TV dinners: 25 shows to binge-watch this Thanksgiving weekend

November 25, 2015 3:19 AM

"Thanksgiving weekend in the United States is a four-day festival of overindulgence: Giant meals, giant balloons representing pop-culture favorites, giant savings at the big box store on Friday morning. As we did in 2013, The A.V. Club aims to contribute to this tradition of extreme consumption with a guide to some TV shows worth tasting, snacking on, or straight-up devouring this weekend."
posted by valkane (57 comments total)

This made me get round to adding Catastrophe to my watchlist but the last 5 or so could have been copied and pasted from any list of the last ten years.
posted by biffa at 3:26 AM on November 25, 2015

Wayward Pines? Really? I mean, unless you want to replace arguing with your racist uncle about Trump with "WHY DID THIS SHOW TURN OUT TO BE SO FUCKING DUMB", it's really not something I'd recommend, at least as highly.

At this point my go-to suggestion is "Venture Bros marathon". That it is constantly streaming helps.
posted by lmfsilva at 3:34 AM on November 25, 2015 [9 favorites]

This article is great, and so will be the thread, I suspect.

I am staying at home by myself this weekend after my gracious Thanksgiving hosts had to cancel due to a family medical emergency. I picked myself up a turkey and makings for stuffing (and gravy), so I will be making the bare essentials for myself to eat. The rest of the time I need to deeply clean my house and prepare to winterize it for a month-long trip up north. This will help me not be as annoyed with cleaning, yay!
posted by Stewriffic at 3:58 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

P'TIT QUINQUIN (LI'L QUINQUIN) by Bruno Dumont. You will laugh, you will cry. This absurdist, metaphysical murder mystery/drama/comedy is an absolute delight and with 4 episodes of 50 minutes it is perfect for a binge in between meals. Doesn't get more French than this. And yes, Bruno Dumont, really.
posted by ouke at 4:25 AM on November 25, 2015 [7 favorites]

You definitely don't want to binge-watch The Flash, like Arrow, it's critical to ration the episodes out, so your appreciation of the dumb fun is not overwhelmed by the relentless romantic angst, where characters are randomly thrown at each other in hopes that chemistry will develop (I was hoping for a Barry-Cisco attempt, but no luck). If you watch more than 2-3 episodes in a row, you may get a sprain from rolling your eyes too much, which would be a pity, because it really is a fun show when it remembers that it isn't a DRAMA.

(Also, what is with Captain Cold being such a dick? One of the nice things about the old Flash villains was that they were fairly sane for the spandex set, and not adverse to some good citizenship when the chips were down)
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:33 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Is it me or does the list sometimes forget to explicitly state what the premises of some of these shows are? (Genuine question, I don't know if I'm being too picky.)

I watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine, so I know it's "Set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, the single-camera series follows a precinct team of detectives and a newly appointed captain." (Wikipedia's description) but this article talks about how it follows in the footsteps of Parks & Rec and describes the ensemble cast, but it never succinctly tells me what the show is if I'm coming in with zero knowledge or if you're reading the description without seeing the screenshot of them with badges.

Same with The Supersizers-- it dances around how you might not want to watch other people stuff their faces on Thanksgiving and how "the historical tidbits" are fascinating, so anyone can contextually get a sense it's about food, but there's something to be said for wikipedia's utilitarian "A BBC television series about the history of food, mainly in Britain."
posted by bluecore at 4:34 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

Lost Girl is full of so much cheese that you could pretty much put any episode into your Potatoes au Gratin should you run short of dairy, and, like most cheeses, over-consumption can lead to bloating and gastric distress, but careful measured amounts, washed down with the right alcohol, can make a holiday festive.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:48 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

I would add Mission: Impossible - - the classic television series, which unlike the movies, follows the tried and true five-step formula (receive mission / assemble team / plan mission / execute mission / team extraction).
posted by fairmettle at 4:49 AM on November 25, 2015 [5 favorites]

Lost Girl is so 90's World of Darkness/Buffy the Vampire Slayer that it hurts sometimes, but if that's in sync with your heartbeat you'll love it even as you're rolling your eyes.
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:50 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

Continue the MST3K Turkey Day tradition with some of the 13 Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes on their official YouTube account, including The Final Sacrifice, Mitchell, and Werewolf!
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:53 AM on November 25, 2015 [6 favorites]

I'll be completing River and then deciding which series to watch next, so this is well timed, even if most of the suggestions in the article aren't of interest to me. (Friends? Seinfeld? Surely the writer's time would have been more usefully spent finding shows you might not have heard of, like the Ptit Quinquin suggested above, rather than listing the most popular TV shows of the recent past.)
posted by Dip Flash at 5:24 AM on November 25, 2015

I really, really, really like iZombie!!! Go watch it now !!!

