Steph Paints: Zootropolis

So I was given a new sketchbook for Christmas and I was stuck on what to use if for. It's taken 3 months but I have finally decided to use it for 'Most anticipated films of the year!' Starting from this month I will post a painting every couple of weeks of the films I am most looking forward that month.
This month is 'Zootropolis' who doesn't love a Disney right?! Animal based Disney films have always been my favourite, The Lion King, Oliver And Company, Lady And The Tramp, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, I could be here forever.

This film has a pretty awesome voice cast including Ginnifer Goodwin voicing Judy Hopps; a cop Rabbit, Jason Bateman voicing Nicholas P. Wilde; a con artist Fox, Idris Elba voicing Chief Bogo; a Cape Buffalo, Octavia Spencer voicing Mrs Otterton, you guessed it an Otter. And even Shakira voicing Gazelle; a popstar!
Definitely a must see for me!

Free App Friday - Duolingo

Apple's Free App of the Year!

Learning and speaking another language always seemed like such a cool thing growing up. Most of the kids on my favourite shows could speak another language, at least a little, and I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to impress people when I ate out at restaraunts and didn't stumble over the Italian names. (A skill I have yet to master. Also, I was eight, I never went to restaurants, unless you count McDonalds.) I wanted to be able to greet everyone in French and rant angrily in Spanish - something I still cannot do coherently in English.

I wanted this so badly as a youngster that I tried to convince my parents to buy me Rosetta Stone. But, sadly, my dad declared it a rip off - as he did with anything that wasn't free - and insisted on trying to teach me the limited Spanish he knew from his times living up in the mountains in Malaga, where he was surrounded by other English people. Safe to say that by the age of ten, I knew all the Spanish swear words and several jokes about his friend with the name C. A. Jones, but couldn't ask you how you were.

Then, at the ripe old age of 21, I found Duolingo.

To level up, users have to gain Lingots. These are gained by finishing a skill and practicing for several days in a row (even just for five minutes, if that's your goal). You can then use those Lingots to use in the store to buy things like Power-ups and Bonus Skills (which includes some hilarious flirting translations).

My nephews (well, two of them, 6 & 7) were intrigued by the little green owl icon on my phone (don't act like that isn't the cutest green owl you've ever seen) and decided to play it. They sat quietly for over an hour guessing the words and learning new phrases, cheering as the owl celebrated their ten day streak with them. I mean, I completed the other nine, but they wasn't paying attention enough to that, they were just happy they were winning their game. It's been a few weeks now and pretty much the only word they remember is 'Hola!' which they like to yell at random moments at the top of their lungs.

Duolingo is great as long as you don't mind the Spanish word for sandwich being stuck on repeat in your head at all times. (It's emparedado in  case you were wondering. See, the app works!)

Duolingo is a free app (doi!) that  can be found on both Android and Apple phones. Whether you're serious about learning a new language or just want to go at your own pace, Duolingo allows you to set your own targets and goals. And there's an online version too, so you can practice on your phone and on your computer. There's even a little reminder that pops up on your phone when it's time to practice.

There' a whole range of languages too - I have no idea what they are because I only chose Spanish, but there is a pretty impressive range. (Okay, with a little research, I found out that there are 23 different languages - all completely free!) Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portugese, Swedish, the list goes on.

Founded by Louis von Ahn and Severin Hacker (Please, take a long moment, those names are really cool) and built on the belief that 'free education will really change the world' this is a handy, well intentioned app that benefits everybody. The language-learning platform is constantly adapting and creating new ideas, with new courses for languages such as Hungarian, Hebrew and even Klingon in development. In the last year or so, Duolingo has released a new programme that allows teachers to use the site in schools and focus on each individual student's strengths and weaknesses when it comes to languages.

The app is easy to use and comes in different categories - from basics to medical talks to pronouns. And it uses both written and audio forms of learning, so you can hear and speak the sentences as you learn them. You can even add friends and compete with them.

The Living Sitch - with a boyfriend

So, when me, Billie and Steph were discussing the topics and subject we could talk about/post about - we wanted the posts to relate to each other, to get three different viewpoints on a the same type of issue. The first ride we realised and then went with was the fact we all have different living situations; I live with my boyfriend, Billie lives by herself and Steph with her parents and brothers. 

I took the adult step in August 2015 to move in with my boyfriend - it was fast. We had technically only been together for 5 months, ideally we wouldn’t have even mentioned it for the next 6. But situations arose and long story short, the most logical ending was us moving in together. We discussed it, in length, and we believed in our relationship, that although it was a lot earlier than either of us would’ve liked, so we took the plunge. 

We’ve been in our little house for 6 months now, we’ve had highs and lows aplenty in those six months and now we find ourselves ready to celebrate a year together.
It was a culture shock, living a lot more independently than I am used too. I come from a household with a doting mother, she did a lot for me, more than I like to admit as a 23 year old. I should’ve done more, and now I do lot more. I, however, enjoyed the challenge, my first real grown adult step in life. I rent - I live with a boy! (I know, I know). 

