Essential Viewing Tips for Study Breaks

CHRISTIE-ANNA OZORIO 
Online only - 08 November 2016

There is a fine art to study-break-TV. The line between effective respite and becoming-one-with- your-couch levels of procrastination is thin indeed. Luckily for you, I spend 60% of my life jumping back and forth over that line like a skipping rope champion. Here are my tips for what to watch and downright avoid while you study, whether you’re finishing up with exams, taking summer subjects, or just downright love TV.

Key:
# – May be available via illegal means but I wouldn’t know anything about such things.
N – The one and only, the prefix to ‘and chill’, the home of awesome documentaries but somehow not Hocus Pocus (??) = Netflix. 
S – Stan. Move on after your free trial and never look back.
P – Presto. Get in and mine the gold before it goes under.
10play – Tenplay. Quick note: the service is pretty bad given the ads cut into about 3mins of viewing time and there are heaps of them.
ABC iView – for us culture vultures.
SBS On Demand – also good for culture vultures and they have heaps of foreign-made stuff, but ads :(
OR – Overall rating
AR – Addictiveness rating

Watch!
Below are some ideas for safe-ish things to watch. Just like Jerry’s fried chicken on UberEats, one shouldn’t demonise TV but consume it responsibly. I watch a documentary most nights as my evening study break, so if you think that’s terrible and how do I waste that much time and do I have any friends, maybe ignore this entire article.

1. Comedies
   1. ​Casual # – I’ve just discovered this show, which is written by Jason Reitman (Juno) and it makes me laugh so hard one time my housemate had to Heimlich me just to get me to shut up. Perfect for cynics, it’s a deadpan 20min romp centring on a tight-knit family of high-functioning quasi-sociopaths on the dating scene. Open this 1:17min “Don’t let the cookies fool you” clip in another tab right now – just do it! Note the hilarious comments by whiney guys on the facebook post too if you’re wanting extra laughs. Oh also, this woman on youtube has uploaded the whole second season so, it’s free. What more do you want?
   2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine – N #: I don’t get addicted to B99 but, like any Emmy-award-winning comedy, if you’re in need of a good laugh beware the binge. OR 7/10. AR 6/10.
   3. ​That 70s Show – A classic, and a great way to raise the old study self-esteem is by comparing yourself to Ashton Kutcher’s character, or just Ashton Kutcher in anything. In life. Why Mila, why?? OR 9/10. AR 5/10.
   4. ​Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – N: Written and produced by Tina Fey, with a bizarre cameo by Bill Hader in a vampire costume, this is goofy fun, not too addictive, and the typical comedy 20mins run-time. Watch out for the theme song, its hella catchy. OR 5/10. AR 4/10. 
   5. Archer – N #: James Bond crossed with Johnny Bravo, laced with sarcasm. Not for everyone, but a good choice if you don’t want to get too into something and you’re a raging cynic. OR 6/10. AR 2/10.
   6. Upper Middle Bogan – N ABC: Good fun, Aussie, cute cast chemistry. OR 7/10. AR 5/10.
2. Docos
   1. Amanda Knox – N [1hr30mins]: Creepy interviews, good journalism, laughable criminal justice system antics (featuring Italians who watch way too much CSI) and awesome music. I watched this a few nights ago and spent the whole night paranoid my flatmate was going to murder me and poo in my toilet. OR 9/10.
   2. ​13 – Basically covers the political history and sociology of African-Americans in the U.S. prison system, interspersed with the accounts of victims of police brutality and the origins and context of the Black Lives Matter movement. Fairly depressing but I can guarantee it will take your mind off of study. OR 7/10.
   3. Fed Up – This is hands down the best documentary I have watched about food (sorry Morgan Spurlock). Katie Couric talks the effect of sugar on U.S. schools and the price of ‘lite’ and fast food on the lowest socioeconomic stratum of American society. I gave up sugar for half a year after watching this when it came up and lost 10kg, which was pretty sweet.
   4. Last Week Tonight – #: Not technically a documentary but to be fair I honestly didn’t think anyone would read this far! Now, if you’re not watching John Oliver take down a Goliath every week by now this is a good time to start. He’s witty and self-deprecating (aka British), and his show is a well-researched and insightful take on weekly news and current sociopolitical issues. Investigative journalism at its funniest.
3. Dramas 
   1. Luke Cage – N: Not as good as its Marvel sister Jessica Jones, therefore, on the upside, not as addictive. Amazing soundtrack, good looking main man. Pretty violent – avoid eating during this one! [That also applies to The Wire, covered below…]
   2. Girls – #: Not for everyone because everyone either loves or hates Lena Dunham. Its in your face (its HBO) and its slow, but its also smart and funny. Episode length is around the hour mark. Cameo from Donald Glover aka Troy from Community aka Childish Gambino as a Republican is enough reason to watch. [Speaking of, DO NOT WATCH ‘COMMUNITY’ = AR 10/10!] OR 9/10. AR 5/10.
4. Crime (I would generally avoid crime shows because I can’t not binge crime shows) 
   1. The Wire – #: One of the best shows ever. Great cast, gritty characters, fascinating plot. Its a long one so if you’re disciplined, it is a good long-term option. Worth a watch just for one scene where “f*ck” is said about 40 times.
   2. Code of a Killer (Mini-Series) – ABC #: Based on the true story of the discovery of DNA fingerprinting and its use by police in Leicestershire, UK, to catch a serial rapist and murderer. It’s British, so I don’t have to explain why it’s top notch. Two-part series so addictiveness not much of an issue. 
   3. Deep Water (Mini-Series) – SBS: Morello from OITNB is a Bondi cop investigating a series of “gay bashings” that trail all the way back to the 80s. Based on a true story and close to home, it’s a little cheesy at times but isn’t too addictive and there aren’t too many episodes.

