Topline:
Nothing better than sitting down for the holidays and bingeing television shows this extended weekend. Here's what TV critics Kristen Baldwin and Roxana Hadadi think are worth watching.
This week's shows: Squid Game: The Challenge, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and The Golden Bachelor.
Keep reading ... so you aren't going into the holiday break struggling to find the right show to watch with family and friends.
So you’re scrolling your favorite streamer, completely unsure what show to watch, right? It can feel like an endless void. Plus, you don't want to waste your time starting a show that's just not your cup of tea.
We got you.
Each week on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, we're joined by television critics that help parse through the biggest releases and tell us what's worth a binge.
Here's what Vulture's Roxana Hadadi and Entertainment Weekly's Kristen Baldwin had to say.
This week's shows include:
Streaming on Netflix
Inspired by the popular South Korean drama, this reality TV competition takes 456 competitors as they face daunting obstacles inspired by Korean children's games. The winner gets $4.56 million.
"Squid Game: The Challenge actually serves up palpable suspense and real human drama, and it doesn't murder a single contestant." — Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly
"I've watched a couple of episodes and I will probably put it on in the background as I prep the Thanksgiving meal, but it is really difficult for me to deal with the fact that [the competition builds a show on] evil corporations and rich people getting [others] to compete for lots of money." — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture
Overall take: A lot of folks raised an eyebrow or two upon hearing about this competition show, but it's worth a try. The first episode will quickly give you an idea of whether you're on board or not.
Fun facts: Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk was a part of developing the show. There are nine executive producer credits on the show, including Tim Harcourt and Stephen Lambert, who responded to criticism. Check out their interviews with The Hollywood Reporter.
When and where: Episodes 1-5 are now streaming on Netflix; episodes 6-9 release Wednesday, Nov. 29.
Read Kristen's review of 'Squid Game: The Challenge' by clicking here
Streaming on Apple TV+
Following Godzilla’s fight in San Francisco in the 2014 reboot Godzilla, two siblings are determined to uncover their father’s connection to Monarch, a secret organization.
"I think if you're a fan of this franchise and of Godzilla, you'll like it." — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture
Overall take: Quite entertaining, especially if you grew up with the MonsterVerse-kaiju stories.
Fun facts: The show’s creators are Chris Black and Matt Fraction. Black has helped lead production on other science fiction projects like Severance and Star Trek: Enterprise. Fraction helped write the Marvel-affiliated video games Thor: God of Thunder and Iron Man 2.
When and where: Episodes 1 & 2 are now streaming on Apple TV+; Episode 3 releases Friday, Nov. 24.
Read Roxana's review of 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' by clicking here
Airing on ABC & Streaming on Hulu the next day
Gerry Turner, a 72-year-old bachelor, is looking for love and sets out to find a lasting connection.
"Mostly, it's been a really sweet and supportive environment, and it's really heartwarming to watch. I am hoping that this serves as a reminder to producers of the Bachelor franchise and other reality TV shows that audiences actually like to see women [and contestants] support each other." — Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly
Overall take: This is a unique watch within the Bachelor-verse. It's got serious charm and would be a great binge with friends and family over the long weekend.
Fun facts: The show's creators, Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, and Bennett Graebner, have all worked on other Bachelor-related shows.
When and where: Episodes 1-8 are now streaming on Hulu; the season finale airs Thursday, Nov. 30 at 8 PM PT on ABC and is on Hulu the next day.
Read Kristen's most recent story on The Golden Bachelor by clicking here