Living with a boy is strange to begin with. Living with a person you’ve never lived with before is weird. You come from completely different households that do small things different ways. I come from a household go wash tabs, he from cap in the washing machine. I come from a household that ate cheese (a lot of), he hates cheese, can’t even stand the smell. I come from a household filled with veggies, he doesn’t like those either. It’s a lot of learning and a lot of compromise. 

I don’t like gammon, he loves gammon, we buy it bi monthly. He doesn’t like veggies, I love me some veggies, I buy frozen bags so I can have side portions. 

I am terrified of spiders - he gets rid of them. 

We balance each other in a lot of ways - I like to do the washing up and the clothes washing - he’ll scrub that oven until it gleams, same with the bath and that nasty bit of mould crawling in from the window. We take turns cooking, take turns doing the food shop, take turns vacuuming. Once you find a balance it easily settles into a routine of sorts. 

We annoy each other - of course we do! Neither of us have lived with a partner before, sheesh, neither of us had spent more than a few days with each other consecutively, and now here we are, seeing and interacting every day! He will almost always, leave his towel on the floor. EVERY DAMN TIME. It’s not even that big a deal, and it frustrates me to no end. I can guarantee I annoy him in certain little ways too! But we moan to each other, we have a joke that we sound like an old married couple - he’ll remember to pick the towel up for a week, then forget again. It’s not going to change and I’ve accepted that I’ll probably be picking the towel up for the foreseeable future. In the grand scheme of things - I’m okay with that. He’s accepted that I’m going to fill the house with as many books as I possibly can - it’s compromise.

It’s a strange and sometimes hard adjustment, I not being used to constant interaction, go quiet and into myself, and he believes something has upset me. It’s cute but this is just the time I would be in my room having some ‘me’ time. Now, he knows what this is and we both understand the importance of me time. Times to ourselves, it’s a necessity. 

Sure, from time to time I’ll miss the simplicity of living with my parents - less rent, instant food, far less housework. I miss my dog more than words can comprehend, my little bundle of constant affection that could brighten any day. But, I wouldn’t go back now, I don’t think I could. I enjoy my ‘own’ place. I like being able to make it myself; I recently bought a bookcase and I made and decorated it myself. I have come to understand the term ‘house proud’. 

I made a big step - one I do not regret. I get to wake up to my lovely boyfriend every morning (usually annoyed cause he’s a outrageous bed hog), but it’s a really nice way to wake up. 

I’m going to stop now, because I’m getting soppy and no-one wants that. Look out for future posts from Billie and Steph about how they find their living situations. And let us know about yours! We’d love to hear from you. Also keep an eye out for more ‘stalgia Sunday, Free App Friday, reviews and Steph’s drawings - they’re amazing :-)

Free App Friday: Marvel - Contest of Champions

This week’s Free App Friday deviates into mobile gaming. Mobile gaming is a big market, the introduction of the iPhone and the App Store, mobile gaming is a big deal. There are thousands upon thousands of games available for your phone through the App Store if you’re an iPhone user, and the various different stores for the various types of Android powered phone; such as Google’s Play Store, which is the one I use for my Nexus 6P.
Browsing through the millions of apps available for your smartphone can be a tiresome task, going through them all and deciding if this app is worth it? It’s a lot of effort, there’s a lot of apps! I know I’ve spent more time than I like to admit, just scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling, trying to find something I can get invested in. An app I won’t mind that takes up more memory than I would like, especially as I don’t have much to spare. Do any of us?

So flashback a week ago, when I found myself browsing (again) and I found Marvel Champions - unless you’ve been under a rock, superheroes are a big deal these days. They are now mainstream entertainment - with a different superhero movie coming out in cinemas at least three times a year, Netflix have the rights to at least 3 different Marvel superheroes so now they’re taking over the small screen too.
And now they have reached an even smaller screen (although many a joke have been made that my phone screen is not actually that small..), Marvel Champions is a fighting game featuring various characters of many levels of fame; from Wolverine to Black Panther, Captain America to Black Bolt - there’s many a hero to suit the different degree of superhero knowledge around today.

The concept of the game is to go on quests to compete against Kang; the challenger. You then win crystals, gold and other components needed to level up your heroes and uncover higher lvel ones. It’s a fun to play game, that involves planning and strategy, using your heroes wisely on these quests. You can join an Alliance with other players and go on Alliance quests. This game is a good way to kill time - and kill your battery (just a warning). Once you get the hang of it, it doesn’t seem as complicated as it might at first. The actual fighting concept of the game is also easy to grasp - swipe right to attack, hold right to strong attack and hold left to block. You can then read your opponents and know when is best to do all of these - and for someone who's mobile gaming catalogue stretches as far as Head's Up and Ninjump, I picked this up surprisingly quickly. 

For a free app that doesn't acquire (well, as far I've gotten, Level 8!!) any in app purchases, I highly recommend this app. If you have any fun mobile games that you'd recommend please let me know, I love to try new ones out! 

