No one we know watches “real” TV anymore: Everything is online, which has narrowed the gap between TV and web series considerably. In fact, a lot of TV content is now mined from the web (Broad City is a great example), so if you want to get ahead of the curve, it might be time to start watching short form. Here, 9 series to get you started.
Ex-Best
The premise of “Ex-Best” is pretty self-explanatory, and is one that almost any woman over the age of 25 can relate to: two women trying to navigate the world in the aftermath of a traumatic bestie breakup. Tragicomedy ensues as portrayed by real-life besties Monica Hewes and Diana Gettinger, who created the show after bonding over the difficulties of finding TV writing work as women. Watch all 14 episodes here.
High Maintenance
You’re a little late to the party if you haven’t yet checked out this series, which was recently picked up by HBO. Far from being another caricatured stoner show, “High Maintenance” is more so a character study exploring the diverse clientele of a Brooklyn-based weed dealer. Watch the first five cycles here.
Teenagers
We’re probably a bit outside of the target demo on this one, so we didn’t expect to become so totally engrossed that we’d stay up binge watching for hours past bedtime. “Teenagers” is an insanely addictive teen soap that makes The OC look like Sesame Street. Watch the first two seasons here.
Whatever, Linda
“Whatever, Linda” is the fictional (and feminist) story of a 1970s-era secretary who masterminds a Ponzi scheme out of desperation and a desire to stick it to the man (literally). It’s a cathartic dark dramedy that refreshingly recasts the now ubiquitous Walter White-type anti-hero as a woman. Watch all 10 episodes here.
Money and Violence
Anything Jay-Z supports deserves our attention, and the second season of “Money and Violence” was recently picked up by his music and streaming platform Tidal. The buzzy show follows the inner workings of Flatbush, Brooklyn where, according to the show’s tag, "only money and violence are respected." Watch all episodes here.
The Katering Show
Every line of this comedy cooking show is quotable—we were laughing so hard we even forgot to drool over the food, which is a considerable compliment to the show’s writers. Watch all episodes here.
Cop Show
This series had us at "guest-starring Amy Schumer." “Cop Show” follows Colin Quinn as he stars in a fictitious Law & Order ripoff that’s reluctantly backed by Jerry Seinfeld. Watch all episodes here.
F to 7th
Ingrid Jungermann’s show follows the adventures of a "homoneurotic” queer woman nearing middle age, whose journey is as relatable as it is laughable. Expect cameos featuring everyone from Amy Sedaris to Janeane Garofalo, and watch all episodes here.
Sound Advice
SNL’s Vanessa Bayer does “Between Two Ferns”-esque interviews with musicians, with hilarious if uncomfortable results. To the girls of Haim, she says “I can’t believe you got that much time off from Urban Outfitters.” HA! Watch all episodes here.
