I Don’t Think Ppl Talk About These Shows Enough! (or At All)

TOP 10 TV SHOWS I WATCHED IN 2022

1. PANIC on amazon prime

i watched ‘panic’ at the very beginning of 2022, and have since rewatched it twice. i’m still surprised how it stuck with me and became one of my favorite shows, because typically i prefer more light-hearted stories. 

the idea of teenagers playing this high stakes life-threatening game is so intriguing. the mystery behind who started and runs this tradition adds so much suspense. there’s also the additional layer of poverty and family issues that’s pushing the main character. it’s so interesting to explore the characters’ motivations, their reactions to pressure. it makes for a colorful complex story. and, of course, what sells it is the main romance. the chemistry between the characters is off the charts!! (not me thinking i wouldn’t ship them before seeing the show phaha). 

even though ‘panic’ was cancelled after season 1 (which, sadly, is true for most of my favorite tv shows), i believe there’s a satisfying finality to the season that makes it work as a stand alone story.

2. QUEER AS FOLK on peacock

pure queer joy is what this show is. i’ve only experienced this level of happiness while watching “genera+ion” (which is my favorite show ever). and yes, “queer as folk” is more adult because - duh - it’s about adults, and one teen character. in a lot of ways it’s about forming your community and keeping it safe. it takes on serious issues, the characters are messy and make mistakes, yet it feels so warm and comfortable, like a home.

i’ve never seen the original show so i’m judging this show from a non-reboot perspective (which i’m pretty sure it is anyway, even though you can make parallels between some characters, it’s a new different story).  

trigger warning: there’s a mass sh**ting scene in the first episode (it’s not very graphic).

3. HEARTBREAK HIGH on netflix

the new aussie it show, move over h2o just add water! okay i’m joking, but heartbreak high really took over the world as it should have! it’s a diverse well-written gen z teen drama with amazing fashion. 

what you can expect: a lot of dramaaa, secrets & unexpected twists, sex scenes that don’t sexualize teenagers, actual ace representation (i’ve only seen it done this well in “genera+ion”), probably the best autistic representation i’ve ever seen, exploration of some dark themes (assault, police brutality) that are unfortunately a part of reality for a lot of teenagers, beautiful friendships and romantic relationships, teen angst and rebellion.

i fell in love with these characters and their dynamics, i can’t wait for season 2! plus, it turns out there was a lot of australian things i didn’t know about, so it was very cool to see australian culture represented in this fun bright series. 

4. REBELDE on netflix

look at all these pretty faces and tell me you don’t want to know more about them. this show is one hell of a fun ride. it’s like elite mixed with violetta. there’s so much colorful potential in almost (looking at you esteban) all of these characters. they fight, they perform, they’re friends, rivals and lovers, and for the big moments they’re each other’s family. they’re rebelde. i want to steal their wardrobe and be their groupie.

5. WEDNESDAY on netflix

not suprised this show became such a hit, but i’m glad i watched it when it came out without any preconceived expectations. the style of this show is amazing and it’s an entertaining watch. there can’t be enough praise for jenna ortega’s performance. she’s outstanding in everything she does, and she carried this show.

6. HEARTSTOPPER on netflix

this is a fluffy warm ball of sunshine. comfort at its finest. i’m so happy this show exists and people talk about it. i just want to give every character a hug. oh, and i want those cute doodles in my life. 

7. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY on amazon prime

such a cute summer show. i think the creators did a great job of adapting the book for the modern young audience. it could’ve easily turned into another kissing booth with a “not like other girls” protagonist. even though you can see the original outline of the characters, they feel more evoled in the show. and that’s what i hope will happen to the story later on as well. i like when adaptations improve on given material and find their own identity. 

i did’t really like nor understood the ending so i’m kinda tense about season 2. if it’s gonna turn into a belly x conrad love show, i’m gonna have to head out, and demand a jeremiah spin off (#teamjeremiah). 

8. SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE on freeform

so this is one of the more underrated shows on this list. it’s a dramedy that follows a young woman battling her addiction in a town full of people who are right there to remind her why she drinks. sam makes quite an appealing lead character. she’s messy, she’s selfish, she’s confrontational, but she longs for real meaningful connections, even though she’s afraid of them. there’s a diverse array of characters who go on this journey with her, and i love every single one of them. i think this show has a very good trailer actually, helps get the feel of the show and what it’s about.

9. DOLLFACE on hulu

such a beautiful entertaining show about female friendship and finding yourself outside of a relationship. the cast is incredible, including kat dennings as the jilted ex, brenda song and shay mitchell as her estranged besties, matthew gray goobler as a love interest, and brianne howey and lilly singh as a nice bonus on the side. 

the part that makes this show so unique is the daydream sequences that follow the main character. it shifts the rules of the world, makes it more fantastic and unpredictable. makes me wish i could get on a bus with the cat lady that would take me to my friends.

10. HEATHERS on amazon prime

no matter how much you like the original movie, THIS heather squad is way more memorable and charismatic. who wouldn’t want to watch an edgy dark comedy about teen phychopaths whose whole identity is “i’m not like the other people, i’m weird, i’m a weirdo”, toxic friendships, murderous romance & tumblr fashion circa 2016? maybe i’m just build different if it’s my jam and not yours. 

seriously though, i unapologetically loved it. kinda reminds me of “the scream queens” (which is outstanding) and “insatiable” (which i couldn’t get into). 

thanks for giving this a read <3 hopefully i convinced you to watch some of these!  

my favorite films i watched for the first time in 2024 💜🔮✨

The Half of It (2020)

what I did like

This movie was very refreshing because it didn’t have the same cheesy glossy Netflix vibe. We all remember such “masterpieces” as Tall Girl and The Kissing Booth, and it’s nice to see that The Half of It was actually a genuine story.

I really liked the way Ellie’s culture and her family was represented in the movie. We don’t usually see families whose first language isn’t English having conversations in their native language on screen, even though it’s unrealistic. And here it wasn’t even a big deal, it just came naturally.

The meaning behind the title and the story was beautiful. In the last scene when Ellie observes other passengers on the train who are sitting alone, the realization hits that all people are a half of somebody’s story. In friendships, romantic and family relationships there’re always two halves, two people who make them up. People aren’t perfect, you can’t just meet someone who will fit you. Relationships blossom from the work that both people put in. [“Love, it’s not finding your perfect half. It’s the trying, and reaching, and falling.”]

Also having an Asian lead and lesbian representation in a mainstream movie was pretty great.

things that weren’t that great

The whole movie felt authentic but at the same time I was left with a lot of questions. Maybe the things I found problems with are nitpicks or they were meant to be that way. And honestly I might have not even noticed them, if only the movie hadn’t left me unfulfilled. You see, once I finished it, I understood that it was lacking something to make a long-lasting impression. That’s what made me go back and think about what didn’t work for me in the movie.

It was hard to understand the school dynamics. The world of the movie felt limited. And people who were on the outside of Ellie’s life — faceless. With such a tiny world, that revolved around three main characters, the football games and talent shows felt out of place because the school life wasn’t established well. I didn’t understand why those guys bullied Ellie and sabotaged her performance. Just to be mean and because they were racist I guess, but they were so absent from the story, that it felt like a plot device and nothing more. Who were those two blonde ladies Ellie kept looking at during the talent show and in church? Just some random judging women? Did I miss something? All these questions just put me out of the story and left me puzzled.

The characters were closed books as well. I didn’t feel connected to any of them.

Aster’s presented like a ‘dream girl’ type of character that we see through Ellie’s eyes. Her boredom and struggle to choose between what she should do and actually wants were mentioned but her emotions and thoughts were still an enigma. Besides, she was cheating on her boyfriend with Paul and everyone was okay with that? It’s not even addressed in the movie.

