It was just the other day that my husband caught me binge watching my new favourite show on Netflix. Somewhat surprisingly, he didn’t give me a bad time for being a couch potato like he usually would. As this was quite a departure from any other time I was caught in the couch-potato act, I asked him what was up. He told me that he finally had me figured out, at least when it came to how much I loved movies and would get completely swept up by a TV series. Huh, I thought.
So, I asked him to go on. He was quick to inform me of his latest observations, that what I was really doing when I became absorbed in a show of some kind was actually studying people and their behavior. Hmm, I thought, maybe he’s on to something.
This caused me to do a bit of self-exploration, which for me is always best carried out with a cool brew accompanied by a bowl of organic taco chips. A few minutes of navel-gazing later, I found enlightenment. As much as it pains me to say this, my husband is 100 per cent correct — at least when it comes to my television-watching habits.
My latest favourite series to binge watch is “House of Lies,” available on Netflix and starring the very handsome Don Cheadle. Now, before you go running for the remote, I want to warn you that this show has a lot of gratuitous swears and sex. Truth be told, I often find this series difficult to watch because it’s rather heavy on both. It’s just plain disturbing.
But, having recently watched a documentary featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the work of personal development guru Tony Robbins, I learned that the use of swear words, when deployed in the right way, can help shock a person into the moment. Perhaps removing emotional blocks through the (over)use of swear words and sex scenes — to better get at the heart of the show’s message — is what the writers and directors of “House of Lies” had in mind all along.
What I like best about this show is Don Cheadle as he plays the part of Marty Kaan, a hot-shot management consultant who makes the big bucks as he plays the big fish. A shark with a heart, Marty is motivated by money and morals, although the morality aspect quite often seems somewhat lacking. I won’t say too much about the story line, so as not to spoil it for you if you decide to give it a watch, but I will say the show goes through some pretty dramatic highs and lows, with loads of surprising twists and turns thrown in along the way.
Why do I like watching Don Cheadle develop the role of Marty Kaan so much? Because he is simply brilliant at what he does. From the moment I press “play,” I sit at the edge of my seat awaiting that one look, that one cut of his eyes to the camera, that will take my breath away.
These are the moments when Cheadle shares the deepest reaches of his character’s soul. To me, these few seconds of insight make spending the other 29 minutes watching the show worthwhile. It’s also what makes the show totally addicting. And, yes, I am well and truly hooked.
Binge watching to explore and better understand what we call “the human condition”—now that’s in our best interest.
For more in your best interest, follow Sheelagh @sheesays or visit www.ideagarden.net.
