How we're spending our leisure time.
Everyone has a bit of quiet downtime once in a while. Whether you're sitting quietly at home or trying to relax on a plane or just giving your busy mind and hands a break, it's important to relax.
A good way to do that is to read a book, listen to some music or watch a movie or show. See what's caught our attention for the week of December 8.
Tom Westrick
The only item I purchased on Black Friday was The Spectacular Spider-Man complete series on DVD. That show aired right as I started working as a teenager, so I only saw the first few episodes when it originally aired. I've already watched all 26 episodes, and it's a shame the show was cancelled before some of the plot threads could be resolved. Beyond that, I've taken advantage of the free six months of Netflix to restart my Netflix streaming account, and I've started watching The Punisher . I'll have more thoughts on this series once I finish it, but the first few episodes seem good enough.
As for music, I've primarily been listening to First Aid Kit's back catalog in anticipation of their new album Ruins that will be out in January.
Ara Wagoner
Holiday specials are a dime a dozen, but holiday episodes that are actually as high-quality as the regular show and worth rewatching? Those are rare. Quality sci-fi holiday episodes? Those are even more rare. Eureka has been off the air for a few years now, but their Christmas episodes hold up fantastically. Eureka centers around a town of brilliant scientists who tend to invent just as many problems as they solve, and the seemingly average sheriff who has to contain the insanity and protect Eureka's citizens (sometimes from themselves).
These Christmas episodes both entail some holiday hijinks that leave the city in dire (and sometimes adorable) straits, and the show also takes the time to explore the potent emotions around the holidays as characters are kept from their families and try to chase away the disappointing ghosts of Christmas Past. O Little Town also features a fabulous clapback about holiday decorating:
"It's the party. The time our GD family comes together in the spirit of giving." "It's the time all you geeks fly your freak flag every year." "No, that's Comic-Con."
Daniel Bader
I had a couple pretty long plane rides to Hawaii this week (I know, tough life), so I got to catch up a few Netflix series that recently debuted.
One of my favorite shows of 2016, Easy, was a series of seemingly-unconnected stories held together by two common themes: Chicago, and relationships (and sex — that's three things). It was very good.
The second season is just as good, if not better, because it addresses some real structural class issues that the first one didn't. Namely, it takes the seemingly-random events of our lives and stretches them to the point where we, the people performing them, would break. But because this is TV, the camera stays on them, through the awkward smiles and sad, longing looks and true, uncomfortable intimacy, and you immediately feel like you know these people.
Easy is one of those shows that I don't want to finish because then there wouldn't be any more episodes. It's that good.
Marc Lagace
This week I was disheartened to learn about the massive layoffs at Cracked.com. While the site itself will surely keep churning out trendy pop culture listicles, it's the outstanding Cracked YouTube channel that has taken the brunt of it and may be shutting down for good..
If you aren't familiar, the Cracked video team put out great content like After Hours, Daniel O'Brien's brilliant Obsessive Pop Culture Disorder, and the equal parts informative and sarcastic weekly news roundup Some News. It's all worth still worth checking out and hopefully won't be going anywhere. 19 Cracked employees were reportedly laid off, most notably my favorite faces from the YouTube including Daniel O'Brien, Michael Swaim, Cody Johnston, Katy Stoll, and Soren Bowie.
Given how talented they all are as writers and performers I'm sure they'll find new projects in no time — in fact, Swaim has already started a Patreon for his next project which seems to revolve around producing podcasts and video content. It might be the first Patreon I ever subscribe to, and if you were also a fan of Cracked's video team you'll want to check it out too.
Joe Maring
With 2017 on its way out the door, I've been revisiting my top 100 songs of the year thanks to Spotify. As such, my listening sessions have consisted of a mix between The xx, Eminem, Twenty One Pilots, Jan Vogler, and Frank Sinatra. It's a playlist that's been all over the damn place, but that's perfectly fine by me.
As for my watching, I've been once again working my way through Doctor Who. My girlfriend just got me hooked on the series earlier this year, but it's been a hot minute since I've had time to watch a full episode. However, now that we're nearing the end of season two and Project Torchwood is coming to center stage, I see a lot of binge-watching coming up in my near future.
Your turn
What are YOU reading, watching, or listening to this week? Let us know in the comments!
Update, December 8, 2017: This is a weekly series where we tell you what we're into, so check back every Friday or Saturday!
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