P.s. As a side note for those of you who do read this blog, it is mainly going to be me (Katy) posting for the next week or so, due to Billie and Steph having a whole load on in their personal lives, just a heads up! Expect lots of ranting reviews and inconsistent weekly's! I try, I fail, what can I say?

'stalgia Sunday: X-Men: The Animated Series

I grew up watching a lot of television, I don’t want to regale you of how I didn’t have that many friends and didn’t ‘play out’ often - what a fun tale! I was fine with it, it genuinely never bothered me. So, instead, I read a lot of books and watched a lot of television. 

TV shows when I was younger were great - Cartoon Network ruled the roost, with the likes of; The Powerpuff Girls, Tom & Jerry, Scooby-Doo etc, then I discovered Fox Kids. 

What a revelation. 

Fox Kids was great, unfortunately it ceased to be in 2002 and I remember being incredibly sad about this, for then, where was I supposed to watch one of my favourite TV shows? On repeat?!

X-Men: The Animated Series. What a show. X-Men are my favourite concept from Marvel. (Apart from the film franchise, don’t talk to me about the film franchise. EVER). This TV is the origin of my interest and I did all the research on the mutants and even read some comics online - the only comics I’ve ever read to this date have all been X-Men related. 

The TV show was great - yes it adapted and changed the comic storylines more than the films and yet because it sparked my interest I’m okay with that? I’m a massive hypocrite apparently. It featured the X-Men right however, their personalities were the focal point of this show. The gruff and moody Logan/Wolverine.The charming and smooth-talking Gambit. The calming and steadfast Storm. So many personalities, that the clashes between them were an appeal, just like real-life they had many differences, and they had to resolve those. It knew when to be serious and when to inject some humour in, a well-balanced show.
It was also all about team-work and putting as your differences and problems to come together to defeat the greater evil - even when that is your own teammate (Dark Phoenix Saga). 

Now, this is going to be a long one, a whirlwind of emotion as I talk to you about Rogue. No, no push that movie version from your mind, that is not Rogue. Rogue is not a moping, whining, sad woman. NO. Rogue is a bad-ass motherfucker, a southern belle that will beat you up for looking at her wrong. Rogue was my first and forever role model. 

The yellow and green suit, the green/brown cool-ass bomber jacket, the big beautiful curls. Rogue was/is everything. She was the best. She could and would take down any man, any mutant, anything. Why? Because she’s Rogue. She could fly, she could break down walls (literally), she could touch you AND KILL YOU.
Rogue was a great character for these reasons alone, but also because she was full of so many layers (like an onion…). She knew she could save so many lives, so she sacrificed every being able to touch a person - even just a hug, for the sake of mankind. How can you not love her?
That is the beauty of this show - so many of the leading characters were female, and they were powerful, they were equal, they were flawed - and that was okay! This was such a good show for me, as a female to grow up watching. 

Right, i’m going to move on from the outrageous love I have for Rogue. I mean, I definitely could’ve gone on, but you should just watch it and fall in love with her yourselves. 

Another reasons this show was one and still definitely is one of my favourite - superpowers. I always, always, always wanted a superpower, even just a lame one. C’mob this was a show about a school for people with superpowers (mutant gene - therefore just evolved humans but SUPERPOWER). Behind Hogwarts - I wanted to be able to go to Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. 

Essentially, for a kids TV show about people with superpowers - it was definitely accessible for adults. Hell, I found out it was on Netflix and binge-watched it in about 2 days. So you guys, go and do that. I mean, bring snacks and settle right in. You’ll thank me!

Free App Friday - Rightmove

Back again! A somewhat consistent, recurring series that we hope to continue along with ‘stalgia Sunday and a few others that will pop up sometime in the few weeks - but we all work shifts that change every week, without fail, so it is entirely dependant on that! We are aiming for weekly, but for now it might be bi-weekly as we settle into routines and plan fitting this blog in around our everyday lives.

So, back to Free App Friday, last time I focused on Instagram, this time is about the Rightmove app. I moved in my new, and first house without my parents, and with my boyfriend six months ago (more on that in a post coming your way soon! Shameless promo) and the process was made incredibly simple by this app. It’s so incredibly easy to use, the layout, the steps and then being able to contact the estate agents - so impressively easy to navigate.

This isn't going to earn any design awards, it’s basic, it’s blue and green - the company’s colours. It’s simplistic but not for an innovative design, just because there’s no need to over-complicate it. That’s why it works.

Whilst using this app, you are able to set price points, the type of living you want - whether that be a flat, a house, a house-share, or a house-boat! The distance of the surrounding area, all done in the form of simple drop down boxes.

Then scrolling through the houses, flats etc, it gives you snippets of information, all the important  stuff, so you don’t have go trolling through jargon and numbers - just the essential information that will make or break whether you will even consider that house. It (if it is available) will give you, photos and floor-plans, view it on a map, school checkers (if you need it), and then two bright orange buttons enabling you to call or email the estate agents dealing with that house, I mean it when I say this app is simple!

I found my lovely little two bed through this app, and I adore my house and making it my own. And I may have never found it without Rightmove.

Come back every (other, potentially) Friday for more great free app recommendations! If you have any free apps you love and can’t live without, let me know!

