MOVIE NEWS -
on 25 Oct 1919
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MOVIE NEWS
25 Oct 1919
![]() ![]() BoJack Horseman is a comedy built on incongruity. It’s an inexplicable mashup of genres and styles that absolutely should not work. As the show’s final season begins its portioned-out arrival, it’s worth celebrating how BoJack Horseman gradually became not just the best show on Netflix, but arguably one of the most incisive, emotionally raw, and darkly funny shows of the new century. Here’s a show that could’ve died on the vine in its first season, yet has become one of the very best in all of television. Back in the 90sThe title of the program, for the uninitiated, might be enough of a non-starter, because it just sounds so odd. BoJack depicts a universe almost exactly like ours, just with anthropomorphized animals and insects thrown into the mix. It’s an inside-baseball story about the entertainment industry, highlighting a bevy of current issues within the media landscape. It just happens to be animated, and focusing as much on walking, talking cats, horses including the title character, dogs, and more, as well as human characters too. BoJack, as the new episodes emphasize, is the central figure of what’s wound up as a vast ensemble program that’s as capable of dimensionalizing those who get sucked in BoJack’s orbit as BoJack himself. The first season’s premise was ostensibly a redemption story: BoJack voiced marvelously by Will Arnett, as the closing-credits theme song always intones, was once the star of a very famous TV show called Horsin’ Around. Imagine what a Full House-style show would look like if Bob Saget was…well, a horseman. BoJack is desperate to stay relevant, and make sure people haven’t forgotten him. In the early episodes, he tries to write a memoir, working with a sharp young ghostwriter named Diane Alison Brie to do so. But BoJack’s redemption story is just being written in real life; the entire show’s journey documents it better than the written word could. Throughout the show’s five-plus seasons — the first half of Season Six premieres on Friday, October 25, and I’ve seen all eight episodes — BoJack vacillates between wanting the help he needs and pushing it away as viciously as possible. BoJack, created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg and driven by the visual design of artist Lisa Hanawalt, works in spite of its seemingly ridiculous setup by treating itself matter-of-factly. Here is a show that can have rhyming wordplay that works best for Hollywood obsessives — “Courtly roles like the formerly portly consort are Courtney Portnoy’s forte!” — and incorporate an intentionally uncomfortable, heartbreaking depiction of dementia as filtered through the persona of an elderly hybrid horse-human. Time’s ArrowPart of the show’s success has been its willingness to dive into ripped-from-the-headline topics that somehow manage to seem current, in spite of being in production months before something winds up in the headlines. Take, for instance, a season-two storyline about Diane — always exemplified by her unbending progressive political views even when her rigidity causes trouble — bringing to light sexual-assault allegations against a beloved older television personality, Hank Hippopopalous Philip Baker Hall. The obvious connection point, in the early fall of 2015, were similarly horrific allegations against Bill Cosby, revived when comedian Hannibal Buress brought them up in a standup set that subsequently went viral. But the scenes have gained further, darker resonance in light of the last couple years and the vast amount of powerful men in Hollywood whose own disturbing pasts have been rightfully unearthed. BoJack Horseman has also thrived by treating its characters humanely and honestly. In the early going, one of the goofier relationships was between BoJack and his good-natured but idiotic roommate Todd Aaron Paul. Paul’s vocal presence allows an odd comparison, in which the BoJack-Todd relationship sometimes had a weird vibe recalling that of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad. Though BoJack’s crimes are often more personal, the way they further seem to damn the character — as when BoJack comes awfully close to sleeping with the underage daughter of an old friend of his, or goes on a bender with the adult woman who used to be his child co-star that ends up killing her — are shockingly similar. And Todd, still the easiest source of silly laughs on the show, was gradually given more depth, too, in unexpected ways. Throughout the series, Todd’s been an easy go-to for ridiculous schemes that manage to allow him to fail upwards without ever really trying. In season 5, he winds up as the CEO of an inexplicably popular website dedicated to telling people what time it is right now, before being supplanted as the top executive by Henry Fondle, a chintzy sex robot he built who people mistake for a real person. It’s…a whole thing. Eventually, Todd comes to a personal conclusion: that he’s asexual. In a different