The 12 Best TV Shows on Facebook Watch, Ranked - Paste

The 12 Best TV Shows on Facebook Watch, Ranked · 12. The Birch · 11. Five Points · 10. The Real Bros of Simi Valley · 9. The Real World: Atlanta · 8. Share Tweet Submit Pin Ofallthestreamingservicescurrentlyavailable,it’sentirelylikelythatFacebookWatchisthelastoneyoumightthinktoturnonwhenlookingforsomethingtowatch.AndI’mnotbeinghyperbolichere—itsreputationasastreamingplatformissobadthatactualviewersmakingactualcommentsinthevariouscommentthreadsrunningalongsideactualepisodesfrommultipleoriginalseriesonthisverylistchimedintoaskanynumberofvariationsonthequestion,“WherecanIwatchthis???IsitonHulu,orNetflix?” Myfriends.Myfriends!!!Theshowyoulike,youarewatchingitliterallyrightnow. Ontheonehand,theUXdesignforFacebookWatchissoexasperatinglyarcanethatonecanhardlybeblamedfornotknowingthatFacebookWatchexists,orfornotunderstandingwhichshortvideosconstituteaFacebookOriginal,andwhicharejustclipspromotinglongerseriesonother,non-Facebookplatforms.Ontheotherhand,Facebook’sliteralthingforyearswasruthlesslyincentivizingothermediacompaniestopivottovideo.You’dthinkthey’dhavehandledtheirownpivotabitbetter. (Ontheotherotherhand,ofcourse,thefactthatFacebooktheSoullessDataMinerhasmadeFacebookWatch’sinnovativeoriginalcontentsoimpossibletowatchisalmostheartening,likeasignalthathere,atleast,mightbeonecornerofcivilsociety’sdigitalgallowsthatdoesn’texistprimarilytomilkyoudryofallyourpersonaldata.AlthoughIsupposethefactthatinterestingartdoesn’thavemuchofaprofitmargininanattentioneconomyis,initself,adistressingrevelation.Phew!It’shardtobealive.) WhateveryourreadonFacebookWatch’splaceinthestreamingvideolandscape,thefactremainsthatwithseveralyearsoforiginalcontentproductionnowunderitsbelt,thesocialmediastreamerisfinallyhosttosomereallychoiceoriginalshows,manyofwhichthriveinthesocial-firstatmosphereoftheFacebookecosystem.Bestofall,aslongasyou’retenaciousinyoureffortstofindthefullepisodesintheISpygridsofeachshow’sfullvideolibrary(whichyoucangettousingthedirectlinksincludedbelow),they’reallfreetowatch,whetheryouhaveaFacebookaccountornot. Thatsaid,ifyoudohaveaFacebookaccount(evenaghostonewilldo),navigatingtoandwithinWatchismucheasier:Fromthehomepage,clickVideosonWatch(inthelefthanddashboardcolumn),thenclickthepurpleShowslinkatthetopofthatpage’slefthanddashboard.Thiswillfilteroutallthenon-FacebookOriginalvideonoiseandleaveyouwithjustthegoodstuff. Below,wehavepickedout12ofourfavoriteseries—mostofthemscripted,butnotall—togiveyouasenseofthevarietyofthingsFacebookWatchcurrentlyhastooffer.Thelistincludeslongseasonsandshortones,comedyanddrama,scriptedshowsandunscriptedones.Itdoesnot,alas,includeafullblurbfortheverybriefwanderingoddballofaseries,ExtraInningswithBillMurray&BrianDoyle-Murray,butreally,whatmorecouldwesaytosellyouonitthanthattitle?Nothing,that’swhat. BillandBrianandbaseballaside,wehopeyoufindatleastacoupleseriesonthislistworthcheckingout.(Andifyouuseyourtimeloggedintoclearoutyourpersonaldatawhilesimultaneouslylockingeverythirdpartyappyoucanthinkofoutofconnectingtoyouraccount,allthebetter.) 