Frasier (Peacock, Hulu, Amazon Prime)
Frasier, the hit Nineties-through-Aughts sitcom about a radio psychologist who lives with his father in Seattle, has been background noise to me since I was a kid and it played on public access after 9pm. During college I watched it to the point where, if I were late for get-togethers, friends easily (if unhappily) chalked it up to me enjoying the antics of Frasier Crane, his brother Niles, father Martin, and that bit-of-a-psychic home help Daphne Moon. These days, you can make the exact same assumption about how I’m spending my time.
Puppet History (YouTube)
While I never got into Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara, and Shane Madej’s work when they toiled in the Buzzfeed Video mines, their new channel, Watcher, produces a show that I’m obsessed with: Puppet History. Lovable blue puppet host the Professor (puppeteered by Madej) guides the contestants – a new special guest each episode plus a sullen and sassy Bergara – through interesting historical moments while quizzing them as they compete for the title of History Master. Come to learn something new; stay for the puppet song-and-dance numbers that close out each episode.
Death Note (Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Tubi, Pluto TV)
Original repressed gifted-and-talented high school student Light Yagami picks up the mysterious Death Note after seeing it fall from the sky. When he discovers the notebook’s deadly abilities, Light combines his smarts, absurd hubris, and pursuit of justice into a campaign to rid the world of crime as self-titled god of the new world, Kira. In 2007, I snuck out to my great aunt’s house to watch the first dubbed episode of the anime when it aired on Adult Swim because my mom banned it in our house; in 2021, I’m on my fourth rewatch of the series. Just according to keikaku!
What’cha Watchin’?
A version of this article appeared in print on May 7, 2021 with the headline: What’cha Watchin’?
This article appears in May 7 • 2021.
