Top 4 Shows That Made My 2023 Satisfying.
Not my best watching year, but we still found some gems.
Wednesday: S1
Genre: Horror, Black Comedy, Supernatural, Coming of Age, Mystery, Thriller
Available on: Netflix
One of the first things my friend said to me when I told him I am watching Tim Burton's Wednesday was - "That's not your type." And he is correct. But there was something in the trailer of this show that hooked me in enough to give it a try. Thank God I did because I had a fun time watching this show.
Tim Burton, Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta Jones and the mystery plot were the only reasons I watched this show. And thank God I did!
Since it's not my usual genre taste, I found the show creepy at first, but then it grew on me. I also wish I had a Thing of my own - he would have come so handy.
Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair was the perfect contrast and the perfect friend Wednesday needed.
Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin was a surprise. And he stole my heart... and then broke it.
Jenna Ortega IS Wednesday Addams! She is perfect! Wednesday is such a Capricorn, I could SO relate to her.
Loved how horror, mystery and coming of age were mixed, and I am excited to see what's in store in season 2.
More info: Wednesday
The Last of Us: S1
Genre: Drama, Post-Apocalyptic
Available on: HBO Max
Watching this one was a surprise even to me because I hate any show or movie that has anything to do with extreme violence, zombies and post-apocalyptic plots. Yet, given the personal low phase I was in and the amount of posts I was seeing on Instagram regarding the show (mainly Pedro Pascal), I thought, "Might as well give it a shot."
And I again surprised myself by actually liking the show. What saved me was the acting prowess of our main duo - Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal.
Ramsey has a VERY bright future as an actress. The end of episode 8 - DUDE! In one of her interviews, she mentioned that they shot the reunion scene BEFORE the chopper scene. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How did she do that!? You seriously have to be an amazing actor to pull that off, that too at such a young age.
TLOU is the first time I saw Pedro Pascal. And this was the perfect show for me to see and absorb his acting genius. He doesn't even need dialogues; his eyes can do all the talking and acting. Almost 30 years of being this business is definitely paying off for him. Internet is so obsess with Pedro being the internet daddy that they are missing out on the gem of an actor that he is.
All the scenes that had one-on-one conversations between Joel and Ellie are so precious.
I also have to talk about the cinematography here. Since the show is based on a game, I was glad to see quite a number of scenes giving me the feel that I am playing a game. The scene that is imprinted in my mind is Joel making his way up through the hospital to save Ellie. It was brutal and vulnerable and so artful shot. AND the background score through it all, OH MY GOD! (I can't believe I just wrote 'brutal,' 'vulnerable' and 'artful' in one sentence. That says something.)
If Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal don't steal the awards this year, I am going to lose it.
I know season 2 will crush my heart, but I think now that I am in, I might as well go all the way through.
More info: The Last of Us
Jubilee
Genre: Drama, Historical Fiction
Available on: Amazon Prime
After having a few years of mediocre and template Hindi shows and movies, Vikramaditya Motwane's Jubilee reignited my hope.
A thrilling drama around an ensemble of characters trying to make it big in the early days of the Hindi Film Industry was such a treat to watch.
When it comes to acting, Wamiqa Gabbi has made a place on my radar, Prasenjit Chatterjee was such a delight to watch, but the one who stole the show for me Aparshakti Khurana - he's a hidden gem we never knew about.
Jubilee was such a satisfying and bittersweet experience I wish I could experience for the first time again.
More info: Jubilee
Loki: S2
Genre: Science Fiction, Superhero
Available on: Disney+
Oh Loki! Where do I start with you?
I have a list of my favourite Marvel movies and shows, and Loki sits right at the top. Above Iron Man (where it all started for me), Avengers (where I fell in love with MCU) up until Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (where my love matured for eternity).
And with the recent dull MCU products, Loki did come in as a saviour.
While watching Loki (S1 and S2), I could feel how invested everyone is in making this the best show they could possible make. The writing, directing, editing, production, background score, acting - all came together in a perfect harmony and gave us one of the best MCU shows and one of the best MCU character arcs.
Tom Hiddleston IS Loki. He lives and breathes Loki in every scene. And you can't help but go on a journey with him. His character arc was at par with Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark and brought out the same reaction from me, i.e., days of trauma and silent crying. After I was done with the show, I wanted to watch Tom Hiddleston's interviews but I couldn't because he reminded me of Loki and I'd burst into tears. That's how good it was for me.
More info: Loki
