#Carol and Daryl can keep having weird adventures

[lab-gr0wn-lambs]

Everybody wants a season 2 of towl but literally all I want is one singular episode dedicated to reunions. Carol and Daryl come home, Morgan and lil Mo drop by, Negan stays 50000 miles away from Maggie, big sobbing hug for Rick and Michonne from everybody, goodbye the end. I think if these two have to face one more army or random maniac they'll spontaneously combust

[superleeleehipster]

10x16 thoughts/theories

After reading up on the finale, and watching the gifs/videos of that lovely Caryl moment (thank you peeps!), I’ve got some feelings to process. Mainly about two specific things about what the episode showed and what that means for the future.

Obviously, some spoilers ahead for 10x16

Disclaimer: Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, this is just my own. I’m not telling anyone to feel a certain way and everyone’s emotions are valid. You can happily agree or disagree as much as you want. 

So first thing I want to talk about is that hug scene from the finale. From what I’m seeing so far, there are a ton of mixed reviews about it in the Caryl fandom. Some folks loved it and thought it was sweet, while others were disappointed b/c they were expecting something like the “No Sanctuary” hug based on the spoilers we got.

Speaking of. Spoilers. I appreciate the people who are able to give us content before the episode (to curb my anxiety if anything), but I also try my best to take what they say with a grain of salt, and the hug is a perfect example. We were told it rivaled the “No Sanctuary” hug and they had a heart to heart, but those statements are a bit arbitrary. I definitely think the person who said that thought those things, but we might not agree with their opinion. 

The opposite has happened before too, where we were given spoilers that didn���t sound very good and it wound up being a better episode for Caryl than we thought. Like when we heard that Carol and Zeke were going to shag during the episode “Morning Star” and she confronts Daryl later and asks him to not hate her, and he says “he would never hate her” but doesn’t look at her and walks away... But what actually happened was Carol went to Daryl’s place in the woods and Zeke found her b/c he knew she “needed some comfort” and the shag was more or less one last hoorah for their relationship and when Carol asked Daryl to not hate her he looked straight into her beautiful eyes and said with conviction “I’m never gonna hate you”... that episode was an amazing surprise for everyone b/c we thought it would be much worse. Bottom line is, we just need to be careful about what spoilers say, b/c they can leave stuff out or make their own opinions on it. 

My personal opinion on the hug: I thought it was a very sweet moment between the two. No, it wasn’t the same as the “No Sanctuary” hug, but I don’t even think that type of unbridled desperation and relief would’ve been appropriate for the current situation. And the current situation is that Caryl’s relationship had hit hard times recently, and Daryl is still upset with her with her actions. When saw her at the end of the episode and looked her up and down to make sure she was ok, but stayed guarded at first, that made sense to me. B/c neither of them are in the right headspace for any kind of relationship right now, especially Carol, and Daryl is a bit guarded still b/c of her recent actions. But when they acknowledge that it’s over, and Carol openly admits that she’ll never get what she wants and he says she has him and she gives that pitiful whimper of “yeah?” to him (AGAIN, we didn’t know about that in the spoilers!) and he comes in and gives her such a freaking warm hug. It was a hug that reassured Carol he was still on her side, and reassured Daryl that she was physically there and ok, and that the war was over. Also that part where she whimpered and wiggled a little and he wouldn’t budge at letting her go. Ugh the feels! 

Seriously, I was kind of jealous b/c I haven’t been hugged that warmly in a long time... 

Point is, I thought the hug was nice and sweet, and appropriate for the current situation. We just need to watch our own expectations when spoilers come out, b/c they can make us feel underwhelmed or pleasantly surprised when we see the scenes on our own. I definitely understand that ppl are tired of waiting. We’ve had 10 years of this and we’re tired of waiting for canon. But I definitely believe it’s coming soon, I really do...

Second thing I wanted to mention is that Connie is alive. I know there are some folks who are not exactly excited about that b/c we were pretty certain she had been killed. For some carylers, having Connie gone meant no real chance of Donnie happening, b/c we’ve been burned by TWD before and there’s always that chance no matter how slim. But for most, having Connie dead would cause the Donnie shippers (the nasty ones at least) to riot before likely leaving. 

Personally, I’m actually glad she’s alive because of two big reasons:

1). Ignoring the abc shippers for a second, quite a few general audience members were really starting to hate Carol after her actions this season. No matter how much we had tried to speak reasons, and highlighting the fact that she just lost yet another kid, a lot of them ignore the turmoil she’s going through and just focus on the actions she’s done. Having Connie alive will at least quench some of the GAs negative feelings over Carol. Yeah she still messed up, but Connie’s alive so the blame will ease off on Carol...

2). This one’s a big one. Ever since Angela Kang began as the showrunner, I’ve noticed big differences between how she writes relationships and how it was before she came along. Quite a few differences if we’re being honest, but the biggest one is that she is more direct with character’s relationships with each other, and she’s not using the current situation to escape from having to be direct with them. There’s no extreme subtle glances or talking in a weird language that doesn’t always make sense (looking at you Gimple). She has been pretty upfront with a lot of the relationships during the last two seasons, and she hasn’t had to use fate/deaths to end ships or start others. For example:

- Carol/Ezekiel - A lot of folks were upset over the fact that Henry was going to take Ezekiel’s place on the pike scene, mainly b/c it wouldn’t be fair for Carol to lose another kid. But ignoring that reason for a moment, another reason is that it would've ended Carzekiel, so Daryl could possibly have a chance again. However, what happened was even better, in that Carol chose to end the relationship herself, instead of circumstances doing it for her. 

- Eugene/Rosita - Instead of constantly having a “will they/won’t they” situation, Rosita had flat out told Eugene that they were never going to happen, and he admitted he mainly created the friendship in the hopes of being with her one day. Then, when he tried kissing Rosita, he realized he wanted Stephanie instead. Again, direct development in the relationship, even if the relationship itself would never happen. 

- Daryl/Connie - The season 10 premiere, Kelly teased Connie with an eyebrow look after Daryl waved at her, but Connie gave her a “stop right now” glance. And when Carol asked him about it, he repeatedly said there was nothing going on between them. 

- Daryl/Carol - She had Michonne mention to “make sure she says goodbye this time” to Daryl without Daryl even telling her he was about to meet up with Carol. The pure excitement and love between Caryl when they first reunited was adorable, and Carol’s joy on his bike was just amazing. To save some reading time, Daryl had basically put his heart on his sleeve for Carol this season, trying his best to keep her safe and help her through the situation. All the while, AK gave subtle/not so subtle hints of what their relationship was and very likely will become. Calling Caryl soulmates in interviews, admitting this season was really about their story. Having Carol sleep on a bedspread with ships on it, or have Daryl standing next to a ship wheel hanging in the hallway while he waited for Carol to answer the door. Having Carol find a double capped acorn and then Daryl staring longingly at it while he was in his room. I really could go on...

Point is, AK has been direct when it comes to dealing with relationships, so I have a feeling that she’s going to be direct when it comes to the Donnie ship. She already has, but I feel like there’s going to be a moment where it’ll end once and for all. 

