I’ve always preferred watching shows over movies; I think I just need more time to get to know the characters and the story. Specifically, I’ve been watching a lot of shows on Netflix; I love Netflix Original dramas because they are so bingeable. Each show has 10 or fewer episodes in a season, so it’s easy to find yourself watching many (sometimes too many) episodes in one sitting. The following are some of my favourites from the past year. Grab your popcorn and get ready for a good binge!
- The Society
-
Teenagers from a small town in Connecticut are on their way to a national park for a field trip. However, somehow, they end up back home and find that everyone else is gone. This group of teenagers must learn how to get back to their families and govern themselves in the meantime. Viewers want to uncover the truth just as much as the characters, and you can piece together clues in so many different ways and come up with endless theories throughout the show. It’s particularly interesting to see the teenagers learn how to survive and create a functioning society. They address politics and other issues for likely the first time in their lives while also being in a very bizarre situation.
- Grand Army
-
Joey, Dom, Sid, Jayson, and Leila are all students at a public high school in Brooklyn. Each character goes through their own internal struggles, but occasionally their stories intertwine. The series touches on some serious issues like sexual assault, poverty, sexuality, racism, and identity. The show has a diverse set of characters, so young people can see themselves and their issues authentically represented on the screen. Additionally, each character gets an equal and adequate amount of time to develop their story. We can see each character’s perspective and learn how they cope with their individual situations and experiences.
- Firefly Lane
-
Tully and Kate have been best friends ever since they were fourteen. The show follows them throughout different periods of their lives. As teenagers, college students, and grown adults, they experience ups and downs in their friendship, romances, careers, and families. I enjoyed this show much more than I thought I would. While the different timelines can be a little confusing, we see how each character has developed to become who they are. Some outcomes can even be surprising. The characters are figuring things out and discovering who they are, and as a viewer, I just want to see them succeed and be happy.
- Sweet Magnolias
-
This one is yet another series focused on friendship. Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue have been best friends their entire lives and live in a small, southern town called Serenity. However, even in charming towns, people have their own struggles to face, whether in their love life, work, or family. Most times, it is not as heavy or intense as other dramas. The characters are super likeable, and there are plenty of sweet moments, which makes it almost feel like a Hallmark movie. Some major takeaways from this series are that friends will always support you, and things almost always get better.
- Tiny Pretty Things
-
At an elite ballet school in Chicago, young dancers compete to be the best. In a cutthroat environment, they will do anything to eliminate their competitors and gain a lead role. Everyone has their dark secrets, including the school and its administrators. I would call this show a guilty pleasure because I know it had its flaws, specifically some occasional exaggerated acting and unrealistic plotlines. However, all of the actors are dancers in real life, so the dance scenes are great. The characters can be self-centred and manipulative, but their behaviour simply proves that they are imperfect people.