Please Don't Judge

I feel like quite a few of my posts contain the words "please don't judge" or some variation on that theme. I'm starting to wonder. Do I have very judgey friends and family, or do I just know that I do a lot of things that are so not-the-norm that people will, in fact, be (probably justifiably) judging me?

I think it's the latter.

But I'm going to write this post anyway. At the risk of being (again, probably justifiably) judged.

Dexter. The Shield. Justified. Deadwood. Broadchurch. Luther. Ozark. Bodyguard (BBC, not Whitney Houston). The Sopranos. Southland. The Fall. Marcella. Killing Eve. The Great British Bake Off.

These are a few of my favorite things. (you sang that, didn't you?)

In case you don't see the obvious trend in that list, it's violence (except for The Great British Bake Off, obviously).

These are all shows that have violence. A lot of violence. And not just any violence. Kind of horrific violence. A lot of horrific violence.
But, but, but (as the Washington Post 202 likes to say), and hear me out please, the violence is in service to the plot, in every single one of these shows. And the plots are complex and smart and phenomenal! These are not shows filled with mindless, gratuitous violence (I'm looking at you, Blacklist).

Which leaves me at this weird intersection of television viewing: I appreciate good acting, great writing and intriguing, well-crafted plot arcs, and the only shows I seem to find that have all of these qualities also have an insane amount of brutal death. So I guess it's not that I love homicidal tendencies, per se, it's more that I don't mind when they are deftly woven into exceedingly clever diegeses.

Wow. I think I just saved myself a ton of time and money. I was seriously starting to wonder if I need therapy to figure out why I have a deep-seated affinity for barbarity. But I don't! It turns out I don't love gory mayhem. I just love great TV.

And since we're (sort of) on the topic of content, I'd like to continue on a slightly tangential note and address the absolute dearth of extraordinary television writing on the major (US) networks. (Olivia, can you get on that please?) If you peruse my list of favorite shows above, you'll find that they are largely British. I watch a whole lotta BBC. Because writing.

The Brits are not afraid. Of anything. They're not afraid (and are allowed) to write realistic dialog. They are not afraid to kill off main characters with no warning--shit happens in British shows! They move their plots forward with gratifying speed. They are not afraid to hire actors who bring nothing to the show other than actual, amazing acting ability. They are not afraid to make you squirm in your seat, halfway closing your eyes in reaction to the horrors on the screen but not fully closing your eyes because the details of what's happening are absolutely going to be important and you know it.

I appreciate that.

I am currently enamored of a show called "The End of the F***ing World". That's the actual title, asterisks and all. It checks all my boxes. It's British. Intriguing plot (from the VERY FIRST scene), unknown but remarkable actors, darkly funny writing, interesting and pivotal events occurring in every episode. And yes. There might be a skosh of bloodshed. But bloodshed with purpose.

Which is just fine. I'm fine. Pretty sure my therapist would say I have great taste in TV.