Now that Netflix is rolling out worldwide (except for China, North Korea and Syria) and the internet has gone into overdrive trying to come up with ‘funny’ Netflix and Chill jokes that are culturally specific to the 130 countries that will now know the ecstasy of on demand, you might be wondering where to start watching. It’s a bit tricky to give recommendations on Netflix, as the catalog offering isn’t quite the same in different parts of the world. If you can’t watch Love Actually in Morocco it’s not because they don’t think you deserve Colin Firth in a sweater, it’s probably because the original rights negotiations didn’t include that territory. So I’ve tried to keep the recommendations to Netflix originals or shows Netflix has bought the rights outright to. Anyway, once you start watching, Netflix will tailor some recommendations specifically to you, and most of the time they work out pretty nicely.
The Square
Ann Hornaday, writing in the Washington Post, said of the film that it “Epitomizes nonfiction film not just as a way to deepen knowledge and understanding, but also as an art form”. And audiences agreed as did jurors and voters at the Emmys, Sundance, Toronto and so on. It is a sprawling and intimate, ground-level look in the Egyptian revolution is a visceral expression of what revolt feels like, and all the complexities inherent to change on a monumental scale. Although the revolution might feel compromised today, the urgency of this documentary transcends current events.
Fireplace For Your Home
While going through my recommendations around the holidays, something called Fireplace For Your Home popped up. I wondered what it was, so I clicked. And I really shouldn’t have spent too much time wondering, as it does exactly what it says on the label. It simulates a fireplace on your screen. I can’t tell if it’s cute or sad, but it’s definitely there. And the self-referential folk in the Netflix marketing team even came up with a fun backstory to whoever put that on the platform.
Danger 5
I still have no fucking clue what I’m watching when it comes to Danger 5, but let’s just say it’s an Australian 2012 reimagining of what a British-American swinging 1960s reimagining of the Nazi invasion would look like if you threw in killer dinosaurs (and season 2 takes things to the 80s. If you've seen Kung Fury, you know what to expect). It is heavily influenced by pulpy men’s magazine fantasies and adds layers of bizarreness and camp, and has a ferociously solid cult following online. Anyway, I’ll shut up and just let you watch a clip.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
The unexpectedly chirpy tale of the titular Kimmy Schmidt, who escapes decades being held underground by a delusional cult leader in Indiana and makes her way to New York ("Yes, there was weird sex stuff). It is full of characters that teeter on the verge of gross caricature but are infused with enough love to stay on the right side of offense and be hilarious. Oh, and Tina Fey is one of the principal writers and producers, so you know that you don't need to take my word for it. The video below is of Titus Andromedon and his rendition of “Peeno Noir”. Watch it.
Bojack Horseman
I'm not even going to bother writing anything for this one, I'll just paste the show description, and you'll know whether or not it's for you.
"A humanoid horse, BoJack Horseman -- lost in a sea of self-loathing and booze -- decides it's time for a comeback. Once the star of a '90s sitcom, in which he was the adoptive father of three orphaned kids (two girls and a boy). The show was the hottest thing around, then suddenly, was canceled. Now 18 years later, BoJack wants to regain his dignity. With the aid of a human sidekick and a feline ex-girlfriend who is his agent, he sets out to make it happen. But Hollywood is vastly different from those days, and getting used to stuff like Twitter may take some time. This first animated series from Netflix -- with plenty of references to sex, drugs and alcohol -- is not for the little ones."
Voice talent includes Will Arnett and Aaron Paul.
PS: Master of None and Jessica Jones aren’t on here because I already recommended them here.