Netflix has notoriously been referred to as a grade-killer and time-waster. Despite my aversion to binge-watching and its negative psychological implications, there are a few commendable Netflix original series that I just had to share. Science fiction series are often pigeon-holed as the nerdy, intellectual, and rather uninteresting genre of television. But these four original series have generated a brand new playing field with unique plots and incredible writing. Take your time with these suggestions and see if you like them!
If you are wondering if I have personally watched and vetted these shows despite them being an hour each and despite the fact that I just started university, the answer is yes.
Sense8
Sense8 follows the lives of eight different individuals from different ends of the earth, who realize that they are telepathically connected to one another. The nail-biting science fiction thriller reveals the highs and lows of eight regular people who are reborn as “sensates.” The directors and writers do a masterful job interconnecting each character’s storyline and developing each character. If there is one thing that this show should be commemorated for, it is its diversity. The plethora of ethnicities, religions, sexualities, economic limitations and societal conflicts breeds new grounds for minority representation.
The OA
The OA follows the story of a blind girl who disappears, only to be found seven years later with her eyesight. The story of how she regained her sight does not even begin to scratch the surface of the complex inner-workings of the plot of the show. The raw originality of the series leaves viewers completely incapable of predicting the events to come. The OA challenges the borders that regular television shows reside within by opening viewer’s minds into dimensions in and after life.
Stranger Things
The wildly sensational summer hit Stranger Things is set in a small town during the 1980s, where twelve-year-old Will Byers mysteriously vanishes. Stranger Things artfully contrasts the mundane American life within a small town in Indiana with the futuristic unknown. From the daunting title sequence to the incredibly talented child actors, Stranger Things is a show like no other.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror was originally a British show, but now has been bought by Netflix, which created season 3 of the psychologically thrilling series. Black Mirror is a set of independent stories that are completely unrelated to each other. Despite each episode being a stand-alone drama, the show encompasses the mental, physical and societal ramifications of a truly technological word. Black Mirror embeds technological advances within the real world and magnifies them within each episode, setting an eerie glimpse into our possible futures. Whether it’s a social media app where societal approval acts as currency, or a virtual reality game that blurs the lines between what is and isn’t real, Black Mirror is the television show of our generation. The first two seasons of the British series can be found on YouTube and are equally, if not more, exceptional than the new Netflix season.