Ellie was not relatable for me because, again, we didn’t see much of her feelings. If the movie is already including a voice over, why not use it to help the audience understand the main character better? We only see what she’s going through, but we don’t see how.

While Ellie didn’t seem to play an active part in her own life, it was Paul who was moving the story forward. Usually, I enjoy a good-hearted dense jock, but not here. Trying to kiss Ellie even though he was still with Aster, and then not even caring that Aster saw them but instead saying that Ellie’s gonna end up in hell for being gay (and never apologizing for it). Where did the homophobia come from? The fact that he was religious wasn’t that focused on to expect this turn of events. Just as well, it was hard to figure out what was happening inside his head. His character just like everyone else’s felt flat.

Probably the worst scene of the movie happened in the said church. With twenty minutes left, the movie, that so cautiously avoided and reinvented romcom clichés up to this point, suddenly slips into an unrealistic and awkward speech in front of everybody (everybody being the characters that weren’t well developed nor established, so for us they’re just nobody). Can we please stop making the scenes, where characters finally have a revelation or admit their feelings, so damn public? How often is it actually considered cute? Why can’t characters just talk to each other and be open and genuine, without having an audience to clap for them at the end?

Anyway, the premise itself wasn’t groundbreaking (what is it about Netflix making movies about asian girls writing letters?). However, I enjoyed a calm tone this movie had. I wish they’d just made the plot more exciting? or not as confusing?

After watching the trailer I was under an impression that Paul was going to find out sooner that Ellie liked Aster, and the movie would be about him helping her instead, which I still think would make for a more interesting story. It’s a shame we spent so much time on a relationship between Paul and Aster, that was obviously not going to last.

In conclusion, The Half of It won’t become something I’d like to rewatch or contemplate about. With all its good parts the movie was unsatisfying for me. It felt like we weren’t following an arc but were rather seeing a chain of events in a character’s life. That sure is realistic but doesn’t make for a very entertaining story. Nonetheless, I think it was a nice refresher from all the quirky unrealistic romcoms that we’re flooded with.

6/10

tv shows set in the 90s

besties with the same energy

riley & chester from “genera+ion”

vada & nick from “the fallout”

dara & caleb from “three months”

TOP 10 TV SHOWS I WATCHED IN 2023

1. GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES

this prequel to grease tells the story of how the “pink ladies” gang was created. it follows new original characters, although the younger versions of some movie characters are also shown/mentioned. it is a beautiful musical about feminism, love, friendship, racial relationships and queerness in the 50s. the songs stuck in my head & my heart. and it quickly became one of my favorite shows ever. incredibly devastating that it only got one season, because it was very unique and important.

2. FREERIDGE

on my block’s spin-off. it’s just as unhinged, dripped in magic and ridiculousness. less violent than its predecessor, it follows a group of four friends who come into possession of a “cursed” box, and as they try to get rid of it, shenanigans ensue. you’ll see a few familiar faces from omb and fall in love with the new ones. experience this block’s craziness again or for the first time. be gnomes ahead.

3. EVERYTHING NOW

tells the story of mia as she returns from rehab for ed, and tries to catch up on her teenage experiences. secret hookups, betrayals, love triangles, lying and pretty people. similar in tone to heartbreak high & genera+ion.

4. VAMPIRE ACADEMY

it’s about a royal vampire and her half-vampire protector, as they navigate their duties after a tragic event changes their lives.

rose and demitri’s love story certainly carries the show. the cast is great and it’s a fun watch. definitely a step up from the movie.

5. SHRINKING

jason segel plays a therapist who starts telling his patients what he really thinks, while trying to maintain a relationship with his daughter (lukita maxwell) and estranged friends.

it just felt very fun and warm to watch.