Deadpool - by Steph

So this is a quick sketch I did after watching Deadpool with these two lovely ladies the other day. This film is by far the best Marvel film I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. It is everything a Marvel/Deadpool fan can expect and more! (Just ask Billie.. Or maybe not... She might just make inhuman noises at you) 

'Staglia Sunday: Heroes - The Rock

Know Your Damn Role.

Every week or so, we've decided that we want  to do what all the cool '90's kids do and do a throwback post (because the '90's was the best time, every body knows that. The fashion alone, I mean...). So we made a list of all the things we want to revisit from our  childhoods and each week one or both of us will pick something we want to talk about. This week for Throwback ...Sunday ('Stalgia Sunday? I'll work on it.) I've decided to pick Idols and Heroes.

I was never that kid who had one solid hero, I was far too indecisive (it is, by far, my worst trait. Second to my overuse of commas). I drew my inspirations from traits of all my favourite people - my humour was based on Jim Carrey, who I had begun impersonating from the age of three when I watched Ace Ventura for the first time. My love of books and my stubborn independence stemmed from my adoration for Matilda, and my boyish attitude and hatred for baths came from picking up a Beano comic every week at the local newsagents.

Growing up, even into my teen and eventually adult years, I kept most of those people as heroes and maintained most of the things I had learned from them. On my name badge at work, Matilda is still listed as my favourite film and when Liar Liar came to Netflix, I watched it twice in one day. And three more times since. (Although, I gave up my hatred for baths, I am now very fond of them. Sorry, Dennis!)

My indecisiveness on this, however, came to an end when I was six years old.  Yes, I still loved Matilda and Jim Carrey and Dennis The Menace. But in 1998, I saw for the first time, the man that would very quickly become My Hero. (yes, the caps are necessary.)

When I was six, I was introduced to The Rock. Now, I don't know if it was the long sideburns, the confidence, the eyebrow raise or just the way that he knew how to work a crowd. But at six years old when I snuck downstairs way past my bedtime and watched the little television in the corner of the living room that was mostly static and noise, I fell in love. On the screen there was a ring and in that ring there was a man who was yelling about something and he had the entire audience going insane all around him and he had them all chanting his name. I decided right there and then that I was either going to BE this man, or I was going to marry him.

At 23, I have to say that of all the decisions I made back when I was a child, that was the best one (Matilda was still a pretty solid choice, Mara Wilson turned out pretty great if her Twitter is anything to go by). I no longer wish to marry The Rock (though I wouldn't say no, who would?) and I no longer wish to be him, but I do continue to be inspired by him. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is not only one of the most successful men in the entire world, not only is he one of the most recognisable faces on the planet, he's also one of the friendliest. He's as loyal to his fans as they are to him and has never lost sight of who he was before his life changed for the better. He is a born entertainer and he just brims with positivity. A positivity that was, unfortunately, lacking in the years when I was growing up. My positivity and my happiness came in the form of Saturday morning TV, watching The Rock layeth the smacketh down on some poor, probably deserving soul.

Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent watching Smackdown and Raw, and those afternoons were spent practicing my own version of those moves with my then-step-cousin. We made wrestling rings out of our mattresses and covered ourselves in bruises trying to out-maneuver one another and, for a long time, those weekends made me the happiest I could ever imagine being. 

I wore The Rock's t-shirts proudly growing up, and I still do now. I watch his films and follow his Instagram and support him in all the ways I know how. I was a chubby, blonde haired tomboy from a small town in the UK and for some reason, I saw some kind of magic in Dwayne Johnson. I chose him as a hero and an idol then, and I continue to choose him as one today. He has been open about his struggles with depression and he is open with his fans, telling them stories of darker times and encouraging people, giving them the beliefs that they can get through their struggles, just like he got through his.  

More recently, I had a minor surgery that put me on bedrest for a week, and to get through it I surrounded myself, firstly, with good people and, secondly, with ice cream (because I was recovering and it's allowed). I then spent the rest of my time binge watching The Rock's old WWE matches and, I swear, they actually helped heal me. (Well it was that or the strong medication I was put on. It could be either.) (and yes, I'm aware that wrestling is fake, but ten year old me would've fought you over it.)

Coming up in the 90s and 00s nostalgia post (other than a better title, which will definitely, probably happen) we will be talking about our favourite shows, activities, our aspirations, favourite sweets (does anyone remember Fizzy Jerks?) etc. etc.

So until then - who are your childhood heroes? Are they still people that you look up to today? Let us know!

Free App Friday - Instagram

I am not ashamed to say that i am mildly (overly) obsessed with Instagram. Since it’s introduction to the world in 2010, the popularity of Instagram has sky rocketed more than probably it’s developer could’ve ever dreamed of - sold to Facebook is 2012 for a sum near the billion mark of cash and stocks (yes, yes i said around a BILLION pounds - not even exaggerating right now), Instagram’s popularity just keeps soaring, more so than it’s now parent company, Facebook and the likes of Twitter as well. 

