‘Hit-Monkey’ And Other Shows That Need To Be Talked About
by Frank Martin
Social media has been a detriment to many aspects of society. But it has also been a boon for turning prospective fans onto movies and TV shows they otherwise might have missed. I have to admit, that is how I learned about a lot of the hidden gems I’ve ultimately watched and loved. But there are other shows that I think are great but don’t get as much love on my social media feed. I wanted to share them with you now.
Note: this is a purely subjective list based on my own experiences. These shows might be blessed all over your own social media.
The Sinner
True Detective got a lot of glory for reinvigorating the pulp noir mystery. But personally, I found USA Network’s The Sinner far more engaging. Initially, the show’s premise was built on a single season about a woman who inexplicably kills a man at the beach. A depraved mystery slowly unravels with twists and turns. It was a difficult story to follow up on, but they did so by sticking with the main detective as a character in other mysteries throughout its four seasons. Like any show, The Sinner had ups and downs, For the most part, though, it kept the mystery, drama, and suspense high enough to earn a spot on this list.
Hit-Monkey
Marvel has been going crazy with adaptations in the past decade. Some are super obscure. Others are wildly popular. Hit-Monkey got some attention when it was first released, but it’s buzz quickly fizzled out and I have no idea why. With Jason Sudeikis as essentially the show’s narrator, it’s absolutely hilarious. Combine that with ridiculously violent animation and Marvel fans of almost any stripe can find something to enjoy from a murderous monkey with heart.
Slasher
This is a weird one on the list. Slasher has had an interesting life bouncing around between networks. As a fan of the genre, the name alone caught my attention. It essentially tries to give a new spin and twist on various slasher tropes as it focuses on a different story every season. The first season starts out a little rough around the edges, but the second and third really kick it into gear. I’m in several horror groups on Facebook and I’m completely surprised how this has never come up in discussion before.
Bull
I feel like there are a bunch of shows airing on network TV that constantly claim to be number one in their time slot, yet I’ve never heard of anybody actually watching them. Bull is one of these shows. It’s about a trial scientist who treats courts and juries like a psychological test to be beaten. Each episode puts a unique spin on a trial or a court case in order to test Dr. Bull and his team. It’s not ground-breaking television, but it’s strength of plot and characters is entertaining enough to make it an enjoyable watch every week.
Inside Job
Inside job is an animated show on Netflix that I didn’t even know existed until I saw it while scrolling through the platform. The premise of the show is simple: almost all conspiracy theories are real and there is a single company that is dedicated to keeping them all a secret. This show is ridiculous in the best way possible. More than that, though. It also touches on the paradoxical nature of conspiracy theories and what kind of people are drawn to them, making it more poignant than its tone presents.
Honorable Mentions: Zac Stone is Gonna Be Famous, Snowpiercer
I could certainly make this list much longer, but here are some honorable mentions that I’ve either already written about in the past or will write about in the future for other articles. I decided just to list them here rather than talk about them. For now, anyway.