12.TheBirch Genre:Horror/TeenDramaCreatedby:CryptTVStars:XariaDotson,DempseyBryk,BradBeyer,TommyHestmark,MidoriFrancis,WaynePére,QuincyDunn-Baker,HaskiriVelazquez WatchonFacebook SpunofffromaYouTubeshortofthesamename,TheBirchisthefirstoffiveoriginalmonster-themedseriessettobeproducedbyhorrorstorydigitalstart-upCryptTVexclusivelyforFacebookWatch.Lesscampythanyoumightexpect,theseries’firstseason,whichpremieredearlierthismonth,tracestheterrifyingstoriesofahandfulofteenswhogetthemselvescaughtupwithamalevolent,murderousbirch-shapedforestdemonknownonlyas“her.”Withepisodesthatrarelyrunlongerthanfifteenminutesandmonster-drivenhorrorandgoreasitsprimaryobjective,TheBirchdoesn’thaveatonofroomforcharacterdevelopment,butevenso,itmanagestogiveleadsXariaDotson,DempseyBryk,andMidoriFrancissomecompellingstufftoworkwith,forestmonsterornot.Ifhorrorisyourjam(andifyou’realreadyloggedontoFacebook,itverylikelyis),thismightbejusttheweeklybreathofmonstrousterroryou’relookingfor. 11.FivePoints Genre:TeenDramaCreatedby:AdamGiaudroneStars:HayleyKiyoko,MadisonPettis,RayChamJr.,SpenceMooreII,NathanielPotvin,JakeAustinWalker,TreyCurtis WatchonFacebook Firstoff,ifyouarethinkingaboutevenstartingthisone,makesureyoucheckouttheseries’ResourcesPage,whichlistsinformationabout(andcontactsfor)RAINN,theNationalSuicidePreventionHotline,theDepressionandBipolarSupportAlliance,aMassachusettsMedicalSocietyguidetogunsafety,andthesafespace/communitywaitingfornewfansintheofficialFivePointsFacebookgroup.Theepisodesmaybeshort,andtherealworldpopculturereputationsthatprecedeMaddisonPettisandHayleyKiyoko(whose“IWish”musicvideoistrulythebestteendramaoftheyear)mightbegentle,butthesubjectsFivePointstakeson—suicideandgunsinthefirstseason,sexualpredationanddomesticviolenceinthesecond—areincrediblyserious. Thatsaid,thesearesubjectsthatmanyteenswant(orneed)towatchplayoutinasafespacelikeFacebookWatch,andthewhodunnitframingintroducedbytheshiftingperspectiveformat(the“fivepoints”ofviewofthetitle)helpskeeptheeachseason’sstoryfromgettingtoooverwhelmingtowatchthroughtotheend.Too,theliteralframingshiftinthesecondseason,fromthetraditionalhorizontalorientationofmosttelevisionshowstotheverticalorientationthatbetterreflectshowvideochats/Instagramstoriesplayoutonmobilescreens,setsFivePointsapartasaFacebookshow,whichdoesn’thavetobeforyou(orme)tobeinteresting. 10.TheRealBrosofSimiValley Genre:ComedyCreatedby:JimmyTatroStars:JimmyTatro,TannerPetulla,NickColletti,CodyKo,ColleenDonovan,MaddyWhitby,PeterGilroy,MonetteMoio,MonicaJoySherer,EricWalbridge,ChristianPierce WatchonFacebook YouTuberJimmyTatro’sShortyAward-nominatedTheRealBrosofSimiValleyisaverysillyshowaboutagroupofverysillybrostakingreality-showstockoftheirlivestenyearsaftergraduatinghighschoolthatjusthappenstoco-starafewoftheverylovelyladiesofthe(possibly)late,(definitely)greatBetch,whichwe’llneverstopwantingtoshinealighton.