5 Reasons Why You NEED to Watch ‘Being Erica’
Starring Erin Karpluk as Erica Strange and Michael Riley as Dr. Tom, ‘Being Erica’ is surely set to sweep you off your feet while making you feel like you’re sipping a cup of hot cocoa, snuggled in a warm blanket. It does magical things to you; transcends you into the world of Erica, and emotionally invests you in her story. Aired in the course of two years (2009-2011) on HBO, BBC Entertainment & CBC TV in more than 120 countries, this show consisting of four seasons will get you hooked.
Here are five reasons why ‘Being Erica’ could be right up your alley!
It’s pro-mental health & there’s therapy. Lots of it.
There are times when we feel like we don’t belong, or that nothing’s working out in our favor or that, we’ve just been getting pushed around and no one’s there to save us. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Well, so has the protagonist of the show. Erica is depicted as a 32-year-old woman who’s been through “stuff” in her life (no spoilers here). She is in the middle of an identity crisis when she serendipitously meets Dr. Tom, her therapist-to-be. The audience then witnesses them both set off on a journey of self-discovery, together. Mind you, their therapy sessions are the top whys and wherefores of reasons you should be watching this show. There’s individual therapy, group therapy, therapist training, etc. You vicariously get therapized in the process without even realizing it; ‘passive therapy’ as you may call it.
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The story’s very gripping.
What if I tell you that you could do your past all over? And what if you couldn’t control it? Having secrets means that you would always have an invisible burden to carry. Some of your biggest regrets are secrets from the world. Only you know about them. What if you met a therapist who claimed that his brand of therapy wasn’t traditional? He could take you back in time, relive that experience and give you a chance of fixing it. The question here is, that even if you were taken back in time and made to re-experience everything, would you really do things differently?
This is the philosophy this entire show spins upon. It has a solid plot, fills you with hope, and gives you more than a hundred “been there, done that” moments. Plus, all the characters have their own lives, histories, and their own worlds that we get to witness.
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You learn life lessons you never knew you needed.
You are the author of your book, the captain of your ship. Therefore, it is you who needs to take control of it because nobody else will. Mistakes, everyone makes them. But they shouldn’t define who you are. People’s opinions about you, you will always care about them. They just shouldn’t matter as much as your own. Lessons like these and many more were ardently explored and talked about in the show. Plus, Dr. Tom, the therapist, has this eccentric way of throwing famous quotes along the way. This show holds the power to change your perspective about life, fill you with hope and make you want to buckle up and tell the world “I have arrived!”
Moreover, the theme song “All I Ever Wanted To Be” is very catchy. With lyrics that go like this, you surely do get a hint of what’s about to go down.
“It’s clearer inside of me,
Who I will always be,
Here at the core of my heart”
There are interesting characters you can relate to.
This narrative is set in Toronto. You really get a peek into Toronto’s city life. Erica works in a publishing house and there are a lot of scenes where we get a closer look into the hustle and bustle of it. You meet eccentric characters like Julianne, Erica’s insecure and perfectionist boss, and Brent who is the notorious good-guy-gone-bad (you’ll find that in the course of the four seasons- no spoilers here). You get to meet everyone in Erica’s world; from her siblings and parents to her friends, colleagues, and love interests. Moreover, Erica’s character is unbelievably relatable. You’ll laugh your pants off thinking, “Oh that’s me. That’s so me!”
Another great thing is that the casting of this show is done very astutely. It’s an all-Canadian cast and you’ll surely find some hidden gems; actors you never knew existed. My favourite ones have to be Michael Riley, Erin Karpluk and Reagan Pasternak.
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All 4 Seasons are available on YouTube.
Yes, you read that right. Since this show is pretty dated and very indie, you’ll find all the episodes in HD quality on YouTube. You wouldn’t have to pay a penny for any streaming service subscription. I am inserting the links below for your ease. You’re welcome!
Being Erica: Playlist of All Episodes
Of course, you can watch Ultra HD quality episodes on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video, but that’ll cost you bucks.
This show has easily become my comfort show. I find myself re-watching its episodes and find them really therapeutic. They always feel like warm, fuzzy bear hugs which is a plus!
And if this doesn’t make you want to watch the show, I don’t know what will.
Have you watched it? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? We’d love to hear from you!
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About two and half years too old to be good at technology, but a bit of a self-professed book-nerd! That is exactly how I’ll describe myself. With an undying passion for reading and writing, I’ve landed in RangeInn as a Lifestyle Author. Yeah, that’s my new gig and I’m super excited to be part of the team. My articles are mostly about pop culture, celebrity gossip, entertainment, fashion & beauty, personality & spirituality, food, life hacks, books, movies and basically anything & everything that piques my interest.
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