TV shows to binge this summer

“The Last Dance”
By Brooks Moeller

While there have been no live sporting events for the past two months, ESPN was able to take over the sports world with “The Last Dance,” a ten-part documentary depicting the life of Michael Jordan during his final season with the Bulls and the events that led up to it. I have not seen a sports documentary go into much detail as this one does in a long time — every moment of the season is documented and we really get to see what was going on in Jordan’s head. 

While it was being aired, every sports show was talking about “The Last Dance” and I can confirm the series lives up to the hype. We even get a close look at the 1996 NBA Finals when the Bulls took down the Sonics in six games. It was cool to see the Sonics get some love and recognition in hopes we can gain momentum to receive an expansion team. Every sports fan should take the time to watch the complete documentary, it will be worth it.

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“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
By Andrew Brown

If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, then you likely already know about their hit series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” If you don’t, let me introduce you. Set in New York City in the late fifties, Miriam Maisel is a young, happy Jewish wife and mother of two. Her husband Joel likes to perform as a comedian at a local cafe by night, but she discovers he copies his material from famous performer Jack Benny. After they have a fight, Joel leaves her for his secretary. She snaps, gets drunk, and goes onstage at the cafe. After delivering a rambling stream-of-consciousness set that kills with the audience, she’s inspired to end her humdrum life as a housewife and become a stand-up comedienne.

The show lives up to being a program about comedians by being just as funny as you would hope it is. The material the comedians perform within the show gets laughs, but even funnier are the situations the characters find themselves in. Most of the episodes are written by the husband-wife team of Daniel and Amy Sherman-Palladino, who found previous success with “Gilmore Girls.” “Maisel” features a similar style of rapid-fire, hilarious dialogue, and intricate plotting that keeps you guessing from episode to episode. 

Even better, the show features pitch-perfect casting. Rachel Brosnahan is a revelation in the title role, delivering all the wit needed for a woman who decides to be a comedienne. Her neurotic parents are played by Marin Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub, — from the hit TV series “Monk”— and they are hilarious. But perhaps the fan-favorite is Susie, Mrs. Maisel’s foul-mouthed manager, played by “Family Guy” voice actress Alex Borstein.

It’s a treat to watch, and it hasn’t won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes for nothing. Outstanding in writing, performances, and period detail, this is a series that justifies a subscription to Amazon Prime. For all University students, a six-month trial is available, and afterward, you can purchase a subscription for half off. Seasons one to three of the show are available now, with season four hopefully seeing a release date this December.