(Andalsowhich,asanall-femalesketchcomedyshow,isanalmostperfectinverseoftheall-malevibecentraltoTatro’sscriptedRealBrosrealityshowparody.)Likeacoupleofothertitlesonthislist,TheRealBrosofSimiValleygotitsstartelsewhere—inthiscase,asonemightexpect,onYouTube(SeasonOneisavailablehere)—butit’sbeenonFacebookWatchthatitsprofile(andalsoseasonlength)hasreallygrown.Yes,TheRealBrosofSimiValleyiseminentlydoofy,butyouknowwhat,ittakesrealskilltoactasdoofyastheserealbrosmakethemselvesouttobe;andsometimes,thatmucheffortforsoridiculousacomedicrewardisallwewanttowatch. 9.TheRealWorld:Atlanta Genre:RealityCreatedby:Mary-EllisBunim,JonathanMurray(MTVStudios) WatchonFacebook TherealrealworldhasseenenormoussocialandculturalshiftssinceMTV’sTheRealWorldfirstbroketelevisiongroundontheGen-X-orientednetworkbackin1992.Withthismovefrombroadcasttelevisiontoasocialnetwork-hosteddigitalstreamer,andwithitsstreamingseason’scenteringofnon-white,non-cis,non-hetero,non-mainstream-hewingcastmates,thefranchiseprovesthatitknowswellenoughhowtoshiftwithit.Alas,thoughSeason33issetinAtlanta,noPasteMagazinestaffersweretheonestostopgettingpolitetostartgettingreal,butthatshouldn’tstoprealitytelevisionloversbothnewandoldfromtuningintoseehowtheRealWorldbrandweatherssomanymajorculturalandplatform-identitytransitions.(Andifyou’refeelingbold,FacebookWatchalsocurrentlyhoststwointernationalseasons,TheRealWorld:BangkokandTheRealWorld:CiudaddeMéxico.Peoplegettingrealallovertheworld!) 8.LooselyExactlyNicole Genre:ComedyCreatedby:ChristianLander,ChristineZanderStars:NicoleByer,JacobWysocki,JenD’Angelo,KevinBigleyasDerrick,BrandonScott,AllynRachel,FrenchStewart,SasheerZamata,AydenMayeri,B.J.Britt WatchonFacebook OneofseveralFacebookWatchOriginalsthatgotitsstartonanothernetwork,theex-MTVNicoleByervehicleLooselyExactlyNicoleisabreezyblastthatsharesanotinsignificantamountofcomedicDNAwithanother,morerecentPastestreamingfavorite,LizaonDemand.LikefictionalLiza,fictionalNicoleliveswithafun,cheekyroommate(JacobWysocki)whileshetriestonavigatetheweirdmodernwildsofL.A.onherpathtocreativeandprofessionalfulfillment.LikefictionalLiza,fictionalNicolestumblesasoften(orevenmoreoften)thanshesucceedsonherpathtosaidfulfillment.Mostimportantly,though,likerealLiza,realNicoleisjustatonoffuntowatchwhengivenfullreintodoherownthing.IfyoufellinlovewithByerwhensheguestedasthechronicallyupbeatmailpersonthatconfoundedTeamCockroachinSeason3ofTheGoodPlace,thenLooselyExactlyNicoleis(loosely)exactlywhatyoushouldaddtoyourstreamingcomedyqueue. 7.Limetown Genre:Drama/MysteryCreatedby:ZackAkers,SkipBronkie(basedontheirpodcastofthesamename)Stars:JessicaBiel,StanleyTucci,MarleeMatlin,KellyJenrette,JohnBeasley,LouisFerreira,SherriSaum,RekhaSharma,VeraFrederickson,MingzhuYe,SherylLee WatchonFacebook OneofthebuzzierofferingsfromFacebookWatch,JessicaBiel’sLimetowntakesZackAzkersandSkipBronkie’shitsci-fimysterypodcastofthesamenameandtransformsitintoaslow-burninghalf-hourdramaseries.Adaptinganythingfromonemediumtoanotherisalwaysatrick,butasPasteTVeditorAllisonKeenenotesinherreview,earlyepisodescreateenoughmysteriouslycascadingcliffhangerslayeredwithadarkenoughscoretomakeforaneasybinge—evenifitsobsessionwiththedarknessofthecrimestoryatitscenteroccasionallyworkstothedetrimentofothernarrativeorcharacterdevelopment. 