The last two seasons of Lost Girl were... not good.

Because of Jessica Jones I'm now bingewatching "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23", in the correct order. I don't know why ABC decided to air episodes out of order.
posted by Pendragon at 5:36 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

This week I've been enjoying Ascension a little too much. And as I recommend in every TV thread, you all must watch Better Off Ted immediately and in its entirety.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:48 AM on November 25, 2015 [8 favorites]

Absolutely binge iZombie. The Flash, on the other hand...I dunno. It's never really clicked for me. YMMV, of course.

I'd like to put in a plug for Comedy Central's Another Period. It flew under the radar, but I thought it was flat-out funny. I'm not sure where one can stream the full season, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:50 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'd add Agents of SHIELD, but honestly the only one of these I've seen all/most of is Steven Universe and MST3K.

I'm really going to have to try Other Space.
posted by Foosnark at 5:57 AM on November 25, 2015

tl;dr:

9. STEVEN UNIVERSE
23. MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000
posted by JHarris at 5:57 AM on November 25, 2015 [4 favorites]

Yeah I think Steven Universe is the only show around today that I would feel comfortable saying, like, "Literally every person needs to watch this show." It's so good, in fact, that it undoes about a decade's worth of other shows that I thought literally everybody needed to watch, so if you haven't seen any television since 2008-ish, you're in luck! You have missed nothing of value.

Steven Universe is also the best show to binge ever, since 11-minute episodes mean you can almost perfectly contour your binge-watching around all the stupid needs of the stupid people in your life who want you to do something that doesn't involve a screen. And then you can spend 15-second increments screaming about it on Tumblr, for the next five years of your life. KEEP BEACH CITY WEIRD
posted by rorgy at 6:06 AM on November 25, 2015 [8 favorites]

Also: not sure if it's MeFi-appropriate to discuss how to watch TV online, but Watch Cartoons Online is a remarkably robust resource for virtually any animated thing in the history of ever.
posted by rorgy at 6:07 AM on November 25, 2015

Wait, was Master of None somehow ineligible? It must have been, otherwise I'm sure it would be on this list. Laugh-out-loud funny and more heart than a dozen other series combined, plus plenty of POC representation and refreshingly feminist.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:07 AM on November 25, 2015 [13 favorites]

you all must watch Better Off Ted immediately and in its entirety.

YES! I think Better Off Ted might be the very very best show that has ever happened in the entire world. God I love that show so much. Sometimes it amazes me that I ever do anything with my time besides watching that show but there's gin to drink so...
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:13 AM on November 25, 2015 [4 favorites]

(Friends? Seinfeld? Surely the writer's time would have been more usefully spent finding shows you might not have heard of

Soon, all too soon, will come the day when you run across some young person who never heard of either . . . .
posted by JanetLand at 6:39 AM on November 25, 2015 [4 favorites]

The fact that I seem to be the only person on the planet who doesn't like Better Off Ted has always made me a bit uneasy (the pacing has always seemed a few beats too slow for me). But I should give it another chance; a lot of my initial distaste for the show was that it replaced Pushing Daisies after it was cancelled.
posted by thecaddy at 6:58 AM on November 25, 2015

For all the Better Off Ted fans I urge you to watch the original version of this show, Andy Richter Controls The Universe. I'm convinced that BOT is really the third season of ARCTU. Same creative team, a few of the same actors. Even the opening shot of the office building is the same. Plus you get Paget Brewster! You can find the show on YouTube.

(The only reason I beat this dead horse is that no one ever mentions ARCTU, just BOT.)

I liked BOT but I put ARCTU tied at #1 for tv comedy with Arrested Development.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:10 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

thecaddy, try the Andy Richter show. It's faster paced, which was something that I almost mentioned in my comment above.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:13 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Orphan Black. Amazon Prime
posted by aydeejones at 7:14 AM on November 25, 2015 [12 favorites]

(Friends? Seinfeld? Surely the writer's time would have been more usefully spent finding shows you might not have heard of

Soon, all too soon, will come the day when you run across some young person who never heard of either . . . .

We are now further away from the series ending of Seinfeld as it was from the final episodes of The Rockford Files, Hawaii, Five-O, or Barnaby Jones.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:18 AM on November 25, 2015 [6 favorites]

I hate to say it (hate even more to live it) but I don't make Seinfeld references to people under 30 without asking "Do you like Seinfeld?" first. The hit rate's just too damn low (especially outside New York).