AK loves reading our fanfics, so I can definitely see it where, at the end of Season 11, when Carol decides she’d like to go on a trip. She’s in a better headspace than she was before, and just wants to go on an adventure. She was hoping to take Daryl up on his offer for New Mexico, but then Connie returns and she and Daryl have a really nice reunion that everyone witnesses. Carol thinks Daryl wouldn’t leave after that, so she plans as if she’s going alone, but then he finds her packing and asks when are they leaving. She gets confused because she thought he would build a life with Connie, but he might say something like “already told ya, there’s nothing going on there... my place is with you, no matter where that might be”...

Or maybe Connie tries to or even kisses Daryl, and Carol witnesses it, so she scurries away and makes plans to leave. But she doesn’t see Daryl turning away and telling Connie that it’s not like that. And then he goes to Carol right after and tells her that he’s going with her...

Those are just examples, but I can honestly see AK doing this, b/c she hasn’t shied away with being blunt with relationships before, why would she shy away from this now?

At the end of the day, I’m not perturbed by the finale. I wasn’t expecting anything drastic in regards to Caryl. But Carol has reached her bottom, both personally and with her relationship with Daryl, and now there’s no way to go but upward. The finale has already solidified the fact that she still has Daryl on her side, and that will be of immense help to her guilt about the recent events. So the next bit of their journey is Carol climbing out of the hole she was in, and with Daryl at her side. That sounds a lot like one of our fanfics doesn’t it? XD

PS: AK, if you’re reading, I fully expect that the next time in the future, when there’s a hug that actually rivals the no sanctuary hug, I hope it’s Carol and Daryl hugging desperately and trying to swallow each other’s faces... cause you know, I have wants.

Have a good evening loves! (gifs are not mine!!)

[wolfwhiteflowers]

‘TWD and The fumbling dead’

*anti OUAT and I’m a Neal fan.

- check my tag /tagged/*twd for other ranty posts of mine.

*I’m assuming Rick and Maggie will die in s9. And perhaps Michonne too.

*posts about Michonne too and fandom stuff

vvvv

Since the news of AL and LC will leave the show in s9, and that Daryl will become the leading character, I want to say TWD ended in s8 for me. I don’t think I will watch the show live in s9 and on. It depends..but I know it’s not TWD to me.

It’s weird but after calming down a bit, I guess, I’m starting to think maybe I would follow the story in s9b or after Rick’s death. I’m feeling better because I realized we’re all into this together experiencing this. Fans could keep watching TWD or not, we’re still part of the TWD fandom and we’re still appreciate the good times. Like other fandoms, in old shows, some fans still make fanart and fanfictions. Stories are still with us. We’re still a fandom.

Some could still follow TWD show in s9, and take it seriously and some could like hate-watch it and I guess just make the rest like some AU fic. What is it like TWD-after Rick’s death/no Grimes boys (main protagonists).

I could watch s9b and I’ll just say it’s the spin-off show and ignore Rick’s death. s9 and on, is Dixon spin-off show. But the thing is if and only if Caryl will be/is canon and Carol still be interesting (doesn’t only interact with Kingdom folks)/good writing that I would be into it. I think it’s because Carol is my top fave of the show and I love Caryl, so yeah. I would love it if s9b and on was like a Caryl show. However, I don’t think I would watch it live. I’ll just look at gifs and videos.

Idk. s9 and on, better set the tone differently for me to watch it or for me to care. Ugh I just wish it’s a spin-off show. I noticed from other people’s reactions, it’s hard for everyone to decide to quit or not. We’re all invested in this show.

So I could just keep watching s9, (caryl still caryl-y) and just ‘hate-watch’ the alternate universe of TWD with no Grimes boys. Watch Michonne grieve, Maggie dies too(?), and idk Michonne leaves with Judith to somewhere. No more Grimes in the TWD. Then it’s like I guess it’s fully a Dixon show..till the end. Whatever the ending is. But the real TWD ended in s8, imo, or whenever people want it to be.

*Ugh I don’t think TWD can feel different. Everyone’s gonna mention Rick’s death(?) and Michonne’s grieving and leaving(?), and Maggie’s death(?).Everything is still gonna follow what TWD was. S9 is crazy.

-With the show OUAT, Neal/Baefire was fave and others were inconsistent and the writing was always meh. It was easier to just stop it after Neal’s death. Plus, notp and just bad confusing writing. Henry interacting with Hook was the worst. But hey I’m over it. It’s not in my headcanon story. I get what others feel about Judith being taken care of from other characters/Daryl. But hey TWD imo is already done in s8.

Why TWD ended in s8. They killed off Carl in s7.  (or writers didn’t know/idk show business) I thought they killed Carl off because they want Michonne to stay longer and live past the comic-Andrea death moment -after whisperer war. I was ok with Carl’s death because TWD also follows Rick’s story. So I figured TWD would end with Rick, instead of like what the comics might go..end with Carl. Happy ending or not. TWD tv show should end with Rick and that the ending be very meaningful. So with AL news, I doubt we’re gonna get a satisfying ending to Rick’s story in s9a 6(?) episodes, while the show keeps going on in s9 with 16 episodes in total. The show keep going on and Daryl as main character. So, I just don’t like how it is. S9 is all AU to me. #tfd twd.

I’m assuming Rick and Maggie dies, well I just have low expectations from TWD writers. (LC is leaving too) I speculate in s9, they die like based on the gory comic moment. Killed by Alpha (whisperer) and their heads on pikes. It’s like the easiest way to just end their stories. But it’s also cheap and not meaningful. I also speculate that Ezekiel will die too. There’s like this parallel with communities’ leaders dying (Rick and Maggie), so I think Ezekiel will be part of that. Idk about Oceanside and Sanctuary. (Cyndie and Rosita and they will die too?) Unless something else happens and maybe Rick and Maggie’s exit of the show will be different. * IDK ..if Rick just goes missing then TWD still can be TWD but ..on a break/Daryl’s show. We just wait till Rick comes back ..in finale to end TWD.

So, S9 is all AU to me. The best AU version on without Rick/ s9, is to have Michonne leading the group and be the main character, and on the rest of s9/or and on, is Michonne and Judith’s adventures. (It would be like TWDG Lee and Clementine or any parent-figure and child stories). But it’s not gonna be that or that what it seems like rn. It’s Daryl who leads the show.

*If Danai only gonna be there till end of s9. Then I have the is AU/headcanon for Michonne. Rick didn’t die but gone missing (ep 6 or whenever he’s done) and then MIchonne and Judith deal with it throughout s9. They search for Rick, and the end of s9 (or whenever Danai leaves the show) Michonne...being like comic-Michonne, Michonne and Judith go on a boat to search for Rick. So then The Grimes are outta of the TWD show. If TWD got s10 and on, then they finally be a spin-off show. I wish we got a good TWD ending and then a spinoff. And if they want to in the series finale, the Grimes reunited and they came back to finish the TWD story.

Michonne can be very much like comic-Michonne s9/TWD AU. losing loves, searching for someone (Rick/Elodie), and my headcanon of finding him -like in whenever TWD series finale will happen. Idk just something I thought of recently. She might be like comic-Michonne. But who knows what s9 is like and I just doubt it would be satisfying.

-----------------

why not michonne & why Daryl? how long ? and TWD=Rick. (why not Carol/Maggie/Michonne?)

