Photo: Courtesy of the BBC. We love TV. So much so that sometimes we'd rather spend a whole weekend in front of the tube than dancing in da club. Is a lack of television service holding you back from feeling our joy? No problem! You can get by just fine on Netflix, Hulu, and the myriad other streaming services rapidly taking over the home entertainment industry (thank you, Internet!).
Some shows are just better when binge-watched. Whether it's the latest BBC comedy, a PBS miniseries from the '70s, or just that cultish show prematurely scrubbed from a network, we're hooked on the stream. Staying In(stant) is your guide to the best of streaming content. Each week, we bring you a show we're obsessed with and think you should be, too.
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This Week: Miranda
Where To Watch: Hulu
How I Got Hooked: It actually started with another (must-see) British show, Doc Martin, which my mom got me hooked on. It airs on PBS here in the States, and I started watching Miranda because it used to come on right after Doc. So, I didn't get into Miranda 'til well after it originally aired on the BBC — about four years after, in fact — but I sure am glad for the happenstance. It's practically impossible not to love Miranda (played by the 6'1" Miranda Hart), her peppy best friend Stevie, her mother Penny, and her love interest Gary.
Best Episode: Do yourself a favor and jump right in with the first episode of season one. Right off the bat, you'll notice Hart's penchant for making fun of herself. When she gets called sir by a delivery man, Hart quips, "I mean, it's fine when they're not really looking, notice the height, call me sir, look up, and say, 'Oh sorry, madam.' That happens. He looked straight at me, and still thought 'sir' was the right option." Plus, her good old-fashioned case of word-vomit is in full effect in the first episode. To wit: She fibs to Gary that she had two kids named Orlando and Bloom who froze to death — as you do, Miranda.
Why You'll Love It: Hart should be getting every bit the attention that funny ladies like Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, and Lena Dunham have been getting in recent years. She's both written and starred in every episode of the show and has an innate talent for making people laugh. She gets herself into so many hilarious predicaments — each one as funny as the next — that you'll lose count after the first two episodes. Whether it's the physical comedy, her cringe-worthy awkwardness, or her ambivalence about not fitting in with "the girls," it's almost too easy to love this show.