show, this realization either would’ve been treated as a punchline or it wouldn’t have been brought up at all. Instead, Todd thanks both to Paul and the insightful writing gets to embrace his personality in ways that feel honest and true. Free ChurroThose last three words are, in effect, what makes BoJack Horseman stand out throughout its six-season run. The new episodes lean very hard into the notion of being honest and true both to its characters, and the world as a whole. After the conclusion of season 5, BoJack begins the new season in rehab at a facility called Pastiches. The ebullient dogman actor Mr. Peanutbutter Paul F. Tompkins, always delightful is trying to quell the guilt he feels for sleeping with Diane, his ex, while dating Pickles, a social-media-obsessed dog/human hybrid voiced by Hong Chau. The episode in which Mr. Peanutbutter forces himself to admit his infidelity is one of the most delightfully zany farces since the days of Frasier. Diane, in the subplot that’s always going to have a bit more painful, satiric resonance for anyone writing online, is pushing back against the massive media conglomerate that’s gobbling up even the female-driven website she works for. And BoJack’s agent and ex Princess Caroline Amy Sedaris struggles with her role as an adoptive mother. With each character, the past weighs heavily on their present, none more so than BoJack himself. Even in the sixth season, BoJack’s past continues to be mined for weighty, gut-wrenching emotion. In the first episode, which goes as far as eschewing a title sequence, we learn even more about the past of the scared little kid who’s still at the core of BoJack’s personality. Arnett has long been one of the strongest assets the show has — his breakout role as G.O.B. Bluth on Arrested Development made his transition into playing the fame-obsessed BoJack a natural fit. But throughout the series, he’s proven as adept at the darker, more confessional moments to the point where the fifth season featured one episode, “Free Churro”, in which only Arnett spoke. It’s framed primarily as a eulogy BoJack gives at his mother’s funeral. His mother, voiced by Wendie Malick, served as the focal point of a Season 4 episode, “Time’s Arrow”, that is equally one of the show’s greatest half-hours. Arnett gets similar showcases in the new season, as we see more of how BoJack was set up for failure from his youth, with a mother who could only respond with vodka-soaked jibes and a father who hated his life. BoJack spends much of the season in rehab, to a point where he becomes so dependent on the facility that he doesn’t want to leave. With only a handful of episodes left, who knows if Arnett can finally get the Emmy he so richly deserves; his voice work as BoJack goes down as the finest performance of his career. Don’t Act Like You Don’t KnowThus, what makes the show work, from its antiheroic lead to the rest of the vast ensemble, is that willingness to be honest and true. Of course, in 2019, being honest and true also means being more than a bit depressing. In a Diane-centric episode, she’s informed blithely by the billionaire whale gobbling up companies like the one she works at that billionaires can legally commit murder now. Diane, in rapid succession, is horrified to find that he’s telling the truth. It’s not that BoJack Horseman wasn’t a multi-dimensional program of surprising emotional depth before, but the sixth season implies that Bob-Waksberg and the writers haven’t lost their ability to go as dark and deep as possible. As frank as BoJack can be, it’s to the credit of the writers and cast that each of these characters deserves a kind of upbeat catharsis. With only eight episodes to come at the end of January, BoJack’s redemption now feels more earned than it did before. But there’s a palpable sense of concern seeping through the last two episodes available to watch now – many of our leads seem to have reached their happy ending, before a final installment that notably doesn’t feature any of them despite hinting at further darkness to come. And it’s all on a show where all sorts of creatures talk, and all sorts of very famous people lend their voices for both real characters and self-mocking portraitures. Jessica Biel has been a recurring character on the show, and fair is fair: Biel, who portrays herself, has a very good sense of humor. BoJack Horseman should not have ever worked, and it could have easily been scuttled after its more uneven first season. But the show has survived to deliver one of the most profound, heartfelt depictions of depression in modern popular culture. When the show arrives at its finale in January, it’ll mark the end of Netflix’s very best program, and one that’s next to impossible to top. Source: Slashfilm.com ![]()
TV NEWS
25 Oct 1919