-First off, I think when AMC or the rumor say Daryl is leading the TWD show now. I think they meant Daryl will be the main character. It’s doesn’t matter who leads Team Family. There’s different communities and their leaders anyways.

I would want Michonne to lead team family and being the leading character of TWD. She’s already a leader in ASZ and she’s like the last Grimes that do stuff. (not Judith) But I think she gonna leave the show soon. Danai’s contract ends in s9. So I think she’s gonna leave/die in s9. It’s really rough with TWD story. Grimes die and Michonne too? What about Judith? It’s all really depressing.

Also, it’s a weird feeling on that when Rick’s gone, I want Michonne and Judith gone too. TWD is all about the Grimes boys, imo, and I want Michonne gone too because I don’t want to see her mourn again. I think in a way it would be better to have all the Grimes gone so then TWD s9B can truly feel like a spin-off show and distant from the real TWD/Grimes show. Maybe it’s easier with Daryl to be the main character then. Ukno? He’s not a Grimes. It’s easier to distant from the Grimes story. Whatever, I say s9B is all AU.

Idk about Judith. If TWD really thinks now the main point of the story is always about Judith, then so be it ..whatever. ….Then they should make it more about Judith and it makes sense to have Michonne there. But …Daryl is the lead so…idk just have the Grimes go on a trip. sigh. It’s always about Rick and/or Carl.

But it’s weird for me to think of wanting Michonne (and Judith) to leave TWD s9, because characterwise Michonne can have her own story and stuff. Make it TWD s9B the Michonne spin-off show. She can do her thing and her story isn’t about Rick. #Girlpower.  But Michonne is so involved in the Grimes story and ….also I feel like it really messes up Michonne’s story arc too,imo or that I don’t like the arc. She started the story as losing her lover and son and then learning to love again with new lover and son(main characters!). She got a new family and leading ASZ. Now she loses them again. It’s so depressing and feels like pointless. It’s like WTF is her ending to her character’s story now?

…Michonne raising Judith? It’s still not good enough for me….still feels AU story.Judith is a baby and we always think of TWD about the Grimes boys. uhh. Idk. It would be better if it’s like Lee and Clementine (idk like 6 yo) situation. Ok ..it does sound better than the Dixon spin off show. But it’s all depressing to see Michonne all alone…Always a reminder that Grimes boys are dead. And Judith doesn’t do much or that we won’t be able to see Michonne and Judith leading the show (unless we get another big time jump.) Heck this sounds cool. But it’s not gonna be like that....

Anyways, I don’t think Danai will stay that much longer in the show. AMC is already saying Daryl is the lead. I guess one of the reasons its Daryl because he really separates from the Grimes family/TWD story, the whole Daryl vs Negan arc,…and obviously he’s popular and $$$. blah

[asfeedin]

The 50 Best Shows on Hulu Right Now (April 2020)

Last update: April 25, 2020.

Streaming TV is not a new concept, but its popularity is at an all-time high. Thanks to the wonder of on-demand viewing, fans of most TV series need not worry about catching their favorite show when it airs, or even setting up their DVR. To help you sort through the massive vault that is Hulu’s library, we’ve put together a list of the best shows on the streaming service for April. From comedies to animated classics, we cover it all.

Further reading

Nathan for You

Life is tough for small business owners, but if your business is struggling, there’s one man you can turn to for help: Nathan Fielder (playing a fictional version of himself), a consultant with a metaphorical briefcase full of bizarre marketing ideas and social anxiety. When an ordinary business owner finds themselves in a tricky situation, Fielder strolls into their lives like an awkward Rumpelstiltskin, ready to solve their problem in some bizarre way. Nathan For You is a brilliant mockumentary, with Nathan’s outlandish marketing stunts confusing the ordinary folk entangled in them — his parody coffee shop Dumb Starbucks even made international news!

Watch now

Letterkenny

Set in the remote, rural town of Letterkenny (populated, the show tells us, entirely by hicks, skids, hockey players, and Christians), Jared Keeso’s comedy Letterkenny follows a group of hicks: Wayne (Keeso), his friend Daryl (Nathan Dales), Katy (Michelle Mylett), and Squirrelly Dan (K. Trevor Wilson), as well as a pair of hockey players, Reilly (Dylan Playfair) and Jonesy (Andrew Herr), with whom Katy has a three-way relationship. The show revolves around their lives and encounters with the other eccentrics in the town. It’s a show deeply rooted in Canadian culture, with heavy use of slang, but even those unfamiliar with the vernacular will quickly come to appreciate the show’s deadpan wit.

Watch now

Catch-22

Adapting a great work of literature, particularly one as stylish as Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, is a daunting task, but George Clooney and company managed to do it, more or less successfully, in this four-part miniseries. Set during World War II, Catch-22 follows Yossarian (Christopher Abbott), an American bombardier desperate to get out of the war. He wants to take advantage of the military’s policy of discharging any soldier on the basis of insanity. Unfortunately, Yossarian’s desire to get discharged for insanity is stifled by the military’s Catch-22 clause: Anyone who is crazy can ask to be discharged, but anyone asking to be discharged is clearly thinking rationally. So Yossarian keeps flying missions, and his superiors keep raising the number of missions required to end the war, and the war seems no closer to ending. Catch-22 is a darkly hilarious examination of the horrors of bureaucracy (and war), with a brilliant cast including — along with Abbott — George Clooney, Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, and Julie Ann Emery.

Watch now

Ramy

The streaming world is awash in introspective, character-driven comedies, and while Ramy’s format will feel familiar, it adds a new wrinkle. The eponymous character (played by comedian Ramy Youssef) isn’t just a millennial dealing with the awkward ups and downs of work and dating in the 21st century. He’s also Muslim and trying to lead a moral life in amoral times. Ramy wades in ambiguities and its protagonist’s hypocrisies and hang-ups — he’s uncomfortable kissing a Muslim woman on their first date, but fine hooking up with non-Muslims, for which the former chews him out. It’s a show with a unique perspective and a willingness to present its characters in an unflattering light.

Watch now

The Venture Bros.

Adult Swim’s long-running (the series has been running off and on since 2003) dark comedy The Venture Bros. is a hilarious, occasionally depressing exploration of failure and legacies, set in a world full of colorful characters. Originally built as a parody of ‘60s adventure shows like Jonny Quest, The Venture Bros. focuses on Dr. Rusty Venture (James Urbaniak), a once-famous boy adventurer who grew up to be a failed scientist and owner of his father’s company, as well as his two sons, Hank (Christopher McCulloch) and Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas), and their bodyguard, secret agent/bulky murder machine Brock Samson (Patrick Warburton). The show follows the family through various adventures and schemes, flitting through various genres and story structures. The humor is weird but often brilliant — one particularly strange episode reimagines the Scooby gang as a bunch of drug-addled fiends — but what truly stands out about the show is how it has built a vast world full of recurring, oddball characters whose relationships evolve over time.

Watch now

Atlanta

Donald Glover is a modern Renaissance man: Since launching a comedy career via skits circulated on YouTube, he has since branched into rapping, acting, and even showrunning, with the remarkable, surreal comedy-drama Atlanta. The show follows a dogged college dropout named Earn (Glover), who sleeps at his on/off-again girlfriend’s place and struggles to provide for their child. When he learns that his cousin Alfred is starting to achieve success as a rapper — stage name: Paper Boi — Earn becomes his manager. There is not much of an overarching plot to Atlanta. Most episodes play out like short films, and the show experiments with a variety of stories and formats — one standout episode is presented entirely as an episode of a local interview show, complete with fake commercials. Daring and frequently poignant, Atlanta is one of the most exciting shows on TV today.

