Canadian Gift Guide

Yes, summertime is totally about going out and enjoying the much-needed sunshine. But it’s also for kicking back and relaxing, particularly on those snoozy late summer nights, lazy Sunday mornings, and occasional rainy days. This summer, get caught up on pop culture – I’ve highlighted a few newer series that have jumped onto DVD, so you can binge ’em and babble about ’em with your pals.

From L to R (note all prices come from Amazon.ca and are current based on the date of this post)

Outlander Season 1 on Blu-Ray – $29.99 – This steamy series, based on Diana Gabaldon’s book series of the same name, has won over romance and history fans alike. If you’re unfamiliar, the stories follows a time-traveling romance between a 20th century nurse named Claire and her trips back to 18th century Scotland, where she hooks up with a dashing fellow named James Fraser. The good news is, whether you’ve read the series or not, you’ll love the show – it’s faithful enough for the book lovers to feel appeased but intriguing enough for newbies to get hooked as well.

Fargo: Season 1 – $17.49 – Want to cool down this summer? Try a cold-blooded take on the Coen brothers’ classic action drama, set amongst North Dakota’s wintery landscape (or Calgary, which stands in for the titular town in the title). After cleaning up nicely on the awards show circuit, now’s a great time to dive into this potboiler of a series – Season 2 is just wrapping up filming in Calgary again and will air this fall.

Inside Amy Schumer Seasons One & Two – $22.97 – Comedian Amy Schumer is very much peaking as part of the cultural zeitgeist right now, and her star’s only going to shine brighter once her debut feature film comes out this summer alongside SNL’s Bill Hader. Find out what all the buzz is about by popping in the first two seasons of her hilarious comedy show, which mixes sketches, interviews, standup and more for a raunchy, ridiculously funny collection of laughs.

The Affair Season 1 – $31.97 – Bit of a cheat (see what I did there?) given this series isn’t actually out till a bit later this summer, but it’s worth putting on your to-watch list before Season 2 launches in the fall. This show did surprisingly well at the Golden Globes, nabbing Best Drama and Best Actress awards. In a nutshell, it follows the extramarital affair between Noah, a teacher-turned-author married to the daughter of an extremely wealthy author, and Ally, a grieving mother with binding ties to her husband’s family and the small beach town they live in. Each episode is divided into ‘he said’ and ‘she said’ components, leaving it up to the viewer to determine who’s telling the truth about their relationship – and why someone is asking at all.

Masters of Sex Season 2 – $33.99 – Still going through Mad Men withdrawal? Then slip into this sexy, sultry, ultra-slick drama set in a similar realm as Men. Following the studies of sex and burgeoning romance between sexual pioneers William Masters and Virginia Jackson, this scintillating show has racked up rave reviews and is coming back for a third season this fall – giving you plenty of time to dive into the first two seasons on DVD before it does.

You’re the Worst Season 1 – $37.34 – This underrated gem of a comedy debuted on FX last summer and has gained a bit of a cult following. It follows the path of a ‘modern romance’ between two single-by-choice, seemingly unlikable and cynical people named Jimmy and Gretchen. It’s a simple premise, but there’s something rather cinematic about the show’s production and writing. Each week (or episode) feels like you’re being treated to a piece of a larger romantic comedy – only everything about the show turns rom com tropes on their head. For all the shows that have tried (and failed) to center themselves on a single relationship, You’re The Worst does it better, if not the best.

Silicon Valley Season 1 – $29.99 – Few shows make me or my husband laugh harder than HBO and Mike Judge’s send-up of today’s tech scene. The series follows the rise of a compression app called Pied Piper, and all the ridiculous trappings of trying to make it big in the Valley. Season 1 is particularly notable for the amazing performance by the late Christopher Evan Welch as Peter Gregory, although it’s worth noting that we’re halfway through Season 2 and the laughs are just as big.

BONUS entry into this week’s Magformers giveaway – tell me in the comments below, have you watched any of these series? Interested in watching any of them?