Why is it that TV Shows are so much easier to watch than movies? Last weekend, Jacob and I literally spent most of our Sunday binging The Haunting of Bly Manor but when I think about watching one (1) movie, I groan. Who has time for a two (2) hour movie? Not me. Who has time for ten (10) episodes of a show that has a one (1) hour run time for each episode? I do! I think my brain is broken.
This list does not include any reality, cooking, or documentary shows. They’re all fiction (kinda). Netflix definitely has a lot of great options for those 3 genres but maybe I’ll talk about those another time. I could only do so much in one post, okay?
STRANGER THINGS
If you know anything about me, you know that I love the 80s. I had to check out this show as soon as it came out. The first season was perfect. They had the 80s nostalgia down perfectly and drew me in immediately. The young cast is so talented and I’ll never not love Winona. I have to say, I forced myself through season two. I wasn’t impressed. But I’m really happy I stuck with it cause season three was fantastic (“I dump your ass!”). Hopefully season two was just a fluke and season four is just as good.
MINDHUNTER
This is where my “They’re all fiction (kinda)” comment comes into play. Mindhunter is the true story of how the FBI became the FBI (but it’s been dramatized). It’s crazy to think that there was a time when psychology wasn’t really used in regards to murder. Of course your upbringing and life plays into if you want to murder people or not, especially serial killers who have patterns. And speaking on that, there was really a time when the FBI didn’t look at patterns and profiling. It blows my mind. It’s something that I just… assumed was always around, ya know? Fun Fact: I was a psychology major before I was an English major because I wanted to be a homicide detective. Anyway, get through the first 2 episodes, they’re not good. It’ll be worth it.
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE
Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? Horror movies nowadays are trash. They spend too much time trying to scare you that they waste their time on jump scares instead of actual plot lines. The Haunting of Hill House does not do that. The story is so beautifully threaded throughout the season. Each character is so well cast and portrayed that it’s crazy to think that these actors/actresses aren’t simply playing out their own lives for us to watch. Please watch this show. I know it’s scary but it’s so much more than that. But in the end, it’s all just… confetti.
THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR
If The Haunting of Hill House was too scary for you and you want something a little more toned down, this series is for you. It’s great but definitely not a ghost story and not as scary as Hill House. Another show that takes place (mostly) in the 80s and I would kill for all of Hannah’s earrings and Rebecca’s outfits. Owen is a BABE who cooks for a house full of women and children and just stands around being incredibly attractive (which is TOUGH to do with a porn-stache). Again, the cast seems so perfectly made for their roles and the plot rarely falters. My only real complaint is the god awful accents (can we PLEASE just hire people with those specific accents or just… leave it out? It’s not important to the plot most of the time… I’m looking at you, Peter and Narrator). I really am trying not to spoil anything but they’re able to take a relationship and make it very believable and beautiful and ugh.
CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA
Who loved Sabrina the Teenage Witch? I remember this computer game I had of it but we had such a crappy computer at home that would constantly cut off all our video games and man, I wish I could play that game again… Anyway, a few years ago I stumbled across a comic book series called Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It was a dark look at Sabrina (which was originally a comic book derived from the Archie comics!). So like, The Craft meets Sabrina the Teenage Witch? I’m in. I devoured the comics. Then, Netflix made the series and it’s really great (the first season anyway). I want to live in that house, I want every outfit that every character wears, I want to cut my hair short and dye it blonde, I don’t even smoke but I kind of want to so I could have a cigarette holder like Aunt Zelda? Aesthetically, it’s everything I want in my life. I’m interested in seeing it continue but I do have to say that Season 2 was seriously lacking. Maybe just watch season 1.
LOCKE & KEY
I’ve been waiting for this show since 2010. When I lived in Seattle, I came across a comic book store where the employee highly recommended Locke & Key to me after I said I loved the Sandman Comics. An old, Victorian house, where there’s keys hidden everywhere that can do super cool supernatural things? You had me at “old, Victorian house”. There were at least 2 other Locke & Key shows that were brought up over the past couple of years. They kept getting my hopes up, only to be dashed. Then one day, I saw this on Netflix without hearing an INKLING that this was being worked on and it was the BEST DAY EVER. The show does a fantastic job at portraying the story but I’m not entirely convinced of the cast, which is kind of a bummer (looking at you, mom). Overall, the show is wonderfully done and keeps your interest.
WARRIOR NUN
So I have this thing with only watching shows that have badass women in them. If you don’t have a badass female lead, you’ll lose me (unless you’re Mindhunter… huh… just thought about that). I found out about this show because it was marketed as being if Buffy was a nun. I know I just lost you because most people who know me and haven’t watched Buffy, immediately discredit my choice in shows because my favorite show IS Buffy the Vampire Slayer. To that, I say, to each their own. But I also wanna know if one of the following shows is your favorite: Game of Thrones, Friends, The Office, or Breaking Bad. Did I get it right? That’s what I thought.
This show is about a badass female who gets accidentally thrown into a life of becoming a badass warrior that can see demons. The reason nuns are involved is because it does deal with demons and in the show, the Catholic church has a private sect of nuns who become warriors to rid the world of demons. It follows the same vein as Buffy in a lot of aspects, especially since our main girl is super witty, unsure about her chosen destiny, and kicks demon ass. It’s also filmed in Europe and everything is just so much more beautiful there.
What’s your favorite show on Netflix? Did you watch any of these and like them? Let me know down in the comments!
Writes with Wolves 