VS Binge Guide: Four TV Shows to Watch in February on Amazon Prime

Posted on February 06, 2018, 8:30 am
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Even if you’ve avoided coming down with the flu, it’s still the dead of winter, and having a low-key, cozy day cuddling with your SO, pup or—better yet—yourself is more fulfilling than ever, thanks to the gift of binge-able television. We recommend four shows to watch in February on Amazon Prime: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Living, and the Dead, Britannia and Divorce. These shows are not a big time investment, and offer just the right amount of escapism.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Period comedy-drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of Amazon’s most popular original shows for good reason. It received two nominations for Golden Globe Awards: one for Best Television Series and another for Best Actress, Rachel Brosnahan, who plays the titular character.

In a nutshell: A Jewish woman is living her dream life on the Upper East Side in the 1950s, but being the perfect wife is not her destiny. After being left by her husband—for his secretary no less—she discovers her own talents as a stand-up comedian.

Why watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: If you loved the visual style of Madmen, but would enjoy a timely, feminist point of view on 1950s New York, you will love this one.

The Living and the Dead

Period drama The Living and the Dead is set during the Victorian era, when scientific discovery, psychoanalysis and the spiritualist movement were all intermingling. Over the show’s six episodes, the lines between different ideologies aren’t the only ones being blurred. The lines also blur between…well, the living and the dead.

In a nutshell: A young couple returns to the family farm after living in the city. He (Colin Morgan) is a psychotherapist wrought with grief for the loss of his son. She (Charlotte Spencer) is a scientist and photographer, driven to keep the farm running while confronting pervasive sexism and superstition. But maybe the townsfolk aren’t entirely backward. There are a lot of supernatural occurrences, after all.

Why watch The Living and the DeadIf you love horror, sci-fi, and gothic tales, you will find your needs satiated. This show is not about the debate as to whether or not a metaphysical world exists. This show asserts all of the ways that people have tried to explain what they cannot understand, and even gets quantum with it.

 

Britannia

The epic Britannia is set at the beginning of the Roman conquest of Britain, during the reign of Claudius. In 43 AD, The Celts have deferred to the shamanic Druids to run their monarchy. However, the Romans are moving in, and offer “protection” in exchange for taxes as they plot to conquer Britannia.

In a nutshell: The Celts only hope lies in hands of a girl caught between childhood and adolescence. A Druid outcast learns that it his destiny to help her after her family has been destroyed by the Romans.

Why watch BritanniaIt won’t live up to Game of Thrones or even Vikings, but will serve as a side-dish while you await new episodes of those, and it will remind you of the days when Xena: Warrior Princess was all that you had.

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Divorce

If you average the number of divorces in the U.S. in a year, one occurs about every thirteen seconds. The legal and emotional process of a divorce obviously takes much longer than that. In the case of HBO’s Divorce, the amicable separation takes an entire season.

In a nutshell: A suburban couple (Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church) goes through all the cliches of the divorce process. She’s an aspiring gallerist who has an affair, and he’s a failing house builder who’s just clueless. These two could easily be your next-door neighbors—or you.

Why watch Divorce: Whether you identify with them or hate them, this lighthearted series offers just the right amount of escapism. It’s a great show to have on if you want something playing while you multi-task.

 

Sarah Caples has lived in Seattle since 2004 working as a fashion stylist for private clients. Sarah launched an art and society blog in 2008, along with a monthly salon at The Sorrento Hotel, which ran until June 2012. As executive editor of VanguardSeattle.com, Caples hopes to cultivate an informed dialog about regional culture and bring people of diverse backgrounds together in support of nonprofits, artists and community builders.