What to Watch Instantly on Netflix? (and now all streaming services)

[Honolulu_Blue]

I have really only watched two Amazon Prime originals: "Catastrophe" and "The Tick."

Both are fantastic. I'd highly recommend them.

[RainMaker]

Isn't Catastrophe a UK show that Amazon just bought the rights to in the US?

[ISiddiqui]

Yes. Originally on Channel 4 in the UK.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Jeff Bezos has said that he wants Amazon to get into large prestige shows. For example Amazon just recently wrote a huge check to get the rights to make a show set in the Tolkien universe.

And they also made noises about spending $1bil for the rights to the Chinese sci-fi book series that begins with The Three Body Problem.

I think their biggest success has been The Grand Tour, but there are rumors that next season is the last season for it. Transparent was their most critically successful series (won Amazon a few Emmys), but that's in trouble due to Jeffery Tambor's actions.

Jack Ryan seems to be their next big show. That and the Man in the High Castle are likely their biggest name dramas right now. Phillp K. Dick's Electric Dreams was pretty good as well, but who knows if they are going to continue that.

Though the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is probably the best thing they've ever done (and arguably better than anything Netflix has done)

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Not really sure what Prime is doing on the TV front. Man in the High Castle seemed to be really popular and the makings of a hit, but they seem ashamed to promote it and it's been a year and a half since the last season. Not much word on season 3 besides a couple clips they put out 6 months ago.

I thought Patriot was alright although not something I'd pay to see. Other than that I think their original shows are lackluster.

Netflix doesn't have a great show, but they have a lot of good ones. They crush Amazon although I'm not sure Amazon is even trying to compete at this point.

I recently saw a reference to a rumor the new season 3 for Man for High Castle is coming out June1 but also it might be the last seaosn of it.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

And they also made noises about spending $1bil for the rights to the Chinese sci-fi book series that begins with The Three Body Problem.

I think their biggest success has been The Grand Tour, but there are rumors that next season is the last season for it. Transparent was their most critically successful series (won Amazon a few Emmys), but that's in trouble due to Jeffery Tambor's actions.

Jack Ryan seems to be their next big show. That and the Man in the High Castle are likely their biggest name dramas right now. Phillp K. Dick's Electric Dreams was pretty good as well, but who knows if they are going to continue that.

Though the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is probably the best thing they've ever done (and arguably better than anything Netflix has done)

Bosch is also among the top shows for every measurement i've read about. Also gets solid press and Amazon is basically greenlighting new seasons before the current one is even available, announced S5 like 2 weeks before S4 even started streaming.

Am a pretty big fan, so good for me that

Just love the format. 8 hours per season, couple cases/storylines overlapping but covering pretty much the whole season or even stretching into the next. Love that there is basically no "fluff" relatively speaking. For example essentially no "will they, won't they" storylines (not even with Bosch and his Ex, not even when her marriage crumbles. Heck, no romantic interest for the lead since S1, that has to be a record).

Also am a big fan of how they manage to give you the feel of an evolving world with very little exposition. Like a character moving from beat cop to detective over the seasons with nary a word said about it. Or how one of S3s big cases gets put on the backburner and then solved accidentily late in S4. That sort of thing.

Acting and visuals are great as well, camera work as well with a lot of pretty damn great tracking shots and long takes (not everybody's cup of tea obviously)

[JonInMiddleGA]

So my bingewatch-oriented son gets into a Turkish crime drama (sorta) thing called Kacak. It has 50 episodes on Netflix, he's probably 35 into it. Of which I've seen maybe 12-18.

And just a little while ago I discover that there are ... 52 episodes.

Netflix apparently didn't bother to acquire the two final episodes.

W.T.F.?

[digamma]

Thanks Obama

[NobodyHere]

This needs to come to Netflix sooner. Hopefully it does for fantasy what Futurama did for SciFi.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/ge...ge=AAxHf1r_1|4

[RainMaker]

Ken Burns Vietnam is on Netflix. It's phenomenal.

[tarcone]

Yeah, the Viet Nam docuseries if great.

The 2nd season of GLOW sucks. Very disappointed.

[Julio Riddols]

2nd season of GLOW was better than the first IMO. Surprised to see someone that liked season 1 but not 2.

