(From left) Stills from Netflix shows Never Have I Ever and Dead to Me Season 2.
As theaters remain closed, OTT platforms are churning content faster than ever. Streaming giant Netflix especially has taken the job of entertaining people to its heart and has gone ahead and released several decent web shows. Here are a few of them.
1. Dead to Me season 2
A still from the show Dead to Me.
In this dark comedy about deaths and tackling grief, its female leads Christina Applegate and Lina Cardellini (who also happen to be the executive producers of the show) deliver impressive performances. The kind that will make you laugh and cry out loud.
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2. After Life season 2
Tony wants nothing more than to live a life without any kind of societal pressures. In fact, after his wife dies, he thinks of suicide as a way out. But when things don’t go according to plan, he decides he will do whatever he wants and punish the world with his acts. But his grand scheme takes a U-turn when he is coerced into doing some good for others. This Ricky Gervais starrer is a dark comedy which is at once heartwarming and hopeful. Not to mention hilarious to boot.
3. Sweet Magnolias
A still from Sweet Magnolias.
This show is a complete departure from anything on this list, despite its predictable premise and basic plot. Sweet Magnolias is a charming story of three outspoken women who lead lives on their own terms whilst dealing with its irregularities. It moves almost like a good, decently-paced novel.
4. Unorthodox
Primarily in Yiddish, Netflix miniseries Unorthodox gives us a deeper look into the traditional and set ways of an orthodox community, and how one woman rebels against it in her unique way. The four-part series has been inspired by Deborah Feldman’s 2012 autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots. Watch it for the phenomenal performance by lead actor Shira Haas.
5. Feel Good
Mae is a recovering addict and a comedian. She is also an emotional wreck, but things take a drastic turn when she crosses paths with a potential new love in the form of George. Only six episodes long, Feel Good is a messy, intimate and intricate portrayal of love and what it can do to us.
6. Into the Night
A still from the Belgian series Into the Night.
Inspired by the sci-fi book called The Old Axolotl, Into the Night is Netflix’s first Belgian series. It may seem like a weird version of the American series Lost, except here the action takes on a plane instead of an island. What gets the series a place in this listicle is its ability to engage the viewer till the very last second of the final episode.
7. Ozark Season 3
The new season of the popular American crime drama is just as good as its previous seasons, if not better. Revolving around a money laundering scheme gone bad, the show features the talented duo of Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, who are still pretty much at the top of their game. Bateman has also directed and executive-produced the Emmy nominated show.
8. Never Have I Ever
Created by comedian, actor and writer Mindy Kaling, Never Have I Ever brings a refreshing change of pace to the American high-school genre. For one, it puts an Indian origin female in front and centre, and the pay off is sufficiently satisfactory.
9. Elite season 3
A still from the show Elite.
Already renewed for a fourth season, this Spanish teen drama is about three less-privileged school students who go to the fictional Elite school with their wealthy peers. Classified by many as a guilty pleasure, the series has nonetheless raked in rave reviews for its performances and writing. What gives Elite’s storyline a big boost is the suspense angle.
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10. Space Force
While not exactly perfect, Steve Carell and John Malkovich starrer Space Force proved itself to be a welcome distraction during the lockdown.