I don't f*** dudes for Big Macs... (Orange is the New Black - TV-MA)

Talk about crazy popular cult TV. What started as a simple Netflix original show has blown up in the mainstream world. When Season 3 of Orange is the New Black was added just two weeks ago, all I saw on social media for days were people freaking out about the latest drama at Litchfield Penitentiary...and by golly, they were right.

Video credit: Netflix, YouTube

Orange is the New Black takes place in upstate New York where Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling - The Lucky One) self-surrenders and is sentenced to fifteen months in prison for a crime she committed almost ten years earlier while she was involved with an international drug smuggler. Her boyfriend drops her off at Litchfield Penitentiary and her journey of penance goes from there. In prison, she quickly finds that her fifteen months are going to go by very slowly. She begins as a scared and privileged girl, but as the seasons progress, Piper finds her feet in prison...watch the show, no spoilers here.

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But don't make the mistake of thinking this whole show is about her. The show features many fantastic female characters that often steal the spotlight with the many subplots running at the same time as Piper's story. There's Sofia (Laverne Cox), a transgender woman sentenced for using stolen credit cards to pay for her transition. I adore Sister Jane (Beth Fowler), a Catholic nun who became an activist during the Vietnam war and was imprisoned for handcuffing herself to a flagpole at a nuclear testing facility in protest - so much love. There's also Dayanara (Dascha Polanco), the artist, who may or may not find herself close to one of the guards... And who could possibly forget the queen of the kitchen, Red Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew - Star Trek: Voyager), badass extraordinaire.

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I rave about this show to people. If you're looking for a show with strong female characters who are depicted honestly and dynamically - this is your show. The inmates' backstories are my favorite part of Orange is the New Black and some of them will play with your moral compass, making you wonder...was she really in the wrong? The show doesn't shy away from discussions of race, gender, and sexuality as well as social injustices, poverty, and obviously prison life. And for that and beyond, I love it.

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Warning time. Since the show is produced by Netflix, it is able to take some major liberties with the creation of the show. Expect HBO level graphic content when it comes to sex, violence, and drugs. But if you're not the kind of Netflix binger to let that stop you, give Orange is the New Black a shot. It's a wild ride. Rating: 3.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's. 

Burger of the Day: Katie's Back-to-Back-to-Bacon Cheeseburger (Bob's Burgers - TV-14)

I spent all day Tuesday under the firm assumption that it was Monday. Fellow Netflix-bingers, I know you feel my feels. After a certain while, the hours bleed together and the transition from day to night blurs until you find yourself thinking, "How is it one in the morning? What season am I on? Just five episodes left? I can finish that before bed, easy!" Basically, I've started re-watching the entire X-Files series and it's going to be the death of me.

But never fear! Today is Friday and a new review is here!

I've got a funny one served up for you today. You have likely already heard of Bob's Burgers due to its popularity akin to shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. Those comparisons may have either encouraged your interest in taste-testing the show or steered you away if you're not so into the flavor of adult cartoons, but when I started watching the show a year ago, it quickly became a favorite of mine. Seasons 1-4 are currently available for instant streaming.

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Bob's Burgers centers on Bob Belcher, his wife Linda, and their three kids Tina, Gene, and Louise. The family owns a burger joint through which the show explores workplace comedy, marriage and family dynamics, and awkward tales of childhood and growing up. The show does great work taking an average American family and making them relatable and funny - without dumbing any of them down.

Video credit: Animation Domination, YouTube

If you're looking for a "D'oh!" kind of father, Bob is not your guy. The thing I love most about Bob's Burgers is how far it strays from the typical tropes of TV families. In fact, Bob's depicts a family where members lift each other up and support each other instead of tearing each other down for a joke. The show's humor is based in antics and relatable awkwardness, rather than the expense of a character's confidence and dignity. For example, any time Gene goes through a slight identity crisis his family is pretty supportive, encouraging him to be himself.

Video credit: Qyzbud, YouTube

Each of the characters separately is dynamic as they deal with their own issues - which is a credit to the writers as well as the voice actors developing the characters' personalities. The kids especially crack me up, while still being beautiful souls that I adore for their total quirkiness. Gene walks around the house in his underwear and still demands to be taken seriously. He's always pushing the socially constructed boundaries of gender and expression and he's a cheerleader for his sisters - LOVE. Louise, my personal favorite voiced by Kristen Schaal, believes she could easily conquer the world and she does not take crap from anyone. And of course, there's Tina - the voice of a generation. While Tina experiences the true-life teenage struggles of boys, friends, and fitting in, she's crazy confident with a passion for coffee, butts, and erotic friend-fiction. She's a total feminist and unapologetically unique and people love her for it.

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Rating: 5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's - easy. Coming up next week, I have reviews for Orange is the New Black and Nightcrawler on the menu. I'll see you here next Tuesday and Friday for those new reviews...as long as I can continue to keep my days straight from here on out.

Also, please tell me you thought this post's title was funny...like back-to-back-to-back episodes, get it...?

