Every September, while other kids were lamenting the end of summer vacation, I was secretly a little happy. Not because I didn't love going to camp or having barbecues in my backyard. Summer was fantastic, but September came with two of my absolute favorite things. One was school supplies. The writer in me was there from a young age, and the thought of new pens, pencils, erasers and fresh blank notebooks made me giddy.
The second was the restart of all my favorite shows. In the ’70s, ’80s and even the ’90s, most shows went on hiatus in the summer. Many left us with cliffhangers such as “Who shot J.R.?” and wondering why a presumed-dead Bobby Ewing was seen happily showering in his ex-wife’s house.
A lot has changed in the past decade regarding TV viewing. More channels and streaming services now offer new viewing content.
Although the current Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has postponed the start dates of some series, there’s still plenty to watch. So, if you’re looking for a binge-worthy series, here are seven to choose from. And a bonus: Each includes at least one fabulous female over 50 (FFF) character.
Shrinking (1 Season), Apple TV+
If you’ve been missing Jason Segel since How I Met Your Mother went off the air in 2014, you are in luck. Segel plays Jimmy, a widowed therapist navigating single parenthood, grief and taking care of his patients. While the whole show is excellent, I am partial to the FFF character Liz (Christa Miller), Jimmy’s nosy neighbor, who tries to step in as a pseudo-mother to Jimmy’s daughter, Alice, while also dealing with her soon-to-be-retired husband, Derek (Ted McGinley). And bonus FFF Wendie Malick plays the doctor/love interest of Jimmy’s boss, Paul (Harrison Ford). The show renewed for a second season but has not announced a premiere date.
Firefly Lane (2 Seasons), Netflix
Based on the book of the same name by Kristin Hannah, this show grew on me. I just loved watching the dynamic of childhood friends Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) navigate the ups and downs of life together. From high school to after college, dating, marriage and kids, the two depict what it means to be soulmates and there for each other in sickness and health. Spoiler alert: The last few episodes will remind you of movies like Beaches and Terms of Endearment, so keep the tissue box nearby.
And Just Like That … (2 Seasons), HBO Max
If you’ve ever wondered what happened to our old friends Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte since we left them in their 30s, And Just Like That… has the answers. Three FFFs — Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis — reprise their roles from the original Sex and the City. Season 1 had the ladies dealing with widowhood, divorce, parenthood and dating in their 50s. Season 2 should be good!
Bad Sisters (2 Seasons), Apple TV+
This dramedy introduces us to the five Garvey sisters (Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi and Becka), who live in Dublin, in the present day. After Grace’s abusive husband dies unexpectedly, the sisters find themselves at the center of an investigation by the life insurance company. The series follows the Garveys in two different timelines, one in the past and one in the present. Who would think secrets and a murder mystery would be a comedy? But these bad sisters are good fun for viewers. Season 2 is tentatively scheduled for release in October.
Hacks (3 Seasons), HBO Max
Deborah Vance (multiple Emmy-award winner Jean Smart) is an older comedian who has settled into a residency in Las Vegas. But her shows have grown repetitive, so her agent suggests bringing in 25-year-old writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) to punch up the act. The banter between these two is intelligent, witty, occasionally caustic, but admiring, too. The only problem with this show is that I love it so much, I devoured the entire second season in one sitting. The show will return for a third season; no release date has been confirmed.
Never Have I Ever (4 Seasons), Netflix
Two of my all-time favorite series are 90210 and One Tree Hill. So it’s not surprising that I find Never Have I Ever such an enjoyable watch. Why the fantastic Mindy Kaling decided that tennis legend John McEnroe would make a great inner voice for Devi is hard to fathom. Yet somehow it works beautifully. Although the focus of the show is on teen drama and angst, there are interesting side stories that feature FFFs such as Devi’s widowed mom, Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan), her grandmother Nirmala (Ranjita Chakravarty) and Niecy Nash as Devi’s therapist, Jamie Ryan.
Only Murders in the Building (3 Seasons), Hulu
Three strangers, all fans of the same true-crime podcast, wind up involved in crimes themselves. In both Season 1 and Season 2, there is a murder in the building, and amateur-sleuths-turned-friends Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) are on the case. In Season 3, the ultimate FFF, Meryl Streep, enters the building and joins the cast. The new season was released on August 8.
Which of the above have you binged? Let us know in the comments below.
The Girlfriend Staff
Follow Article Topics: Lifestyle