Watch now

The Bisexual

Desiree Akhavan’s The Bisexual is a character study of a bisexual woman, Leila (Akhavan), who breaks up with her older girlfriend after the latter proposes marriage. Leila moves in with a writer, Gabe (Brian Gleeson), and sets about trying to explore relationships with men, with sometimes awkward results. Leila must navigate not just relationships with men, but her friendships with the lesbian women she’s spent years associating with, who aren’t sure what to make of her now. It’s a complicated, emotionally honest examination of sexuality, with a complex cast of characters and a deft balance of humor of drama.

Watch now

PEN15

These days, coming-of-age stories are a dime a dozen, but few of them are as novel — or cringeworthy — as PEN15. Co-creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle star as 13-year-old versions of themselves, allowing the series to address topics and situations many would consider taboo if performed by younger lead actors. The two find their footing in hormone-fueled incidents involving masturbation and AOL Instant Messenger, not to mention everyday encounters with parents, principals, and the kind of insult-spewing preteens you can expect to find at any middle school. It’s all served with a heavy dose of ’90s-inspired nostalgia, meaning if the show’s no-holds-barred look at adolescence isn’t enough, perhaps the constant references to the Spice Girls will be.

Watch now

Better Things

The age of the subversive sitcom continues with Better Things, a dark, caustic comedy about growing older and raising kids. The show follows Sam Fox (Pamela Adlon), a struggling actress raising three kids by herself in Los Angeles. Sam juggles her attempts to advance her career and have fun with her responsibility to her daughters, each of whom presents their own unique difficulties. Adlon and co-creator Louis C.K. previously worked on the surreal comedy-drama Louie, and Better Things shows a similar mean streak, narrowing in on the grimy, depressing aspects of parenthood that other sitcoms gloss over.

Watch now

The Last Man on Earth

Most people probably don’t consider the end of the world to be a hilarious scenario; thankfully, the creators of The Last Man on Earth were not deterred. The show finds humor in the apocalypse, following a man named Phil Miller (Will Forte), who wanders the ghost town of Tuscon after a viral outbreak destroys civilization. He eventually finds a companion, Carol Pilbasian (Kristen Schaal), but their personality quirks make life together problematic, to say the least. The Last Man on Earth is a strange show, and also a sharply written one, rendering it the kind of ambitious sitcom that only rarely comes along.

Watch now

Shrill

Comedian Aidy Bryant is, arguably, one of the best things about the current crop of Saturday Night Live performers. As such, it was only a matter of time before she found herself a proper show, one that riffs on her particular skill set and brand of humor. Shrill is that show. It’s based on author Lindy West’s 2016 memoir of the same name and is a biting take on what it means to be overweight, awkward, and a woman in a society that doesn’t always take kindly to any of the aforementioned traits. Needless to say, Bryant’s on-screen career as a struggling journalist is just the springboard for the show’s larger commentary.

Watch now

Key & Peele

Great sketch shows have been in short supply for a while now, which makes it all the easier to appreciate the short but brilliant life of Key & Peele. Starring former MADtv members Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, the show is an adventurous collection of sketches that blend absurdist humor and social commentary. See, for example, a skit in which white news anchors complain about the dangers of “black ice” on the streets at night, to the indignation of their black colleagues. Not every sketch is political, however; sometimes they just freak out about the latest Liam Neeson film. Both hosts bring manic energy and throw themselves fully into a variety of roles.

Watch now

Man Seeking Woman

Following a breakup with his long-term girlfriend, Josh Greenberg (Jay Baruchel) needs to rebound … badly. Man Seeking Woman chronicles his adventures in dating, which involve, among other things, dating a troll, attending a wedding in Hell, and fiddling with the space-time continuum in an attempt to fix relationship mistakes. The show explores common aspects of life and dating through surreal scenes; an episode where Josh is tempted to cheat on a current girlfriend, for example, finds him taking a trip to “boyfriend court” in his mind. The show’s absurdist sense of humor at times makes it seem like a live-action cartoon, but the tone is balanced out by nuanced characters and some great performances. Baruchel is excellent as the somewhat charming, sometimes petulant Josh, and other characters — such as Josh’s best friend, Mike (Eric Andre), and sister, Liz (Britt Lower) — add memorable performances of their own.

Watch now

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

What South Park is to late-night animation, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is to sitcoms. Rob McElhenney, Glen Howerton, and Charlie Day — who also created and write the show — star as three best friends who kind of hate each other, while Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito round out the cast as the infamous Dee and Frank. The group often finds itself in some of the most absurd situations as the members push into the uncharted and irreverent comedic territory for which the show is well known, usually as a result of their own botched schemes.

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Community

Community has seen its fair share of ups and downs while on NBC but this Dan Harmon comedy is one of the funniest shows on TV — its first three seasons were, at least. The show centers around a group of newly acquainted friends who attend a blunder of a community college. Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, and Donald Glover headline this hilarious show while Jim Rash’s turn as the dean is as funny as any character on TV. It’s no longer on the airwaves, but Yahoo recently picked up the show for an online-only sixth season.

Watch now

Adventure Time

Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time has amassed a huge audience over its six-season run, one that crosses over into numerous demographics, making it a contemporary classic for adults and kids alike. The stories of best friends Jake and Finn in the magical Land of Ooo are a joy to watch. Whether the duo is protecting the land from the evil (and misunderstood) Ice King or helping a young Vampire navigate her family life, Adventure Time captures a sense of adventure and fun, while providing a subtle maturity that speaks to older audiences.

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Parks and Recreation

Fans of NBC’s other workplace comedy, The Office, will no doubt see some similarities in Parks and Recreation. Amy Poehler heads a hilarious cast comprised of comedian Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, and Chris Pratt. The show follows this cast of characters as they run the parks and recreation department in the small town of Pawnee, Indiana. The writing and comedic timing are superb as Parks is a bonafide hit and features some of modern television’s most memorable characters, such as the meat-loving Ron Swanson.

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Parks and Recreation creators Michael Schur and Dan Goor struck comedy gold yet again with their action-comedy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Andy Samberg stars in the show, which focuses on a fictional police department precinct in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Andre Braugher plays the yin to Andy Samberg’s yang, providing dry, yet hilariously timed humor during each episode. In just its first season, Brooklyn Nine-Nine took home two Golden Globe trophies.

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Broad City

Ilana and her best friend Abbi are two 29-something women, living in New York. Abbi is a struggling artist, working at a fitness center while she attempts to get her career off the ground. Ilana, on the other hand, does everything in her power to avoid working, and instead pursues all manner of pleasurable distractions, including sexual escapades and consuming large amounts of marijuana. The two are often pulled into crazy scenarios, frequently as a consequence of one of Ilana’s ill-conceived plots. Broad City has received high praise from critics due to its clever writing and subtle-yet-effective message of female empowerment.

