The Summer Top 10

Around March and April a dark cloud appears above the TV world - all of our favourite shows come to an end, some until the following Autumn, some are gone forever (still grieving for the City of Pawnee). Summer television is often given the side eye and looked down upon. With no Olivia Pope, Meredith Grey or Leslie Knope it just doesn't seem to compare. It is almost as if TV bosses assume we have all gone outside and turned our TV's off. No Sir, some of us have not! Some of us still need that background noise as we go about our day, some of us still need our daily dose of escapism from normal life. However I have found some gems that have kept me glued to the box this summer, before or after work I have been able to zone out and enjoy some quality entertainment. So as I do I have come up with a little top 10; 10 shows I have been enjoying this past summer and you should of aswell.

10. Masterchef US
I am sorry once again I turn my back on my anglo brothers and sisters. America just do competition so much better, I don't even watch the British version of Masterchef - it is so boring in comparison. On American Masterchef it is exciting, the contestants woop and cheer for everything, the challenges are extreme and they have my culinary God, Gordon Ramsey. The show got even better this year with the edition of a new judge in Christina Tosi (I like her a lot more than Joe Bastianich). So happy for the winner this year, Claudia wasn't my choice going through but she was my choice in the finale, what can I say - I love Mexican food.

9. Candidly Nicole
Yes! Nicole Richie came back for a second season of this part mocumentary, part sitcom. I have been in love with Nicole since the first season of The Simple Life. She is hilarious, we have similar sense of humours and her fashion kills me. This year she is rocking the pink pixie cut and I love it. The episodes are much more extreme this time around - from wanting to leave for Australia to creating an app that tells people things that may be too awkward or uncomfortable to say yourself. I can only hope for more and more episodes because Nicole should always be on TV. If you watch only one clip please watch her performance piece which ends with her smashing a replica of Lionel Richie's clay head from the 'Hello' video, in front of Lionel.

8. Ink Master
I love competition shows and tattoo shows, this show perfectly intertwined them. Each week the tattooists have to perfect a certain aspect of tattooing, if they don't then they are out. Simple as. The one aspect of this show that gets me is how passionate these artists are. They will literally fight the judges if they are pushed enough, never mind each other.  The art work produced is stunning and has definitely inspired me with some future (if I ever get brave enough) tattoo choices.

7. Face Off
As a fan of horror I have always been intrigued by the make-up. Like, how do they make Freddie look that way and what magic is behind the many monsters that have been created to stalk our nightmares. This show answered all my questions, in a competition style to boot. Every week they are giving a brief that is basically left up to interpretation and they create. They have some amazing, beautiful, scary, phenomenal and gory make ups that keep me tuning in every week.

6. Orange is the New Black
You may be shocked that is only at number 6 as it did win the coveted 'Craigy' for best drama of 2015, but the rest of my list is justified believe me. I really enjoyed season 3 of this amazing show for one good reason - Angie Rice, played by Julie Lake. When I think of this season I think of her. Ruby Rose who? Angie brought all the laughs this year plus a couple of heartwarming moments. Whilst the season was mainly concentrated on the more prominent characters, they really gave a spotlight to some of the supporting characters.

5. Big Brother US
I have not been shy in my love for the American version of the worldwide hit reality show. The concept is so so so so so much better than others. This year has been great, so many front runners were out early. The shy, quiet ones have ruled the house this year. Plus how has Vanessa been allowed to get this far? She has by far been the best game player this year and she hasn't exactly hid it well. I hope she wins because lets face it she has put the most work in this summer.

4. Big Brother Canada
Exactly the same concept as the American one, but I warm to these Canadians a lot more than the Americans. Where as America can sometimes look like they cast abs and blondes (a few less these year), the Canadian version really mixes it up (with a few abs thrown in for good measure). I got really attached to Sarah and Brittany, and Sarah won!! The comps were extreme, the back door evictions were great there were lots of surprises along the course of the show.

3. The Real Housewives of New York
Hands down my favourite city from the franchise. Simple premise of following the rich women of certain areas. The cast of New York are the best, no lie. Who ever decided to bring Bethenny back after so long is a freaking genius and hopefully got a huge bonus. I loved all the new friendships that formed this year, especially with Carole and Dorinda. Ramona definitely annoyed me less this year, I wish Kristen got more screen time (especially as she is only one of two actual 'wives' on the show), Heather was her usual take-no-shit self, Sonja is finally getting things together and then theres the Countess - LuAnn .... I have not warmed to this new Lu the way she would probably wants the fans to.