6. CITY ON FIRE

a girl is shot in the central park. and it intertwines lives of a boy who’s in love with her, a rock band and a rich powerful family. in trying to figure out what happened to sam, charlie realizes the girl of his dreams had more secrets than he suspected.

the cast is perfect and billy is the best character, that’s all i have to say. this show’s exciting, dramatic, in parts reminded me of gossip girl, succession, 13rw and grand army.

7. HIGH SCHOOL

twin sisters in the 90s grow closer as they learn how to write music. they experience first love, make new friends and deal with family issues.

the true story of how tegan&sara became the musical duo that they are.

8. HARLAN COBEN’S SHELTER

after a traumatic accident mickey moves to his dad’s childhood home, where he uncovers mysteries connected to his parents’ work.

reminded me of teen wolf, because the storyline is dark but the friendship and humor of the main characters shine through.

9. YEAR OF

a group of classmates try to overcome the loss of their friend. heartbreak high made me interested in aussie shows. and this had similar energy.

10. QUEEN CHARLOTTE

a fictional story of a young queen’s marriage to the king of england. bridgerton’s spin off which imo was better made than the original show.

my favorite films i watched for the first time in 2022 ♥️

my favorite genre of cast photos

tv shows i watched this april (ranked)

ranking hsmtmts characters bc i’ve got nothing more important to do

14. lily

she’s just plain annoying and i want her to get off my screen every time she’s on it.

hope she’s not in season three and if she is she’s not redeemed (make her even more evil, then maybe she’ll be interesting).

[this is just about the character of course, nothing against the actress]

13. miss jen

i was finally starting to like her in the beginning of season 2 but the last few episodes reminded me how infuriating she is. i don’t like how she treats her students and the fact that she doesn’t have teaching credentials doesn’t help.

12. ricky

it’s not that i hate him i actually like him sometimes, but he’s so oblivious and gullible. give this boy some therapy then maybe we’ll talk.

11. nini

she’s alright. but we see so much of her and yet so little of the important stuff that would actually make her interesting. i support and respect her and all, i just don’t really care about her.

10. natalie

hello where’s her screen time? episodes 10&11 proved she deserves it.

9. big red

he’s just kinda there. i like the actor but i’m not that invested in the character’s storyline.

8. carlos

respect him a lot. but the show doesn’t give him enough plot line for me to care.

7. seb

love him bc he’s a sweetheart but him and carlos are in the same boat (or should i say ship) when it comes to screen time. the show remembers they exist once every 5 episodes, so they’re just kinda there in the background.

6. howie

he’s so high up bc he intrigues me. i’m certain that he’s a good guy but i guess the finale will settle it for me.

5. kourtney

i’m glad that this season she’s not just a supportive black friend and gets her own storyline. although i wish we’d seen more of her at work & pursuing her dreams instead of only witnessing the howie drama (and even that mostly in the background).

4. ashlyn

ash was consistently great from the beginning. love her bond with gina and need more of it.

in some ways she reminds me of phoebe from friends because she’s a multitasking queen and apparently likes to stir up drama (bc wth was that deal with the chocolates).

3. mr mazzara

even though he was sort of an antagonist in season one (for like 4 episodes) and he said a few nasty things, since his first scene, i liked his presence and comedic timing. in season two he completely won me over. he’s just someone who can do no wrong at this point. and his relationship with ej is amazing. so yes he’s in the top 3.

2. ej

ej could’ve be an unlikable character but matt cornett is portraying him so well it’s impossible not to like him. he was definitely one of the most surprising character development wise. although he was my second favorite since day one, regardless. his story arc was one of the best. he is the best male character. now, i’m kinda scared to lose him next season. and also, portwell for life <3

1. gina

do i even have to say it? she’s a queen and everyone should bow down to her. should’ve been the main character idc.

sofia wylie was the reason i started the show and gina became my number one the second i saw her in the background. finally this season has been giving her all the screen time she deserves and i couldn’t be happier. gina is one of my all time favorite comfort characters.