I started using Instagram in late 2011, and haven’t looked back. It easily became my favourite app, and all you have to do is take a bloomin’ photo! Granted - Instagram itself gives you a few editing tools to tweak your photos to make them better, and those oh so talked about filters. But, now there are more and more apps available outside of Instagram to edit your photos, including a condensed handheld version of Photoshop. 

It’s simple, easy to use - and an easy way to keep up with the happenings in everyones life, without going through the dregs of ‘inspirational’ life quotes and ‘funny’ vines/memes that flood Facebook and the outrageous amounts of Tweets you read through to find one by someone you actually care about. 

Yes, people will complain all people do on Instagram is post photos of their dinner, or their gym workout, or their super cute nail art. AND WHY NOT. Yes, your dinner looks damn delicious, serve me up some. Yes, you work those lats, you look super fly doing it. YES, your nails are damn cute, can you some and do mine, because if I do it, it looks like a 5 year old attempted it for me. 

Sure, it can get slightly boring and repetitive, how many photos of the book I’m reading this week do you wanna see? Eh, not many, but others do. I appreciate a good #shelfie, I really do. But you gain followers who then share the same interests and you know what? A few likes can brighten your day. And if it does? Then I’ll like every damn one of your photos so you have some sunshine in your life. It means someone else enjoys you taking the effort to post. I CAN ENJOY PEOPLE APPRECIATING MY FACE. DO NOT CALL ME VAIN. I look good today - I am going to share this, for some people, that is a rarity and it should be celebrated.

Instagram is accessible. It’s going to have a few trolls and absolute a-holes. But, so does my street and most likely yours. 

So my Free App Friday - goes to reliable ole Insta. Long may you reign. 

The 5th Wave - a trickle not tidal.

The 5th Wave, is yet another young adult adaptation to come from the Twilight phase. We all know the Twilight phase - film studios buying rights to young adult fiction in the hope it will reach the ‘success’ of the Twilight franchise. I use the term success loosely because the films were a level of awful I will save for another post or just my brain, but they were a such a cash cows that other studios wanted a bit of the action. The only other franchise to really reach these heights are The Hunger Games - due to better production, better actors and more appeal to a wider audience - it was more than a slightly awkward and creepy love story. 

So, here we have one more thrown our way. The 5th Wave was written by Rick Yancey and is part of a trilogy, with the third and final instalment due out May this year. I went into the film, having finished the book a few days before, so I had an inkling of what to expect and, something I hate doing - what I wanted from the film. 

What I got from the film was little more than your average film. Unfortunately, it skipped past creating any real relationships, other than that of the lead character; Cassie (Chloe Moretz) and of course, the main love interest, Evan Walker (Alex Roe). The only other relationship given any time is that between her and her younger brother, Sam (also referred to as Sams/Sammy/Nugget), as this is the driving story-arch throughout the film. The mother and father are killed off relatively early and it doesn’t really affect you in any sense, the same with the supposed ‘best friend’ - gone without a mention. 

Chloe Moretz pretty much pushes the film through with her performance - after making a breakthrough performance in the Kick-Ass film, she truly is a an actress to watch. She pulls you into her character and the world she is now adapting to - she also narrates sporadically (thank you Clueless for that word) over the film - to bring you up to scratch with the events. I enjoyed the narration - it brings a new emotional depth, again thanks to Moretz’ range. The rest were watch-able, there were no other remarkable performances - they were by no means bad, I have seen so much worse (i.e Twilight), but again, no-one else stood out either. 

As a fan of the book, I knew that parts would be omitted. It happens during an adaptation, books are incredibly detailed, you can’t transfer all of that to screen, you’d be sat there for hours on end. So cuts have to be made, and for the most part, they did that well. But, they also cut the parts where the relationships were built, the foundation was lain. Sure, and understandably; they built up Cassie and Evan, it’s the driving force of the film. But the relationships between the squad - Zombie, Nugget, Ringer and the rest whose name we never really learn but we are meant to affected by their deaths, it doesn’t work. The relationship between them is there, but we never get  real connection. 

Overall, if you're looking to kill time and have a bit of expendable income, sure go watch this film. If you like post-apocalyptic young adult types, definitely go watch this film. 

Otherwise, probably wait for the DVD or Netflix release. It’s a good film, I enjoyed it, but when Creed, Room and The Revenant are all out? No contest.

5 more TV shows...

This list, cutting it down to five, was painful. Truly painful. Katy had written up three of her shows and G had drawn two of her panels while I was still trying to narrow my list down from seventeen. Some call me indecisive (Katy, Katy calls me that), and they (she) may be right, but my biggest problem boils down to this: I am not a casual viewer. I just don't know how to patiently wait every week for an episode. I have no idea how people don't have emotional breakdowns over fictional characters. I just don't get it. (What do you mean you don't spend half your time trying to fight your friends because they dared to call Bucky Barnes a villain?!)