2. Young and Hungry
This show is great,  the simplicity in its comedy style is what makes this show so good. It is obvious humour mixed with warmth and heart. It is 21 minutes of giggles, of course the situations are ridiculous and it can be quite obvious what is about to happen a lot of the time but thats what I like about it. Plus the casting is outstanding. Emily Osment is a comedy queen! Her timing is perfect. Plus she looks like Carrie Underwood's little sister so that's nice. Rex Lee, Aimee Carrero, Kym Whitley and Jonathan Sadowski all round the main characters to perfection.

1. Playing House
I feel like I am about to grow into these women, we speak the same language and basically I am 3 years away from owning my own window box full of succulents. I don't know to express how much this comedy gets me, sometimes it seems like they are speaking their own language but I get it. Their reaction to situations is how I would react, plus they give me immense friendship goals. All I need is one friend's life to fall apart so I can move in and we can live codepentently happily ever after (is it weird to assume that I wouldn't be the friend whose life fell apart? Maybe because you need a life to have one fall apart).

I want a 'Jim-and-Pam-Relationship'

I was way behind with this show, in fact it finished before I even watched the first episode. I was sceptical, I watched the first episode of the english version of 'The Office'. It didn't get me and I it. Unfortunately a lot of Ricky Gervais' comedy goes right over my head. However my best friend (Netflix) recommended this to me due to my interests in 'Parks and Recreation' (Amy Poehler's amazing show). I thought why not, I don't have a social life to contend with so I have time to watch a 9 series show. After the first episode I was hooked, hello to a new binge. I watched every single episode in an extremely short amount of time, and then for some reason I then watched it backwards.

There are many great things about this show from the extreme characters to the so-real-its-awkward moments. For me the best thing about this show is the Jim and Pam romance. Its starts off with Pam being in a relationship with someone else and Jim been a cool single guy, but there is something there. They have this amazing bond that has grown from the love of pranks, air high fives and stolen glances. They have a great friendship that many would find hard to understand and often be perceived as something more. Then (SPOILER ALERT) in season 3 they actually get together, Pam calls off her wedding and they finally admit their love for each other. 

Their relationship is written so perfectly through out the next 6 seasons. They have their ups and downs but throughout it all they have love. I can honestly say I cried at many points watching them. Jim's little glances at the camera when Pam says or does something are beautiful, Pam constantly looking at Jim with nothing but love in her eyes. The wedding was so good, when they are on the boat under Niagara Falls and Pam leans in to Jim, Jim looks at the camera with nothing but love and happiness in his eyes - I bawled. When Pam blames Jim for the breakdown in her parents relationship because of something he said, Pam finds out its because Jim described their relationship so perfectly that Pam's Dad realised he didn't have that with his wife; Pam says the most beautiful line :

Everything they are is for each other, they are best friends as well as lovers. They have everything a relationship should have in my opinion. I want someone who I can tell my darkest thoughts with, who I can trust with all my secrets and weird habits. I don't think that that this a big ask. Jim and Pam did it. I know they are fictional, but I also know some couples will watch them and feel like they have been portrayed on TV. Watching them there is never a thought that one is more lucky to have the other than the other, they are lucky that they found each other. They were friends for four years before anything remotely happened, I may not be totally out of luck yet ...

There are so many highlights to this relationship - the teapot, the DVD, finding out they're expecting, the wedding, the proposal, the first kiss, Jim asking her out for the first date, Pam admitting it was because of Jim she called of her own wedding - just so many I could sit and talk about them for hours. What makes this relationship even better for me is that it wasn't based on physical connection, (sure they are both hot) it was personality. When you meet that one person who you just click with you don't give up, Jim didn't. People say friends shouldn't become lovers. Why not? Yes, you could risk losing a friendship, but you could end up with so much more, you could end up with everything. It only takes one person. 

  

"I didn’t watch the whole documentary. After a few episodes, it was too painful. I kept wanting to scream at Pam. It took me so long to do so many important things. It’s just hard to accept that I spent so many years being less happy than I could have been. Jim was five feet from my desk, and it took me four years to get to him. It’d be great if people saw this documentary and learned from my mistakes. Not that I’m a tragic person. I’m really happy now. But… it would just make my heart soar, if someone out there saw this and she said to herself, "Be strong. Trust yourself, love yourself. Conquer your fears. Just go after what you want. And act fast, because life just isn’t that long." - Pam Beesly Halpert

"Four years ago, I was just a guy who had a crush on a girl, who had a boyfriend. And I had to do the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do, which was just to… wait. Don’t get me wrong, I flirted with her. Pam, I can now admit in front of friends and family, that I do know how to make a photocopy — didn’t need your help that many times. And, uh, do you remember how long it took you to teach me how to drive stick? I’ve been driving stick since high school, so… For a really long time that’s all I had. Little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend. And, a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I work with, but I think, even then I knew that… I was waiting for my wife." - Jim Halpert