10 TV shows to binge-watch over Independence Day weekend
Comedy Central
“Drunk History.”
Don’t let your family and friends make you feel guilty for spending the Fourth of July weekend at home instead of being out in the sun, barbecuing, and donning red, white, and blue. A staycation for the long weekend can be a very patriotic and enriching experience, too.
But you don’t have to watch all the predictable ones, either. There are plenty of television shows that offer a nugget of what makes the US great. Those shows can range from comedic and dramatic shows to the unscripted and animated ones.
Yes, some of these picks will seem odd. But give us a chance to explain.
Here are 10 shows that will teach you something about America during Fourth of July weekend:
1. “Drunk History”
If you’ve never been great at American History, Comedy Central has figured out a way to make it much more fun. It added alcohol. Watch A-List actors and inebriated narrators bring new life to the stories of our country.
2. “Veep”
What does our vice president do anyway? If you’re Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), it’s whatever’s going to get her from being an acting POTUS to an elected one. Watch as she plays to the voters, the press, and other politicians with the help of her dysfunctional team. If anything, you’ll walk away with a deep understanding of the great gap between being the president and being the veep.
3. “The Amazing Race”
As events like Brexit have proven, the US is no longer shielded from what happens in other countries. Watching “The Amazing Race” is a great way to see the world without leaving your home. Plus, the races always start and end in the US. Go America!
Stream it on Hulu.
4. “Kid Nation”
What better way to celebrate the birth of our nation then by seeing how a bunch of kids would do it? The 2007 CBS reality show “Kid Nation” really pushed the boundaries and got some heat for it. But it was very illuminating to see how children would handle building and running their own government. Honestly, we could learn something from them.
Watch in on YouTube.
5. “Survivor”
Similar to “Kid Nation,” but less adorable and much more ruthless, “Survivor” tasks its contenders to also create their own societies. But the takeaway here is the idea that a group of representatives end up voting for the ultimate winner. Sound like something else to you? Yes, the Electoral College. In the end, the voices of many will be reduced to the voices of a representative relative few in order to choose the next president.
Stream it on Hulu.
6. “Shark Tank”
No, we’re not suggesting this show to teach us a little something about capitalism (though it does). Our focus is on the spirit of invention. On each episode of “Shark Tank,” people proudly present their creations, these ways to solve the problems of life. Now, that’s America.
Watch it at CNBC.com.
7. “Turn”
Government spies have been part of America’s history since its very beginning. AMC’s “Turn: Washington’s Spies” dramatizes the 1770s world of a very crafty ring of spies during the American Revolutionary War.
Stream it on Netflix.
8. “The Americans”
Yes, there’s a pattern forming here. Cold War 1980s spies are depicted on this FX series about an undercover Russian husband and wife team living in the US. While carrying out their missions, they’re constantly struggling between their loyalty to the homeland and their growing affinity for the home they made in this great land of ours.
Stream it at Hulu.
9. “Madam Secretary”
Modern spies and capitol politics are the order of the day everyday for Elizabeth McCord (Tea Leoni), the titular Secretary of State on this CBS drama. Much in the way “The West Wing” gave us a look into the inner workings of government and its power to fix anything before the nuclear codes had to be pulled out of the briefcase, “Madam Secretary” does, as well.
Watch it at CBS.com.
10. “South Park”
When the world seems like it’s just falling apart and politics seem too much to bear, there’s always “South Park.” The Peabody Award-winning show is very topical when it comes to cultural and political issues. So definitely it’s a great way in to understanding the most pressing issues in our country while tapping into the kid in all of us.
Watch it on Hulu.
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