By Nick Edwards
With the rather recent invention of streaming video content on the internet, the days of having to endure long conversations about how your grades are and who you’re seeing are basically over. The Christmas break this year is 16 days long, so I’ve put together a list of 15 shows currently streaming on Netflix for your holiday binging pleasure. You can thank me later.
1. Arrow (2012) (3 Seasons): This series follows Oliver Queen, a wealthy man returning from isolating on an island after a boating accident. He takes up the mantle as “the Arrow.” A green hooded archer out to cleanse his city of crime in all forms. The show is based off of the beloved comic book character “Green Arrow,” and was the CW’s highest rated show in 5 years.
2. The Flash (2014) (1 Season): Barry Allen wakes up from a bizarre lightning incident with super speed. He speeds off to protect his city and win over the girl of his dreams. The Flash is part of the CW’s DC comics universe that incorporates Arrow.
3. Broadchurch (2013) (2 Seasons): Broadchurch is the story of a murder taking place in a sleepy British town. With a shocking season 1 conclusion, the show is more than guaranteed to hook you in for the second season. With an amazing cast starring David Tennant, (of Doctor Who and Harry Potter fame) Broadchurch was nominated for 7 BAFTA awards.
4. Marvel’s Jessica Jones (2015) (1 Season): Jessica Jones stars Krysten Ritter as a former superhero turned private eye. The show was just recently released to Netflix and features an all-star veteran cast of actors. The show also connects to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
5. Marvel’s Daredevil (2015) (1 Season): Matt Murdock is a, stay with me here, blind lawyer turned superhero. As a young child Murdock was blinded by toxic chemicals that also enhanced his other senses. As an adult, he fights crime on all fronts. In and outside of the courtroom. The show has unimaginable heart and is a faithful adaptation of the Marvel comics. Like Jessica Jones, the show connects with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
6. Bob’s Burgers (2011) (4 seasons): Bob is an owner of a struggling burger joint who often gets into hilarious escapades with his wife Linda, and their 3 kids Tina, Gene, and Louise. The show is hilarious, and boasts veteran voice actors such as H. Jon Benjamin. Each episode is roughly 17 minutes long, which gives you laughs in small portions.
7. Friends (1994) (10 Seasons): Friends is the story of several friends living life in New York City. Friends ran through 10 seasons, which is already enough to be featured on this list. Friends features several actors in their prime; Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer.
8. Sherlock (2010) (3 Seasons): Sherlock is the modern-day adaptation of Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous book character. Sherlock stars several high-profile actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game, Star-Trek: Into Darkness) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit Trilogy, The Office). Both produce an amazing character interaction not likely found anywhere else. Each episode is over an hour long, but each season only has about 3 episodes.
9. Firefly (2002) (1 Season): Firefly is the cult classic that took the world by storm. Firefly is a Sci-Fi/Drama show that follows a gang of criminals making their fortune amongst the stars. After the show had a brief and unsuccessful run on the Fox network in 2002, the show was cancelled after its first season. However, it gained a huge fan base and the original creator, Joss Whedon, penned a follow-up movie to the franchise, which is also available on Netflix.
10. Lie to Me (2009) (3 Seasons): Lie to Me starts Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs) as Dr. Cal Lightman, a doctor who studies the body’s natural language to detect lies. He works closely with a personal team as well as law enforcement and private companies to determine if suspects are lying or not. The show starts off interesting and stays that way. Lie to Me is an amazing show and each episode is filled with amazing mystery and suspense.
11. Parks and Recreation (2009) (6 Seasons): Parks and Recreation follows the antics of a small Indiana town and its public officials as they try to improve the city’s public parks. The show stars several amazing comedy actors such as Amy Poehler (Inside Out, SNL), Nick Offerman (21 Jump Street, We’re the Millers), Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World), and Aziz Ansari (Master of None, 30 Minutes or Less),
12. The Walking Dead (2010) (5 Seasons): The Walking Dead was and still is a cultural phenomenon. The series stars a group of survivors during the zombie apocalypse with a cast lineup that changes. Frequently. The show not only showcases the gore of the zombie apocalypse, but also the psychological effects of survival. Season 1 is a breeze, season 2 is pretty rough, and season 3 on is some of the best television out there.
13. The Vampire Diaries (6 Seasons): The vampire brothers Damon and Stefan Salvatore, looking hundreds of years old but are stuck as teens, feed on blood and are always on the move. They are now back in the Virginia town where they became vampires. Stefan is noble, denying himself blood to avoid killing, and tries to control his evil brother Damon. The show is your typical drama, but is often enjoyable (as I’ve heard).
14. The Killing (4 Seasons): The first 2 seasons of The Killing focus on answering the same question, “who killed Rosie Larsen?” the show is set in Seattle, and focuses on a seemingly endless cast of characters and proves that no one is without sin. The shows features groundbreaking suspense and an amazing whodunit setting. Highly recommended.
15. House, M.D. (8 Seasons): The show follows Hugh Laurie (Stuart Little, Monsters vs. Aliens) as House, M.D. A painkiller addict, sarcastic, and arrogant medical doctor as he cures patients but not his personal life. Laurie is able to deliver hilarious dark comedy even in the most serious of times. The show also features an amazing support cast made up of Omar Epps (Dracula 2000, Scream 2), Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy, Cowboys and Aliens), and Jesse Spencer (Chicago Fire, Neighbors).
Photo credit: Television Child Watching by r. nlal bradshaw on Flickr
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