After much complaining and breaking my list into several categories, I have come up with this wonderful bunch of shows that are an absolute must see:

1- Parks and Recreation

I could tell you all about the show and the plot and how it was inspired by Katy and Steph's fave, The US Office, but that's what Wikipedia and IMDB are for (okay, briefly, it's about a woman who works in the Parks department of a small town). Instead, I'll tell you about the characters and how we all need our own version of each and every one of them in our lives.

Parks and Rec came into my life, as all the best things do, exactly when I needed it. I was on the slightly better end of an ongoing illness, I was making changes that needed to be made and I was on my way to become an Actual Adult. My confidence was low and I was embarrassed of how easily excited and passionate I became about things and often tried to hide that part of myself. I could never just 'like' a TV show/book/character/ice cream flavour, I always fell so extremely in love with something that I had to email my friends three page rants about it while my friends begrudgingly put up with it. I was, shall we say, in a Very Bad,  No Good, But Thankfully Not The Worst place. Then along came Leslie Knope.

Leslie Knope, a poetic, noble land-mermaid. A perfect sunflower. Leslie Knope who is so overwhelmingly positive and pro-girl love and just a wonderful role model who taught me so many things, but mostly that it's never a bad thing to be passionate, and that friendship is more important than everything. Ovaries before brovaries. She's persistent and loyal  and overwhelmingly annoying in her passions, but it's that fond kind of annoyance. That kind of annoyance you'd never want to be without. She's motivating and inspiring and flawed, and if that kind of perky positivity isn't your bag, then let me introduce you to -

Ron Swanson. The grumpiest, giggliest,most government-hating guy in the world. Ron Swanson is a simple man with  simple pleasures, and he is all about three things: Bacon, breakfast foods and, well, more bacon. Ron Swanson is a man. A man filled with bizarre wisdom and a strong moral compass. Also, he has a crazy ex-wife called Tammy. And he hates the government. Who he works for. You know what? I'm not even going to try and sell you on Ron  Swanson, I'm just going to show you a picture of his glorious moustache. That thing sells itself:

Okay, if I was going to write about every individual character I'd be here for days and Katy would April-glare at me, so instead I'm just going to quote two of the amazing characters and tell you to 'treat yo'self' and watch this wonderful, positive, friendship-filled show. Please and thank you.

Episode to watch out for: Eagleton. (Season three, episode twelve)

I don't know what it was about this episode that got to me, but there was just something so lovely about it. All throughout the episode, Ron knew that Leslie had something planned for his birthday. He knew she wouldn't leave it alone and he was expecting something flashy and big, with everybody he knows. Instead, spoiler alert, Leslie threw him a surprise 'party' that was catered especially for him. It was so touching that she got together all of his favourite things and gave him an evening of peace. No forced celebrations, no going out, just Leslie understanding her friend and giving him exactly what he wanted.

2 - Kingdom

In my head, I am a writer. I have no diplomas or completed works to back this belief up, but in my head, that is what I am. And in my spare time, I like to write things that I know I will never finish. One such project I was working on led me to find out about this show and for that, the poorly written, under-developed piece that I was working on, I will be forever grateful for.

Kingdom is only two seasons long so far, with a third season set to air later this year. The show is mostly set in an MMA gym owned by Alvey Kulina (Frank Grillo aka Rumlow aka Crossbones aka Captain America: Civil War aka Its Coming Out This Year And It Is The Reason I Am An Emotional Wreck Always). Alvey is a hot-headed, competitive ex-fighter who now runs Navy St. Gym and has passed his passions down to his two sons.

Nick Jonas plays Nate Kulina, the youngest son of Alvey.  Jonas is a great addition to the show, this role really bringing out his strengths and talents as an actor. His character, Nate is an introverted guy who focuses and trains hard, works his anger and his stresses away and puts an insane amount of pressure on himself. To be like his dad, to make his older brother proud, to prove something to  himself... who knows? But Nate is a character that intrigued me from the get go. He's full of secrets and passions and a quiet, steady, fierce for love for those he lets in close.

Which leads me to Jay. Jay is an absolutely, batshit crazy, ray of freakin' sunshine. He is EVERYTHING. Jonathan Tucker is really underrated in this role. Jay Kulina is the mercurial eldest son of Alvey and  the older brother of Nate. He has a volatile, strained relationship with his father and plays the role of the typical older brother - he grew up taking all the shit, he chose to face the wrath of his father so that Nate would never have to, and the relationship that has developed and the brotherly bond created from that is perfectly executed by Jonas and Tucker. Jay is the protector, the carer and in a lot of ways the nurturer. He's also vulnerable and completely messed up, a broken kid who never quite knew how to put himself back together.  He is the absolute heart of the entire show and 98% of the reason you should watch this.

There are a lot of amazing characters in this show, with badass women and badass men alike. You may regret a lot of things in life (picking a zit, eating that whole packet of biscuits, staying up that extra hour or three) but you will never regret watching this show.

Episode to watch out for: ...Honestly, just watch it from start to finish just so you can see Jay's progression. And the season one finale is important for Nate, too.

3 - Orphan Black

Orphan Black is a show about clones. Which, I'll be honest, was not enough to sell me on it. I liked the idea, don't get me wrong, but it didn't have me hooked. But the idea of one actress playing 95% of the cast? Sold. Sold!

