3 SPOOKY SHOWS TO BINGE

I know halloween is basically over in a day but that doesn't mean real life isn't already spooky, amirite? Here are 3 spooky shows to binge. Now that its cold, rainy and dark it's time to cuddle with a heated blanket and get into:

 YOU. Judging myself, this is a lifetime TV show. You is based on book (that I need to buy to read on a plane) by Caroline Kepnes. It is about an obsessive book store manager that falls in love with an aspiring writer. He stalks her using social media and they eventually date. He is so obsessive he stops at nothing and noone to keep her to himself. Its SOOOO good. Like, he is a creepy person but I also still like his character. It is so weird, its like he is so obsessed with her and cares so much but takes it to an unhealthy level. LOVE.

 I'm only one episode in, but Sabrina is on netflix. If you didn't know Greendale is a city really close to Riverdale. I'm so glad the same people producing Riverdale and telling this version of Sabrina. It's pretty dark but I am giving it a go.

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. If you haven't watched it by now what are you doing? It ties together soooo well and the story telling is so good. It was complicated at first because they jump between present and past often and I didn't get it at first. Episode 5 tied it together and from then on I was hooked on figuring out how it would end. It's not a creepy can't sleep scary, but there are moments where I jumped from unexpected moments. 10/10.

What are you binging?
XO-Tamara Altair

FIVE FALL SHOWS I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF

Alright, when fall/winter rolls around I honestly want nothing more than to curl up on my couch with tea, read or binge. Its cold, its dark, I just like to recharge from a long day and get into a good show or two... Here are five.

INSECURE

Insecure has 3 seasons and is on HBO. Don't have HBO? Neither do I, I have the HBO NOW app that I honestly only subscribe to when insecure is on... when its off I get rid of it. I'm sure HBO doesn't appreciate it but they are working on new series that might keep me around year long in the future. For now, Issa and her antics are hilarious and real. The only complaint I have about this show is that it is only 30 minutes and the seasons are so short. Its hella funny though! My Sunday is made so much better by this show. I always get a laugh in. 

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

After they killed Wes I was like, "What's the point in watching this now?" I am still into it. I think I'm invested in all the characters. YES, some of them make stupid ass decisions but I am addicted. Is Bonnie ok? Will homegirl get her baby back? And why is her dad trash? Who is that new guy that is cute that is obviously the eye candy to replace Wes? 

RIVERDALE

Riverdale might be my guilty pleasure. Based on the Archie's comic, this dark twist is so juicy but soooo good. We left season 2 with Archie getting arrested. Season 3 begins with him in court. Toni Topaz is now a series regular, dating Cheryl now, I figured we would see her more. My complaint about season 2 was we kind of forgot about Polly and that she was preggo. I hope they show Polly again because she was kind of important to season 1, weird that she was left out so much season 2. Dark noir theme, perfect for spooky szn. 

AMERICAN VANDAL

Need a funny show to take your mind off of real life? Netflix Vandal is HILARIOUS. True crime is such a popular theme and I am not the biggest fan. I dip in here and there, but its not the only genre I consume. AV takes the seriousness of true crime but applies it to absurd high school pranks. Its all scripted but OMG I die. This season is the Turd burglar. Just watch it!

AHS

Oldie but goodie. Perfect for spooky szn but yes, its gory and cringy, but its so good. This season is supposed to mix murder house and coven and coven was my favorite season ever. I am waiting to get to the Coven shit because that was EVERYTHING. AHS just screams spooky szn.

SAN DIEGO | COMIC-CON and the VICELAND BUS

If you witnessed my slow descent into depression during winter, you heard my only source of happiness was watching random shows on Viceland. Desus and Mero have been a comedy source of mine for years now and since I just leave my TV on I have discovered many other interesting people and shows on the network!

The viceland offsite is easily my favorite of the con just because it was for the culture. The DJ was really good, they handed out so much swag and snacks. The bus was stocked with la croix and rose. I feel like I had to be filmed taking handfuls of stickers, pins, candy and whatever else they had out. My obsession is real. Regardless, it was a chill atmosphere and hilariously themed for their newest show "What Would Diplo* Do? " If you look closely at the marketing, the real Diplo is nowhere to be found. The "*" is for James Vanderbeek! He is trolling the world so hard with this show and on social media. It doesn't help that Diplo is even playing along!