6.QueenAmerica Genre:DarkComedyCreatedby:MeganOppenheimerStars:CatherineZeta-Jones,BelleShouse,TeagleF.Bougere,RanaRoy,IsabellaAmara,MollyPrice,MeganWest,TomEllis,VictoriaJustice,JudithLight WatchonFacebook AsPaste’sEllenJohnsonnotedinherreviewoftheTulsa-setbeautypageantseries,oneofQueenAmerica’sbiggerdrawsisthatitisastaunchlyfemale-drivenprojectnotjustinfrontofthecamerabutalsobehindit,asseriescreatorMeganOppenheimerisjoinedbydirectorAletheaJonesandwriterLizElverenlionalltenofthefirstseason’sepisodes.AsPaste’sLaToyaFergusonalsonoted,QueenAmerica’sabsolutebiggestdrawisseriesleadCatherineZeta-Jones,whoseoverwhelminggraceandcommandistrailedonlybarelybythatoflate-arrivinggueststarJudithLight.(“Lightalsohasthebestintroductorysceneintheepisodesmadeavailabletocritics,”Fergusonexplains,“playingoffZeta-Jonesinawaythatfeelslikethefirstdrinkofwaterinthedesert.”)Beautypageantsmightnotbeyourthing,butthatshouldn’tstopyoufromgivingQueenAmericaatry. 5.RedTableTalk Genre:Talk/RealityCreatedby:JadaPinkettSmith,EllenRakieten,MiguelMelendezStars:JadaPinkettSmith,WillowSmith,AdrienneBanfield-Norris WatchonFacebook Allaboutsettingupasafe,supportivespaceinwhichtofosterintimate,revealingconversations,RedTableTalkisacompulsivelywatchablemixbetweenacelebrityfamilyrealityseriesanddaytimetalkshow.Co-hostedbythemulti-generationaltriumvirateofJadaPinkettSmith,WillowSmith(daughter)andAdrienneBanfield-Norris(mom),eachepisodefeaturesoneormoreguestscomingtotheSmithfamilyhometositdownattheeponymousRedTabletohashoutreallybig,oftenreallychallengingideas(andmorerecently,theGloriaEstefanandherfamily).Howbig,andhowchallenging?Well,episodeshavecoveredtopicsasfar-rangingastransracialadoption,polyamorousrelationships,whiteprivilege(featuringChelseaHandler),andthechallengesfacedbyanevangelicalpastorwhenshecameoutasatransgenderwoman—andthat’sjustfromthelastcouplemonths.Ofcourse,witheachepisodeclockinginaroundhalfanhour,theseconversations,ascomplicatedastheirsubjectsare,can’tgettoodeep.Judgingfromthereactionsinthecommentsscrollalongsideeachepisode,though,thelimitedbutcompassionatedepthtowhichRedTableTalkdoesgoisjustwhatmanypeopleneedtostartbeingopentothinkingaboutsuchpricklysubjectsatall,and—especiallyonFacebook—that’snotnothing. 4.Strangers Genre:Comedy/DramaCreatedby:MiaLidofskyStars:ZoëChao,MeredithHagner WatchonFacebook A“coming-of-agestoryaboutfindingyourself,”MiaLidofsky’sStrangersisawarm,morelyricallyearnestfoiltothebroadergoofball“findingyourself”comedyofLooselyExactlyNicole.FollowingqueerbestfriendsIsobel(ZoëChao)andCam(MeredithHagner,SearchParty)astheystumbletheirwayintoselfhoodfirstinLosAngeles(Season1)theninNewYork(Season2),theseriesmadeanearlynameforitselfatSundance,butdespiteboththatbuzzandtheshiftfromfifteen-minutemini-episodesinthefirstseasontoatraditionalhalf-hourformatinSeason2,itisstillwoefullyoverlookedoutsidethequeertelevisionbubble.Well,takethisasyourcuetobreakthroughthatbubble!Season2endsonabig,romanticgestureofacliffhanger;moreeyeswatchingthewomeninthemiddleofthatgrandgesturestarelovinglyintoeachother’seyescertainlycan’thurttheshow’schancesforrenewal. 