I was pleased to see Pushing Daisies on the list, I find that show utterly charming and really under appreciated.
posted by telegraph at 7:29 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

The untimely death of Pushing Daisies is one of the greatest crimes even perpetrated against a TV show. Makes me wish I had Ned's power; I almost wouldn't even care what had to die in its place.
posted by WCWedin at 7:46 AM on November 25, 2015 [10 favorites]

I almost wouldn't even care what had to die in its place.

If we get really lucky, it'll be Bryan Fuller himself.
posted by rorgy at 7:48 AM on November 25, 2015

Uff da! I really feel like season one of Fargo has fallen through the cracks. It's not from 2015, it's too new to be a classic, it's not a marathon, and it looks like the AV Club skipped last year when it would have been eligible. But it should be watched.

I own Pushing Daisies but never got around to watching it. I will now.

The Rockford Files, Hawaii, Five-O, or Barnaby Jones.

But -- tragically -- these shows aren't being shown 24/7 on OTA and cable networks, like Seineld and Friends. Now, whether people under 30 are watching is a different story but the name recognition has got to be there. (I can tell you that telling your under-30 hair stylist that you want your hair cut like Sharon Stone's will get you nothing but blank stares.)
posted by Room 641-A at 7:55 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Room 641-A: "Now, whether people under 30 are watching is a different story but the name recognition has got to be there."

My daughter's 13-year-old best friend has recently become obsessed with binge-watching Friends and it is endlessly amusing to me.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:59 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

I'm planning to spend Friday binge watching something, since my Tivo is getting full. Most likely either The Last Kingdom or Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.
posted by dnash at 8:47 AM on November 25, 2015

OK, so I am watching the pilot of Fringe, and it seems a little schlocky. Does it get better? Maybe I'll switch to iZombie.
posted by Stewriffic at 8:55 AM on November 25, 2015

Years ago, FX would have an X-Files marathon on Thanksgiving, and, to this day, I still associate the holiday with the X-Files. Were I not so busy this weekend, I would stop to watch a few classics this week.
posted by miguelcervantes at 9:22 AM on November 25, 2015

Hannibal! It is, after all, terribly delicious.
posted by sapagan at 10:20 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

Hannibal! It is, after all, terribly delicious.

Maybe wait until all the cooking is done tomorrow, however, just to be safe. The leftovers will keep you satisfied until the... urges... pass.

Unless it's an urge for plaid suites, in which case, buy today to avoid the Black Friday rush.
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:30 AM on November 25, 2015

Go with "Pushing Daisies". Any show that can drop a Kristin Chenoweth performance in the middle of an episode is worth a look!
posted by TDavis at 10:32 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

I feel it is a deep injustice that this comment thread only has one Ctrl+F result for the amazing Master of None. Oh, now it has two!
posted by sleepcrime at 10:50 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

OK, so I am watching the pilot of Fringe, and it seems a little schlocky. Does it get better? Maybe I'll switch to iZombie.

The first season of Fringe was rough, and I gave up watching it when it aired. Years later I binged watch the series, and it did indeed get a lot better in later seasons. They even tied in the crappy season one episodes into the show's lore. It does get very, very weird but the acting and the long story arcs are amazing, in my opinion.

I gave up on iZombie after the first four episodes as well. With all the praise it's getting in this thread maybe I should give it another chance.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 11:10 AM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh man I totally forgot about 666 Park! I watched a few episodes and decided I didn't have time to keep up with it, but I always meant to catch once it the whole season was done. And now that I remembered, I can!

Also, I gotta watch the last season of Pushing Daisies.
posted by numaner at 11:11 AM on November 25, 2015

Dark Matter. Goes well with Lost Girl because of the actors in common.
posted by monopas at 11:15 AM on November 25, 2015

(I was hoping for a Barry-Cisco attempt, but no luck).

I've been enjoying the Flash, but I must admit I hadn't even considered this. And now I am so ashamed, because what a great idea. Thanks for putting this in my head.
posted by layceepee at 11:26 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

Oh I should add

- The first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- As much of Bob's Burgers as you can fit
- The first 10 seasons of the Simpsons
- All of Breaking Bad (you can do it!)
- As much of Supernatural as you can fit
- Key episodes of Doctor Who
posted by numaner at 12:46 PM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

My kid is not waiting since his break started this week, so he's been binging Doctor Who (nuWho) for a few days now. But he also loves Steven Universe and we are slowly re-watching all of them while waiting impatiently for the promised return of the series in January.