Every year there is always talk of how crowded the floor is and how the San Diego convention center is too small to hold everyone. Weather wise I don't see a better city than San Diego to hold this experience, but Vegas or Orlando are probably way better equipped to do it. Besides the convention center nearby hotels and petco park were home to extended offsites to explore more into our favorite shows and movies. The one I regret not experiencing is the Netflix offsite! This was their first year with a dedicated presence and they really showed off and probably won in terms of best booth and offsite and free swag. Many girls were dressed at Eleven and it blows my mind how much of a force Netflix really is. They do not release any rating or revenue earnings but judging but the fandom and what they presented, they are doing very well. The future of television for sure. 

Stay tuned, I'll cover a few more activations and offsites tomorrow! Comic-Con is so interactive, I can't believe everything we cover in just four days.

LOVE, MARA

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5 Shows I'm Binge Watching While Being Snowed In and Miserable

It is day 5 of a 5 days shut in. Queue the dramatics,  so I reported on the PDX snow but since then the streets haven't gotten any better I have just been at home. I don't know how to drive in ice or snow and I'm not sure my car can do that soooooo I just stay my ass at home binge watching while working! Saturday, Sunday and Monday (for MLK) have been a time to take my mind off the ice outdoors and anger of being at home and not the office and diving into some shows that I am into right now:

My two go to's over this time have been Netflix and Viceland. I have seen all the typical recommendations: Chewing Gum, Insecure, OA, Stranger things ETC so it was a small challenge to find something to get into and watch. This is what has kept me sane:

SUPERSTORE: OMG this show is so funny. The cast is set in a store that is similar to WalMart and they are all so funny. I love the gay Filipino character Mateo because HELLO. FILIPINO AKO. The black guy Colton in a wheel chair is also hilarious, basically everyone is really funny. I think this is one of the few sitcoms that I like every character. It's from the same producer as the Office so if you like that dynamic and timing you will like this show. The diverse case is a major plus.

To get me through the day I listen to multiple podcasts and Desus and Mero is one. THANK GOD Viceland gave them their own TV show because this is how I was able to keep up with current events in a hilarious way. On their podcast they mention a lot of current or twitter current stories so it elevates the humor to be able to hear them talk about memes and other stories with visuals. They are so funny together I hope this show is on forever.

I kept seeing stories about A Series of Unfortunate Events and I thought they were just talking about the movie but netflix put together an amazing 8 episode series with NEIL PATRICK HARRIS and it is excellent. I read the books when I was younger and this deviates a little but is very entertaining. No need to read the book to understand what is going it, it is a great series and the story telling is really good. NPH is really talented, Count Olaf is a character who is trying to adopt these kids whose parents died so he can be in control of their fortune. Very, very unfortunate things keep happening to these kids, this was not a happy book series and the show is in line with that. I really enjoyed it and NPH was actually a great Olaf. In the series Olaf is a very bad actor so to take the kids back he will try to dress as other people to try to essentially kidnap them. Its so good, just watch. 

In continuing my Viceland viewership Bong Appetit is a really interesting show. The host Abdullah hosts dinner parties while using THC and CBD as elements. Now, every time I tweet about this I mention I have never done any drugs a day in my life, but the range of flavors of Turpines and uses for THC and CBD has been really fascinating to learn about. Ry Prichard is basically a chemist so hearing him talk about levels for keeping food balanced is really cool to see. From the show I have learned that THC is the psychoactive ingredient in weed and CBD actually helps bring you down in a sense so Ry spends a lot of time in the show balancing the 2 to create a euphoric dining experience. Abdullah has also made it a point to sneak in people at the dinner table who are benefiting from the medicinal factors CBD has for them. People with Crohns and ALS have been featured that really function through life better with this drug in their life. Definitely a cool twist on a normal cooking show. 

To follow the educational paraphernalia theme Hamilton's Pharmacopeia is a really random show about Hamilton Morris, a journalist and researcher who is fascinated by psychoactive drugs. In the show he does a lot of pharmacological research on many different subjects. He has traveled to South Africa to research the Quaalude and stir the pot of government conspiracy. A lot of these drugs are obviously formulated by chemists so it is easy, especially when the government is involved, to think that these are manufactured and spread to eradicate or genocide parts of the population. That in itself is interesting to read about. He has also traveled across continents to study hallucinogenic fish. It's overall a really good show and you an tell he is thoroughly researching these topics in an interesting way. Oh and he's like 29. 

Shoutout to Viceland for awesome alternative TV shows.