5 Shows To Discover During the Thanksgiving Break

By Moses Johnson III on November 22, 2015

Gathering round the table is not for everyone

Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching. The choice for students tends to be home, family, and food, or solitude, relaxation, and well… potentially crappier food. Either way, you are sure to have at least a bit of time to pass. Why not pass it by discovering a television show or experimenting with a new genre. Here are 5 shows that you should be catching up on and enjoying over the coming fall break.

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

ABC/Marvel/Disney has been busy covering their bases on media through multiple platforms. Marvel specifically has fashioned itself as the legitimate authority on fantasy and the comic book genre in films and movies. One of the aspects of their dominance is the ability to weave their products into one another while allowing each to maintain their individual greatness. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has shown itself to be a prime product worthy of the Marvel moniker even through the heavy criticism of its first season. The show, now in its third season, has cemented itself as a bona fide stand-alone television series; one that is worthy of the Wheedon name it bears. The plot has traced through events in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron through the eyes of Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) and his newly-defunct organization. S.H.I.E.L.D. is underground but has not lost its drive to protect the world from a reforming Hydra and the oncoming Inhuman or other catastrophic situation. The reason why the show is proving a jewel among the prime-time market is the incredible acting, story-telling, and production. The investments in graphics, talent, and story are unprecedented and have placed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the position to shine above the specter of comic book television for those who need it while rewarding purists who slogged through the eighties and nineties also-ran’s.

The Red Road

Sundance TV produced a quality thriller set between a small-town and adjacent tribe. The story revolves around a strained pairing between Officer Jensen (Martin Henderson) and Phillip Kopus (Jason Momoa), a tribe member with a checkered past. Surrounding local tensions, a cover up, and an investigation involving a missing NYU student complicate their relationship. As they test the boundaries of their partnership, their bond strengthens and wanes before proving to be the best option that either of them have. There are a few twists and turns, although none that extend too far beyond the genre. Overall, The Red Road is a straightforward and well-performed crime thriller with a healthy splash of social commentary. The six-episode season is available on Netflix and the second season is due to be released on November 23rd.

 

Be careful not to get sucked in too deep!

The Seven Deadly Sins

Anime is a genre that is gaining steam in the mainstream. One of the strengths of the format is the beginning, middle, and end that anime tends to provide. Netflix has been making inroads into the genre as a platform for the broadcasting and original creation of anime that is unique and entertaining. The Seven Deadly Sins is a Netflix exclusive anime series that encapsulates many of the traits of the genre without reaching a point of oversaturation. The story begins with Princess Liones who is searching for a cadre of superior warriors to join her in the fight to restore her kingdom. The people who she seeks are Meliodas and the Seven Deadly Sins. There is one large problem, however, no one knows if they are alive or dead. As the story progresses, Meliodas and the Princess seek to reunite the Sins and restore order to their realm. The Seven Deadly Sins does include a number of tropes made common by anime for good or bad (including “fan service”) which should be considered when deciding on watching or abstaining. If you don’t find such tropes too off-putting, The Seven Deadly Sins promises to be entertaining and worth the time spent.

Blackish & Fresh Off the Boat

The standard sitcom is a staple of television viewing. It is always interesting to see the genre stood on its head. Modern Family set a path in this way by presenting a family of reasonable scale and of diverse identity. Blackish and Fresh off The Boat extend the conceptions and notions of otherwise marginalized groups in their unique ways. Blackish takes a look into the lives of a family of upper-middle class Black parents from diverse backgrounds and their interactions with their professions, their parents, children, and community. Fresh Off the Boat follows Eddie and the Huang family in the 90’s as they moved from Washington D.C. to Orlando, FL on the heels of the father’s opening of a restaurant. Fresh Off the Boat offers a sort of glimpse into the life of a young Taiwanese boy who is navigating issues of youth, family, culture, and the opposite sex. Both stories are unique in their presentment and refreshing in their presence in the space. Beyond that, they are entertaining and largely well-written.

Feel free to enjoy these shows if you are not already. The increase of diversity on Internet and broadcast television in genres and presentment leave a larger than ever audience in a position to choose their type of show.

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