3.SacredLies Genre:Mystery/TeenDramaCreatedby:RaelleTuckerStars:ElenaKampouris,KevinCarroll,KianaMadeira,TobyHuss,RyanRobbins WatchonFacebook AsIwroteinmyoriginalreview,ifyou’reapersonwho’sspentanyrealtimetreadingtheincreasinglymurkyandcomplexYAwatersoverthelastdecade,SacredLies,will,inbothsubjectandexecution,feelentirelyfamiliar.Ifnot,thestylisticallyspare,inherentlyunromanticdarknessofRaelleTucker’sdigitalseries,adaptedfromaStephanieOakesnovelofthesamename,mightbemorethanalittledisorienting—andthat’sbeforetakingtherawvisceralityofElenaKampouris’handlessMinnowBlyandtherawhorrorofTobyHuss’Montanansurvivalistcultintoconsideration.Theseriesalsohasasecondseason,“TheSingingBones,”whichexpandsthissmart,ambitiousmysteryanthologybyinvolvingitsfansinthestory.Butforthosewithlimitedtime,thetenepisodesofSeason1wrapupbothMinnow’sandDr.Wilson’s(KevinCarroll)storiesinasatisfyingway. 2.SorryforYourLoss Genre:DramaCreatedby:KitSteinkellnerStars:ElizabethOlsen,KellyMarieTran,JovanAdepo,MamoudouAthie,JanetMcTeer,ZackRobidas WatchonFacebook It’snosecretthatKitSteinkellner’sSorryforYourLossisadeeplybelovedfavoritehereinthePasteTVtrenches.Thoughtful,raw,heartbreaking,hopeful,andcatharticallatonce,SorryforYourLossiscompellingnotjustbecauseofSteinkellner’squietlypowerfulwritingandthesmallcast’sconsistentlydevastatingperformances,butbecauseoftheinnovativewaysinwhichthestoryofthegriefthatfollowsMatt’s(MamoudouAthie)deathisunspooledepisodetoepisode;notwoepisodicstoryarcseverreallystructuredthesame. Everywherethisfamily-centricstorygoesinitstwoshortseasonsisbeautifulandwellworthwatching. 1.SKAMAustin Genre:TeenDramaCreatedby:JulieAndem,SaraHeywardStars:JulieRocha,TillSimon,KennedyHermansen,AustinTerry,ShelbySurdam,La’KeishaSlade,ValeriaVera,AaliyahMuhammad,PedroCastenada,GiovanniNiubo,SophiaHopkins WatchonFacebook AsheartbreakinglyexcellentasSorryforYourLossis,itisn’tinherentlyaFacebookshow—itcould,ifithadto,findacomfortablehomeonanynumberofothernetworks.ThewallopthattheequallyexcellentanddifferentlyheartbreakingSKAMAustinpacks,ontheotherhand,derivesdirectlyfromitsFacebook(andInstagram)roots.SKAMAustin,asInotedinmyreviewofthisAmericanadaptationofAndem’soriginalNorwegianpublictelevisionserieswhenitfirsthitFacebook’sdigitalairwavesin2018,islessaseriesthanitisan“obsession-inducingtransmediaexperience”thatusesthesubtleteen-speaknuancesnativetobothInstagramandFacebooktofollowthelivesofacadreoffictionalAustinteensinexcruciatinglyrealreal-time,clipsoftheirquotidiandramaspostingdailyastheproductionteammaintainslive,interactiveaccountsbelongingtoeachcharacterforfanstofollowinbetweenofficial“episode”drops.Sure,theplotofMeganandGraceandKelseyandJoandShayandZoyaandMarlonandDanielandTyler’soverlappingstoriesmightbeabletoliveoninapurelylinearformonanotherplatform,butforgoodorill,itisliterallyimpossibletoimaginetheimmersiveentiretyoftheSKAMAustinexperienceexistinganywhereelsebutwithintheFacebookecosystem.Andifthatisn’tthemaddeninglyunsolvableproblemofFacebookin2019,Idon’tknowwhatis.Anyway,here’salovelettertoSeason2.MayanequallybeautifulSeason3(andamorerobustAmericandemocracy)finduseventually. AlexisGundersonisaTVcriticandaudiobibliophile.Shecanbefound@AlexisKG. TagsskamaustinbetchesfacebookwatchsorryforyourlossGETPASTERIGHTINYOURINBOXThebestmusic,movies,TV,books,comedyandmore.SignUpYes,IwouldliketoreceivePaste'snewsletter MorefromFacebookWatch  FacebookWatch'sSacredLies:TheSingingBonesRemainsaSmart,AmbitiousMysteryAnthologyByAlexisGundersonFebruary20,2020 | 6:05pmWatch:ExclusiveSorryforYourLossClipEncouragesLeightoReadtheCommentsByAllisonKeeneOctober21,2019 | 12:00pmTheLimetownDisappearanceGetsLostinItsTVTranslationByAllisonKeeneOctober16,2019 | 10:50amSorryforYourLoss:JovanAdepoonDanny'sGriefandSeasonTwoJourneyByAlexisGundersonOctober15,2019 | 11:00amTheQuietlyPowerfulSorryforYourLossReturnsFullofRaw,AuthenticEmotionsByAllisonKeeneSeptember30,2019 | 10:45amWatchtheTrailerforZacEfronandAnnaKendrick'sNewAnimatedFacebookWatchSeriesBySavannahSicurellaJuly2,2019 | 4:27pmYeahEuphoriaIsCool,butHaveYouEverTriedtheReal-LifeTeenIntensityofSKAMAustin?ByAlexisGundersonJune24,2019 | 1:00pmFacebookWatchRenewsSorryforYourLoss,SacredLies,OtherOriginalsforSecondSeasonsByStephanChoDecember13,2018 | 12:27pmPaste'sPowerRankings:The10BestShowsonTVRightNowByPasteStaff&TVWritersNovember20,2018 | 10:00amTheReasontoWatchQueenAmericaIstheCommandingCatherineZeta-JonesByLaToyaFergusonNovember16,2018 | 11:00amFacebookWatch'sQueenAmericaIsaFreshTakeonBeautyPageantStereotypesByEllenJohnsonNovember15,2018 | 12:00pmThe5NewTVShowsYouCan'tMissThisMonthByAmyAmatangeloNovember1,2018 | 2:00pmCatherineZeta-JonesStarsintheTeaserforFacebookWatchOriginalSeriesQueenAmericaByStephanChoOctober25,2018 | 11:23am AlsoinTV NewShowsonHulu ByPasteStaff September27,2022 | 4:12pm PastePowerRankings:The10BestTVShowsonRightNow ByAllisonKeeneandthePasteTVWriters September27,2022 | 11:11am EverySmilingFriendsEpisode,Ranked ByDiannaShen September26,2022 | 11:38am The12BestShowsonAcornTVtoStreamRightNow ByAlexisGunderson September23,2022 | 5:30pm 12BestDisney+OriginalSeriesforAdults ByAllisonKeeneandthePasteTVWriters September22,2022 | 2:28pm NewShowsonAppleTV+ ByPasteStaff September22,2022 | 1:25pm MostPopular The25BestAppleTV+Series,Ranked ByPasteStaffandTVWriters September9,2022 MostPopularonNetflix:ALookatToday'sTop10 ByJoshJackson September19,2022 The50BestTVShowsonNetflix,Ranked(September2022) ByPasteStaff&TVWriters September16,2022 WeNeedtoTalkabouttheHeartlessHarfootsofRingsofPower ByJimVorel September26,2022 The15BestQuotesfromTheOffice(U.S.) ByMollySchramm September13,2022 PastePowerRankings:The10BestTVShowsonRightNow ByAllisonKeeneandthePasteTVWriters September27,2022 WeShouldHaveLetGameofThronesFadeAwayWhenWeHadtheChance ByKathrynPorter September22,2022 Yes,RingsofPowerFeelsLikeaBillionBucks,butWhatDoesThatReallyMeanforAmazon? 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