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Arrested Development

Despite getting canceled by Fox in 2006, Ron Howard and Mitchell Hurwitz’s Arrested Development saw critical success across the board. Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Michael Cera star as family members of the very dysfunctional Bluth family living in Newport Beach, California. The show centers around Michael Bluth (Bateman) as he’s forced to assist his off-the-wall relatives after the family business comes under fire.

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Seinfeld

Seinfeld is a show that needs no introduction. Starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Julia-Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes, Jason Alexander as the neurotic George Costanza, and Michael Richards as the hilarious Kramer, each episode follows the group of friends as they endure the absurdities of life in the big city (along with their own foibles). Thankfully, the Emmy-winning sitcom has endured since its original run in the ’90s, further solidifying it as one of the most popular and important comedies to ever air on television.

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Rick and Morty

Creators Dan Harmon (Community) and Justin Roiland (House of Cosbys) teamed up to create one of the best animated comedies in years. The basic premise centers on Rick (Roiland), a scientist who employs the help of his grandson, Morty, to assist him with dangerous quests and various schemes across space and time. The Adult Swim series is chock full of biting satire and clever humor, and moreover, has garnered a cult following in the wake of its successful and highly-acclaimed first season.

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Drunk History

If you enjoy history, but find history shows to be a little dry, why not add liquor? Comedy Central’s Drunk History, which evolved from a Funny or Die web series, follows host Derek Waters and a revolving lineup of guests, who get drunk and recite stories from history, from big events like the revolutionary war to smaller ones like Edgar Allan Poe’s feud with publisher Rufus Griswold. For each lecture, actors — generally notable comic actors such as Kristen Wiig or Bob Odenkirk — re-enact the events, going so far as to incorporate the narrator’s mistakes or drunken tics. Watching Drunk History, you’ll probably get a few laughs, and maybe even learn something new.

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Black-ish

ABC’s Black-ish is one of many shows to have sprung up during the latest sitcom renaissance, which seems to emphasize distinct points of view not often seen on TV. This particular sitcom follows the Johnsons, an upper-middle-class family in America. Parents Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) try to raise their children, whom they worry may be growing up in a vastly different milieu than they did. The show takes a critical look at issues of race and identity in contemporary America, balancing heavy social commentary with character-driven comedy.

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Futurama

Although it didn’t attain immortality like its unending older brother The Simpsons (which now has the most scripted episodes of any prime-time series), Matt Groening’s other cartoon, Futurama, established an identity of its own as a funny, often poignant vision of the future. The show follows Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a delivery boy who stumbles into a cryogenic pod and wakes up a thousand years in the future. He ends up working for an interplanetary delivery company, working with a variety of colorful characters, including steely cyclops Leela (Katey Sagal) and hard-drinking, sociopathic robot Bender (John DiMaggio). Futurama is an inventive comedy, with every episode going in some wild directions, and it has an incredible cast of oddballs to bounce off each other.

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Samurai Champloo

Although it lives in the shadow of Cowboy Bebop, director Shinichiro Watanabe’s follow-up, Samurai Champloo, is a terrific anime series, one that deserves to be considered on its own terms. Set in Edo-era Japan, the series follows an unlikely trio of travelers: A young waitress named Fuu, quiet ronin Jin, and wild swordsman Mugen. Fuu wants to find a samurai who smells like sunflowers, and after saving Jin and Mugen from execution, enlists them as bodyguards. The three wander Japan, encountering a variety of bizarre characters and scenarios (including a baseball game for the fate of Japan and a possible zombie apocalypse). Dynamic animation, vibrant art, and a chill hip-hop soundtrack are just a few of the reasons to watch this masterpiece.

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One-Punch Man

Superheroes can be a little boring, can’t they? Does anybody really doubt, when a bank robber comes face-to-face with Superman, that the ensuing fight can go any way but one? One-Punch Man takes the one-sided nature of superheroes to its extreme conclusion, following Saitama (Makoto Furukawa), a hero so powerful he can defeat any foe with a single punch. Being unstoppable leads Saitama to a profound sense of ennui, however, and he must seek out stronger and stronger opponents to feel alive. One-Punch Man is a hilarious parody for fans of superheroes or anime, and it doesn’t hurt that the action is rendered in smooth, colorful animation.

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

The second adaptation of the popular manga, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood hews much more closely to the original story. The show, set in the fantasy setting of Amestris, follows the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, sons of a famed alchemist. After their father disappears and their mother dies, the boys take up the mystical art of alchemy, but a failed attempt at a forbidden ritual comes at a price: Edward loses an arm and a leg, while Alphonse loses his whole body, his soul trapped in a suit of armor. The boys seek work as military alchemists, hoping to use the government’s resources to research the legendary Philosopher’s Stone and find a way to restore their bodies. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood stands out in the vast field of anime thanks to its distinct setting, complex characters, and inventive action sequences.

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Vikings

History (the network) melds historic accuracy with epic action in Vikings, a dramatized recounting of a prolific figure in Scandinavian lore, Ragnar Lodbrok. Vikings follows the exploits of the cunning Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) as he becomes the most powerful ruler of Europe’s Viking Age, or at least, the one the history books and Nordic sagas remember him as. The show has received much acclaim during its run thus far — and without the gratuitous nudity common to most cable epics — earning it numerous Emmy nominations for both effects and design.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon’s horror/fantasy/comedy/coming-of-age series was one of the defining shows of the ’90s, a teen drama with a healthy dose of humor and also monsters. The show begins with teenager Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) starting school in her new hometown: Sunnydale, California. It’s a quaint town, a perfect place to raise a family — if you can look past all the vampires, demons, and other creatures haunting the town. Luckily for the people of Sunnydale, Buffy is no ordinary teen; she’s a “Slayer,” a demon-fighting warrior blessed with superhuman powers. Along with her friends Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan), as well as her mentor, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Buffy hunts monsters and tries to pass her classes. Although the early episodes are rough, Buffy the Vampire Slayer grew into one of the smartest shows on television in its day, a series that used its fantasy elements as metaphors for the travails of growing up and finding one’s place in the world. It doesn’t hurt that it had a sharp, self-aware sense of humor.

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Firefly

FOX

Before he was the mastermind behind Marvel’s cinematic universe, Joss Whedon was known for creating memorable television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. While the latter only lasted for one season before it was ultimately canceled and later revived with the film Serenity, it has garnered a rabid cult following. The sci-fi series is set just after an interplanetary civil war between the populated inner system planets and the outer planets, where life resembles the American West. The series is well known for its cast of likable characters, including Nathan Fillion’s Mal Reynolds, who captains the titular ship and is arguably the coolest space criminal since Han Solo.

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Cowboy Bebop

Anime is often labeled as a niche genre, but like with all forms of media, there are breakout examples that transcend the genre, crossing over in appeal. Cowboy Bebop is a prime example. Set in the early era of humanity’s colonization of the solar system, a ragtag group of bounty hunters led by Spike Spiegel (Steven Blum) makes ends meet by taking in wanted criminals, while simultaneously trying to avoid the law and powerful criminal organizations. This space-western has been lauded as one of the best anime series ever made, with a memorable cast and compelling story, and featuring one of the most iconic final scenes ever.

