeable as well, so it keeps you engaged until the end of the season. The cast includes Sarah Catherine Hook as Juliette Fairmont, Imani Lewis as Calliope “Cal” Burns and Elizabeth Mitchell as Margot Fairmont and many others. The story really has not much to say, but it is a great way to relax after a tiring day.
Only Murders in the Building
On 14 June, Disney+ has finally became available in Hungary, expanding the streaming offer here. Well, Disney is not known for its LGBTQ+ representation, but I did find something worth writing about. While I’m not a fan of true crime series or podcasts, I know that most of the world loves them, and this series is riding that wave. In terms of its mood imagine The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, but what made me watch it was definitely Selena Gomez. Alongside her are Steve Martin and Martin Short as the detectives who, after listening to too many true crime podcasts, try to solve the strange murder in their own building. At one point Tina Fey also makes an appearance in the series, which only adds to the story that is already chugging along nicely. This endearingly funny, superbly entertaining story, written with likeable characters, is adorable and absolutely sucked me in after two episodes, which is lucky because there’s a second season coming shortly!
Translated by Zsuzsa Petrás
