What I'm Watching Wednesday

In honor of Spring Break 2015, I am switching today's blog from "What I'm Reading" to "What I'm Watching." This is my way of celebrating the fact that I don't have to read anything for the next 10 days.* In that spirit, below are the TV shows and movies I'm looking forward to in the next week:

1) 30 Rock -- I am currently in the beginning of Season 2, watching it for the first time. For those who have watched it, don't spoil anything for me. For those who have yet to watch it, I highly recommend adding this to your queue! Tina Fey is charming, Alec Baldwin is at his best, and the side characters are compelling without being annoying or trite. The plot lines can be a bit off the wall, but this is a show of subtlety -- its best moments come when you least expect it.

2) Star Trek: The Next Generation -- This is always in my queue for a few reasons. Most importantly at this moment is that I'm trying to get Millie into it (and it seems to be working -- she calls Worf her "boyfriend"). Secondly, this show is fantastic for getting your own mind thinking in more literary ways. The episodes often deal with ethical dilemmas and the "human condition," so I'm often left with good ideas to write about.

3) Furious 7 -- I will be at the midnight showing on April 3 whether I have a friend with me or not. While my interest in this series is from a relatively campy standpoint (I'm aware that these films are not what you might call "cinema"… or even "films"), I do thoroughly enjoy a mindless rush of adrenaline from time to time. For those of you who mock the first six installments to the series, I urge you to give numbers 4, 5, and 6 a chance. They realized after Tokyo Drift that fans wanted less car racing and more of a "heist" atmosphere. The three movies that precede the upcoming 7th installment are all in the same vein as Ocean's 11, if you liked that series. Also, Paul Walker. Come on.

4) Opening Day for Major League Baseball -- It's been a few years since I've been this excited for baseball to return. Part of that is because football has felt rather contrived the past few seasons, almost as though someone from the WWE was hired to write back stories and scripts; basketball truly does not matter until the playoffs because the team with the best individual player will almost always advance to the Conference Finals, at worst; and nobody will watch hockey with me.

Let's go Cubbies!

What else is worth watching this time of year? I'm in particular need of movies, because my TV queue is already loaded.