“I came for Hugh Grant in a classic whodunit, I stayed for Nicole Kidman’s slightly disgusting, but still very compelling array of velveteen coats. You wait six long tension-building episodes to find out the murderer, but we all know the real killer was Kidman’s wardrobe.” Rebecca, Editor
This year we’ve watched more TV than ever before. But what have we loved watching most?
2020 has been a year to take up new hobbies. We’ve baked, tie dyed our wardrobe and walked laps around our local park like prisoners in San Quentin. But our favourite 2020 hobby, most definitely, has been watching TV. And whilst it may not be new to us, we’ve embraced guilt-free sofa time more than ever. We’ve even treated ourselves to a collection of luxury loungewear, turning our FOMO into JOMO (Joy of Missing Out), and celebrated being at home to watch the next series of Below Deck. And why not? Who cares if it’s highbrow or lowbrow, this year it doesn’t count. As we slide into the festive period – a time that excuses, you guessed it, even more TV time – the KOIBIRD team share the series they’ve obsessively binged this year.
“It goes without saying that the show was groundbreaking on many levels, but for me the best parts about Michaela Coel's 10-ep long series was how nuanced her exploration into sexual assault and abuse was.”
Alex, PR Manager
“Normal People is the show that has everything, and some. Young love? Check. Young lust? Check, check, check. Based on the bestselling book about two mismatched people in love – a plot that speaks to almost anyone – the series is intimate, real and let’s be honest, horny. The UK’s most streamed series of the year, it was so popular that the frequent appearance of character Connell’s chain necklace sparked a 170,000-person fanbase on Instagram. Without doubt though, the scenes I loved most were those set at the house in Italy. SO beautiful, it had me longing for a holiday from the first lockdown!” Sarah, Buyer
"Cause who else ain’t obsessed with ‘that bitch Carol Baskin’? The rivalry between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin was probably the most entertaining we saw the USA have this year. Harry Potter and Voldemort? Regina George and Cady Heron? Trump and Biden? Nah, they got nothing on these two." Lorna, Graphic Designer
"Want a show that’ll give you wanderlust? It may not take much in this climate, but to see real travel on a shoestring - not just 5-star luxury - this is the one for you. There are some really uplifting moments as five couples race 25,000km across South America without the use of smartphones or air travel. You can bet things get competitive!" Sarah, Buyer
“This is a Spanish drama that recently aired on HBO and focuses on the life and death of a renowned trans entertainer, La Veneno. In my opinion, Spain has always been miles ahead in regards to celebrating and accepting LGBT characters, musicians and entertainers long before it was deemed 'cool'. The series also has an Almodovar feel to it, which kept me hooked for even longer.” Alex, PR Manager
“I’d heard that Industry was a ‘Mad Men for Millennials’, and instantly knew I had my next TV fix covered. Whilst it may have a first episode directed by Lena Dunham, and has delightfully overindulged in the amount of scenes containing sex, drugs, the city (and the demise of city boys), I would consider it so much more. It follows a group of young graduates in London’s cut throat finance sector, that schmooze clients and compete for a permanent position by day, and party by night.”
Rebecca, Editor
“I’m one of those weirdos obsessed with a murder series, I’ll even watch Autopsy if I’m really desperate, so I guess you could call me a cheap date when it comes to crime. This year TV has excelled itself at keeping me gripped with series like White House Farm, The Stranger, Ozark, but without a doubt, this year’s best crime drama was Des. It seems nobody plays a necrophile better than David Tennant, who portrayed British killer Dennis Nilson almost too well.”
“Ah, where do I start? I was mad about Jordan when I was a kid, so for me it was partly the nostalgia of revisiting childhood icons, but also the BTS footage and drama of THE dream team. Even if you’re not a basketball fan, seeing how other players are sidelined in the spotlight of Jordan’s talent and witnessing their personalities develop in a time without social media, is really fascinating.”
Hidé, Junior Art Director
“Giving a much needed representation to a community not often depicted in the media, I watched Unorthodox and realised just how little I really knew about the Hasidic Jewish faith. Based on the 2012 Deborah Feldman memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, the series explores the intense difficulties of arranged marriage, the battle with faith and the desire for freedom.”
Rebecca, Editor
BINGE IN STYLE
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