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Play TV catch up this weekend

Prepare to break out the popcorn, sweat pants and (if you’re 21 and up) the booze: fall break is almost here, and with it comes five solid days of uninterrupted opportunity to catch up on every show you always wanted to get into this year. Here at the Voice, we know this time is precious, so after exhausting research, we’ve outlined the shows that you absolutely must see to keep you from wasting valuable hours watching a dud like “Missing.” These are the shows that everyone will be talking about this year, and fall break is your best chance to join the club.

Homeland

This is hands down the top must-watch show right now. The drama cleaned up at the Emmy Awards a few weeks ago, winning for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Claire Danes) and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Damien Lewis) among others. These honors alone are enough to make it a must-watch, but the plot stands up to the hype.  Danes plays Carrie Matheson, a CIA analyst who goes rouge to try and stop a suspected terrorist. This is where the twist comes in. The suspected terrorist is an American war hero, former prisoner of war, politically connected and deathly attractive to boot. Enter Sgt. Nicholas Brody: charming, patriotic and internally damaged. The twists and turns of season one takes viewers on the drama ride of their lives, and you will be guessing who the real bad guy is until the finale. This is definitely a top priority for your fall break watch list.

The Walking Dead 

This show is terrifying. Like, genuinely scary. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You will be checking closets and peeking around corners for at least an hour after you watch it. With that said, it is also awesome. I am not one for scary movies or horror or anything, but this show is more than gore. The apocalyptic plot is nothing new but “The Walking Dead” uses an emotional aspect previously untapped on end of the world epics. You will jump, you will cry, you will even laugh at the witty one-liners and eventually humorous zombie killings. It is not a happy-go-lucky show, but that is what makes it good. The writers are not afraid to make the viewers mad. The third season starts soon, so the break is a good time to have a two-season marathon on Netflix. Try and watch it with a buddy, though. Then you can bond over a shared hatred of Laurie (which will happen immediately) and you may be at least a little less terrified. Also, your head might explode after the season two finale, so you’ll want someone to freak out about it with.

Newsroom

“Newsroom” was the unquestionable runaway hit of the summer. As a journalist, I loved the truthfulness it revealed about the news of today and the dream it promoted of the legendary Cronkite era newsrooms returning. Aaron Sorkin did not disappoint; “Newsroom” is just awesome on all levels. The characters are likeable and funny without being too cheesy. The fact that it centers around actual events is great too, because you know what is going to happen before they do and yet the story still draws the viewer in. Even if you never watch the news, watch “Newsroom.” It takes about two episodes to get into but once you’re in, you’ll be hooked, and since it had a short season, it won’t take long to get caught up.

 

30 Rock

Excuse me while I cry inside a little for the final season of 30 Rock; I just can’t really imagine life without Liz Lemon. Catching up on the whole series is not feasible for fall break, but considering this is going to be the last run around for the TGS crew, there a few choice seasons you need to watch. Namely, the first and last, simply because they will give you an appreciation for the genius that is Tina Fey as Liz Lemon, TV’s best protagonist ever. Big boss Jack Donaghey’s wife is kidnapped by Kim Jong Il, creating one of the funniest story lines in NBC history and starring Margaret Cho as the pint size dictator. Other must-see moments include the Meat Cat episode of season 4, aptly named “Season 4.” Watch that once, sing the cheesy blasters song and I promise you your life will be just a little bit better forever. 30 Rock is one of those shows that you don’t have to follow compulsively to find hilarious. It is always silly and over the top, but it brings an air of intelligent lightness to television that will be deeply missed. So pour some on the curb for my people at the Rock and take a few hours to laugh. Lemon out!

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