Also, also! If you're interested in what I mentioned earlier about Bob's Burgers as a cutting edge show breaking away from typical TV tropes and introducing more progressive ideas about family dynamics and supportiveness... YouTuber Laci Green discusses these aspects of the show as well as an added element of feminism in her MTV spot that you can watch below!

Video credit: mtv braless, YouTube

A Journey in Self-Discovery (Hector and the Search for Happiness - 2014 - R)

I've been looking for the perfect film to start off our summer blog and it just so happened that my brother suggested Hector and the Search for Happiness randomly on Wednesday - this film totally stole my heart. It is the perfect film to kick off our Netflix journey on a happy note.

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Hector, played by Simon Pegg (Star Trek, Shaun of the Dead), is a British psychiatrist who lives a regular routine life with his girlfriend Clara (Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl, Pride & Prejudice). Hector listens to his patients as he absentmindedly sketches his dreams for journeys to faraway places. One night at a dinner party for his wife's work, a woman asks him about the elusive "'appiness."

Video credit: Hector and the Search for Happiness, YouTube

These questions vex Hector. What is happiness? How does a person simply be happy? He finds himself at a loss - is he even happy? Finally he decides to take a journey to explore the meaning of happiness to people from around the world. Think Eat, Pray, Love - Simon Pegg style. He travels to China, Africa, and the U.S. meeting wealthy businessmen, prostitutes, monks, and professors. He even befriends a drug lord in Africa (played by Jean Reno, a fav, who I will most definitely be writing about again soon).

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I love Simon Pegg for his typical goofy characters, but he portrays a more serious role in Hector and the Search for Happiness and I feel like he pulled it off really well. The character is a little bit clueless at first as he realizes that he's forgotten to truly experience life and his shift in perspective is a hopeful transition. However, my biggest issue with the film had to be the unrelatableness of some of Hector's experiences such as being kidnapped in Africa and a random wealthy guy he meets on the plane treating him to a night at the clubs - a bit far fetched if you ask me.

Image credit: www.dailymail.co.uk

All in all, I walked away from Hector and the Search for Happiness feeling light and optimistic. I would definitely throw it into the same category as Eat, Pray, Love and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I'm a sucker for films with a positive message about self-discovery and a search for personal truth. Rating: 4/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.

And we're back!!

Hey guys!!

I've been on hiatus this spring due to a crazy semester full of class assigned writing. But after some much needed down time, I'm back and super psyched to pick up this project again for the summer. I hope you are ready to join me again on this excursion through the wild territory of Netflix! I've queued up a plethora of Netflix originals and independent films on My List and I'm ready to knock them out one by one with you.

We've got a couple of changes around here worth mentioning... First, for the summer, I plan to update the blog at least twice a week. Check back Tuesdays and Fridays for new content! I also plan to keep you guys updated with info I can find about what shows that will be coming and leaving Netflix each month. Second, a new laptop is joining me for this journey. Sadly, my old trusty companion kicked the bucket over spring break. Meet Lola! She's super cute, portable, and has a glorious battery life.

Photo credit: Me

Thanks for jumping back on board with me and I can't wait to see what hidden gems we find on Netflix this time around! Let's get binging!

Katie

A Vampire, a Werewolf, and a Ghost Walk into a Bar... (Being Human - TV-14)

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, which is probably why Syfy's "Being Human" doesn't take itself too seriously. The show follows three not-so-human roommates and their desperate cling to whatever shreds of humanity they have left.

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Aidan (Sam Witwer - "Star Wars: The Clone Wars") has been a vampire since the redcoats invaded New England. Josh (Sam Huntington - "Fanboys") is a werewolf, frustrated and ashamed for what he is. The two meet through their day jobs as nurses at a local hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Aidan suggests an experiment - monster cohabitation. Aidan thinks that if he and Josh live together as roommates, they can help each other keep their monstrous selves in check and finally find a sense of normalcy.

The two decide to rent a house together, but unknowingly choose a house with a dark past. Here they find Sally Malik (Meaghan Rath - "Three Night Stand"), the ghost who haunts the house and has no memory of how she died. When she is finally able to reveal herself to Aidan and Josh, the boys vow to help her find her door to the afterlife. 

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The three battle all manner of the supernatural including a thriving underground vampiric empire - all while trying to make rent by the end of the month. That is what I loved most about the show: it made excellent use of the opportunity to make a bit of fun of itself. The heavier drama of the show would escalate and suddenly the garbage disposal would break. Josh, Aiden and Sally are dealing with real world problems of being single adults in their 20s, all while they have vampires and werewolves knocking on their front door.

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I also must say that I like the type of conflict that "Being Human" uses in its plot. I'm certainly not one for the vampire love triangles that are popular right now, but I do love watching monsters deal with the inner struggle of being, well, monsters. Josh and Aiden are constantly having to come to terms with what they are and how that defines the way they interact with their world. It sets up for some really thought-provoking scenes. Plus, the show really had a way of drawing me into the story; I always wanted to jump right into the next episode.