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Preacher

Based on the acclaimed comic series by Garth Ennis, Preacher follows the story of Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), a former criminal working as a preacher in Texas. His faith shaky, Jesse’s life is changed when an otherworldly entity possesses him, granting him supernatural powers. Soon, Jesse teams up with his ex-girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga) and an Irish vampire named Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun), as he tries to master his new powers and deal with a host of enemies, including a powerful and corrupt businessman, Odin Quincannon (Jackie Earle Haley). The show benefits from excellent direction, thanks to showrunner Sam Catlin (who previously worked on Breaking Bad). Bloody, violent, and set against the sun-parched backdrop of Texas, Preacher evokes classic Westerns, but the supernatural elements and bizarre characters will appeal to viewers of modern genre shows like Game of Thrones.

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Star Trek: The Original Series

Few franchises have grown such a massive fanbase as the Star Trek franchise. The Original Series features William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as the iconic Captain Kirk and officer Spock, respectively. Though dated — the show aired from 1966 to ’69 — it’s an appreciated blast from the past and one which created the foundation for so many TV spinoffs and movies. That, and few would argue that Captain Kirk and Spock are among television’s all-time best duos.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Perhaps the most popular of the Star Trek TV shows, The Next Generation ran for an impressive seven seasons from 1987 to 1994. Patrick Stewart takes the lead as Captain Jean-Luc Picard who guides the starship Enterprise across the galaxy in search of new life and civilizations. It built off the cult success of The Original Series and solidified the Star Trek franchise as one of the best science fiction universes across TV or film. Despite taking place within the boundaries of space — where no man had gone before —TNG drew allegories to our earthbound cultural issues that took place during its televised run.

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The Twilight Zone

Rod Serling’s science fiction/fantasy series The Twilight Zone remains one of the best-written shows ever to air on American television. The original series aired for five seasons from 1959 to 1964 with Serling serving as not just head writer but also host and narrator. Each episode’s new story sees the main character encounter paranormal or unusual events that lead to an eventual moral. Though it spawned two spinoff series, the original Twilight Zone is the best of the bunch.

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Killing Eve

For MI5 agent Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), the life of a spy is more mundane than the movies make it out to be. She’s stuck working at a desk, and the most excitement she sees is late-night karaoke, rather than infiltrating high-tech facilities or something similar. Eve gets a shot at a much livelier case when someone murders a Russian politician and Eve correctly deduces the assassin was a woman. Soon, she is on the trail of the assassin, Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a highly-skilled killer with no conscience, who takes an interest in the woman hunting her. Blending drama, humor, and international spy antics, Killing Eve is an exceptional psychological thriller, built around a complicated cat-and-mouse relationship.

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Legion

Noah Hawley, the creator of FX’s Fargo, tries his hand at telling a superhero story with Legion, a visually dynamic series that isn’t your typical, man-in-a-cape origin story. The show follows David Haller (Dan Stevens), a man who, having heard voices in his head since a young age, starts the series in a psychiatric hospital. His official diagnosis is schizophrenia, but after meeting another patient, Syd Barrett (Rachel Keller), who can switch bodies with anyone she touches, he discovers that the voices in his head are a sign of his own latent powers. Fitting for a show about a man who may or may not be insane, Legion is a hallucinogenic show, with psychedelic visuals and format-breaking sequences that keep David — and the viewer — confused as to what is real.

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You’re the Worst

Although drama and comedy are often viewed separately in pop culture, they make for a splendid pairing — just ask Shakespeare! Or, if you want a more contemporary example, look to You’re the Worst, a show that weds character-based drama and absurd humor. It focuses on Jimmy (Chris Geere) and Gretchen (Aya Cash), who start a casual relationship after meeting at a wedding. Both of them are dealing with problems personal and professional: Jimmy is a narcissistic writer struggling to get published, Gretchen is a clinically depressed PR agent representing a difficult rapper. Together, they try to enjoy life and figure out their careers, and You’re the Worst does not shy away from the dark side of either, exploring the toll of frequent partying and the conflicts inherent in every relationship. At times witty, at times woeful, You’re the Worst is one of the most intelligent and human shows on television right now.

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Fargo

Based on the Coen brothers’ beloved film of the same name, Fargo returns to the icy plains of Minnesota, a space where nefarious plots are conceived and enacted by otherwise seemingly normal folks. The TV adaptation features an all-star cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman, not to mention Colin Hanks and Allison Tolman, and stays true to the same black comedy and deadly mishaps that made the original film so popular.

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Sons of Anarchy

The biker gang, the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (aka SAMCRO), makes ends meet by trafficking guns and subverting the law at every turn. However, when the gang’s young Vice President Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) discovers the diary of his deceased father, he begins to question SAMCRO’s business decisions. This puts Jax at odds with his stepfather Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), who presides as the club’s president. The series tells the story of Jax’s efforts to keep the club together while balancing his complicated family life.

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The Handmaid’s Tale

In a not-too-distant future, after an environmental disaster causes widespread infertility, an extremist cult in the United States stages a coup, establishing the totalitarian state of Gilead. In this new society, women are relegated to subservient roles, and due to the low birth rate, a class of women called “handmaids” is conscripted to bear children for the leaders of Gilead. The protagonist of The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred (Elisabeth Moss), is one such woman, forced to have ritualized sex with Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) to provide him and his wife a child. Living without any rights or power, Offred tries to survive each day, hoping to one day be free. The Handmaid’s Tale is a masterful adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s grim novel of the same name, with excellent performances and gorgeous, oft-disturbing scene composition.

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Harlots

This historical drama follows Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton), a madam running a brothel in 18th-century London. Eager to climb the social ladder — and dodge the authorities — Margaret moves into the territory of her former boss, high-class madam Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), sparking a war between the two. Caught up in Margaret’s schemes are her two daughters, Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy (Eloise Smyth), whom she has pushed into prostitution. Despite the lurid subject matter, Harlots is never merely titillating; this is a show with a keen eye for the power dynamics at work in its setting, and how hierarchy turns even sex into a cold transaction. A complicated drama with intriguing characters, Harlots is a great show for people who like their historical dramas on the seedier side.

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Castle Rock

Stephen King is one of modern America’s most prolific authors, with nearly 60 novels and 200 short stories, and that allows the creators of Castle Rock, a show that draws inspiration from a variety of King’s works, to create an eerie melange of the author’s stories. Castle Rock follows Henry Deaver (André Holland), a defense attorney and a pariah in his hometown of Castle Rock, who nevertheless returns after guards at Shawshank Penitentiary find a nameless man (Bill Skarsgård) locked in an abandoned cellblock. As Henry delves into the mystery behind this stranger known only as “The Kid,” he wades into a mystery that stretches back years. Castle Rock is loaded with Easter eggs for ardent King fans to grin at, but even those who haven’t read the author’s complete bibliography can enjoy the show, as it tells a creepy story that can stand on its own merits.

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The X-Files

Chris Carter’s science fiction drama, The X-Files, operated under one simple premise: The truth is out there. FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate unsolved mysteries called X-Files. These X-Files deal with paranormal activity, aliens, UFO sightings, and various phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of alien life while Scully offers scientific explanations for the mysterious happenings.

