TV series you can stream to celebrate America
You could check out the latest episodes of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” (9 p.m. Monday) and “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. Tuesday).
You could sample the newest installment of the Alicia Silverstone dramedy “American Woman” (10 p.m. Thursday, Paramount Network).
You could even camp out in front of your TV for one of those seemingly random “American Pickers” marathons that pop up every few days on History.
But if you really want to celebrate America from the comfort of your air-conditioned home this Fourth of July, binge on some of these all-American shows:
“I Love You, America” (Hulu)
Sarah Silverman steps outside her comfortable bubble to meet people from across the country in an attempt to genuinely understand viewpoints that are different than hers — and make a few jokes along the way.
“American Crime” (Netflix)
Felicity Huffman, Regina King and Timothy Hutton headline all three seasons of this socially aware anthology drama from “12 Years a Slave” screenwriter John Ridley, which originally aired from 2015 to 2017 on ABC.
“American Crime Story” (Netflix)
Not to be confused with “American Crime,” uber-producer Ryan Murphy followed up FX’s “American Horror Story” — the first six seasons of which can be streamed on Amazon, Hulu and Netflix — with this anthology series focusing on famous felonies, starting with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
“American Vandal” (Netflix)
Spoofing the glut of true-crime shows, this eight-episode comedy follows the tribulations of a high school senior who swears he’s innocent of a shocking crime: defacing the cars of 27 faculty members with drawings of male genitalia.
“Angels in America” (Amazon, HBO Go)
Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Jeffrey Wright and Mary-Louise Parker took home Emmys, part of the then-record 11 wins for this 2003 HBO adaptation of Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play set in 1985 against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis.
“American Gothic” (Hulu)
A horror drama about a corrupt sheriff (Gary Cole), who controls a small South Carolina town through his supernatural powers, and the ghost (Sarah Paulson) of a woman he murdered who tries to keep him away from her vulnerable little brother (Lucas Black) sounds like a sure thing. Sadly, the 1995 CBS drama lasted just one season in a case of wrong network, wrong century.
“Wet Hot American Summer” (Netflix)
One of the few things more quintessentially American than summer camp is the practice of casting actors in their 30s as teenagers. “First Day of Camp” and “Ten Years Later,” the prequel and sequel series to the 2001 cult comedy “Wet Hot American Summer,” bring you both, thanks to its stars including Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and, briefly, Bradley Cooper.
“The Greatest American Hero” (Hulu)
The comedic drama about a substitute teacher (William Kaat) who acquires a suit that gives him superpowers, then loses the instruction manual, ran from 1981 to 1983 on ABC. But it’s mostly remembered for its theme song, also known as “Believe It or Not,” that served as the basis for the message on George Costanza’s answering machine on “Seinfeld”: “Believe it or not, George isn’t at home … ”
“The Americans” (Amazon)
What could be more American than sitting back and watching while Russian agents (Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys) conspire to bring down our government?
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthe couch on Twitter.