Do Not Watch
Its important to get these out of your mind before if you tentatively dangle a toe in, otherwise prepare for snapping back to reality as the sun rises and you’ve finished all of your UberEats Pidapipo.*

Avoid if humanly possible: 

1. Stranger Things (TV Sci-Fi) – N: Hell no. This show needs to be binged with the lights off and above-mentioned ice cream in lap. Also avoid the main characters’ social media accounts or you’ll be hooked. 
2. Outlander (TV Fantasy) – N #: Don’t write this show off just because its a romance time-travelling fantasy. That’s the best thing about it! Also, it depicts sex from the female gaze, which is awesome. Unfortunately, it has lots of episodes, they’re each 40mins long, and it’s highly addictive. If you like Scottish accents (and gorgeous Scottish men who wear kilts, are virgins, and and “socially progressive” for the 18th Century), watching sex on TV, violence, and beautiful natural settings i.e. the Scottish highlands, then STAY AWAY. Overall rating 7/10. Addictiveness rating 8/10. 
3. American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson (TV Mini-Series) – #: Do not do this to yourself, not even for Ross from Friends’ Cruelle de Ville coif, the Kardashians as little kids, or John Travolta’s facial expressions. 
4. Australian Survivor (Reality TV) – 10play: You will be outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted. Survivor is reality TV crack if you don’t watch reality TV much (guilty as charged, put me away forever), and watching lawyers and law students on a veritable gameshow does not help the job apprehension at the back of all of our minds. 
5. The 100 (TV Dystopian-Drama) – N (first two seasons) #: The stereotype is that if you like Hunger Games or anything remotely dystopian, then you’ll like The 100. I would also add that you have to be patient because the acting can be terrible in early episodes. Otherwise, this show has cracking plots and is very GoT-esque – in that everyone dies. It also has a lesbian relationship which broke the internet and started/added to a huge conversation around the importance of LGBT representation on screen. #BuryYourGays. Not bad for a teen show. OR 8/10. AR 9/10. 
6. Fear the Walking Dead (TV Dystopian-Drama) – P (season 1) #: If you like zombies, stay away. FWD is pre-apocalypse so if you’re cynical AF and would love to watch the world burn, wait until after exams. While not as gritty as TWD and corny at times, FWD compensates with its fast pace and, if you watch The 100 or OITNB, it has Lexa and Diaz (Daya’s mumma bear) and a pretty good cast. OR 6/10. AR 6/10. 
7. Jane the Virgin (TV Comedy) – N: A lot of people would probably write off this show, but I’ve almost finished the first season and love it. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and spends most of its time taking the piss out of telanovelas. If you can speak Spanish, también es buena práctica. Unfortunately, each episode has its claws in the next, and with Netflix’s “oh let me help you by leading into the next episode without you having to lift a finger” mechanism, its best not to start now. 
   
8. Sherlock (TV Crime) – S: The BBC one, not the yucky American rip-off with Lucy Liu (‘Elementary’, just like their understanding of the quintessential British-ness of Holmes and Watson). Just too good to not savour after exams if you haven’t already seen it, in which case please see my response to GoT below. OR 9/10. AR 7/10. 
   
9. Flash (S) / Arrow (N) / anything on the CW (TV Dramas) – Their main writing strategy is literally to hook you into an overarching plot with addictive mini-plots each episode. Don’t fall for it. 
   
10. American Horror Story (TV Horror) – N/P (4 seasons) 10 (latest season): Just as addictive as Glee but with slightly fewer mash-ups and the singing is more like screaming. Latest season was like taking magic mushrooms in a haunted house. Really weird, pretty scary, very addictive.  OR 7/10. AR 9/10. 
11. Mr Robot (TV Drama) – N: Too depressing for study break. Studying for Corps is bad enough without needing to be reminded of global economic inequalities during breaks. Also, the main character’s emotional life is pretty dark, so maybe stay away from this one until the sun comes back permanently in Melbourne. Otherwise, one of the best shows of the year by far.

OR 10/10 AR 10/10 – DO NOT WATCH!!!

1. Game of Thrones (TV Fantasy) # – If you’re still catching up: (a) HOW??? and (b) just don’t go there. Also #readthebooks or, the very least #readthebooksatthesametime.
   
2. Orange is the New Black (TV Series) N – See above. Possibly more addictive than GoT purely based on the fact that it rips your heart out and stamps on it slightly less often, and its faster-paced. One of the best shows on TV, period.
   
3. How to Get Away With Murder (Docu-Series) N – There are actually some people who haven’t watched this. To those divine beings, please approach me so we can talk about you amazing levels of discipline or which hole you escape to on a regular basis. 
   
4. The Jinx: The Lives and Deaths of Robert Durst (Docu-Series) # – Mostly because you’ll be baffled by the end and this will not be helpful to study clarity. 
   
5. House of Cards (TV Drama) N – See GoT.

*True story, kids. All two litres.

Christie–Anna Ozorio is a second year JD student