Living in the age of the great content glut means there is no shortage of extremely good, often intense television to watch. The problem is, prestige TV sucks when you just need something to play on a screen while sorting laundry, making dinner, or fucking around on your phone. But don't fear, dear reader, for I and some of the VICE staff have compiled a list of the best shows streaming on Netflix and Hulu that you can watch when can't devote your attention to a show like Handmaid's Tale or Jessica Jones.
Forged in Fire (Hulu)
Forged in Fire is a History Channel bladesmithing competition reality show where four contestants are tasked with making a blade out of a surprise material in an extremely short amount of time. It's like Chopped but with knives instead of (boring) food. The two contestants who make it onto the final round are sent back home to their home forges (of course they have home forges) and given five days to make a notable sword from history. It might sound like a macho show, but its tone is actually quite sweet. The contestants are talented artisans and the judges really want them to succeed. If you're a fan of martial arts or watching someone use a sword to slaughter a ballistics dummy, this is the show for you.
Planet Earth and Planet Earth II (Netflix)
The world is a beautiful and interesting place, and David Attenborough's Planet Earth series shows that off impeccably. The gentle melody of Attenborough's voiceover explaining what's going on with majestic shots of nature and cute animals makes this show a must-see, even if you are too preoccupied to actually really listen to him. If you've already seen all of Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, do not fear. Netflix has many more Attenborough nature documentaries that are well worth your time.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians (Hulu)
Some people enjoy keeping up with the Kardashians, while others resent the fact that modern life requires them to. I fall into the former category. Regardless of your personal opinion of the Kardashian–Jenner clan, watching their family drama unfold is highly entertaining, and the show's pacing and plot lines are impeccably edited together.
American Ninja Warrior (Hulu)
If you're unfamiliar with American Ninja Warrior, buckle up because you're in for a treat. The show allows you watch a series of talented athletes attempt to complete insanely difficult obstacle courses, interspersed with heartwarming segments about how each contestant got to where they are today (they are on American Ninja Warrior). The surprisingly progressive element here is that people of any gender can compete, unlike many other sports-centric programming—one of the most famous contestants in American Ninja Warrior history (ANW history exists) is Kacy Catanzaro, a petit woman who did better than nearly all of the men. It's one of those shows where you go from "this is silly" to "this is great!" in about five minutes.
How It's Made (Hulu)
Every wondered how the gingerbread houses you buy in the store get made? How about wet suits or exercise bikes? How It's Made shows you just that, taking you inside the factories where the products we consume come to be. It is a little boring, a little hypnotic, and the perfect show to watch while you do something else. (Also good to watch while you're very stoned.)
House Hunters (Hulu)
Every episode of House Hunters is exactly the same. A man and a woman want to buy a house in Denver, where the husband has just gotten a job as a management consultant for a beverage company. The man wants something modern and move-in-ready, the woman wants something with "character" and "history." This, the tension between move-in-ready and fixer-upper, masculine and feminine, order and chaos, is the eternal conflict of the universe. The first house they see is very modern and stark, like where a character in a Netflix show lives. It is out of their budget. The second house is older, much more to the woman's taste, but the kitchen is hideous, but the backyard is large, but the second bedroom is tiny. The third house is a compromise, but it needs some work in the bathroom, can they afford to do that? It turns out they can and that it is fine. The last scene shows them in the house, maybe not ecstatic but happy enough, content in an American way. You are confident they will have children and their children will make the same journey, maybe on House Hunters itself because the show will never stop being on TV. It has always been on TV, it's just that no one could see the episodes before HGTV existed.
-Harry Cheadle, Senior Editor
Guy's Grocery Games (Hulu)
You either love Guy Fieri or you don't, but regardless of how you feel about insanely rich food or his frosted tips, you can't deny that his cooking reality competition show is a fun time. Contestants are given a meal to make, and have to use specific items from the grocery store where they film the competition. The food the contestants make almost never looks appetizing but the real point of the show is the goofin' around.
Gilmore Girls (Netflix)
Watching this show is like putting on a warm bathrobe—every character is flat in a pleasantly predictable way. Rory and Lorelai's banter is a mainstay. You can easily choose the season you will play in the background based off of which of Rory's boyfriends was your favorite.
–Nicole Clark, Staff Writer
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