I’ve got 10 for you, but here’s the first half of my must-see contenders.
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It’s been a month since the TV season officially wrapped, and we’re less than three weeks away from this year’s Emmy nominations being announced on July 16th. With an are-you-effing-serious 273 dramas and comedies in contention this year—and more open slots for the taking in the series categories than in recent memory—it’s hard to narrow down what’s worth checking out before the final roster is revealed. But not to worry: I’ve got all of you pop culture lovers covered. Here are the first five of my 10 must-see, great-but-you-might-have-missed-‘em shows with a shot at making the final cut that I highly recommend adding to your binge list.
Pose (FX)
The category is: best drama series of the past year. This one is at the top of the watch-list for countless reasons, folks—the first being that, if you somehow didn’t catch the first season of Ryan Murphy’s groundbreaking new series about the 1980s downtown NYC underground ballroom scene, attention must be paid immediately. Utterly original and brimming with both heart and spectacle in equal measure, the show’s stellar ensemble cast—largely consisting of trans actors playing trans characters (how novel!)—elevates already-excellent writing and directing to immerse you in a vividly realized world full of characters whose profound struggles you quickly come to care deeply about.
Bodyguard (Netflix)
This U.K. import caught fire instantly when it started streaming in the States this past spring, and the buzz is still just as hot as summer heats up. Anchored by a breakout lead performance from Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden alongside British TV MVP Keeley Hawes, the series kicks off with the urgency of a ticking time bomb (literally) and never lets up. Touting twists and “OMFG!” moments in every episode that continuously raise the stakes, it will keep you on the edge of the couch right up until the end. If you liked Homeland in its heyday, you won’t be able to stop streaming this one.
PEN15 (Hulu)
We all know that adolescence is as confounding as it is comedic, and never has that been on more hilariously cringe-worthy display than in this on-the-nose, out-of-left field look at the lives of two best friends as they navigate the start of middle school, the onset of puberty and everything in between in the year 2000. The ingenious twist? Thirty-something creators/writers/producers Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine suit-up in braces and bad haircuts to play younger versions of themselves alongside a cast of age-appropriate peers—and frankly, they both nail it flawlessly. There’s a real Summer Heights High texture to the show, but it diverges in the sincere, insightful ways it evokes ‘LOL’s from its countless, all-too-relatable moments of angst. Not to be missed.
Russian Doll (Netflix)
What else would you expect from the dream team of Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland other than box-breakingly innovative, smart and edgy entertainment with a poignantly existential emotional message? Nothing, is the answer, when it comes to this hit new streamer. Starring a never-been-better Lyonne, very endearing Charlie Barnett and scene-stealing Greta Lee, this gem is a cool meditation on life, death, mistakes, second chances and cosmic inevitabilities that anyone with a modicum of self-awareness can relate to on some level. Making the most of a spectacularly effective spin on a Groundhog’s Day-like narrative structure, the show duly delivers laughs and tears, making you think about the bigger picture every (repeated) step of the way.
Forever (Amazon Prime Video)
Yet another death-themed comedy (sensing a pattern here?), I sang this special little show’s praises last October as one of the fall’s most promising new series, and nearly a year later, it still holds up among the season’s best. Led by fail-proof dynamic comedy duo, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen (that bizarre skit on last year’s Emmys not withstanding), the show tee’s up a funny, touching look at the complexities of relationships and marriage: the things that tether us together, the ways we can be torn apart and the true meaning of, well, forever. With support from the always-invaluable Catherine Keener, it’s a fast watch that will stick with you.