All-American TV

BY: Zak Wojnar

Every year, in the middle of Summer, Americans celebrate Independence Day, July 4. Whether one is overtly patriotic or simply grateful to have been lucky enough to be born in America, the “shining city upon a hill,” the Fourth of July is a great day to hang out with family and friends, eat good food, and just have a good time.

Speaking of this lovely country which Provokr calls home, here are five of our favorite shows which, for better or worse, are distinctly American.

American Woman

The recently-launched Paramount Network is in hot water due to their unceremonious dropping of the highly-anticipated Heathers TV series. While that series (featuring original star and all-time sex bomb, Shannen Doherty) is being shopped around to other networks, attention has turned to American Woman as Paramount’s flagship series. Starring Alicia Silverstone and Mena Suvari, the 1970s-set half-hour comedy follows mothers and housewives who find themselves emboldened by second-wave feminism. An empowering look at an era through the eyes of those who scraped their way towards independence, American Woman is inspired by the childhood of Real Housewives star, Kyle Richards.

American Horror Story

Ryan Murphy can do no wrong. Between Glee, Feud, and the criminally-underrated Scream Queens, the mega-producer is one of the most esteemed names in show business. One of his greatest and longest-running sagas is the anthology series, American Horror Story. Each season explores a different theme, often uniquely related to Americana, with a rotating cast who play different roles in the different seasons. Recurring actors include Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Kathy Bates. From witches to aliens, haunted houses, cults, and everything in between, there’s something here for every type of horror fan. The upcoming eighth season, due out in September on FX, will be a crossover between Murder House (season one) and Coven (season 3).

The Americans

Don’t let the title fool you; the lead characters in The Americans are anything but. Set in the 1980s, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys play Soviet sleeper agents assigned with the daring task of undermining America and winning the Cold War for Russia. Known for its palpable tension, deep characterization, fiery chemistry between its leads, and brief bursts of graphic violence, The Americans is a TV spy drama without peer. After six seasons, the show finally ended its run in May of 2018. The first five seasons are available to stream on Amazon Prime. Presumably, the sixth and final set of episodes is forthcoming on the streaming service.

American Crime Story

Returning to the world of Ryan Murphy, another breakthrough hit of his is American Crime Story, an anthology series which focuses on a different ‘crime story’ every year. Combining old-timey melodrama with historical fact, ACS uses the magic of television to get to the truth of its subject matter. Season one, The People Vs OJ Simpson, was an awards season smash hit, earning a shocking nine Emmy awards, including acting nods for Courtney B. Vance and Sarah Paulson. Season two, which just aired earlier in 2018, focused on the Assassination of Gianni Versace and earned significant acclaim for its acting and scripting. Next year, season three will focus on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on an unsuspecting New Orleans.

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later

Depending on who you ask, Wet Hot American Summer is one of the greatest comedies of all time. A no-holds-barred celebration of jolly absurdity and rapid-fire sight gags, the film developed a cult following thanks to its inherent rewatchability and amazing cast of future stars who had yet to achieve major fame in 2001: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Elizabeth Banks, and many more, it’s amazing to see so many actors, all on the cusp of superstardom, together in one wacky film.

Fourteen years later, in 2015, Netflix revived the brand for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. Reuniting the entire original cast (plus some newcomers like Chris Pine, Jason Schwartzman, and Michael Cera) First Day had a gloriously absurd premise; a prequel to the original, set several weeks earlier, the show featured the cast reprising their roles, despite mostly being in their late 40s… Playing high school students. The subsequent Netflix follow-up, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, wraps things up in a nice, neat bow or ridiculous insanity.

Finally, there’s a documentary, Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot, which features tons of behind-the-scenes footage of the original movie. The best part is, the entire Wet Hot American Summer saga is available on Netflix. Honestly, we can’t think of a better way to spend July 4 (or any day of the year), than grilling up some burgers (or vegan options), cracking open a beer (or a finely aged bottle of red wine), and watching Wet Hot American Summer all day long.