Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Why you should be watching foreign TV even in the US

People often complain these days that there’s just too much good TV, and with so many ways to watch – Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Acorn.tv – it’s hard to keep up.…

By Sarah Sweeney • May 9, 2016 • 1 min read

People often complain these days that there’s just too much good TV, and with so many ways to watch – Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Acorn.tv – it’s hard to keep up. That means if you’re focused solely on American television, you could be missing out on some really good stuff.

Culture critic at Slate, June Thomas, joined Press Play for a virtual trip around the world to give her recommendations for some must-watch shows from outside the U.S.

Thomas said she likes foreign TV shows because they offer American viewers a glimpse into what life is like in other countries and within cultures we may not know much about.

“If you watch a lot of television, things get really familiar,” Thomas said. But, thanks to streaming services, there’s finally plenty of opportunity to see something different.

Here are some Thomas’ favorite foreign shows on her watch list:

Top of the Lake, New Zealand