Netflix has a plethora of shows for the discerning viewer but knowing what’s really good is the trick to binge-worthy television.
Here’s a list of television shows that we really like:
Stranger Things
This show is set in the 80s (yup very much pre all your favourite gadgets) where life was very outdoorsy and bicycles were everyone’s favourite mode of transportation. A group of kids in small-town Indiana encounter a number of supernatural threats in this ultimate nostalgia trip.
The show also references popular culture at the time from music to cult tv shows. One of Netflix’s flagship shows, collectively viewers spent a record-breaking 287 million hours watching the latest season during the first weekend it came out.
The Crown
This sober and serious show may seem at the outset to be unlikely to do well but the historical series depicting the life of Queen Elizabeth II has a cult following. The show traces the life of the monarch from her early days on the throne in the 50s right up to the 21st century.
Three actresses play the Queen over four seasons Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton.
Narcos
This epic show chronicles the life of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar played by Wagner Moura and the DEA agents who seek to capture him. It also examines the shocking effects of the cocaine industry and has a strong touch or realism.
Peaky Blinders
This period series trails the life of hoodlums in Birmingham, England after World War 1 as they try to evade law enforcement. The cast includes stellar actors like Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Murphy does a great job as mob boss Tommy Shelby showing he is capable of terrible violence and yet can be charming and friendly at the same time.
Black Mirror
This anthology explores the dangers of digital technology and offers viewers a lot of food for thought. Set in dystopian environments, it is basically like an upgraded Twilight Zone but with a twist in that it seeks to portray how digitalization has caused huge problems for humanity.
Bojack Horseman
This animation features Hollywood actor Bojack the anti-hero who is a former 90s comedy actor who is trying to make a comeback. Bojack is played by Will Arnett and the show is filled with witty repartee and animal puns cleverly using wit and humor to deal with heavy subjects such as depression and addiction.
When They See Us
This crime drama is based on the 1989 Central Park jogger case. The story revolves around the five Black and Latino men who were falsely accused and prosecuted for assaulting a woman. The show is both thrilling and features great courtroom scenes chronicling the difficulty of prison life and the loopholes in the American judiciary.
Mr Sunshine
This series follows the lives of activists who are fighting for independence in 20th century Korea. Lee Byung-hun stars as a young Korean man who becomes a US Marine Corps officer before returning to Korea where falls in love with a noblewoman played by Kim Tae-ri. He also uncovers a Japanese plot to colonize his homeland.
Squid Game
Another not to be missed Korean super-hit show. Squid Game is the story of cash-strapped individuals who accept an invitation to compete in children’s game for huge sums of money but with deadly stakes and consequences.
It also has a stellar cast comprising of Ho Yeon Jung, Lee Jung-jae, Gong Yoo, Park Hae-soo. Wi Ha-joon, Lee Yoo-Mi and Lee Byung-hun.
Suits
An American legal drama series, this fictional show has a glorious 9 seasons making it truly binge-worthy if you like courtroom stories.
It follows the story of Mike Ross (played by Patrick J Adams) who uses his eidetic memory to talk his way into a job as an associate in a big wig law firm working for the successful Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). This despite the fact that he is in fact a college dropout who has never attended law school.
It focuses on Specter and Ross winning lawsuits and closing cases while hiding Ross’ secret.
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