Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Streaming, the cord-cutters guide to the week that was—without a cable subscription. This week, we reveal the highest-streamed piece of content on Netflix, address the State of the Union, remember some greats that were taken too soon (fuck you, cancer) and lol at the now legendary Leonardo DiCaprio/Lady Gaga Golden Globes video that broke the Internet, complete with recommended viewing prescriptions. (There's also a video clip that I only clicked on because I saw a nipple in the thumbnail, but that's neither here nor there.) 

Oscillating Fan For Your Home

Recommended dosage: One small glass of scotch and a couple melatonin or Two shots of Nyquil

When I was a kid my insomnia seemed like a perk and not a debilitating disorder. “Oooh boy.” I’d say after an hour of tossing and turning, “I guess I’ll make a blanket fort and read through my entire Calvin & Hobbes collection, again!”

When you’re young it’s easy to think of sleeping as missing out on stuff, but as you age, bouncing back from a night without sleep can take a week. Over the years I have tinkered with several remedies, and although I have yet to pinpoint an exact recipe for sleep, here’s a quick list of some favorites:

A glass of whiskey, a couple melatonin, television from the '80s, a cold room with warm blankets, and if you’re anything like me—white noise is a must...

And according to data from instantwatcher.com this week, odds are you are exactly like me. Wanna know what show passed Making a Murderer and Parks and Recreation this week? Oscillating Fan For Your Home, an hour long video of a fan casually swaying to the sounds of seagulls chasing crashing waves was the 5th most watched program. Bravo Netflix.

Looking forward to your new series, Celebrities Reading Books Aloud by the Fire. Can we get Morgan Freeman to read Calvin & Hobbes? Seriously. I want that.

Nano Impressions

Recommended dosage: One sleeve of Oreos, the Hydrox impersonator

YouTube videos of people doing impressions are a dime a dozen (or however it works out depending on subscribers and views and what not). I'm terrible at impressions. I can't even do accents. So when I stumble upon people that can perfectly sing like a few dozen artists or contort their faces to be dead-ringers I feel guilty for not caring at all. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised when my favorite viral video of the week was Vanity Fair's  two minute short video of Ross Marquand doing a bit called Nano-Impressions.

I've always felt the best impressions are pulled back just enough to allow the performer to create their own character and this the perfect vehicle for it. It should be the template for how to do impressions on YouTube. It's got great production value, top notch talent, and a break neck pace. I have a soft spot in my heart for all of those moments in between moments, the candid bits of life that get edited out of the movie. It's impressive how spot on all of his bits are in each three second pop.

Really hoping this blows up and we get to see more from Mr. Marquand.
 

State of the Union

Recommended dosage: A grain of salt

Usually the best part of the State of the Union or any huge political production for that matter is the inevitable slew of parody videos that are sure to follow soon thereafter. Every time I see Trump speaking I'm already hearing little pieces cut up, looped,  and auto-tuned. When the camera pans the stage at a debate I wonder what hilariously silly things the folks at Bad Lip Reading are going to do with the footage. We've become so accustomed to cynicism and satire it's become hard to watch any amount of political theater without wanting to throw tomatoes.

In the past few weeks we have lost Lemmy from Motörhead, David Bowie, and as I'm writing this—the consummate antagonist—Alan Rickman. Three legends to go with roughly 8 Million estimated cancer deaths this year. 

It's not my intention to write anything politically charged, I'm certainly not interested in sparking debate. I also don't want to turn this column into a love letter for the passing of our heroes. 

All I'm saying is that I hope that this:

is more than just an echo of this from over 40 years ago:

Actually, hold on. Here's my favorite David Bowie video just so we can leave this section on a more upbeat note:


 

Oppressed Majority

Recommended dosage: One small salad consumed while laughing or one box of Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes devoured in silence.

I'm never going to review pornography in this column, but when I get an opportunity to drop in a great video that's creeping around the Internet, and there's boobs in the thumbnail, I will happily embed it and add a little review—every time.

I'll be honest, I watched this video solely because of the nipple in the thumbnail. I'm willing to bet most guys did. And then 11 minutes later you realize it's a brilliant stroke of marketing that elevates the whole film by allowing idiots like me to begin watching the film in a very specific state of mind. I loved it. 
 

The Golden Globes

Recommended dosage: Whatever these guys were having

The Golden Globes are the award show equivalent to the high school party where the parents are "cool" with you drinking because they're "cool" and their house is a safe place. But then as everyone starts to get sobered up the next day you realize how utterly bizarre and inappropriate it all was.

I can't help but imagine a handful of old European dudes shouting, "Chug! Chug! Chug!" at Amy Adams right before they convinced Jonah Hill the bear bit was hilarious. 

It's the perfect show to watch the clips of the next day. Everything is just too cringe-worthy to watch live as illustrated in this amazing four-second loop: