What Is Team D+P Watching?

Believe it or not, when the D+P Team isn’t tirelessly plugging away, we enjoy a bit of television and film. Sure, we still get outside and play as much as we can, but on a rainy afternoon, or after dinner’s done and the dishes put away, we kick back on the couch and relax. Here’s what D+P has been watching – from online web series to documentaries to incredible reality television.

Amanda: Since April 2016, I’ve been obsessed with a YouTube series called BQ or Bust by Kelly Roberts. Kelly is your average runner who made a BIG goal of running a marathon in 3 hours and 35 minutes, qualifying her to enter the Boston Marathon. At that point, her fastest marathon was 3:59 so she set a hefty goal of shaving nearly 30 minutes off her time, and to help her do that, she hired a running coach. “BQ or Bust” is raw, real and shows the struggles most of us runners go through on a daily basis. Watching Kelly’s vulnerability helps me during my own training, as she gives me the courage to become a stronger, faster, and more powerful female runner (and person). I don’t want to spill the beans on whether she accomplished her goal or not, so if you’re interested you’ll have to watch for yourself. BRAGGING MOMENT: I’ll admit, I’m a total “fan girl” of Kelly and follow all her social media accounts. As part of her BQ training last year, she came to Philly for the Philadelphia Rock-n-Roll half marathon. I kept my eyes peeled to see her along the course and I DID!!! She even wrote about me in her blog post – it was magical!

Brianna: I recently saw the James Baldwin movie I Am Not Your Negro.  It was a beautifully done movie that is powerful and important for our time. Highly recommend!

Christine: To counter the daily dose of news coming out of Washington – or to exacerbate it, I’m not sure which – I’m faithfully watching Washington and White House-based dramas – chief among them, Madam Secretary and Designated Survivor.

Jay: 24 Legacy, Designated Survivor (still have a soft spot for Kiefer from the original 24) and Homeland. This must be why I can’t go to sleep at night! I’m too revved up from these shows.

John: As consumers, we are experiencing a glut of impeccable television programming right now. If only there was more time to watch it! The show that I’m most excited about is the final season of The Leftovers. After season two ended, viewers (all 15 of us!) were unsure whether HBO would renew the series. Luckily, they did. It’s the best show no one is watching (now that The Americans has finally garnered some accolades), so do yourself a favor and check it out. Oh, and I also watch RuPaul’s Drag Race, of course.

Michael: I recently watched the Academy Award-nominated film Lost in Translation – a story that follows the intersected path between an aging, faded movie star and a neglected 23-year-old college graduate, both of whom are on their own respective adventures in Tokyo. Both characters feel lost by their current life situations, exacerbated by the numerous cultural barriers around them, which paradoxically play a large part in bringing them even closer together. Their unlikely friendship is both heartwarming and thought-provoking, leaving the viewer with a number of questions at the end of the story. Ironically, the film’s message was lost on me after watching it for the first time when I was living in Japan years ago. (In my defense, I’m not sure I understood the deeper meaning behind anything when I was in fifth grade!)

Molly: One of my favorite shows that I watch consistently is Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The concept of a news show recapping the events of the previous week seems challenging since there is so much competition to be the first to report ‘breaking news,’ but because Last Week Tonight isn’t competing with 24-hour news networks, it allows Oliver to delve deeper into certain important issues, both domestic and international. He’s also interviewed the 14^th Dalai Lama and Edward Snowden, to boot. He uses his Comedy Central roots to inject humor into his delivery of well-researched, interesting feature stories. It airs Sundays at 11pm on HBO, but you can often find clips of each segment on YouTube if you don’t have a subscription.

Also, I (finally) started watching The Wire, and it’s fantastic (yes, I know everyone already knows that).

Paige: I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the biggest TV-watcher. Just ask anyone I’ve tried to watch a movie or show with recently, and you’ll probably hear the same response—that I eventually fall asleep! One exception to this rule? I love The Office. Something about the calamity of Michael Scott’s dysfunctional management and the laughable antics of the Dunder Mifflin gang bring me joy no matter how many times I’ve seen each episode. Although I have a funny feeling many of our readers might already know these fan favorites, a few suggested episodes for anyone who wants a good laugh: “Stress Relief Part I,” “Scott’s Tots,” and “Stress Relief.”

Sue: My TV picks are well-written TV shows that make me laugh, and my favorite is Speechless. The DVR is also set for The Big Bang Theory, Life in Pieces, Modern Family and Mom. I also carve out time to see a couple of movies a month in the theater. The most recent was BOSTON: The Documentary, an outing for our running club.  It was special to watch it with friends who have run the Boston Marathon many times.