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Twin Peaks

In the quiet titular town of Twin Peaks, the sudden and tragic murder of high-school student Laura Palmer set off a chain of events that turns the town on its head. FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLaughlin) teams up with local sheriff Harry Truman (Michael Ontkean) to solve the murder, only to uncover a complicated mess of grisly truths that border on the supernatural. Twin Peaks is among director David Lynch’s most iconic works, yet the show only lasted two brief seasons. Despite this, it produced some timeless episodes. Those who have finished the original two seasons will be delighted to know that the show returned for its first new episodes after 25 years; there’s no better time to revisit this short-lived classic.

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American Horror Story

American Horror Story is an anthology series where each season centers on its own unique story, with a core cast whose role change from season to season. Each season provides scares and frightening psychological storylines, whether they take place within a troubled family home, amid a coven of witches, or inside a hotel of circus freaks. American Horror Story is a unique drama, one that capitalizes on the work of series creator Ryan Murphy.

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Survivor

Outwit. Outplay. Outlast. Survivor‘s three main tenets have helped the show “survive” for an admirable 33 seasons, and the competition shows no signs of slowing down. Whether you’re a fan of the rugged early seasons, or you prefer “Fans vs. Favorites,” you can get your fill on Hulu. And if you weren’t already aware, the show follows two teams of contestants, both of which must survive for 40 days in a remote location while their teammates and opponents scheme to vote them “off the island.” Tiki torches also come standard.

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Catfish

Catfish follows hosts Nev Schulman and Max Joseph as they work to unravel the mysteries behind online-only relationships. Each episode details their investigation into a particular relationship and their ongoing effort to figure out if it’s actually real, or if one of the participants is merely being “catfished.” It’s an interesting — and questionably ethical — exploration into internet politics and people’s personal lives.

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Top Chef

In Top Chef, competitors are pitted against one another in a variety of themed challenges in attempts to find out who can create the better meal. Quickfire challenges force contestants to test their skills and finish a meal before the allotted time runs out, while Elimination challenges generally entail more detailed and difficult culinary undertakings. After 14 seasons, we only have one question: where can we sign up to judge?

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Editors’ Recommendations

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21 Things To Do in Dallas This Week

Justin Timberlake is returning to the AAC on Thursday night. email Print Article

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Wednesday

Need a ladies night? Or a men’s night? Or just a night to get totally wasted and scream and holler when you see men taking off their clothes? Chippendales is coming to town just in time for bachelorette party season. Or a way to unwind after the stress of the holidays? Or it’s cold outside and you miss the sight of shirtless men? Whatever floats your boat or makes you hoot and holler, see it all (well, mostly all) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. Tickets start at $25 at livenation.com. Paige Skinner

Thursday

Rover Dramawerks picked Muriel Resnik’s Any Wednesday for its 19th season opener, which you can catch at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at 221 W. Parker Road, Suite 580, Plano. Playgoers 55 years ago (any readers still around?) may remember the play on Broadway with Sandy Dennis and Gene Hackman. Jane Fonda starred in the movie. Familiar plot: Married business tycoon visits mistress in office-paid-for apartment every Wednesday. Complications ensue when client and tycoon’s wife mistakenly get sent to the apartment. Carol M. Rice directs Mark Massey, Jade Reyes, Eddy Herring and Lucia Welch. For info and tickets, roverdramawerks.com or 972-849-0358. Thursday and matinee tickets are $18; others are $24; teacher/student/senior, $20. Reba Liner

It’s been about eight months or so since Justin Timberlake appeared in town, gracing the same American Airlines Center stage that he will again command Thursday night. Such is the magnitude of his star power. After all, there are very few artists who could return to the same scope and size of venue in such a short time. On that last appearance, JT took the sold-out crowd on a journey through his vast solo catalog of hits, enthralling the audience with his slinky dance moves, buttery smooth falsettos and charmingly, magnetic charisma. His shows also skew heavily toward the mom demographic. Much chardonnay will be sold and much is likely to be spilled as the gaggle of 30- and 40-something ladies will undoubtedly raise their glasses high in the air as they swoon and sway to his every move and note. If you’re there, feel free to join in. If you’re not in attendance, your social media feeds will keep you updated minute by minute. 8 p.m. Thursday, American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., $49 and up at ticketmaster.com. Jeff Strowe

Toro y Moi, along with Neon Indian and Washed Out, was a forerunner of the chill wave movement about a decade ago. But, like many in the scene at that time, he’s moved on from the sound, as is evident in his new album, this year’s Outer Peace. One critic described the album as "new disco," while others label it as a funk album rooted in the present. 7 p.m. Thursday, Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., sold out. Diamond Victoria

Friday

Ella is a girl with a dopey fairy godmother who “blesses” Ella with obedience, which means whatever anyone tells her to do, she does. Even worse, she ends up with a stepmother and stepsisters who know about her quirk and are happy to take advantage. Throw in a handsome prince and adventures with ogres and magic, and you have a twisty retelling of Cinderella. See a song-filled version of Gail Carson Levine’s Newbery-honored fractured fairy tale as the Dallas Children’s Theater stages Ella Enchanted: The Musical at 5938 Skillman St. Friday’s performance is at 7:30 p.m., and the show runs through Feb. 24. Tickets, $15-40, can be found at dct.org. Patrick Williams

Did you know that comedian Iliza Shlesinger got her start here in Dallas? You didn’t? How dare you call yourself a resident! Shlesinger was born in New York, but she grew up in Dallas and took her first steps onstage as an improv comedian before heading off to college and a lucrative stand-up comedy career. She returns to her homeland for a show at The Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St., at 7 p.m. Friday. Shlesinger cut her teeth in stand-up at The Hollywood Improv and quickly caught on with her unique take and skill. She found fame as the first female comedian to win the NBC reality competition Last Comic Standing and began regularly touring theaters across the country and the world. Tickets are between $32 and $209 depending on available seating and can be purchased at theatredallas.com. Danny Gallagher

There is a story behind Amaluna, the Cirque du Soleil show making a stop at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, 1000 Lone Star Parkway. Here goes: Queen Prospera rules over a magical island populated by all women until a group of men wash ashore shipwrecked. Her daughter … OK, look. It’s Cirque du Soleil. You know, lots of brightly colored leotards and amazing acrobats dangling from straps above the audience, flying through the air launched from seesaws to the sound of mildly weird new-agey music. There are two shows Friday, at 4:30 and 8 p.m. Adult ticket prices start at $63, with discounts for children, and an assortment of special packages are available at cirquedusoleil.com. The circus continues with shows until March 3. Patrick Williams

As do many institutions at their silver anniversary, sports-talk station KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM “The Ticket” is getting nostalgic for the 25th iteration of its signature P1 fan festival. Along with celebrity guests Troy Aikman, Jay Novacek and Daryl “Razor” Reaugh, Ticketstock 25 has a Ticket Time Tunnel, where Tier One hosts discuss the history of the station in panel discussions, and there’s an interactive Ticket Hall of Fame with memorabilia, audio, Marconi Awards and retro Ticket merch. As usual, the Timewasters will perform Saturday at 6 p.m., this year from a greatest-hits set list, with Fox 4 sports anchor Mike Doocy — the ultimate good sport and straight guy during his frequent guest-hosting appearances — as emcee. Ticketstock 25 is Friday and Saturday at the Plano Event Center, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway. Doors open at noon both days and admission is free. Visit theticket.com for the full schedule of on-air roundtables and gotta-be-there-to-hear-’em Ticket Time Tunnel panels. Jesse Hughey

