The 3 Best TV Shows I’ve Watched in 2017

We’re over halfway done with the year, and, just like last week, I’m back with my mid-year roundup of favorites! 

Last week I shared my three favorite books I’ve read so far this year, so this week I’m going to cover my three favorite TV shows I’ve watched in 2017. Let’s get started!

1. Anne with an E

When I was growing up, the Anne of Green Gables series was one of my absolute FAVORITES, so I was so over the moon when I found out that Netflix was making their own adaptation. 

The show, which we’ve talked about on CF before, follows the life of orphan Anne Shirley and her misadventures while living with her foster family, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. 

Wildly imaginative, creative, and optimistic, but also insecure, anxious, and quick to temper, Anne has been a relatable and beloved literary icon for generations, and the best part about the show is just how exceptionally it represents her complicated personality. 

I know some fans of the book were upset at how gritty and somber the show can be, especially when compared to the events in the book. (I’ll admit, it threw me a little at first, too.) However, I felt that the new tone made the show interesting and compelling. It’s definitely enjoyable if you abandon the “it must be exactly like the book” mentality. 

The entire first season is available to stream on Netflix, and the show has been picked up for a second! 

Shirt – Forever 21, Boots – DSW, Bracelet – Charming Charlie, Skirt – ASOS, Flower Crown – Forever 21, Purse – Signals

This look is inspired by Anne’s whimsical, eccentric personality! 

Anne is always fantasizing about being a lost princess or romantic heroine, so start with a pale pink tulle skirt, then accessorize with a lavender flower crown, pink jeweled bracelet, and a book-shaped purse. 

To counter Anne’s whimsy with her fiery spirit, fill in the missing pieces of the look with pieces like these edgy cranberry combat boots and a striped t-shirt. 

2. Your Lie in April

You didn’t think I was gonna make this list and not include an anime, did you? Even if you’ve never watched one before, this is a good one to start with, as it’s a “slice of life” anime instead of one of the more supernatural/sci-fi-esque ones. 

Your Lie in April is basically a John Green novel, animated.

In the show, piano prodigy Kousei Arima has lost his will (and consequentially his ability) to play after the death of his coldhearted, abusive mother, who had forced him to practice with pure technique and no emotion. 

Kousei is content to see the world in monochrome, devoid of any passion or drive, until he meets the beautiful, free-spirited violinist Kaori Miyazono. She soon draws him back into the world of music by showing him what a life full of color, passion, and symphony can be. 

Okay sure, the manic-pixie-dream-girl trope is overdone, but it’s an anime. It gets a pass. The characters are precious, the story is compelling, and the animation is absolutely breathtaking. All episodes are available to stream on Netflix!

Warning: This show will most likely make you cry. Like I said, it’s basically a John Green novel, so you know what to expect. 

Earrings – Etsy, Tote – Society6, Dress – Dollskill, Headphones – Amazon, Shoes – H&M

This look is based on Kaori’s personality (like I said, she’s a bit of a manic-pixie-dream-girl, so I’m taking that as an excuse to go pastel-crazy). 

Start with a lacy lavender spaghetti-strap dress (perfect for summer), then slip on some white flats. To allude to Kaori’s musical prowess, tote a violin-printed bag and get some musical inspiration of your own with some pale pink headphones. 

Finally, reference Kaori’s intense sweet tooth with some pastry-shaped earrings. 

3. The Handmaid’s Tale

You’ve heard of this show. You’ve probably seen the show. (If you haven’t seen the show, what are you doing? Go watch the show!) Not only is this one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, it’s one of the most culturally relevant and important as well. 

Based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of Offred, a woman kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery along with all other fertile women under a misguided effort by the government to counteract a worldwide “plague” of infertility. The women are assigned to become “handmaids” to wealthy government officials and their infertile wives, forced to bear their children, and stripped of all basic human rights, offenses such as writing or attempting to escape punishable by death. 

Believe me, the premise is terrifying and even I was a little scared to watch it. However, the show is enormously important for EVERYONE, not just women, to watch. And, you know, the show is visually stunning, beautifully scripted, and incredibly performed. 

What other excuses do you need? GO WATCH IT. All episodes are available on Hulu, and the show has been picked up for a second season. 

Bracelet – Etsy, Necklace/Earrings Set – Hot Topic, Pins – Tictail, Shirt – ModCloth, “Equality” necklace – Etsy, Tote – Forever 21

Obviously I’m not going to put together an outfit based on the red cloaks that serve as an icon of the handmaids’ servitude. Instead, here are some of my feminist fashion picks from around the web. 

My feminist fashion and accessory picks include a “The future is still female” shirt, a “feminist” tote, and jewelry proclaiming slogans like “feminist af” and “touch me and die”. Don’t let the patriarchy get you down, ladies. 

What do you think? 

Will you be watching any of these shows? If you’ve already seen them, what did you think?