Oh, Netflix. It’s the streaming channel that has introduced internet users to one of the 21st Century’s guiltiest pleasures; binge-watching. There’s nothing quite like whiling away the many weekend hours watching episode after ad-free episode of high-quality television. It’s the age of instant gratification and boy, are we gratified. Here are our top suggestions as to what you should greedily binge on this weekend.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
In 2003, Queer Eye first debuted itself as the newest, queerest makeover show. The reality-driven series follows five fabulously stylish, gay men who seek out heterosexual fashion wrongdoers who are in desperate need of a revamp. The latest reboot of the show is just as touching, funny and as culturally relevant as the original. The Fab 5 are out to make the world a more stylish, more tolerant and a more diverse place.
Stranger Things
Unless you have been on a lengthy pop culture news sabbatical, you may have heard of a little Netflix show called Stranger Things. This nostalgic, witty, beautifully-written sci-fi drama follows the story of the mysterious disappearance of a local boy, Will Byers. His adorable, motley crew of friends, his mother, and the cantankerous town sheriff set out to uncover the dark and ominous details of Will’s vanishing. It’s heartwarming, it’s set in the eighties, and if you haven’t watched it already – you should.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond
This documentary follows Jim Carrey’s immersive behind-the-scenes journey beyond the set of his 1999 biographical comedy-drama, Man on the Moon. The film gracefully explored the life of the great American comedian, Andy Kauffman. The extensive and fascinating footage from the set, reveals the often bizarre extent of Carrey’s method-driven possession of the late comedian. His months spent living as Kauffman offer profound insight into what appears, at some stages, to be an other-worldly and deeply personal experience for Carrey. The documentary is poignant, gently probing some of life’s most disillusioning, unanswered questions.
Chef’s Table
This series meticulously shares the narratives behind the lives, art, and food of some of the world’s best chefs. Each installment is so enthralling, so nuanced and so magnificently-shot that they could each be viewed as a feature movie within itself. The chef profiles are more than about the love and skill of preparing beautiful food, they are journeys, triumphs, and truths served upon a plate.
Love
This is the latest Netflix offering from Judd Apatow, the comedic brain behind Knocked Up, Freaks and Geeks, Anchorman and Superbad. The show follows a seemingly generic plot; boy and girl meet, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl navigate the intrepid waters of pursuing an adult relationship. The surprising beauty of this series lies in the spectacular vulnerability, relatable charm and piercing wit of its portrayal. Paul Rust and Gillian Jacobs star as our starstruck, seemingly doomed lovers. Its romantic, it’s gritty, it’s uncomfortable and it is so worth watching.