Tatiana Maslany is grossly under loved for her performances in this show (Until my favourite actors win every award for everything, I will repeat this sentence a lot).

To name just a few, she plays Sarah Manning, Beth Childs, Katja Obinger, Alison Hendrix, Cosima Niehaus, Helena, Rachel Duncan, Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Tony Sawicki and Krystal Goderitch. (Aren't you curious? aren't you sold yet?).

Playing so many characters is a feat in itself, but Maslany somehow manages to play each and every character so well that it's hard to remember that they are all the same person. The hair and costume team are an amazing help, but Maslany's entire demeanor changes with each character - her body language, her mannerisms, her expressions. And she nails every accent she puts on - I had to google whether she was actually British because I really couldn't tell. And I'm British.

Okay, you know what, to put it simply: Every character is wonderful and she is every character. Except for, like, seven of them and they are also pretty wonderful.

The plot itself (Sarah Manning witnesses the suicide of somebody who looks just like her. Curious, Sarah, finds herself caught up in a whole heap of trouble and the mind blowing  truth about her birth and the sisters she never knew about. Basically.) is actually really great and full of so many twists and turns, but that's not even why you watch it, it's just for the characters. Watching the first season, I was curious about the longevity of the show - where would they go with it? How long could it carry on for? And then I continued watching, I fell in love with every character and Maslany's portrayal of all of them and I realised that this should could easily continue for several seasons. The interactions between the sisters are something I could watch until they're old and grey and their biggest dramas are their aching bones.

Jordan Gavaris also stars as Sarah's tolerant, loving, straight-talking foster brother, Felix, and his chemistry with Maslany and the humour he brings to the show are just one more great reason to watch it.

The most amazing character of all is Helena, though. The Ukranian-English clone, with her big, frizzy, blonde hair and her eccentric personality, Helena is a heartwarming character with a tragic, effed up past who has somehow managed to keep a strong idea of what love is and what family means. No matter the lengths she will go to to get it.

Somehow both psychotic and so innocent, so childlike, Helena is a character that grows and learns so much over the three seasons, while also teaching her sisters the meaning of family.

Also, her dance moves are a wonderful, joyous thing.

Episode to watch out for: "By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried" (Season two, Episode ten)

It was hard to narrow down which episode to choose, as we get to see so much from each character in every other episode. But I chose this one purely because we get to see Felix and the sisters' have a dance party. It's so lovely and so funny, watch out for Helena.

4 - Agent Carter

Peggy Carter,

How do I begin to explain Peggy  Carter?

Peggy Carter is flawless. She has two red hats and a lipstick to match.

I hear her hair is insured for $10,000.

I hear she does self-defence commercials. In Japan.

Her favourite pistol is her Walther PPK/S.

One time she met Captain America and he told her she was pretty.

One time she punched Gilmore Hodge in the face. It was awesome.

Before watching this show, I would recommend watching at least the first Captain America movie. (I'd recommend that anyway because it's A+) in order to fully understand who Peggy is and what she means in the Marvel universe. (And then watch Avengers Assemble. and then The Winter Soldier because it's amazing and also because Bucky).

With bit parts in The Avengers and Ant-Man, and arcs in Captain America: The First Avenger and a lovely, heart-wrenching scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Peggy is one of the rare characters we get to see age and grow. (As you read this, please ignore the fact that we got to see an aging Rocky Balboa, Han Solo and General Leia this year. Thanks.)

Before the aging and the growing however, we first meet Peggy Carter in Captain America, where she takes a young,  scrawny Steve Rogers under her wing and helps him become the man we now know as Captain America. (Yes,  she's that important. Also, they fall for each other along the way, but details.) Agent Carter is set in the years shortly after the end of the film, when Peggy has returned to the United States.

The show starts out in 1946 and Peggy is a member of the SSR (Strategic Science Reserve). No longer serving abroad, she is back in America and back to working in an office. The show tells us the details of her journey that take her from the young, aspiring Peggy we met in Captain America, to the retired creator of S.H.I.E.L.D and elderly Peggy we see in The Winter Soldier.

The one thing you should know about Peggy, is that she is not only a mere character in the marvel universe, she's pretty much the backbone of the entire thing. She is Cap's motivation and the angel sitting on Howard Stark's shoulder. She influenced Tony and believed in Steve Rogers back when not many other people did. She is the common link in the most recent Marvel movies and, with a helping hand from Stark, practically raised S.H.I.E.l.D and turned it into what it became before (The Winter Soldier/Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D spoiler alerts) it was infiltrated with Hydra and was destroyed.

Agent Carter is the show that fills in the blanks, that slots together the jigsaw pieces of Peggy's life we see in the various films and forms the outline of the long, complicated, wonderful life of Peg.

This is a show that not only lets us see Peggy as an ass-kicking, bad-guy-defeating, independent woman, but we also get to see her sad and dealing with her losses, we get to see her make sacrifices, build walls and lower them again with new, budding friendships. We get to see a woman dedicated to her job, while also dealing with the sexism of that period.