If you want to binge-watch animation and have never seen Avatar: the Last Airbender then this is also a good time. Three juicy seasons of goodness. And then you can watch the sequel The Legend of Korra, which is not as even in quality but has great bits and characters.
posted by emjaybee at 12:56 PM on November 25, 2015

Probably wildly inappropriate, but hey, since the holiday's all about eating -- how about giant humanoids that go around eating people? Attack on Titan. The twelve year old in me just loves this anime; yours might too. Streaming on Netflix.
posted by Bron at 1:36 PM on November 25, 2015

So, in the interest of being a total joel fanboy, I've been trying this Other Space thingy?

It's not very good.

*sigh*
posted by valkane at 2:03 PM on November 25, 2015

26. Days of Our Lives

This Thanksgiving season celebrate tradition by experiencing one of America's longest running TV dramas.

How long will it take?

Running continually since 1965, there are nearly 13,000 episodes of this quality hour-long melodrama. If you choose to deny yourself the pleasure of all the original vintage advertisements, that's approximately 10,000 hours of pure entertainment. With this investment you can become an expert at being entertained!

When can you fit it in?

In the past people were bogged down with distractions like career, family, friends, and romance. Fortunately we have freed ourselves from these shackles and can now simply binge-watch fictional people's exciting experiences involving careers, family, friends, and romance. If you quit your job, sequester yourself, and blow through your savings—as you should—it will take about two years of your waking life to fully experience this seminal American daytime drama.
posted by dgaicun at 2:12 PM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

There are lots of shows I love on this list (Pushing Daises, Steven Universe, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) but the one I'll never stop recommending to people is Friday Night Lights. It manages to nail both the tragedies and absolute joys of a normal grounded Texas community. And if the football aspect drives you away I can't count the number of times I've read "I hate football, but this show is awesome."
posted by john-a-dreams at 3:22 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

Don't make me favorite every single Pushing Daisies comment. I'll stipulate that it got a bit goofy at the end, but when it was good it was great.
posted by Sphinx at 4:53 PM on November 25, 2015

@ john-a-dreams Yes. I avoided Friday Night Lights until it was done because I have no interest in football or interest in football stories.

Was looking for something to watch on Netflix once I went through the things I super wanted to watch. Decided to try it out and watched it straight through. What a great show!
posted by Jalliah at 7:39 PM on November 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

Late to the party here, but they recommend the Ben Stiller show, which is not great, but has some great moments.

Most importantly, David Cross came in as a mid-season writer which is where he and odenkirk teamed up for mr show. It's also a lot of time capsule moments and some genuinely funny stuff from Andy Dick and Garofalo.

It also had Ben Stiller doing bono impressions, so...

anyway, the show that gave us Bobs "manson" is at least worth checking out.

plus, it didn't even make it a whole season. The dvd commentary is great, too.
posted by lkc at 8:06 PM on November 25, 2015

OK, so I am watching the pilot of Fringe, and it seems a little schlocky. Does it get better? Maybe I'll switch to iZombie.

The schlocky weird-science handwavium of Fringe is primarily a vehicle for Walter and Peter coming to terms with mental illness in adult parent/child relationships. Some of that is played for obvious laughs but a fair bit of it isn't.

And I think it's worth watching at least as far as Nimoy. The smugness of Nimoy's eyebrows are not quite at their legendary peak, but they're still the eyebrows that made Columbo blow a gasket. Then watch a bit further for Anna Torv channeling the spirit of Nimoy.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 8:28 PM on November 25, 2015

It suffers from the it's sort of serial but drops plot lines and details along the way (Donna's sister, Fez's girlfriend(s)), but you won't regret binging through That 70s Show. Just one of the most consistently funny sitcoms ever put together.

Also, weird they didn't mention that Friends is on Netflix.
posted by General Malaise at 9:09 PM on November 25, 2015

I know I am not alone, but how many of us feel the need to binge watch, say, Jessica or Daredevil or The Man in the High Castle or Sense8 is a chore, and not the "I'll take days off work and not shower" joy we remember from the salad days of Battlestar Galactica?
posted by Mezentian at 3:27 AM on November 26, 2015

I own Pushing Daisies but never got around to watching it.

I'm not at all familiar with these words in this particular arrangement.
From which multiverse do you hail?
posted by Thorzdad at 10:05 AM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]

We can't possibly be the only ones doing this with Jessica Jones, right?
posted by kyrademon at 11:10 AM on November 26, 2015

For manageable binge-watching I recommend Master of None, Generation Kill, The Thick of It (another masterpiece created by the brilliant Armando Iannucci), and State of Play. (the 2003 BBC series, not the mediocre US movie of the same name)
posted by abakua at 4:36 AM on November 27, 2015