my addiction to Netflix is actually educational

As the summer is quickly coming to an end I'm starting to think about what I've done so far this summer. Besides creating this blog, going to Israel and completing my first novel (keep an eye for it!), I haven't done that much anything else. My daily schedule consists of waking up sometime between 11 am to 2 pm, running errands with my mom and then watching TV on Netflix. Oh and sometimes going to a doctor's appt. I know it sounds extremely unproductive, which it is, but I'd like to think that I learned something valuable from each of the shows I've watched. And I'd also like to highly recommend these shows because they're phenomenal in my opinion. (Warning: you will become addicted.)

30 Rock

What it is: A comedy series on NBC that ran for 7 seasons from 2006-2013

Starring: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Jordan, Jack McBrayer, John Adsit and Jane Krakowski

About the Show: 30 Rock was created by Tina Fey and is largely based off her time as the head writer and a performer on Saturday Night Live. The show follows Liz Lemon (played by Fey) as she tries to manage the crazy cast of her comedy sketch show "TGS with Tracy Jordan."

Characters:

Kenneth, Liz, Tracy, Jack & Jenna

• Liz Lemon: the head writer of TGS; she spends most of her time fixing the crazy problems of her cast and writers while trying to stay sane; she has a love for greasy junk food & is by far the funniest cast member 
• Jack Donaghy: a corporate executive who is not only Lemon's boss, but her self appointed mentor; he is power hungry, business savvy and a smoother talker who loves Capitalism, Scotch and money 
• Jenna: the shows neurotic and narcissistic yet lovable actress/singer 
• Tracy Jordan: the unpredictable, dim-witted & self obsessed super-famous actor brought onto the show to boost ratings
• Kenneth Parcel: the Christian Southern page whose innocence is both endearing and hilarious; he truly believes he is everyone's friend
• The Writers: Pete, Toofer, Lutz and Frank are a mixture of geeky cool, lazy and hilarious

What I Learned from Watching: I watched the first 6 seasons (the 7th season comes out on Netflix in September) in less than 6 weeks and I'm not one bit embarrassed. I learned from 30 Rock that laughter can cure almost anything and that being yourself is way cooler than trying to be "cool."

Game of Thrones

What it is: A fantasy drama television show on HBO that has 3 aired seasons so far

Starring: This show has so many characters that are brought on and/or killed off in each episode, but notable stars that have survived all 3 seasons are Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage

About the Show: This show is set in the fictional countries of Westeros and Essos. The show consists of various interweaving plot lines that include: a civil war to determine who should rule the Iron Throne of the Seven kingdoms, an exiled member of an overthrown dynasty who is raising an army to retake the throne, and the mysterious creatures of the North who are showing up as Winter arrives. The plot seems confusing at first, but after a couple of episodes I promise you'll understand everything and be enraptured by the show!!

Some of the cast

Characters: There are way too many characters in this show to list them all and their role/importance. And I also don't want to give anything away that would ruin the show before you've even watched it! But the main family names to look out for are:

• Stark
• Greyjoy
• Snow
• Lannister
• Baratheon
• Targaryen

What I Learned from Watching: I understand that this show includes a lot of mythical and magical components, but it taught me to be careful regarding who you trust and that you can always count on your family to have your back. Although you may not understand or like the decisions they make and vice versa, you'll always be in one another's lives to support and help each other.

Orange is the New Black

What it is: A comedy-drama series available only on Netflix; season one just ended

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon and Jason Biggs

About the Show: The show focuses on Piper Chapman who is sentenced for 15 months in federal prison for transporting drug money 10 years prior. The drug money was for Piper's ex-girlfriend, Alex  Vause, who is in the same prison Piper ends up in. Although the show revolves around Piper it also gives the other inmates intriguing and personal background stories and shows the inner workings and relations of life in prison.

Characters:

the inmates the show focuses on

• Piper Chapman: goes to prison for carrying drug money for her former lover; she deals with finding her "place" in prison with the other inmates and re-evaluating her feelings for her ex-girlfriend Alex
• Larry Bloom: Piper's fiancé who feels confident enough in their relationship that he thinks they can survive her sentence; he's a struggling writer looking for his big break
• Alex Vause: Piper's ex who worked for an international drug cartel until being caught and put in prison; she never got over Piper and still has feelings for her
• George Mendez: a correctional officer who is creepy, corrupt and abusive of his authority
• Daya: an inmate who falls in love with a correctional officer and has to deal with her strained relationship with her mom who is in the same jail
• Red: the inmate in charge of the kitchen; she is the "mom" of many inmates and runs the prison behind the scenes

What I Learned from Watching: Even though Piper only carried drug money once and it was when she was right out of college and trying to "rebel", her actions caught up to her. I definitely learned that all actions have consequences so thinking before you act can be extremely important in the long-run.

See? Netflix addictions can be educational. Look at all the things I learned from just 3 shows! Does anyone have TV show suggestions of what I should watch next?