Look, the news of “Supergirl” and the new trailer for the Tina Fey-produced Netflix series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” has got me riled. I've got to cope with these exciting developments by watching movies and TV featuring awesome, powerful, hilarious, and/or weird women. Here are five options for riiiiiight now. Go Netflix them! Go on!
“The Fall”: Gillian Anderson is patron saint of no-nonsense
“The Fall” is a captivating British serial about a calculating, dead-eyed serial killer (Jamie Dornan, who is currently skulking about the dungeon in “Fifty Shades of Grey”) and the detective in Northern Ireland named Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) who's onto him. Dornan's moody machinations are entrancing, but Anderson's understated authority propels this whole show. It's always creepy and occasionally very dark, but Stella is a feminist protagonist who is as comfortable theorizing about a woman-hating psychopath as she is exploring her own sexuality.
“30 Rock”: Lemon IN. Forever.
Listen up, fives, a ten is streaming: “30 Rock” is on Netflix in its entirety. The whole thing! “30 Rock”! What a fine show! Pardon, let me rephrase: It has the best jokes of any television show ever. So sophisticated and unpretentious. Jane Krakowski is an
“Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me”: Lady Who Lunches on Mortals
Can you handle that Elaine Stritch isn't here anymore? I can't. She's the nerviest dame who ever drove Stephen Sondheim crazy, and she's as off-the-cuff funny as she is a total Broadway professional. This documentary is jarring and unmissable. It is empowering.
“Sunset Boulevard”: Norma Desmond is ALL OF US, THERE, I SAID IT.
I have the distinct feeling a lot of you haven't watched “Sunset Boulevard.” You want to know something? It is shockingly contemporary. It's a 1950 movie featuring some frank discussions about movie studio politicking. And Norma Desmond, that towering Shakespearean weirdo unparalleled in the history of cinema, is just mind-boggling as she attempts a career comeback despite being apparently deranged. Watch it! Watch Gloria Swanson play Norma with the sort of gale-force psychosis you usually only see in horror movies.
“Catching Fire”: Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson tremble before the actual movie star.
It cannot be overstated how much better “Catching Fire” is than the first “Hunger Games” film. We believe in Katniss' quest and intensity so much more. It was a leaner, cooler film with much less theatrical garbage than the first outing. J-Law does the work of a movie star very well. A re-watch is in order.
Also in order: a “Mean Girls” reviewing, especially since Hulu just taught us there's a class on it.