In the sage words of the world’s pre-eminent British girl band: spice up your life. Winter doldrums be damned, things are getting hot at ZestFest Jan. 25-27 at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd. This three-day celebration of all things bold and piquant is packed with cooking demonstrations; celebrity chefs like Jon Bonnell, Eddie Deen and MasterChef champ Shaun O’Neale; gourmet vendors to help you level up in your own kitchen; live music; plus food samples and beer tastings aplenty. For those of us with stomachs of steel and something to prove, there’s a jalapeño-eating challenge and the annual “Atomic Wing” contest. Pack your antacid and plan a full day on Friday from 1 to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door, though kids 10 and under get in free. For more info, check out zestfest.net. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Creator and headliner of last year’s inaugural I Am Dallas Hip Hop event, Mozez Tha Great performs his long-awaited EP Undefined in its entirety as part of a stacked bill at The Prophet Bar on Friday night. Mozez has gone through his fair share of setbacks over the years regarding his music career. A few years ago, Undefined was ready for release, but when an engineer who was commissioned to mix and master the album took off with Mozez’s money, its completion got delayed. Catch Mozez along with several other of Dallas’ best up-and-coming hip-hop artists. With Lou Charle$, Mokah Soulfly, Smoothvega, Drama Tha King and Raw Elementz, 8:30 p.m. Friday, The Prophet Bar, 2548 Elm St., $10. Diamond Victoria

Thursday is on a small run of dates where they play two of their classic LPs, Full Collapse and War All the Time, front to back. Though they have a rather extensive back catalog, these are the two records that changed their fortunes and gained a huge audience. The first night — Friday night — is devoted to Full Collapse, the record that broke the band out of the New Jersey scene and into the national spotlight. The next night is devoted to War All the Time, the major-label debut that brought the band to larger acclaim. Normally shows like these happen in New York, LA or Chicago, so Dallas is very lucky to have these dates. Thursday is not really an active band as compared with the 2000s, so you should strongly consider going if you’ve never seen this powerful and legendary band before. 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26 at Trees, 2709 Elm St., $29-$36 at ticketfly.com. Eric Grubbs

Saturday

Sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment,” according to the Google search we just did. By that definition, cheerleading is 100 percent, no doubt in anyone’s mind, a sport. Backflips are physical. Somersaults must be learned and perfected. And competitive cheerleaders, well, compete. See them do that Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26-27 at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, 650 S. Griffin St at National Cheerleaders Association National Championships. Tickets start at $20 at eventbrite.com. Paige Skinner

Finnish vocal ensemble Rajaton joins the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the music of megastar pop group Abba, who are enjoying a much deserved critical reconsideration. Expect orchestral renditions that shine new light on the Swedish artists’ soaring, emotionally raw classics, including “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen” and more. There are three performances: at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27. All performances take place at the Meyerson, 2301 Flora St. Tickets start at $20. More info at mydso.com. Jonathan Patrick

The Boy Who Would Be Captain Hook is a funny and moving play about a boy who was born without a right hand. When doctors fitted him with a prosthetic hook, he was sidelined at recess until the other kids asked to play Peter Pan with him. Of course, he played Captain Hook — until he grew tired of it. The Boy Who Would Be Captain Hook takes a look at David Harrell’s childhood living with a disability as he tells the story of how he wished to change his own narrative and not be just the boy with a hook. The play is at 3 p.m. Saturday at Charles W. Eisemann Center, 2351 Performance Drive, Richardson. Visit eisemanncenter.com for more information and tickets ($25). Paige Skinner

KNON is the nonprofit, listener-supported community radio station that has been showcasing the blues in DFW for 20 years. From the up-and-coming, 11-year-old Jack Barksdale to headliners like the award-winning blues elders in Gregg A. Smith and the Blues Revue Band, the 20th annual KNON Blues Festival will be two days packed with Texas talent. Before hosting festivals, KNON released compilations of blues music from all over DFW. The radio station has brought blues a long way over the years and shows no sign of stopping. The festival will be held at Poor David’s Pub, where blues has been put on display in Dallas for over 40 years. Keeping up with what is seemingly a festival tradition, Dickey’s Barbecue will be available for $10 a plate. 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26-27 at Poor David’s Pub, 1313 Lamar St., $20-$150 at eventbrite.com. Jacob Vaughn

Blake Ward is one of the busiest DJs in Dallas, with four different weekly events and recently having taken up the management of his new Four Four Booking agency. He has a long-standing Saturday night Glamorama gig at Beauty Bar. As far as promotion goes, Ward is relentless, a perfect example of how to connect, inform and grow a DJ audience. 9 p.m. Saturday, Beauty Bar, 1924 N. Henderson Ave., free. Wanz Dover

Sunday

International Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Name doesn’t ring a bell? Then mark the day with a visit to the Dallas Holocaust Museum and Center for Education and Tolerance, 211 N. Record St., Suite 100. Remember, those who forget the past are … well, just doomed. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, and admission is $10 for adults, with discounts for kids and seniors. Find more information at dallasholocaustmuseum.org. Patrick Williams

Monday

Who doesn’t love The Bachelor? You? OK, no one asked you. Jeez. Well somebody loves it, because the entire franchise has spanned more than 40 seasons and people keep watching. This season, four Dallas women are vying for virgin Colton Underwood’s love and cherry as America watches. If you don’t have anyone to watch it and cringe over it with, then head to Steam Theory Brewing Co., 340 Singleton Blvd., Suite 100, at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, to bond with fellow Bachelor lovers at the Bachelor Nation Watching Party. Visit steamtheorybrewing.com for more information. Paige Skinner

Tuesday

Namo in West Village, 3699 McKinney Ave., is hosting a sake-tasting class from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Those attending will get six hand rolls matched with sakes from TYKU Sake, whose reps will be on hand to tell you what to look for in the traditional Japanese wine made from rice, water, yeast and koji (a kind of mold used in Japanese cuisine). Tickets are $50 at eventbrite.com. Patrick Williams

Wednesday

The Disney empire is a vast, all-encompassing thing. They’re the masters of the Ice Capades, one of the biggest names in Broadway and have a virtual lock on the kids pajama market. Now, their reach expands to the world of a cappella singing. Yep, the domain once reserved for Ivy League a-holes in striped jackets is now replete with mouse ears: meet DCappella, Disney Music’s a cappella super group. Assembled by Deke Sharon, who’s like the Lou Pearlman of the a cappella world, these seven men and women don’t need backing instruments. It’s just their sweet, sweet voices and sculpted eyebrows up onstage, belting out all your favorite Disney tunes at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, 1001 Performance Place, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30. Tickets to see the Disney-fied vocal acrobatics are $19.50 to $54.50 at axs.com. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

In Incognito, playwright Nick Payne tells three different stories to better explore the human mind. One is about Thomas Stoltz Harvey stealing the recently dead Albert Einstein’s brain. The other is about a man named Harvey undergoing brain surgery, and the third is about Martha, a clinical neuropsychologist making some changes in her life after her marriage falls apart. See the play Jan. 30 through Feb. 23 at Bryant Hall, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tickets start $25 at secondthoughttheatre.com. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Paige Skinner

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