5 things to binge-watch before the Emmys
Get your ballots, your red carpet attire and your memes ready: It's time for the Emmys on Sunday.
That's right, kids. The best and brightest in television will all be gathering in Los Angeles on Sunday to give each other some lovely gold statues, and the rest of us will be assembling to the TV (ABC, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and Twitter to judge the dresses and the winners. But you can't in good faith call out the snubs and surprises unless you've seen at least a few shows on the list.
To help you with your office pool and just for your weekend binging pleasure, we rounded up five of the best drama, comedy, mini-series and TV movie nominees that are now streaming.
If you want a funny, quick and thought-provoking binge: Master of None
For many the Emmy nominations stood in stark contrast to the Oscar nominations this year. While the Oscars nominated an all-white field of actors back in January, the Emmy nominations included 18 actors of color. One of those actors is Aziz Ansari, whose best comedy-nominated Netflix show, Master of None, tackles themes of race, gender and representation head-on, all while truly understanding what it's like to try to find love and a career and friendship in the world right now. Plus the 10 half-hour episodes fly by on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.
Stream Master of None on Netflix.
If you want the show everyone's talking about right now: Mr. Robot
Have your friends been bugging you to watch Mr. Robot? Because to be honest, we're bugging all of our friends to watch Mr. Robot. The USA Network show — which follows an unstable hacker (Rami Malek, a best actor in a drama nominee) on a quest to take down the world's biggest conglomerate (and so much more) — is finishing up its second season run right now, and the twists and turns are shocking its most devoted fans. The first season, however, is what is up for awards on Sunday night, and that is available to stream. But binge at your own risk. The bleak show takes aim at capitalism, average life and even your favorite Marvel movies.
Stream Mr. Robot on Amazon.
If you want the cool new kid on the block: The Americans
Although The Americans has been loved by critics since it premiered on FX in 2013, it has taken the show, about a sleeper Soviet spy couple (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) living in the U.S. undercover, until this year to break into the ranks of Emmy nominees. But that doesn't mean its first few seasons aren't worth your time. The show is one of the most gripping, well-acted and smartest hours on the air. We'll be rooting for it in best drama category (although we know Game of Thrones will probably take that award again).
Stream The Americans on Amazon.
If you're looking for something heavy (in a good way): American Crime
Don't confuse ABC's American Crime, an anthology show about how one crime affects a group of people in a town, with FX's The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Both are up for the outstanding limited series category (and both are pretty outstanding), but American Crime is a quieter show. In its Emmy-winning first season, the show followed the the aftermath of one crime, and the second season takes on something completely different, with the same cast playing very different characters. But they're just as magnetic as they were the first time around.
Stream American Crime on Netflix.
If you love Scandal but only have two hours: Confirmation
Kerry Washington has been nominated for playing Washington fixer Olivia Pope, but this year she's nominated for playing another Washington name. In Confirmation Washington takes on the real-life role of Anita Hill, who accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her during his Supreme Court nomination hearings. USA TODAY's TV critic Robert Bianco praised her performance, saying, "She expertly captures Hill’s emotionally drained speaking style, a necessity these days, when anyone can watch clips for comparison."
Stream Confirmation on HBO Go.
Scroll through more of our binge recommendations below (see last week's here).
