You’ve made it clear to grandma there’s no “someone special” in your life you want to talk to her about. You’ve told dad that, no, you don’t think you should switch to a more “stable” career. And you’ve only been home for two days. We’ve put together a list of the perfect TV shows to sneak away and catch up on during your holiday break after you’re maxed out on uncomfortable small talk with the fam.
The Returned
This surreal French miniseries about dead people who come back to life aired on Sundance this fall. But even if you’re not a zombie show kind of person, “The Returned” is worth watching. Seeing a teenager who has been dead for years reappear is more about grief than it is about blood-and-gore scare tactics. The show even won the International Emmy award for best drama series. Tres importante! Sundance is reairing the all eight episodes December 22 beginning at noon. Or you can buy the series on iTunes to watch at your leisure.
Breaking Bad
If you haven’t already, now is the time to binge on the saga of Walter White & Co. The series ended in September, so you won’t encounter any spoilers mid-binge. And even better – AMC will be airing every single episode of the show during an eye-popping, brain-melting four-day marathon. So you can get totally caught up for free. It kicks off at noon December 27 and runs through December 30. Merry Christmas to you.
Summer Heights High
If you’ve been watching Season 1 of “Ja’mie: Private School Girl” on HBO and are obsessed with the hilariously bratty star, hit up HBO Go to see where it all began. “Ja’mie” is a spinoff of the Australian series “Summer Heights High.” Chris Lilley, the grown man who stars as the teen girl Ja’mie, also plays two other characters in the high-school mockumentary. As Ja’mie would say, it’ll be a quiche escape.
Orphan Black
TV critics were buzzing about this sci-fi series last summer. But don’t worry if you missed it, you only have one season to catch up on before it comes back in April. The show starts with Sarah (played brilliantly by Tatiana Maslany seeing a woman who looks exactly like her committing suicide. She eventually finds out she and the woman are clones. Sold? You can catch it on BBC America OnDemand or buy the season on iTunes.
House of Cards
This Netflix show begs to be binged and there’s no time like the present. The addicting political drama was released in February and was nominated for nine Emmys and won three. Kevin Spacey stars as a ruthless House Majority Whip Frances Underwood and Robin Wright plays his powerful nonprofit-running wife. It’s worth watching for Wright’s portrayal of the shrewd, compelling Claire Underwood. Check her out in the mysterious (non-spoiler) teaser for Season 2, which will be available for streaming February 14.
Sharknado
While you’re bundled up in your brand-new fleece jammies, escape to warmer days with Syfy’s summer campy made-for-TV movie “Sharknado.” The social media sensation about a tornado that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them on the shore is now available to stream on Netflix. There will be a second one, aptly called “Sharknado 2: The Second One,” scheduled to air next summer. So, better catch up so you understand all the nuanced themes sure to be carried on in the sequel. Right…