Also a big fan of Ken Burns Vietnam. Love the way Burns documentaries are done and had been waiting for that one.

[Izulde]

So far I'd rate season 2 of GLOW below season 1, but I'm only partway through. So far it's been mildly enjoyable, but not quite on the level of S1.

Season 2 of Luke Cage OTOH is obnoxious. I'm on like episode 3 or 4 and just shaking my head at how terrible the writing and storylines are. It's like Season 1 didn't even exist - that's how huge the disparity in quality is.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Season 2 of Luke Cage OTOH is obnoxious. I'm on like episode 3 or 4 and just shaking my head at how terrible the writing and storylines are. It's like Season 1 didn't even exist - that's how huge the disparity in quality is.

Aw, man. I LOVED Cage Season 1. Really been looking forward to Season 2.

[korme]

AVClub seemed to really like season 2, fwiw. I wouldn't be turned off.

[whomario]

Liked Unsolved. Basically working on 2 timelines presenting both the original investigation of the murder of Biggie and a later Investigation of it as a cold case. Then also has it (naturally) interloping with the investigation about 2Pac and also works in Flashbacks of both their lives. Not amazing by any stretch, but good enough to keep your interest. Kinda seemed like the authors/filmmakers couldn't quite decide what to highlight in the later episodes in terms of splitting time between both investigations and the Flashbacks to Biggie/2Pac and on a more theoretical level if they want to do a procedural or a social study, but the concept itself was pretty good i thought.

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Also a big fan of Ken Burns Vietnam. Love the way Burns documentaries are done and had been waiting for that one.

Love them as well. The way he loosely connect events through the eyes of witnesses of the whole period/war, while still leaving room for these very intimate interludes is pretty neat. Much prefer this method to documentaries focussing on the events. I mean, he still gives enough information to keep track but really cares (rightfully so) more about relating the experience. Thankfully this has also been the gaining a lot of traction in academic history. Every idiot can get/present dates and events, but it takes a lot of time and effort to work through sources and creat a picture of the time. Since obviously not everybody can do this, i much prefer historians and filmmakers concentrate on that.

If anybody want to try something shorter of his, his 3 part documentary on Prohibition is wonderfull stuff as well.

[Izulde]

Okay, the second half of Season 2 of GLOW is fantastic and elevated it back to the greatness of Season 1.

AMO is a bit of a sleeper hit IMO - short episodes in what's been dubbed the Philippines' version of Narcos. Really enjoyed it, despite the fact the lead has a super punchable face and is something of a jackass. My favorite part of the series is actually the rappers who serve as the Greek chorus - been a long time since I've seen that technique used in television and it works great IMO.

[PilotMan]

I know it's been mentioned, and this is the catch all streaming thread, but Superstore (NBC) on Hulu is so awesome. It's the funniest thing I've seen since the Office. Mark McKinney is so, so good. He is simply perfect in his role. Love this show.

[Edward64]

Finished watching "Nobel" over the past several days.

Part war/action, part mystery, part political intrigue. Thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommended but do wish there was a tad more war/action.

[tarcone]

Watching season 3 of Last Chance U that just dropped.

They are in Kansas at Independence CC. Malik Henry is the QB.

What a mess this team is. something like 30 D1 guys on the team. But the whole situation is a mess. The coach is as a hard ass as Ive seen. He berates these kids constantly. The HC is a white guy that grew up in Compton. So it adds an interesting dynamic.

[RainMaker]

I liked the first season of that show but season 2 it felt like the characters became self-aware and played more to the camera. Kind of like Hard Knocks where the first few seasons of that were great because no one really knew what was going on with the cameras.

[whomario]

yeah, i had that same impression.

People that are into these "inside view" type of shows should give the All or Nothing installment covering the All Blacks (New Zealand National Rugby Team ) on Amazon a chance.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by whomario

yeah, i had that same impression.

People that are into these "inside view" type of shows should give the All or Nothing installment covering the All Blacks (New Zealand National Rugby Team ) on Amazon a chance.

That was a great show. Though, I felt they didnt follow through on some of the people they focused on.

[Edward64]

Saw Netflix's "How it Ends".

