Winter break is among us! That means no schoolwork, no projects and no more school…until January, of course. I know the first thing I’m most likely going to do is binge-watch as many Netflix shows as possible before the break ends. To be honest with you, I’m not as much of a holiday movie lover as I used to be. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holiday classics like Home Alone, The Grinch or Elf, but recently, I have been on a thriller and mystery series sort of vibe, and I think I’ve conjured up a list of my top favourites that I thought you might enjoy as well!
1. Wednesday
If you love the iconic, gothic and quirky show, The Addams Family, then you’re gonna really enjoy the newly released Wednesday. On Nov. 23, 2022, Netflix released another original series revolving around the always-dead inside daughter Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega. Though the Wednesday I grew up watching was most known for her dark quirkiness and mischievous pranks on her brother, the new series follows Wednesday through student life, trying to fit into her new school and making new friends while investigating a murder case.
2. Locke & KEy
If you wanna start a show that has a few extra seasons in, Locke & Key is a great thriller/mystery show to get hooked on. Locke & Key is another Netflix original series that was initially released on Feb. 7, 2020, and now has three seasons. The show revolves around the Locke family, who decide to move into an ancestral home in a small town in Massachusetts after the death of their father/husband. The ancestral home is not like any ordinary one. The manor is filled with fantastical mysteries that are hidden in plain sight. In order to unlock these mysteries and enchantments, a series of keys must be found. Though the Locke family moved to the house for a fresh start, there is more to the place than meets the eye.
3. THe Midnight Club
Does anyone remember the 90s show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? Similarly, Netflix released The Midnight Club on Oct. 7, 2022, a show about a group of teens that call themselves The Midnight Club—instead of the 90s version, The Midnight Society—who would gather together at midnight to share scary stories. The difference between the 90s version and the 2022 series is that the story revolves around terminally ill teens who reside in Brightcliff Hospice, where they are not just spooked by late-night scary stories but also the supernatural entities that lurk in the halls.
4. THe Watcher
Like Locke & Key, The Watcher is a similar story where a new family, the Brannocks, move into the suburbs of New Jersey. While settling into their new dream home, the family can’t help but notice that their neighbours are very off-putting and possibly dangerous. The family then starts receiving threatening letters, and there is no way of telling who the suspect can be. If you’re not convinced yet, the series is based on an actual mystery case that occurred in 2018. If you want to unlock your detective skills, this show is the right choice for you.
5. Cabinet of Curiosities
Not everyone enjoys long story-ridden shows, and that’s okay. A show that can satisfy your daily dose of curiosity is Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosity, released on Oct. 25, 2022. Unlike the series mentioned above, the structure of the show is the telling of eight different scary stories that don’t follow any story plot or character. Audiences can pick and choose whatever episode tickles their interest without the commitment of following up on anything. If you don’t know which one to pick, my personal favourites are episodes one and six!
Now I know what you’re thinking, “Why thriller/scary shows for the holiday season?” Let’s just say that reading week in October really meant catching up on course readings and preparing for midterms.