Choosing shows and movies to add to your to-watch list is not as easy as it sounds. To help fill your “you” time with enjoyable shows, we’ve compiled lists of great Netflix shows that you can binge on and recommended certain movies from time to time.
But with so much to do and so little time, we’re betting that some of those shows aren’t getting any closer to being touched on your to-watch list. Rather than simply throwing recommendations at you, we’ve decided that a review format that allows you to quickly decide if a show is perfect for your current mood would be more helpful.
This will be the first in a series of articles where we will be listing Netflix program recommendations in a “yay” or “nay” format. We will continue to review and recommend highly anticipated shows and movies in their own articles in more detail when they demand the attention, but for now you can expect a list of quick recommendations from our Netflix Wrap-Up articles every Tuesday.
Friends from College (2 seasons)
Genre: Romantic comedy
Show Type: Series
What’s the show about?
An ensemble cast romantic comedy about a group of college friends who have finally grown up and found themselves reunited in New York.
Yay:
If you find joy in watching people self-sabotage their lives and relationships in relatable ways, “Friends from College” is a sure treat to watch.
Nay:
If you prefer your ensemble romantic comedies in a sitcom format with a little more comedic exaggeration, you can skip “Friends from College” until your tastes change.
Watership Down
Genre: Animated drama
Show Type: Series
What’s the show about?
“Watership Down” follows the adventures of a group of rabbits who leave their original warren due to the visions of Fiver (Nicholas Hoult), predicting the warren’s demise. The rabbits are hounded by the elements and other creatures in the wide world as they try to search for a new sanctuary they can call their own. This is an animated adaptation of the novel by Richard Adams.
Yay:
If you like a good drama story regardless of whether it’s animated or portrayed by anthropomorphic animals, “Watership Down” can provide you with all the material you can cry about.
Nay:
If you don’t like to see anthropomorphic animals squabble, fight, and even murder each other, you may want to stay away from “Watership Down.” Also, if you’re looking for something light and easy to watch, “Watership Down” is definitely something you should avoid.
Bodyguard
Genre: Political thriller
Show Type: Series
What’s the show about?
“Game of Thrones'” Richard Madden stars as Police Sergeant David Budd of the London Police’s Protection Command. Budd is tasked to be the bodyguard of Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), a politician whom Budd does not get along well. In the line of duty, Budd encounters a conspiracy that involves his ward, which eventually draws him into the show’s main plot.
Yay:
If you like following the multiple threads of conspiracies and trying to outthink a show, “Bodyguard” is a binge-worthy series. The show is chock full of drama that adds to the challenge of figuring out what Budd’s next move should be so he can finally break free of the conspiracy.
Nay:
If you like the action in your shows consistently in your face, “Bodyguard” may not be the show for you. It’s thriller nature means that while the action may be visceral, there will be a lot of scenes – episodes even – that feature a lot of talking. If you don’t want something slow, don’t watch this.
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Genre: Documentary series
Show Type: Series
What’s the show about?
“The Ted Bundy Tapes” is a four-part documentary series that explores one of America’s most notorious serial killers. The show includes recordings from Ted Bundy himself, as well as interviews from those who followed his trial and incarceration closely.
Yay:
Watch this if a sneak peek into the mind of a serial killer excites you. If you enjoy trying to piece together the information provided by a show to create your own conclusions about the documentary’s subject, “The Ted Bundy Tapes” is right up your alley.
Nay:
If you think you might get bored by interviews, recordings, and speculations on why Ted Bundy did what he did and what the people were thinking about him during his time, this show may not be for you. Also, if Ted Bundy’s serial killing career is too mundane or too real a topic for you to enjoy, skip this series and wait for Zac Efron’s controversial movie based on the serial killer to come out.
Polar
Genre: Action thriller
Show Type: Movie
What’s the show about?
Duncan Vizla (Mads Mikkelsen) is retiring from his job as one of the world’s greatest assassins. Unfortunately, his retirement means a significant financial loss for his former employer. Cue Duncan’s employers sending out younger assassins to take him out of the picture.
Yay:
Gratuitous violence? Check. An exaggeratedly sexy depiction of an assassin’s lifestyle? Check. A straightforward plot with action twists that end with the satisfying death of cocky villains? Check. If you enjoy action films like “John Wick” and “The Raid” for their gritty presentation and the satisfying comeuppance that antagonists eventually receive, this movie is perfect for you.
Nay:
If you’re not into gratuitous sex, violence, and a plot that doesn’t require you to think, “Polar” is not the movie for you.