Watched it with my son, we both enjoyed it but agreed it would have been better as a series. The ending seemed rushed.

Also saw the "Cloverfield Paradox". I enjoyed it as a movie on its own but have no idea how it ties to the other Cloverfield movies.

[Arles]

I'd like to hear the FOFC thoughts on the following shows/movies on Netflix:

Extinction
How it Ends
Evil Genius
I am a Killer

All look like things I would enjoy, just wondered if any of you had watch them. Thanks!

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Arles

I'd like to hear the FOFC thoughts on the following shows/movies on Netflix:

Extinction
How it Ends
Evil Genius
I am a Killer

All look like things I would enjoy, just wondered if any of you had watch them. Thanks!

Evil Genius is very addictive and suspenseful. I would recommend. Produced in a lot of the same ways as Making of a Murderer.

[JPhillips]

I like a lot of the Netflix crime series, but universally, they could benefit from being 1/3 shorter.

[tarcone]

Disenchantment is fantastic. Matt Groening created it.

This is a must watch series.

[Radii]

Is anyone else still in on Orange Is The New Black? Its not the great show that it was back in the first season, it has its ups and downs, but I still very much enjoy it.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Disenchantment is fantastic. Matt Groening created it.

This is a must watch series.

Yeah, I'll probably sign up for a month and binge it.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by Radii

Is anyone else still in on Orange Is The New Black? Its not the great show that it was back in the first season, it has its ups and downs, but I still very much enjoy it.

I am still watching. The 1st half of the latest season almost lost me. But it got a lot better in the 2nd half. I really enjoyed the 2nd half of the season.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Arles

I'd like to hear the FOFC thoughts on the following shows/movies on Netflix:

Extinction
How it Ends
Evil Genius
I am a Killer

All look like things I would enjoy, just wondered if any of you had watch them. Thanks!

As a post-apocalyptic (and zombie) fan, I watched Extinction and How it Ends. I enjoyed both but would rate How it Ends higher. If you are a fan of the genre they are worth watching.

Extinction had a nice twist to it. How it Ends could have been a 1-2 season special IMO, essentially a trip from Chicago to west coast, lots of possibilities.

BTW - if you like zombie movies, check out "Train to Busan". Made in Korea, subtitled, but its really good. Sequel coming out next year or so.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Disenchantment is fantastic. Matt Groening created it.

This is a must watch series.

Watched the first two episodes last night, thought it was shockingly uninspired and just not funny. Going to stick with it and hope it gets better.

[Edward64]

I've finished watching "The Crown" and would recommend it. Well acted and gives one a pretty good feel on how royalty lives.

Season 3 is next year with a lot of new cast.

[Arles]

Watched Evil genius and enjoyed it. I will check out How it ends next - thanks for the feedback!

[CarterNMA]

The Americans

I've not read this thread until yesterday so I don't know if this has been addressed or not but The Americans is shit.

I watched the first episode and was thoroughly underwhelmed. Their activities were not believable. But keeping in mind that sometimes pilots don't necessarily reflect what the rest of the series is like, I watched the second episode. Another steaming pile. Couldn't get more than 10 minutes in. They were getting real cute with the cinematography with everything off center and cutting off the speaking character's face. I get it, the camera is pointing LEFT of where is should be...cuz they're socialists!!! Lame.

Only positive is that Keri Russell is hot. Like, makes ugly '80s mom-jeans look good hot.

Spoiler

1. If you are so deep-cover, you're not gonna go get revenge on some random scum cuz he was checking your daughter out. Your #1 priority is to not get compromised so committing crimes not directly related to your mission is a no-go.
2. As would be your driving. You just nabbed a guy and threw him in your backseat. You're gonna drive casually, not backing out of alleys like a bat out of hell and then screeching off into the night at 100 mph!
3. Philip and Elizabeth talk way too openly about their shenanigans. It was more prevalent in the second episode seemingly. Talking in your office after getting paranoid about your FBI neighbor? C'mon, man!
4. Speaking of the neighbor...a senior FBI agent isn't going to say he works in CI when first meeting a new neighbor. Nowadays? Maybe. In 1981? No way in hell.

