Kevin Boyle
Netflix has proven time and again that when it comes to original content, this streaming service owns the game. With Netflix Originals dropping, what seems like, every other day, here are ten of the best to look out for.
10. F is for Family
This animated comedy from comedian Bill Burr is an absolute delight. Despite only being six episodes long, F is for Family offers a hilarious look at the Murphy family and their various issues and problems. Unlike its stable mate Bojack Horseman ( excuse the great pun), F is For Family takes the adult humour up a few more notches, and with the show apparently confirmed for a second season, there’s a lot more family filth to come.
9. House of Cards
This adaptation from David Fincher, of the British series of the same name, was Netflix’s first global hit. It couldn’t have hurt that the show boasted Kevin Spacey, whose Frank Underwood blazes his own trail through Washington politics, with his equally ruthless wife played bu Robin Wright. While the show isn’t as good as it used to be, it’s worth it just for the uniformly great performances by the two leads.
8. Marvel’s Daredevil
Netflix’s first foray into the superhero genre resulted in the acclaimed Daredevil. Part of a plan to unite other Marvel characters: Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, Daredevil was a hit all of its own with the adventures of Matt Murdoch is the only Defenders show to get a second season due to its popularity. The second season is flawed, but it does have Jon Bernthal as The Punisher, so it’s still a must-watch.
7. A Series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket’s novels finally get the adaptation that they deserved. Centring on the Baudelaire orphans, this whimsical gothic treat stars Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf, the villainous guardian after the children’s fortune. Packed to the gills with inside jokes, foreshadowing, and the funniest bad performance Neil Patrick Harris nails, A Series of Unfortunate Events is a pleasure.
6. Narcos
This crime drama/biopic charts the rise and fall of cocaine king Pablo Escobar, and the investigation to bring him down. With its large scale storytelling, and eye-catching performances, not least Wagner Moura as Escobar, Narcos is an aptly addictive crime drama.
5. Marvel’s Luke Cage
Marvel’s Luke Cage isn’t just another great Defenders show, it’s a show that simultaneously updated the character while also using its platform to tell the story of the African American experience. While Luke Cage is definitely a superhero show, with the action to back it up, it stands out because of its memorable characters, and its superior world building. In these 13 episodes Harlem feels more alive, than Hell’s Kitchen has in triple the episodes.
4. Marvel’s Jessica Jones
The best Defender series is undoubtedly Jessica Jones. With a stronger story than Luke Cage, and a better supporting cast than Daredevil, Jessica Jones is one of the best comic book shows ever. That wouldn’t be the case without Krysten Ritter’s towering performance as Jessica, and David Tennant’s repulsive charm as Kilgrave. Jessica Jones highlighted themes of sexual assault, and male privilege in an attempt to break new ground that is as fearless as its heroine.
3. Bojack Horseman
How did a cartoon about an anthropomorphic horse become one of the most nuanced portrayals of depression? With a ton of great animal puns, Hollywoo satire, and a compelling central performance from Will Arnett as the titular horse. For three seasons Bojack has redefined what animated comedy can do.
2. Orange is the New Black
The success of Orange is the New Black speaks for itself: its Netflix’s most watched original programme, and winner of multiple Emmys, as well as a Peabody Award. This prison dramedy is the streaming services most consistently brilliant show as it continues to push boundaries, and tell female-centric stories like no one else.
1. Stranger Things
Make no mistake, Stranger Things is a phenomenon. Created by The Duffer Brothers, the show is like all of your childhood influences come to life in a way that’s respectful, but doesn’t even come close to a rip off. Stranger things, with its monsters, conspiracies, and the upside down, is one of the most enjoyably wholesome shows of the modern era, you know as well as all the terror.
