I thought this prompt was hard, because people keep asking me for series or film recommendations, and I always ask them back about their favorite genre. I could recommend things they must watch or things they’d probably like based on their taste, I could never really give them my favorites.
But now, here I am. These might not be the best series you’ll find on the internet, but these are the ones that live rent-free in my little heart.
Each TV series has its own qualities that make it hard for me to rank them based on personal preference. So, without further ado, these are the 5 shows that finally got checked off my watch list… AND I LOVE THEM.
1. Better Call Saul
People be talkin’ too much about Breaking Bad, while Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould be showing off their brilliant minds here. But don’t ask me about Pluribus because I haven’t watched it yet, although I can’t stop smiling watching the trailer, those old, long, static shots tho… I’m sure season 1 SERVEEEES!
Back to Better Call Saul. TBH, I learned the basics of law, how to read people’s behavior and the words they use that express underlying meaning, and most importantly, that whenever I think I can read a character… I can’t. Also, I suddenly wanted to eat Mexican tacos (yeah, those few minutes of Lalo Salamanca making a taco hit different).
Other than that, you’ll see a man’s struggle to get a better life, from opening a law practice in a narrow room above a Vietnamese nail salon, to renting a small office, and finally ending up working in Cinnabon (I tried Cinnabon because of this TV show too… and I think I’m into cinnamon buns now).
Saul’s grit and wit are what made him the way he is. Also, I never liked Chuck because he’s too annoying, but that character’s arc showed how humane Saul Goodman (or Jimmy) was, that’s probably the heart of this series.
2. One Piece
Anyone who knows me must how obsessed I am with this “TV series” (I’m really used to calling it “anime”). I watched it the first time on TV in 2011 and have been following the updates ever since. I spent every dime I had on the comics and merchandise, even left home to attend events. I feel blessed to have Eiichiro Oda taking care of my teenage years with such lovely stories in every arc, I found a community that shared the same obsession towards One Piece, I even ran a page with 6000+ followers as an admin, really had no idea what I was doing.
Growing up, I thought I’d lost appetite after my 10-year hiatus on One Piece. But I watched it again because I didn’t wanna miss out when Luffy finally finds the One Piece, it had been promised for so long and people were really expecting it to be over by April 2025. Yet, as we all know now, it wasn’t.
After I caught up with One Piece again, I felt the quality Oda offers to the table. And when you watch your childhood TV show after you grow up, there are so many little details that become interesting when you notice them. I mean, I started chatting with Star C-12 when she told me that she’s currently watching One Piece. And when we met up last week, like 75% of the conversation is about One Piece until we forgot to talk about life teas. It’s really meaningful to recall the great stories that once played with my emotions. Then, for the thousandth time, I remember how big my love was for One Piece and fell in love with it all over again.
3. Narcos
There’s the other version called “Narcos: Mexico“, but this one’s my favorite.
What makes this series stick with me is its phenomenal ensemble cast. Set in Colombia, the story follows different sides of the Colombian drug trade, from Pablo Escobar to Javier Peña. Man, I WAS SAT the entire time watching it.
I love the casting, how the story flows, and how everything is delivered. PLUS, the factual and fictional parts intertwine so well that it creates a masterpiece that not only leaves the audience feeling unhinged, but educated as well.
Like, did you know Pablo Escobar once allegedly burned a couple million of dollars to keep his daughter—who was suffering from hypothermia—warm? And after he surrendered to Colombian authorities in 1991, he had HIS OWN set of rules for the prison with HIS OWN working space and billiard room, so he could keep running his business from the inside? AND it was called La Catedral?! I mean, he’s effective…ly abusing the country’s own rules. Bener-bener seenak jidat dia aja deh pokoknya.
4. Brooklyn 99
It’s been a very long time since I watched this TV series, I think Brooklyn 99 (B99) is one of the first comedy shows I watched on streaming, then Community, New Girl, to half of The Office (shut up I’m in the middle of it).
The jokes are so stupid and excessive that it became one of my favorite series. I understand that it’s not everyone’s cuppa tea tho. B99 is probably my comfort series besides Jinny’s Kitchen (2023) that I found last month. The solidarity, efficiency, and competency that every character shows in doing their job and backing each other up are really close to my heart. I mean, even the Hitchcock-Scully tandem also did their job so well… to piss off the others, such a perfect imperfection.
5. Shameless
I watched this purely because I wanted to see Jeremy Allen White (it’s the only show on Netflix that stars him). But then, I stayed because I could see a bunch of people trying to get by while dealing with whatever life throws at them, with very little to rely on.
I mean, can you imagine a 21-year-old girl having to take care of her five younger siblings by herself? One of them is 2 years old. Their Mom has untreated bipolar disorder while the Dad is a drunk, and both of them are rarely around. Simply put, it’s a show about an extremely dysfunctional family.
This specific blog that I thought would be around 500 words turned out more than twice as long as planned.
But, as you can see, I enthusiastically shared these five with you, because they all have something different that hits home. You can watch them, or not, but these are the ones I really enjoy watching regardless of their ratings or visual quality.
Lately, I’ve just finished Mouse (2021), and I loved it. I’m currently watching Hope on the Street (2024)—you wouldn’t wanna believe that I’m watching it because I love documentaries—and Jinny’s Kitchen (it really heals the parts in me it didn’t break). After this, I’ll prolly watch Kian’s Bizarre B&B or Fleabag. Just like this top five, I don’t really know what I’ll watch next. I’ll probably stumble into something. I don’t know.
