Shows You Should be Watching to Avoid FOMO when Your Coworker Talks About Them
Ah... FOMO, colloquially known as the “fear of missing out”.
There’s nothing worse than trying to make small talk with your coworkers and having nothing to contribute when they ask what you thought about the new episode of the show everyone is “supposed” to be watching. This happens often with Elizabeth and I... When she asked me if I’ve watched What We Do in the Shadows, and vice versa when I asked if she’s watched She Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Let me save you the embarrassment with a list of currently airing, or coming soon, shows you should definitely be caught up on for the Monday morning office conversations.
The Sandman (TV-MA)
Based on the 1989 DC comic by Neil Gaiman, The Sandman takes you on a journey with Dream (AKA Morpheus) after he has been imprisoned by an evil family for a century. Dream must travel across multiple realms to retrieve his tools to remedy the chaos his absence from the land of dreams has caused. It is a visual masterpiece with beautiful storytelling that will transport you seamlessly into new realms... but before you begin, remember that in the Land of Dreams, there are also nightmares. It may be best to put the little ones to bed before beginning this one. All episodes of The Sandman are available to stream on Netflix.
House of the Dragon (TV-MA)
I am so thrilled to be back in the world of Game of Thrones.
Based on the novel Fire and Blood, by George R. R. Martin, House of the Dragon is an intricately woven tapestry of new characters and familiar locations. Set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, "HOT-D" is centered around the Targaryen family and the cunning moves they play in order to keep the Iron Throne. With only one episode available to date, and having never read the books myself, it’s hard to know exactly where it’s headed, but I’m sure there will indeed be fire and blood. Episodes are released weekly on HBO Max and are sure to be a topic of conversation you won’t want to miss out on.
Game of Thrones (TV-MA)
While you’re waiting for new episodes of House of the Dragon, why not go back and rewatch Game of Thrones? If you’ve never seen Game of Thrones, (I’m not judging but I do have questions...) it chronicles the stories of nine noble families and their attempts to either keep the throne they have, or lay claim to one that has more power. For these families, playing the game of thrones has the steepest of prices... as they say, "when you play the game of thrones, you win, or you die.” No matter what rumors circulate about the quality of the conclusion of the series, it is a must-watch! All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are available for streaming on HBO Max.
She Hulk: Attorney at Law (TV-14)
In the newest chapter of the Marvel universe, we meet Jennifer Walters, Bruce Banner’s cousin, who is an up-and-coming lawyer. Viewers will be on the edge of their seat as they watch Jennifer and Bruce go on a road trip that will change her fate as she knows it. She Hulk: Attorney at Law strays far from the origin story of the original comics, so it’s hard to know where the TV series version of her story will take us. One thing is clear- despite her wishes to not be a Hulk and continue with her life as she planned, our protagonist may soon find that it’s not entirely up to her. New episodes are released weekly on Disney+, and are fun for the family!
What We Do in the Shadows (Rated R)
Based on a Taika Waititi film of the same name comes a hilarious mockumentary that follows an undead cohort of vampires as they overcome the challenges of navigating the modern world. What We Do in the Shadows is centered around Nadja, her husband Lazlo, their hilarious partner “Nandor the Relentless”, and his familiar, Guillermo, who is a direct descendent of vampire slayer, Van Helsing. So, you can imagine the shenanigans they find themselves in. Seasons 1-3 can be found on Hulu, while new episodes air weekly on FX with next-day-streaming on Hulu.
Coming Soon! To a couch near you:
Andor (TV-MA)
What's better than a prequel? A prequal to the prequal... a “pre-prequal”! Andor follows Cassian as he begins his metamorphosis from thief to rebel-with-a-cause, in the years leading up to the events of Rouge One. Even though my personal favorite character, K2SO, won’t be in the first season of this show, I have high hopes for the other storylines to be explored. After all, “rebellions are built on hope.”, as one of the main characters (Jyn) said. Andor begins streaming September 21, on Disney+.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV-14)
Based on the novels by J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power introduces us to the world of Middle Earth thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit. From what I can gather from the trailers, we are in store for yet another beautiful depiction of Tolkien’s world, on the natal eve of evil. I’m beyond excited to see where this story goes... In the words of Bilbo Baggins, “there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to...” The Rings of Power begins streaming September 2, on Amazon Prime.
