Summer Binges: Stath Lets Flats, Survival of the Thickest, Hijack

I've been watching some very random TV this month and now it's your turn to dive in. There's a very silly British comedy, a very exciting British thriller, or a charming American comedy with heart. You can't go wrong.

Stath Lets Flats: I mean, just the title is fun to say. The show stars Jamie Demetriou (who also wrote and created the entire endeavor) as Stath, a Greek-Cypriot man in London who works for his father's letting agency (for Americans - he's a real estate broker who helps renters find apartments), and is painfully terrible at his job. Every episode, you will watch him try and convince some hapless Londoners to rent a flat, and every time it's an abject disaster. His other colleagues include his sweet but incredibly dumb sister, Sophie (Natasia Demetriou - Jamie's real-life sister!), Al (the very sweet Al Roberts) who is best friends with Stath and definitely has a bit of a thing for Sophie, Carole (Katy Wix), who is a go-getter and the only one at the agency who actually seems to be earning any commissions, and Dean (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) who hates this job but doesn't have anything else he can do.

This show ran for three seasons on Channel 4 and I am very late to the party since it wrapped up in 2021. But it’s never too late to discover a British comedy gem. There are only eighteen episodes, as each season was six episodes long in typical British fashion, but each character has such a wonderful arc and their relationships with each other evolve and grow in surprising and often hilarious ways. And while Stath never quite stops being an incompetent moron, you’ll be hard-pressed not to be very fond of him by the end. You still won’t want to let a flat from him though.

Survival of the Thickest: Michelle Buteau is a great stand-up comedian, but here she gets to show off her acting chops and be the star of a wonderful, heartfelt little gem of a show that is based on her memoir. Buteau plays Mavis, an assistant stylist in New York who is great at her job and is on the verge of a big break. Everything seems to be going her way. Until, of course, she walks in on her long-term boyfriend having sex with someone else and her life immediately implodes. 

What follows is a classic journey of self-discovery where a Black woman in her late thirties has to reinvent herself, move out to live in a cramped apartment with a strange white woman in Brooklyn (oh the horror), and pursue her dreams without letting men mess her around. It’s also a great show about body positivity and celebrating curvy women and making them feel good, and also celebrating trans folk and drag performers and revealing in their artistry. This is a show that aims to put marginalized voices front and center and not take any shit from anyone. It’s very sweet and hopeful, and to be clear, it is also chock-full of jokes and funny as hell. It’s a quick and easy binge, and perfect for a lazy summer afternoon, so what are you waiting for?

Hijack: Nothing about this show is quick and easy but my God it was the highlight of my week every Wednesday when I had a new episode to watch. Honestly, I don’t know if I would even want to binge this show because it is such a high-octane thriller, but if that’s the kind of thing you’re into, inject this show directly into your veins.

Idris Elba plays Sam Nelson, a corporate negotiator who ordinarily helps businesses come up with deals during mergers and acquisitions. However, when he gets on a flight from Dubai to London, he ends up having to use his negotiating skills for far more exciting work when the plane is hijacked. Over the course of seven episodes, you are going to be treated to a brilliantly twisty plot from writer George Kay, who created this show with Jim Field Smith. The production values are insane, the cast is fantastic, and every episode ends with a crazy cliffhanger that keeps your heart thumping. The final episode was emotional and cathartic and I was so glad they brought this show in for a smooth landing (yes, pun very much intended). Hijack will keep you guessing and keep you on your toes, but it also gets you emotionally invested in the various characters on board this flight. It a beautiful piece of storytelling and an absolutely epic binge for a day when you do not want to leave your couch.