"Being Human" is especially popular among the cult TV crowd and it's worth noting that the show's own Sam Witwer will be making an appearance at Planet Comicon in Kansas City this March 13, 14 and 15. Rating: 3/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.

Suddenly I feel like doing paper-mache... (Frank - 2014 - R)

"Frank" starts by following Jon (Domhnall Gleeson - "About Time"), a wannabe musician and avid Twitter user, around the city streets as he tries to write a song. Unsuccessful, he eventually stumbles upon the SORONPRFBS, a band whose keyboardist happens to be trying to drown himself in a public display. In need of an emergency keyboardist, Don invites Jon to play at their evening show.

Jon finds himself immersed in a hot mess of sound as the band warms up, but is especially mesmerized when he sees Frank (Michael Fassbender - "X-Men: Days of Future Past"). Frank, the lead vocalist of SORONPRFBS, wears a permanent oversized paper-mache head. When the band decides they want Jon to replace their old keyboardist, they invite him to Ireland for the recording of their album.

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Jon soon finds himself caught up in all of the creative freedom and realizes that the band could be a real hit among the indie crowd. He begins posting recorded videos of the album's progress on YouTube, which quickly grab the attention of some indie music diehards. Jon is fascinated with Frank and his natural ability to create a song about nearly anything - even a snag on a sofa - and gets wrapped up in knowing he can ride on the tails of this band's success. Based on the clips Jon posted online, SORONPRFBS gets invited to play at South by Southwest in Texas.

Frank's insecurities and nervousness get the better of him at SxSW and the band falls into turmoil. When the band members inevitably decide to ditch the gig, Frank has a total breakdown and runs away. Jon starts to feel guilty for setting himself up as the band's manager and leaves to search for Frank. Jon finally finds him in his hometown of Bluff City, Kansas, and reunites him with the band.

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The movie was (very) loosely based on the fictional character, Frank Sidebottom, portrayed by real-life comedian/musician Charles Sievey, who passed away in 2010. As Frank, Sievey was known for wearing that large paper-mache head, and the movie itself takes Sievey's character inspiration, turning Frank into a more serious story exploring a darker side of the indie scene.

Video credit: JoBlo Movie Trailers, YouTube

Normally, I love a good off-beat independent film...but "Frank" fell a little flat. All of the elements were there - fantastic acting (especially from Fassbender), the weird-as-hell music (all played live as the scene was shot, by the way), even some genuinely witty humor. I just thought the film lacked a certain sparkle that I expected from all the hype. I watched and waited for that nugget of specialness, but it never arrived.

That being said, I wouldn't call "Frank" a let down. It told the story it wanted to tell and it catered to a more specific audience. So while "Frank" sadly didn't become an instant personal favorite as I hoped it would, I still know of a few friends that I would recommend it to for its very particular elements of awesome. Rating: 2.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.

Come on, Jerry... (Parks and Recreation - TV-14)

Parks and Recreation's farewell season premiered last Tuesday, Jan. 13. Queue the Andrea Bocelli - it's time to say goodbye. If you are a newbie to the show or just feel like reminiscing about the good ole days (Ron Swanson pre-Doc McStuffins), Netflix has your back. Seasons 1-6 are currently available for instant streaming.

Image Credit: www.imdb.com

Commonly known as Parks and Rec by its dedicated viewers, the show follows the sometimes unfortunate, but almost always hilarious shenanigans of the parks and recreation department in small-town, Pawnee, Indiana.

It includes a most excellent performance from Nick Offerman (21 Jump Street, The Kings of Summer) as Ron Swanson, head of the department and general hater of all things government. Ron's determined to fit every stereotype of the "manliest" of men by being a hardy woodsman, professional chairmaker, and the guy who orders a slab of meat with every meal. Don't let him fool you, though... Ron puts up a rigid front, but he's a wise one with a soft spot for those select few in which he sees potential.

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The show also stars Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, The LEGO Movie) as Andy Dwyer. Andy's character acts as the slapstick comedy component of the show. He's a half-witted almost-musician with little to no direction in life who starts off the show by falling into a giant pit. It should also be noted that Pratt often adds his own flavor to the show by throwing in impromptu lines from time to time. For example, his line in the scene below was totally unscripted, and I'd venture to say that it is one of the best one-liners in the entire show.

Video Credit: Nailed It, YouTube

And how could one continue without mentioning the spectacular portrayal of Leslie Knope by Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls). Leslie's character is convinced that Pawnee is the greatest city in the world and enthusiastic doesn't even begin to describe how passionate she is about upholding that standard of hope in her hopeless community. Poehler has done amazing work with this character by fleshing her out into a full-fledged, dynamic woman in politics.

These are just a few among many fantastic performances by Aubrey Plaza (my personal fav), Aziz Ansari, and others who join in as the seasons progress. Parks and Recreation was easily my favorite binge of winter break. It's humor is clever, often satirizing current events, politics, and the atmosphere of the midwestern small-town. It won my heart forever and I will be sad to say goodbye to its current run on television. Rating: 4.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.