Maybe I'm too nit-picky, maybe the show gets better, maybe I'll get desperate in the dead of winter. Maybe but I doubt it unless someone here convinces me otherwise.

[CarterNMA]

dola

Disenchantment

Futurama is my favoritist animated show of all time so of course I was excited as hell for this show. It has not failed me. I've laughed a lot. And like Futurama there are lots of visual jokes too. I also like that each episode is a continuation of the previous one. (Though to be fair I've only watched two episodes so far.)

[Radii]

Originally Posted by CarterNMA

The Americans

Maybe I'm too nit-picky, maybe the show gets better, maybe I'll get desperate in the dead of winter. Maybe but I doubt it unless someone here convinces me otherwise.

I'm pretty sure its not for you.

[CrimsonFox]

I love Disenchantment too so far!

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Radii

Is anyone else still in on Orange Is The New Black? Its not the great show that it was back in the first season, it has its ups and downs, but I still very much enjoy it.

Yeah I'm still in on it. It's moved down on my list of Netflix shows, because at this point, they're like an old pair of shoes you've had forever - not as great as when they were new, but still comfortable and enjoyable.

Now the one show that's stayed amazing even through its 8th season is Shameless. It's still the one I'll binge within a couple days of the new one coming out.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Radii

Is anyone else still in on Orange Is The New Black? Its not the great show that it was back in the first season, it has its ups and downs, but I still very much enjoy it.

I still watch it and the last season was much better than previous ones (they cut out a lot of dead weight from the cast). But I'm not sure I'd call the show good anymore.

It's kind of a perfect binge watch show as they know how to leave every episode on a cliffhanger. It's in the same category as shows like Ray Donovan and House of Cards for me. Shows that had it's moments but now are just there to pass the time.

[Julio Riddols]

Also digging Disenchantment. It seems a little more low budget from an animation standpoint, but it is on par humor wise with Futurama and the better seasons of The Simpsons. Started a little shaky in the first 10 minutes or so of episode one, but since then I've been pretty pleased with things.

[ISiddiqui]

I'm actually a bit surprised people liked Disenchantment. Thought it was utterly forgettable - at least the first episode. I have too many other things to watch on Netflix and Disenchantment didn't grab me (if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was someone trying to be Matt Groening without the edginess as opposed to actually him doing it).

[Fidatelo]

I was not impressed with the first 10 minutes of Disenchantment but it did show promise in the second half of that episode. I intend to give it another couple episodes before passing much judgement.

[Lathum]

I love GLOW, but episode 8 of season 2 where they did a whole episode of the show was terrible. Would have been funny for a few minutes, but IMO was really weak.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I love GLOW, but episode 8 of season 2 where they did a whole episode of the show was terrible. Would have been funny for a few minutes, but IMO was really weak.

Yep, a total waste of an episode.


Atypical finished a very strong season 1, with a strong start to the first couple episodes of season 2 that I've seen so far.

[AnalBumCover]

Making a Murderer Part 2 is coming to Netflix on October 19

[NobodyHere]

Mystery Science Theater 3000 season 12 premiers on Turkey Day!!!

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by AnalBumCover

Making a Murderer Part 2 is coming to Netflix on October 19

I liked this on first watch but once I read about all the stuff they left out, I turned. The guy is as guilty as it gets and leaving out a bunch of the evidence or misrepresenting it looks bad on the creators.

I'd add that I think Brendan is probably innocent and that confession is as fucked as it gets.

[panerd]

No spoilers please as I am trying to make a decision. (I won't spoil season 1/2 either will spoil tag...)

So I am halfway through season 2 of the Handmaid's Tale.

Spoiler

So I saw that it is being renewed for season 3. Obviously this doesn't bode well for anything good happening to June. I enjoyed season 1 as it was a different kind of show, extremely grim but different and then thought the escape this season would lead to at least some action outside that house. Now though after about 5 episodes of season 2 it is just too damn depressing with absolutely no payoff for the "good guys". The colony place it just brutal. I guess my question is without a spoiler is it worth watching the rest of this season or should I just read recaps and move on? They have really created some hateable bad guys but I just can't take episode after episode of no gains whatsoever. I mean there is slow which I am good with but this is 15 hours of slow...