People ask me, constantly, 'Do you watch Game of Thrones, Suits, How To Get Away with Murder, House of Cards?'
Those are the shows that everyone is watching, what everyone talks about, what everyone knows.
So I ask them,
'Do you watch The Affair or Transparent?'
'Never heard of it,' is normally the reply.
I'm surprised. They are both award winning tv series. With so many critics talking about the complexity and rawness that they possess.
Let me gladly introduce you to them.
TRANSPARENT
This is the light-hearted one out the pair. I must warn you, the themes are still very dark. It revolves around a family. With topics such as transgender, homosexuality, affair, secrets, loneliness and old age. Yeah, it doesn't seem so light-hearted anymore.
All these topics are strangely addressed in a humorous way. I find myself giggling at lyrical one-liners even though my political-correct mind says that I shouldn't.
The way it is directed funnily reminds me of French films. There would be montages of a street, or a lake, or watching a character with an airy and gentle instrumental song accompanying it. It embeds tranquility in a hectic atmosphere. This is quite unusual for me to see in American series. It's normally just - bam, one scene, bam, the next scene, bam, someone dies. I get really fed up of the fast paced Hollywood dramatics.
Think of Transparent similar to Modern Family, although with actual believable characters that carry challenging and complicated baggage. Some members of the family, especially Alex, are absolute mad as a hatter. She's blunt and awkward, very peculiarly but a very likeable character.
I finish every episode: smiling.
The actors are magnificent and the film making is spectacular.
Watch when: you're about to go to sleep.
It's not a thriller nor will it leave your heart racing. It will make you appreciate all the crazy things in life, because as I sit there watching the Pfefferman's family nutty life, I smile. Life is odd. And sometimes we have to laugh about the craziness.
THE AFFAIR
An affair always pop up in TV series. Writers add them in to bring flavour to the plot.
But The Affair's affair is something different.
This has to be my favourite TV series, I might even have to say of all time.
As cliche as it sounds, I don't even know where to begin with why you should be watching this.
I don't want to do write any spoilers (that's if you take on my advice to watch it, please do) but the show is about the disastrous effects of an affair that happens between a Manhattan, father, not very successful writer (Noah) and a depressed, charming, complexed waitress (Alison). They meet each other at a time when nothing is changing in their lives. There is no passion or excitement. It was all lost somehow. And when they meet, so cleverly the dialogue and the directing, highlights how they are meant to be together.
Each episode is 60min long, but it is split into two parts. Her side of the story, his side of the story. I've realised that the truth is so very relative. The 'truth' is not always correct. Our minds recall the past differently to someone else's.
For instance, Alison in Noah's perspective wears her hair down, and her skirt/dress is always above mid-way on her thigh. Noah in Alison's story is sexually charged, abrupt and ruthless.
There are wonderful scenes of the water. What it symbolises is what you will have to tell me after you watch it.
Funnily enough Alison and Noah are actually British actors, it just shows how good at acting they are.
I finish every episode: wanting to write my own script.
Watch when: you want to feel uninspired or bored.
I'm also obsessed with the character progression of this series. Not only how they progress within themselves, but their likability and your respect for them adjusts throughout.
She was sex, the very definition of it. She was the reason the word was invented...no marriage, no matter how strong, could survive her.
