With everyone was stuck at home keeping a safe distance from each other for the past year and a half, binge-watching has been at an all-time high. Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and Apple TV produce original movies and series so often that it’s been hard to watch all the ones you wanted to even with all the free time available. In order to save you some valuable time — and from second-hand embarrassment — here is a list of the Netflix originals that aren’t as popular as some of the big names like “Outer Banks” and “Stranger Things” that are worth your time along with those you can leave unwatched on your list.
- “Shadow and Bone” (Must Watch)
-
Based on the New York Times bestselling series of the same name by Leigh Bardugo, “Shadow and Bone” brings to life a dark, magical world filled with people who possess special abilities, romance and action. After several recent failed attempts of movie adaptations of books that came after what’s become known as the golden age of books turned movies and TV shows, “Shadow and Bone” serves as a redemption for a movie/TV genre that was prominent throughout the early 2010s. With kidnappers, pillagers, mythical creatures and a dark anti-hero love interest, “Shadow and Bone” has something for everyone and is definitely worth the watch — even if you know nothing about the books.
- “To All the Boys I’ve loved before” series (shouldn’t watch)
-
Another book-to-movie adaptation from recent years, the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” movie franchise is based on the New York Times bestselling novels by Jenny Han. In all honesty, the series is really not worth the watch after the first movie. A lot of aspects of the book are left out from the movie, and it completely altered a lot of the plotlines of the last two installments as a result. So, if you’re a fan of books and hate when the movies or TV adaptations leave out some of the best aspects of the novels, this is definitely one to avoid, and the acting went really downhill as the series progressed.
- “Set it Up” (Must Watch)
-
A modern-day romantic comedy set in New York City tells the story of two assistants who dream of making it big someday. With a cast that includes Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, “Set it Up” is the perfect combination of romance and comedy that audiences will love. And to top it all off, cameos from “SNL’s” Pete Davidson and Tituss Burgess from the Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” definitely make this feel-good movie one of the best romantic comedies Netflix has ever released.
- “He’s All that” (Shouldn’t Watch)
-
A gender-swapped revamp of the 1999 cult classic “She’s All That,” “He’s All That” does not bring justice to its predecessor. Overall, there wasn’t anything redeemable about this movie — except for the cameos of Rachael Leigh Cook, who played the female main character in the original, and Matthew Lillard, who played the new love interest of Freddie Prinze Jr.’s original character’s ex-girlfriend. The acting, the dialogue and the writing were so cringeworthy that it made getting through the entire movie almost unbearable. This is definitely one you should avoid.
- “Derry Girls” (Must Watch)
-
For anyone that loves British humor and other popular shows that take place in Great Britain, such as “Sex Education,” “Derry Girls” is the perfect show to binge-watch next. The show takes place during political conflict in 1990s Northern Ireland and follows five high school students who face the struggles of being teenagers. If you enjoy coming-of-age movies and TV shows filled with quick-dry humor and relatable characters, “Derry Girls” is definitely one to add to your watchlist.
- “Bridgerton” (Shouldn’t Watch)
-
This is probably going to be a very unpopular opinion, but “Bridgerton” was not worth the watch. The hype that surrounds the show was insurmountable compared to a lot of the other original series that dropped during the pandemic — so hyped up to the point where the show fell flat when I finally got around to watch it. If you tend to set your expectations high, the fashion in “Bridgerton” will definitely live up to the hype and is actually fabulous. Everything else seemed to fall short, like the romance between Simon and Daphne and the subplots of the other characters. In my opinion, it didn’t live up to the hype, which was disappointing and not worth the watch.
- “Cobra Kai” (Must Watch)
-
“Cobra Kai” is a Netflix original series and a sequel to the 1980s film series “The Karate Kid.” The series follows William Zabka’s character, Johnny Lawrence, as he reopens his old karate dojo Cobra Kai and relights an old feud between his archrival and the protagonist of the film series, Daniel LaRusso. An action-packed show filled with quick, sarcastic comedy and constant references to the film series, “Cobra Kai” is the perfect show for everyone in your family to enjoy and is definitely a must-watch.
- “the Perfect Date” (Shouldn’t Watch)
-
Featuring an ensemble cast of Noah Centineo, Laura Marano and Camilla Mendes, “The Perfect Date” is the perfect combination of cringe and second-hand embarrassment. The movie follows Noah Centineo’s protagonist as he auctions himself off as “the perfect date” to girls seeking dates to dances and other events to raise money to pay for college. He also tries to win his dream girl played by Mendes, which sounds like your typical rom-com movie, but unlike classics like “Clueless,” “Mean Girls” and “She’s All That,” “The Perfect Date” lacks the quick-witted comedy and timeless anecdotes that made those movies great. This movie was instead filled with cringe-worthy acting and jokes from the characters which made me feel second-hand embarrassment, so it’s safe to say you can leave this one off of your list.
- “Fatherhood” (Must Watch)
-
Kevin Hart does not disappoint in this 2021 drama based on the memoir “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love” that details a single father’s endeavors of raising his daughter after the death of his wife. This movie will make you laugh, cry, and pull at every other emotion you have. If you enjoy heartfelt family movies and you’re a fan of Kevin Hart, this is definitely a movie for you.
- “INsatiable” (Shouldn’t Watch)
-
This Netflix original series follows the story of a 16-year-old girl played by Debby Ryan who lost over 100 pounds after getting punched in the face by a homeless man, and she attempts to break into the pageant scene. While the first season had some good moments, the second season fell flat, and instead of the action and crime-filled scenes that filled the first season, there was bad acting, poorly written plotlines and cringeworthy moments that took away from the good first season. This show got canceled after the second season, so it probably isn’t worth adding to your watchlist.
Honorable Mentions for watchable Netflix Originals:
- “Dumplin”
- “The Politician”
- “Ali Wong: Baby Cobra”
- “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City”
- “A Christmas Prince Series”
- “Lucifer”
- “Nailed It”