Tired of hearing about Fallout and Bridgerton? Looking for something to watch this weekend that goes against the grain?
Watch With Us can help with that. We understand there’s almost too much TV to watch, and it can get exhausting hearing about the same popular shows over and over again.
If you need something a little more lowkey, head to Netflix for some of the best hidden gems.
Our picks include Minx, the HBO comedy-drama that was canceled too soon, and Documentary Now!, the mockumentary series from Bill Hader and Fred Armisen that spoofs popular docs.
‘Minx’ (2022-2023)
Joyce Prigger (Ophelia Lovibond) has big dreams for how to use her liberal arts degree, seeking to launch a feminist magazine in 1970s LA. But when no publisher will take her seriously, Joyce finds backing from an unconventional source: the adult entertainment industry. Joyce ends up joining forces with the sleazy Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson) to kickstart a porn magazine that’s geared towards women, by blending feminist writing with smut and full-frontal images of nude men.
Despite having the kind of nudity scenes that would give Game of Thrones a run for its money, Minx nevertheless was cut short by HBO before being saved by STARZ — and then canned for good. Thankfully, you can still watch the series in its entirety on Netflix, with two seasons worth of some fantastic writing, great character development and genuinely touching moments. At the end of the day, it’s the chemistry between Lovibond and Johnson that is truly what makes Minx sing.
‘Documentary Now!’ (2015-2022)
SNL alums Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers take their love of iconic non-fiction films and lampoon them in this hilarious series. Each episode features a parody of a different documentary: from Grey Gardens and its portrait of the eccentric Kennedy family outcasts Big Edie and Little Edie, to The Talking Heads’ legendary concert film Stop Making Sense and the Netflix true crime doc Wild Wild Country, everything is fair game on Documentary Now! Hosted by the great Helen Mirren, guest performers include John Mulaney, John Slattery, Maya Rudolph and Anne Hathaway.
You may not understand every niche film reference in this sharp mockumentary series, but regardless of your cinephile credentials, it’s guaranteed that you won’t be able to resist the hilarious cameos and sharp writing of Documentary Now! Far from taunting jabs, the parodies in the show could only be done by artists who feel deep affection for their subjects, and each mini-documentary excels in laugh-out-loud humor and genuinely impressive production value.
‘Search Party’ (2016-2022)
This black comedy series stars Alia Shawkat as Dory, a rich housewife’s assistant living in Brooklyn who leads the charge on a search party for a missing acquaintance from college, Chantal Winterbottom (Clare McNulty). Joining Dory are Elliott (John Early), a flamboyant narcissist, chatty actress Portia (Meredith Hanger), doofy but sweet Drew (John Reynolds) and Dory’s blunt, cynical ex-boyfriend Julian (Brandon Micheal Hall), who also happens to be a journalist. Ultimately, each wacky friend possesses a unique quality that may help solve Chantal’s disappearance.
Search Party is first and foremost a true showcase for Shawkat’s acting talents. But it’s also an absorbing mystery series that is carried by its equally fantastic supporting cast, who portray eccentric, self-obsessed characters that manage to be both unlikable and likable at the same time. Basically, you can’t help but be compelled to keep watching Search Party, which works its way to a wild ending while providing a humorous send-up of selfish twentysomething New Yorkers.
