Your Guide To: Netflix Originals

Ah Netflix - making us binge both TV and food, and become the living embodiment of a couch potato. Now as anyone  with access to wifi (#blessed) knows, Netflix is coming out with some big original hits. The TV version of 'Chunes' or 'Bangers'. But where to begin I hear none of you ask? Well let me help you enjoy your Easter and ruin your revision!


Here are 6 original Netflix shows I've loved and perhaps they'll tickle your fancy too. Three comedies, and three dramas, how convenient!

Comedies:

1. Bojack Horseman

Undoubtedly one of their first quirky shows to take off. This animated cartoon, set in a world with people, and anthropomorphic animals (I did say quirky) is a surprise winner. It revolves around ex-TV star Bojack Horseman (a Horse..duh) and his life outside the limelight, attempting to make things work. Comedically cynical, hilariously narcissistic and endearingly negative, for some reason you find yourself rooting for him as he finds himself in the strangest of situations. With a stellar cast of Will Arnett (Arrested Development, 30 Rock), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad/Science Bitch) and Brie Larson (Community) it sets itself up nicely, with wonderfully touching moments, and major dysfunction. The guest stars are endless and it's humour is very broad that anybody will find some of it funny. 

2. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Once again, a fairly original idea. A group of women who were locked underground for years when a religious cult leader thought the world was going to end are found and released into the wild (world*). This show follows one of these women (Kimmy duh) as she decides to brave New York. She quickly meets her roommate/buddy, an extremely camp black man named Titus, played by Titus Burgess very well, and Jane Krakowski who plays a billionaires vain/insecure wife (charmingly, and with comedic finesse). We join Kimmy on many a caper and see the world through her eyes, as someone not used to the 21st century. The characters are much larger than life, an area that Producer/Writer Tina Fey is not unfamiliar with (30 Rock is another show i'm a big fan, see previous blogs). At first I was a little skeptical, I'm not a fan of OTT characters, especially not unrealistically flamboyant ones like Titus, but I took a liking very quickly. Ellie Kemper is great as the ever-optimistic absolutely pure Kimmy and her energy is matched by Krakowski and Burgess. 

This is definitely the most main-stream sitcom in style and whilst occasionally suffers from the Netflix Curse of waning storylines, and unnecessarily long episodes. It is a true hoot. Also, if anything watch it for the music video 'Peeno Noir: An Ode to Black Penis', you won't regret it.

3. Master of None

I'm not going to lie to you, this one may not appeal to everyone. Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford, Parks and Rec) is an aspiring actor in New York. That's essentially it. What it lacks in originality in concept and storyline, it makes up for in issues addressed. I like this show because it's interesting. Topics I'd love to cover in my writing are covered; Race, Gender, Generational differences, Marriage, Mortality, Infidelity and Happiness are a number of topics covered. Eric Wareheim and Noel Wells are great as his best friend and girlfriend respectively. Underdog champion is Azis's real life father playing his onscreen father. This show isn't your typical sitcom, with set-up, punchline etc. However, it does have literal laugh-out-loud moments, and very amiable characters. As is the case with many Netflix Originals , it is shot masterfully and I wonder if every building in New York is open-brick, and how a low-key actor affords the apartment the protagonist lives in, but what do I know. With Aziz Ansari's charisma, smarter writing than most sitcoms and each episode being largely self-contained story-lines, this is definitely worth a watch.

Dramas

1. Daredevil

This post comes hot on the heels of me finishing Season 2 of 'Marvel's Daredevil' so I can move onto revision distraction free (who am I kidding...). Right everybody, this show is kick-ass, literally. The extremely charming Charlie Cox, plays the blind lawyer with heightened senses who patrols the streets of hells kitchen at night. Not a mainstream Marvel hero, but an interesting one with a rich backstory. The fight scenes are the best you'll see in any show, and arguably most movies. Both seasons have delivered compelling story lines, and incredible imagery. Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order, Men in Black) as the Kingpin,  Elodie Yung (B13) as Elektra  and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) as the Punisher are all fascinating characters that you hate/love in equal measure. Bringing themes of morality, death and love into an increasingly fascinating show. Season 1 brought in flashbacks and backstory for both the villain and the hero whereas season 2 simply toyed with the idea of what is a 'villain'. I'd get on this, and if you like it there's Jessica Jones, and the upcoming Luke Cage, Iron First and The Defenders (The Avengers of Hell's Kitchen, thats all the aforementioned heroes in one).

(This whole scene was shot in one take.)

2. Narcos

If I can't find a job after I graduate I'm moving to Colombia and becoming a drug dealer (for any police reading this thats a 'joke'). Narcos follows the life of Colombian Kingpin Pablo Escobar and his rise and demise. Sounds short, but when you consider it shows how he moved into drugs, the various political tensions, and politicians, his enemies, his friends, his worries, his options, his rise to fame, prominence and power and subsequently how he was beaten it easily covers an entire season. With Netflix's massive budgets, the views, cinematography and atmosphere is all exceptional. Moreover, the acting is once again incredible, as well as much of the show being in the various native languages. It starts slow, but once you know every character you're with the show till the bitter end. This too suffers from the Netflix Curse as I found myself having to power through a few episodes in the middle, which moved the story line along, but not as much as it could have with the time it took.

3. Sense-8

Last but not least, this is the underground drama. The Master of None of the Dramas. Sense-8 is directed and written by the Wachowski Siblings (The Matrix people). The concept is what hooked me, 8 people all born at the same moment in time are psychically linked. This leads to all sorts of neat ideas, such as their new-found ways of empathising , they communicate as mobile consciences and they can harness knowledge & skills off each other. While this is going on, your classic psycho bad guy is trying to steal their powers (blah blah blah). Whilst that part of the story line is relatively simple and an antagonist is necessary, it's the strength of the characters, the cinematography and philosophies it covers that I stayed for. Firstly all 8 people are scattered across the world. This means the show takes us (semi-genuinely) to Seoul, Chicago, Mumbai, Mexico City, London, Rejkavic, Nigeria, Berlin and San Francisco. I was awe-struck, with sweeping shots of these cities, great shots of actual festivals/monuments/areas of these cities, as well as seeing characters from one country appear in another was eye-opening. For them, and us. There is an especially poignant moment where all eight of them start singing 'What's Up?' by 4 non blondes, each by themselves across the world which sounds tacky but hit me in the feels real hard. They constantly offer fresh perspectives to each other, questions such as Why do you live like this? Why do you feel that way? Why don't you do this? 

Lastly, I'm a sucker for shows/movies where everyone shows up at the end to help. So with this, there were multiple moments, where one of them needed the skills of the other, whether that be driving, shooting, acting, fighting, surgery, lock-picking etc. The final episode has a 'heist' of sorts where all the characters are finally understanding their powers and help the police officer from Chicago (without actually being physically present). I hope there is a Season 2 of this, as I type this out it excites me to see. 

P.S. I just saw Kung Fu Panda 3 and it was absolutely incredible. Visuals, storytelling, humour and message was on fleek, definitely recommend.