Hi Neighbor!
What do you like to do to relax? When anyone asks me this question, I hesitate to respond because I feel like my answer should be more exciting than it really is. My favorite thing to do to relax is pretty simple, low key, and at times, mind numbing. For as long as I can remember, I’ve turned to the television for comfort, relaxation, and to escape the world around me. I know I should probably be reading or meditating, but honestly, some days when it feels like I don’t have any brain cells left and I can’t focus, it’s easier to find a cozy spot and plop down on the couch in front of the TV.
Every once in a while, I find a show that leaves me wanting to know more about the characters and how the show was created. This summer, I was excited to find not just one but three! Each was completely different in style and content, but all of them left me wanting to find out as much as I could about the stories, characters, and the creativity that went into each episode.
The first of those series, and my summer favorite so far, is Modern Love. Modern Love recreates real life stories of love, relationships, feelings, betrayals, disappointments, and revelations that were originally posted in the New York Times column of the same name. I fell in love with this show because of its creative story telling. Each episode was different, relatable and most importantly when the 30 minutes was over, I still wanted to watch more. I am only midway through the second season and I am hoping there will be a third! Modern Love is one of the reasons we started our subscription to the NYT; I am eager to go back to the beginning of the column (2004) and read the original essays! It’s also available as a podcast with the stories being read by celebrities, and it’s been a life changer as I head out to do my morning walks!
Coming in a close second was The First Lady. This show looks at life in the White House through the eyes of America’s first ladies. I was very impressed with the spot-on acting, costumes, and make up. I was surprised that I had forgotten how much of an impact Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford had on our country and this show left me wanting to find out even more about them! Their biographies are now on my suggested reading and podcast list for the fall.
Last but certainly not least is The Lincoln Lawyer. Based on the novel The Brass Verdict (the second book in The Lincoln Lawyer Series by Michael Connelly), the show is about a “hotshot” LA defense attorney who is known for conducting business out of his trademark Lincoln instead of an office. Restarting his career after an injury and subsequent addiction to painkillers, he inherits a law practice and takes on a high-profile murder case. I am enjoying it so much, that after I finish Season One, the The Lincoln Lawyer Series will also be added to my Fall reading list!
It looks like my summer TV watching has turned into a Fall/Winter reading list, and over the next few months if someone asks me “What do you like to do to relax?” my answer will be reading, listening to podcasts, and of course watching TV!
Happy Watching!
Chris
PS: Please tell us your favorite shows from this past year, especially if they have left you wondering and searching for more! You can comment below or send me an email at Ch***@ma***************.com.