With the news of California extending its shelter-in-place order, the pressure of finding things to do is now becoming a concern for many. Thankfully, in today’s society there are a ton of streaming services easily available to us, at a price of course, that allow us a chance to fill our (quaran)time. After writing about all of the great TV shows and movies to binge on Disney+, we decided to go through our top movies and TV shows on Netflix to help relieve the boredom that some people may be facing.
Similar to our last piece, we have decided to break our favorites into 7 categories, the first being Romantic Comedies. While being stuck inside can get sad at times, there’s nothing like a romantic comedy to brighten one’s spirits up. Netflix is perfect for this category as they have a great mixture of both modern and old-school Rom-Coms for those who enjoy a trip down memory lane. A few Rom-Coms we have chosen for this category are: About Time, A Cinderella Story, Failure to Launch, Dear John, The Spectacular Now, Hitch, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Love, Rosie. For those who love a happy ending with a sappy plot, you will love these for sure.
Our next category we have chosen from Netflix is TV shows. While many companies have created their own streaming services, Netflix also owns the rights to a ton of shows both old and still occuring, which makes it so easy to get lost binging. A few of our favorite shows we have selected are: Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy, New Girl, Gossip Girl, Jane the Virgin, That 70’s Show, The Office and Parks and Recreation. Whether you have seen these shows for the twelfth time or are watching for the first time, they are easy for one to get lost in and it is for that purpose that we have chosen them.
Although everyone knows Netflix for having other companies’ movies and TV shows, Netflix has created a lot of great original content, and has led us to create an entire category dedicated to Netflix originals. With Netflix having created so many great movies and shows, there’s a chance you’ve seen an original without even realizing. However, if you have not, then these originals are a must-watch: Someone Great, Queer Eye, Workin’ Moms, The Fundamentals of Caring, Murder Mystery, Love is Blind, Fuller House, The Kissing Booth, You and of course Stranger Things. Whether you are in the mood for a documentary, show or movie, Netflix’s originals never disappoint.
During a time when it is hard to stay positive, we have dedicated an entire category to feel-good movies. If being inside has you feeling down or the pressures of online school are getting to you, then this is the perfect category for you. Netflix has a ton of movies to make your frown turn upside down, such as: Burlesque, Hairspray, Hop, The Other Guys, Charlie’s Angels, Secret Life of Pets 2, Dumplin’, Bee Movie, Yours, Mine & Ours, The Karate Kid and Bolt. These hard times have us all needing a bit of happiness at times and these are the perfect movies to give you that feeling.
For those who love a good competition show, we did not forget about you, leaving us to introduce our fourth category: Competition Reality TV shows. While watching movies is great, sometimes you just need a little competitiveness in your life, or binge-watching people make cakes for hours on end. Either way, these shows are sure to bring you a ton of different emotions and are all available to binge, unlike cable. Therefore, we have chosen our top picks to be: Great British Bake Off, Nailed It, Sugar Rush, Next in Fashion, Instant Hotel, Glow up and Rhythm Flow. With lots of spare time on our hands while quarantined, now is the perfect time to learn how to bake an extravagant dessert to show off to your friends later on.
For bingers who love solving puzzles there is the category of true crime. Netflix has a wonderful selection of true crime shows. A few that we would recommend include Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile, The Assasination of Gianni Versace, The Staircase, The Confession Killer and The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. It is fair to say that some of these have sensitive content. Ensure that viewers check the rating before watching these shows/films. Each case brings its own level of intensity and mystery. From life-changing accusations to false confessions, each of these shows will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next.
Within the same vein of truth, another binge-worthy category on Netflix is documentaries. The documentaries that we recommend can be broken down into situational or biographical. For biographical documentaries there is Amy and Gaga: Five Foot Two. One focuses on the life of singing star Amy Winehouse, who tragically passed away at twenty-seven, and the other focuses on the life and development of Lady Gaga’s career. The documentaries we recommend that focus on a particular situation are Cheer and Tiger King. Tiger King is currently the most popular show on Netflix and for good reason. This documentary features every kind of scandal imaginable with lions, tigers and bears oh my!
During this time of being stuck within the shelter-in-place, having a good show to use for an escape can be a wonderful thing. Netflix
Authors: Dani Mercado & Shyanne Mortimer
