I’m currently under a strict, self-imposed, all-black wardrobe policy to commemorate the ending of season two of The Handmaid’s Tale. The ending of this season brings up a lot of questions, not only about the show and what the future holds but, well, what about me?
What will I lay awake thinking about every Tuesday night? What will my friends and I discuss in the meantime? Will I even have friends to discuss the show with by the time the next season airs? What, pray tell, shall I keep my anxiety-riddled mind entertained with in the meantime? Knitting?! Not even the wicked Serena Joy enjoyed such a task!
Forgive me. I am very upset. I’m sure knitting is delightful. Do as I say though, not as I do, and move on with your life with this mixed bag of five angsty shows, all of which are filled with darkness, despair, and even a couple of dystopian futures, for your viewing pleasure.
Or you can just move to New Zealand. Whatever.
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Black MirrorWho among us trusts our fancy gadgets? The answer should be “no one,” but if you need a little convincing, look no further than our own modern-day “The Twilight Zone”: “Black Mirror.” Each standalone sci-fi episode gives you a different plot examining the unintended results of technology, ranging from the bleak and uncomfortably strange to lighthearted. Perhaps now you’ll think twice before getting that smart toaster. Just maybe skip the first episode of season one for now.
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WestworldWe’ve all dreamed about kicking it in the wild, Wild West, right guys? Guys? Well, whether you have or haven’t fantasized about being a cowboy, you shouldn’t miss out on the weird universe of “Westworld.” In this science-fiction Western, the rich can pay to vacation in a Wild West theme park run by robots called hosts. In this world, everyone is given a pass to do as they please to the hosts who, because they are repaired every night and their memories wiped, are blissfully unaware of the horrible treatment they endure in a “Groundhog Day”-esque nightmare. Or are they?
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The Walking DeadI’ll be honest with you on this one: I gave up on The Walking Dead a couple seasons ago, but that doesn’t mean you should. Follow Rick Grimes and his crew as they slash their way through the zombie apocalypse and learn from their mistakes and successes as you plan for our own undead takeover. If you can forgive the bad acting, the plight of these characters as they fight off zombie hordes, murderous gangs and their own inner battles of good and evil can suck you right in. Lucky for them, these are not “28 Days Later” or “World War Z” zombies otherwise I’m positive none of these suckers would still be alive. Except maybe Daryl.
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Sharp ObjectsAmy Adams stars in this creepy-looking series about a journalist who travels back to her hometown to cover the unsolved murders of several young girls. Unfortunately for her, her return stirs up her own demons as she navigates her strained relationship with her mother and fights to get details on the case and victims. This moody mystery explores our culture’s fascination with the macabre and the tragic death of young girls.
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Castle RockThe only other person out there who might be able to fuck you up as bad as “The Handmaid’s Tale” is Stephen King. Good thing a psychological horror series based in King’s universe of Castle Rock will be coming out July 25. Starring André Holland, Sissy Spacek, and creepy-ass Bill Skarsgård, the show takes place in a town where strange things seem to regularly happen. After the discovery of an unidentified prisoner inside Shawshank Prison, a defense attorney finds himself returning his hometown where everyone thinks he murdered his father.
Amanda Push
