This week, we ask the Arsenal Team to share their movie and TV guilty pleasures.
It pays to have guilty pleasures. Sometimes you just want to watch something that will turn your brain off for a moment. We hate to admit it, but we care a lot for pieces of media that we can’t completely value solely based on artistic merit. Sometimes we want to watch buckets of blood spill, reality stars make iconic T.V., and our favorite Looney Tunes play ball with Michael Jordan. Make no mistake, though: just because some of these titles are considered “guilty pleasures” doesn’t mean that any or all of them are bad.
In this week’s Arsenal Picks, we’ve gathered our team’s biggest guilty pleasures when it comes to movies and television. Check the full list below.
Dynasty
“Dynasty is the perfect concoction of business, family scandals, love, and tons of plot twists it will keep you on your toes just guessing. And if you love fashion, this show is definitely for you; they have the most amazing outfits! 100% my guilty pleasure, it lowkey reminds of the Kardashians as a business and power-hungry family – but I repeat myself.” -Kim
Saw
“The Saw franchise is definitely my guilty pleasure. It sounds weird coming from me because I’m REALLY not a fan of horror films; the jump scares are the bane of my existence. But something about Saw just blows my mind. The mastermind (named “Jigsaw”) creates these death traps for hand-picked victims whose demises you think are worth it. Though very gory and violent, the movies let you play along with Jigsaw’s games. They make you realize that anything can happen to you at any time and you should appreciate every second of every day – and, you know, be better people.” -Dom
Nailed It!
“Nailed it! perfectly fits the definition of “sabaw” — it’s a really fun reality show inspired by the craze of people trying to replicate elaborate cakes they see online. Each episode, three amateur bakers with demonstrated poor baking skills attempt to re-create edible masterpieces for a $10,000 prize. Competitors take part in two challenges over the course of the 35-minute episodes. It’s really fun to watch how the bakers poorly attempt to copy the pastries and how they’re just having fun with it.” -Therese
Boku No Hero Academia
“This anime series can be somewhat predictable, and the plots can feel a tad derivative. This is perfect because I love to watch this show whenever there’s a lot going on in my head and when I just want to sit back and relax, thanks to its lighthearted-ness and more than loveable characters. Probably not in my list of top ten animes but a truly guilty pleasure!” -Stephen
The Circle
“The Circle’s concept for me was fresh and interesting. Not a fan of reality shows that has to do with dating and relationships, but I latched onto a couple of characters in this show. It’s light and funny, not so forced.” -Andre
Vikings
“When it comes to sheer adventure, I can definitely say Vikings is one of the best I have watched. It narrates the history of Vikings and unspools Norse mythology well. The series follows the life of a humble farmer named Ragnar Lothbrok, who eventually became a famous king and ruler of vast lands. His conquest of exploring and learning more about the different lands, cultures, and religions is later followed by his sons.” -Lara
SuckSeed
“Most of the people I recommended this movie to didn’t really make it through the end because of its length. But I still find this movie touching and full of life lessons. I think it’s rare to find a movie with enough balance between romantic relationships, friendship, and career.” -Rosie
They Live
“Look, I’m taking the term “guilty pleasure” loosely here, because this movie is certifiably great. For one, it has Roddy-freakin’-Piper hunting undercover extraterrestrials – a hunt that leads to cinema’s best throwaway line ever. “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kickass,” declares Piper as he proceeds to shoot down aliens guised as do-gooding bankers. At its core, though, John Carpenter’s They Live is a biting satire on human’s collective autonomy and how it’s up to us to reclaim it. It’s pulpy sci-fi action with a really smart twist.” -Armand
Haikyuu!!
“If we’re talking about guilty pleasures, Haikyuu is definitely my guilty pleasure TV series/ anime. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve rewatched it! It’s a show about the journey of a “fallen” volleyball team to Nationals. The plot of every season is one of the best out of all anime and TV series I’ve watched. The intensity of the matches never fails to make me grip the edges of my seat every time. The growth of each character is so inspiring! Plus, I love how in every episode, we see the importance of friendship and faith in yourself.” -CJ
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
“I’m not really a fan of the Kardashians, nor am I a detractor. But nothing is more entertaining than family drama. Admit it. You live to see your titas back-stab each other and this is just like that, only they’re multi-millionaires.” -Anne
Orphan Black
“I don’t normally go for sci-fi films or shows, but this one is something else. Decided to watch it during ECQ intended for background noise, but ended up getting really into it. One of the best shows I’ve watched! I got hooked because of the uniqueness of the storyline. As one interesting twist unfold after the next, I find myself unable to stop because I ultimately loved Tatiana Maslany. I would often forget that it was just one actress portraying the main characters. If you decide to start binge-watching it, watch out for Tatiana’s portrayal of Helena. Her performance is amazing!” -Ariane
Selling Sunset
“I quickly got sucked into this pop drama. It’s definitely the typical Hollywood reality show peppered with snarkiness and bitchdom that keeps me wanting to see what happens next. Guys play second fiddle to the female characters which makes it more interesting when sequences of the guys getting snarky start to show up throughout the series. Hot chicks, LA, property, rich folk. What’s not to like about it?” -Ray
Gossip Girl
“Gossip Girl shows in no uncertain terms how ridiculous rich kids can go to sabotage each other given the money and connections available to them. I enjoy the glamour and events they attend and the outfits they wear. The premise of the show is fun as well as centralized on a fictional ‘Gossip Girl’ who broadcasts gossip on the lives of the lead characters. Without this, most of the plot across the six seasons would be in tatters. I also enjoyed the subtle but solid character developments of some. (Not necessarily turning from being bad to good!)
Guilty pleasure, as I don’t think I can ever live in a world where everyone is just nasty and fake to each other like the world this show is built upon.” -Mariah
Space Jam
“Not a huge fan of animation mixed with live-action films but Space Jam got me hooked enough to watch it many times. Many people don’t like this film maybe because of the plot, acting, and cliché dialogues. But hey, who doesn’t love Looney Tunes and Michael Jordan? I do. Yes, some scenes are corny but I love the characters, especially Porky Pig, who makes me laugh with the way he speaks and his overall cuteness. This is a movie that definitely brings me back to my childhood.” -Abby