Speaking of friendships: Carter's relationship with Captain America is a great one, but in  my opinion it is nothing compared to her relationships with Angie Martinelli and Edwin Jarvis.

Angie, played by Lyndsy Fonseca, is the struggling actress with a heart of gold, who moonlights as a waitress while she waits for her big break. Angie meets Peggy in a diner and they become fast friends. She's sweet and loyal and I am so excited to see more of her.

James D'arcy stars as Jarvis, the polite, well-dressed, British butler of Howard Stark and Peggy's occasional partner in crime. He is the guy that would go on to tutor Tony Stark and inspire J.A.R.V.I.S (yes, he's that important) and his relationship with Peggy is EVERYTHING. They have a great back-and-forth, and he is charming in a very awkward way, complimentary and whole-heatedly believes in Peggy the way that she deserves to be believed in.

There are so many wonderful things about this show and I could list them for days. But I won't. Instead I will say this: Peggy Carter knows her own value, she respects herself and she doesn't work to demand it from her male counterparts. She works to prove it to herself and just so happens to impress everybody else in the mean time.

To quote a tumblr post I saw once: She's beauty and she's grace, she'll punch you in the face.

Balancing humour, wit, loyalty, and a backbone stronger than marble, Agent Peggy Carter is absolutely phenomenal and we are blessed to have such an amazing female character on our screens. Watch it!

Episode to watch out for: 'Valediction' (Season one, Episode eight)

For the most part, through this show we get to see Peggy and Howard moving forward, putting Captain America to the back of their minds as they focus on getting rid of (or in Howard's case, causing) the trouble that lies ahead. However, this episode brings them back to Cap and we get to see how much Cap really meant to the both of them, and we get to see them share their mutual grief. It's a lovely, sad moment where the two of them finally get to come to terms with the loss of their friend and a lovely reminder of where the show started.

5 - How To Get Away With Murder

How To Get Away With Murder is a show about a law professor who selects a small group of her students to work at her firm. Pretty standard, right? EXCEPT WITH MURDER.

It's a whodunnit with a twist. Several twists. In fact, the story line is full of so many twists and turns you're going to need an empty wall, pictures of all the characters, several notes and a string of yarn to keep up. It took me a couple of episodes to get drawn into the plot, but it was the cast and the characters that had me gripped.

The first thing I knew about the show was this: Aibileen from The Help and Paris Gellar were in it. (Don't act like you don't know who that is, everyone has seen Gilmore Girls! Right? Am I right?)

The second thing I knew was this: the cast was as diverse as they were beautiful, yep. Kate Findlay (The Killing) plays Rebecca, the troubled neighbour of Wes (Alfie Enoch of Harry Potter fame) who finds himself in Annalise's class, selected to be part of her team. Joining him in the team is Aja Naomi King as Michaela, Jack Falahee as Connor, Karla Souza as Laurel and Matt McGorry as Asher, all first year law students who enter blindly into the world of court cases. and murder.

Also a part of Annalise's team, as her associate, is Liza Weil (aforementioned Paris Gellar), who plays the highly strung, no nonsense, complicated character that is Bonnie Winterbottom. And Charlie Weber stars as the tough and loyal Frank Delfino (Handsome Frank, as he is known to Katy), who is as sketchy as he is pretty and as straight talking as he is mysterious. Honestly, the guy is just hard to read.

All the characters are well layered and realistic, messed up in their own right and strong and weak in all their own ways, and this is all brought together and played out by a really amazing cast.

The cast is made even stronger by Viola Davis' powerful, layered, raw performance as ruthless attorney and law professor, Annalise Keating. After seeing Davis' performance in The Help, I knew to expect something incredible. But she took it to a whole other level with her portrayal of Annalise Keating. Throughout the first season we get to see Keating fall apart and build herself back up. Viola Davis gave us the performance of a lifetime and, quite often, she did it without a word. One such scene shows us Davis seated in front of a mirror, wiping her face free of makeup, taking off her wig, and removing every trace of the powerful woman we see in the class and courtroom. Annalise Keating is a woman who grew up tough and headstrong and messed up, looking for a way out, and we hear from the speeches she gives and the hushed, angry, heated talks with the people she holds close, the story of how she found that way out with her career and her education and her husband. That was a very long run-on sentence, but the point is this: Davis' performance fully fleshes out and strengthens what was already an impressive, strong cast and plot to begin with.

With a stellar cast and a great, twisted, guessing game of a plot, this show is one to watch.

The episode to watch out for: 'Mama's Here Now' (Season one, episode thirteen)

Playing mother and daughter, Viola Davis' scenes with Cicely Tyson are unreal. Raw and passionate, the two are sometimes hard to watch as they struggle to find a common ground. Both hurting, both in denial, both needing something that the other just can't give, all tangled together with love and a little bit of hatred, the chemistry they have is almost palpable. Cicely Tyson as Ophelia is a force, full of sass and a sharp tongue, the woman means business.

There are so many more shows that I wanted to put on this list, but for now, check out the ones above and enjoy.