Hello!! Johnny and I love to watch TV, movies, and documentaries together. It’s how we unwind after work and there’s nothing better than having something new to look forward to after a long day. For the past few months, we were definitely on a comfort show kick. The past few weeks, however, we have dived back into some pretty crazy documentaries that we both really enjoyed. In a spoiler free setting, I thought we would discuss a few of them today as well as my most recent guilty pleasure and a new quiz show. Let’s get to it:
Degrassi:
Ladies first, right?! Yes, I have been rewatching Degrassi: The Next Generation on HBOMax and it has been wonderful. Degrassi was mine and my sister’s JAM in high school and I have not seen it since then. I am pleased to report that the show still hits in adulthood. In fact, it seems to hit even harder. I remember the cast and a majority of the episodes. The details are a different story, though, and it is drama central! I have found that my favorite characters in high school have remained my favorite during my rewatch and it has been such fun to watch an episode or two every day!
The Contestant:
I learned about the documentary The Contestant because it was showing at the International Film Festival at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. The premise seemed extremely interesting and I was excited that it was on Hulu. Johnny and I watched The Contestant last week and it was a wild ride. Basically, a Japanese game show aired in the late 90s called My Life In Prizes. The Contestant, named Nasubi, had to survive off of food and prizes won from mail and phone contests until he reached one million Yen worth of spoils. Nasubi had no idea that for fifteen months, his time spent in isolation was being aired on TV for the world to see. The documentary explores the taping of the show, the aftermath it had on Nasubi, and how he managed to come out on top. There were times when this doc was hard to watch, but I would highly recommend it.
Lover, Stalker, Killer:
On Wednesday, Johnny and I decided to watch a documentary on Netflix called Lover, Stalker, Killer and WOW. It was freaking NUTS. In this Baby Reindeer-esque doc, we learn about a man named Dave and his online dating experience from hell. After his marriage ended, Dave turned to Plenty of Fish for some casual relationships. No strings attached, just fun. He got a whole lot more than he bargained for when he met Liz and Cari and was targeted in a deadly campaign of harassment. This documentary had so many plot twists that it made my head spin. In fact, it felt more like one of my beloved “LifeTime movie books” than real life. There was nothing fake about Lover, Stalker, Killer and it was harrowing from start to finish.
Dancing for the Devil:
One thing that Johnny and I are particularly interested in are cults and we have watched several docs pertaining to those that function online. The most recent one we watched was called Dancing for the Devil on Netflix. Long story short, a leader of a church saw the potential for profit from the viral dance trends on TikTok. He then formed a management company called 7M that targeted popular dancers on the platform. In Dancing for the Devil, we learn about the culty methods of 7M from people who escaped and the loved ones of those still in its grasp. The families and friends of people in 7M have had little to no contact with them since joining the management company. Those who have say they barely recognize their child, sibling, or friend since getting involved with 7M. This was a thought provoking documentary that showed the real life effects of online cults in real time.
The Quiz With Balls:
And, finally, on a lighter note – we have The Quiz With Balls lol. Johnny discovered this new game show airing on Fox through one of his podcasts. We decided to watch the first two episodes this past Thursday and I am SO glad we did. It is an absolute riot from start to finish. There are two families competing against each other to answer trivia questions. It goes like this: There are five correct answers for five family members and one wrong one. The family must select answers, stand in place, and prepare for a plunge into a pool if they are wrong. They will literally get hit by a gigantic ball into the drink for an incorrect answer. It is ridiculous, hilarious, and was a hoot to play along with. It also inspired us to watch quiz shows more often because we enjoyed the rack your brain challenge so much.
Call us couch potatoes if you will, but we prefer entertainment enthusiasts lol. I can’t wait to see what we watch next!
What are you currently watching? Do you have a documentary to recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
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