Ok, people. You know what time it is. Time to start the new year. Out with the old, in with the new. Ditch the clutter, create space, clear your mind. Aaaahhhh … space …
If you’re a movie fan like me, you’ve probably got stacks and stacks and shelves and shelves of DVDs and blu-ray discs. But you know what? DVDs and blu-rays are sort of on their way out, thanks to streaming options like Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon Prime and Hulu. Heck, you can find episodes of a lot of shows right on the show’s official Web site.
So here’s my advice. Start culling your DVD and blu-ray collection, and see what you can pass along through sites like Listia. If you haven’t checked it out yet, hop through the link and take a look. You give away stuff you don’t want or need, and then earn credits for other stuff you DO want or need. Cool, huh? Good old-fashioned bartering with a cyber-twist, and someone else can enjoy the things currently collecting dust in your house.
Once you declutter all those DVDs and blu-rays, you’ll probably be wondering what to watch on Netflix or Amazon or Hulu, because there are a TON of choices. Here are my three recommendations to get you started. I happened to watch all of these on Netflix, but I’m sure they’re available elsewhere, too.
1. The Vampire Diaries: I am at this moment in the midst of watching this show for my Jane After Dark column. Well, not right this moment because I’m typing, but when the day’s work is done, I put on my headphones, fire up my iPad, and take a trip to Mystic Falls.
Oh that bad boy Damon. He makes me a little weak in the knees. I’m half-way through season three, so “Delena” hasn’t really reached the boiling point yet, but they’re heading that way. My 15-year-old is doing a really good job of not revealing spoilers.
2. Breaking Bad: It took me a while to get into this show, and here’s why. I had the DVD for season one, and started watching it, oh, a half-dozen times. Just couldn’t glom onto it. I didn’t like the idea of a show glorifying drugs and meth-making. But once I got past the first few episodes, it was all I could do not to camp out with the show and watch every episode one after the other. After season one, I watched seasons two through five-and-a-half on Netflix.
And it doesn’t glorify meth. If anything, you’ll be scared straight after watching Breaking Bad. See what I wrote about it for Jane After Dark. (Note: There’s a wee bit ‘o swearing in the clip below. Yeah, I forgot to tell you – there’s lots of swearing in this show.)
3. Doc Martin. This is on my must-watch list, so I will pass along what my friends say: Watch it. Watch it next. Don’t watch anything else until you watch Doc Martin. I do love British TV, and Acorn Media — the premiere distributor for all things British TV — is now streaming a TON of shows on AcornOnline.com.
As for Doc Martin, it stars Martin Clunes as a socially challenged doctor in Cornwall, England. It’s definitely next on my list, and the show will actually be available on AcornOnline starting Dec. 31, 2012.
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