When I like something, I really like it. I’m totally the type of person who will post about it on Facebook or Twitter, check into it on Clicker, AND use it as conversation fodder at parties. I get a lot of grief for my belated obsession with Beverly Hills 90210 (I’m about 20 years too late on that one) and my constant references to Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (bread makes you fat!?) but sometimes a show comes along that really hits me and I just can’t help myself. It’s simply more fun if I can share it with my friends. So here are the three shows I’ve recently discovered that I wish my friends would watch. Maybe you’ll be inspired to share them with your own social circle.
First Place: The O.C.
When The O.C. premiered in 2003, I thought I was way too cool for another teen-centric drama. I was preparing to go off to college, and I wanted to get as far away from the word “teenager” as I could. Friends, I regret this. Right from the very first episode, you’re confronted with one character going to jail and being abandoned by his mother and another facing life as a social outcast with no friends. None of the main characters in this one have an easy life, despite their money and high social class, and that’s exactly what makes this one so easy to relate to for me.
Why I wish my friends would watch: I missed this one when it first aired so all my friends have already seen it. I desperately want to talk about Seth and Summer’s off-again-on-again relationship or Marisa’s drinking problem, but everyone I know cares more about the drama on Jersey Shore than my early 2000s teen show. It’s no fun guessing the outcome of each season when everyone already knows what happens.
Second Place: The X-Files
Here’s another one I missed out on when it first aired. Since the entire series is available on Netflix (as well as iTunes and Amazon, for the most part) I thought it was about time that I caught up with Scully and Mulder. Their haircuts might be a bit dated, but the show certainly isn’t. If you love science fiction and horror, you’ll love The X-Files. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not only about aliens; my new favorite FBI agents face creatures of all kinds and I keep looking forward to what government conspiracy they’re going to uncover next.
Why I wish my friends would watch: I’d love to discuss my theories on where Mulder’s sister is or who their informant is, but my friends either also never watched this one or only caught it every so often. You really have to go through these episodes in order to truly understand everything the X-Files is throwing at you. The truth is out there, my friends, and I wish I wasn’t looking for it alone.
Runner Up: Huge
This ABC Family show about teens at a weight-loss camp might seem like it’s too niche for you but I promise you there’s more than meets the eye here. The show started off interesting but a little unsure of itself, but by episode 8, “Birthdays,” all of the characters finally really came into their own. It’s hard to watch this show and not care about these campers and their very real struggles with weight, friendship, and love.
Why I wish my friends would watch: I mostly want to get others hooked on this show just simply because it’s great. I’d love to be able to support amazing programming and to show ABC Family that they’re doing an awesome job with this one. I think it’s really important to see all kinds of body shape and sizes represented on television, and for teenagers to see realistic portrayals of the hurdles they face every day.
Got a new favorite show that you’ve just discovered? Share it with us in the comments and we’ll check it out. There’s nothing quite as fun as converting a new fan! Maybe you’ll even make my next post: the top 3 shows my friends wish I would watch.