![]() ![]() Britain's world-conquering drama, spearheaded by Emmy-winning shows like Killing Eve and Chernobyl,boosted the country's TV exports to a record high of £1.4BN $1.8BN. That's according to producer trade body Pact's 2018/19 TV Export Report, which found that UK exports were up 55% on the 2016/17 figure of £902M. Drama led the charge in a big way, accounting for £675M, or nearly half, of the overall sales. This was 42 times higher than in 2016/17, when drama exports topped out at £16M. Comedy was next in line, with British producers racking up sales of £94M as shows such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Emmy-winning Fleabag delivered the goods. Here's how all the genres stacked up: America remains the UK's biggest market, accounting for £444M, or 33%, of all export revenue. France £115M and Australia £96M were the second and third biggest buyers of British TV shows respectively. Pact CEO John McVay said: “It's no surprise that we're seeing a record year for TV exports. The compelling stories that our creatives craft resonate beyond borders. It's fantastic to see the success of the TV industry — and in particular drama — contributing so much to the UK economy.” Pact's report was produced by consultancy 3Vision, with funding from the Department for International Trade, BBC Studios, and ITV Studios. Source: deadline.com ![]()
TV NEWS
25 Oct 1919
![]() ![]() This week marks the return of what may be the best show Netflix has given fans so far. That's right, BoJack Horseman is back for another round of insightful, surprisingly emotional comedy bits. He's still in rehab, his friends are dealing with their own sh*t, and with just a handful of episodes left, we can only guess there's a reckoning coming. Comedy fans should also get excited for Jenny Slate's new special, Stage Fright. The show marks her first with Netflix and gives viewers an intimate look into her life. And Eddie Murphy is back and better than ever in Dolemite is My Name. In other words, there's a lot to laugh at this week on Netflix. Here's everything coming to and leaving the streaming platform the week of October 25th. BoJack Horseman: Season 6, Part 1 Netflix series streaming 10/25 Netflix's surprisingly poignant drama about an animated horse with addiction issues is entering its final leg of the race this week. Season six — the show's last — will be split into two parts, with the first eight episodes landing on the streaming platform this month before the last half is delivered early next year. We catch up with BoJack Will Arnett where he ended season five: in rehab. His friends — Diane, Princess Carolyn, and Todd — are reckoning with their own issues but it's BoJack, who seems to be awaiting his own comeuppance while kicking his bad habits, that earns most of the spotlight here. Jenny Slate: Stage Fright Netflix special streaming 10/22 Funnywoman Jenny Slate teams up with her Obvious Child and Landline collaborator Gillian Robespierre for her first comedy special on Netflix, a show that's equal part stand-up and documentary. Slate takes viewers on a tour of her life, her childhood, her career, mixing in footage and confessionals with behind-the-mic bits that display her comedic brilliance. It's revealing and intimate in a way most comedy specials just aren't, and it's all the funnier for it. Dolemite Is My Name Netflix film streaming 10/25 Eddie Murphy stages a bit of a comeback in this biopic about famed comedian, actor, showman Rudy Ray Moore, better known as Dolemite to fans of his raunchy comedy albums, stand-up tours, and blaxploitation films. Murphy plays Moore at the beginning of his career when he was just a record store clerk looking to break out in the business. He's joined by a cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Ron Cephas Jones, Tituss Burgess, and others, but it's Murphy who shines here, giving possibly the best performance of his career as a man who will stop at nothing to pursue his dream. Here's a full list of what's been added in the last week:Avail. 10/19/19 Men in Black Avail. 10/21/19 Echo in the Canyon Free Fire Avail. 10/22/19 Jenny Slate: Stage Fright Avail. 10/23/19 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Dancing with the Birds Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy Avail. 10/24/19 Daybreak Revenge of Pontianak Avail. 10/25/19 A Tale of Love and Darkness Assimilate BoJack Horseman, Season 6: Part 1 Brigada Costa del Sol Brotherhood Dolemite Is My Name Greenhouse Academy, Season 3 The Kominsky Method, Season 2 Monzon Nailed It! France C'est du gâteau! Nailed It! Spain Niquelao! Prank Encounters Rattlesnake It Takes a Lunatic And here's what's leaving next week, so it's your last chance:Leaving 10/29/19 The Fall, Series 1 The Imitation Game Leaving 11/1/19 42 300 A Dog's Life As Good As It Gets Caddyshack Caddyshack 2 Chasing Liberty Gran Torino Groundhog Day Little Women Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade Road House Romeo Is Bleeding Scary Movie 2 Scream Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden Sex and the City: The Movie Stardust Stitches Taking Lives The American The Bank Job The Bishop's Wife The House Bunny The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Sixth Sense ![]()
MOVIE NEWS
25 Oct 1919
![]() ![]() The term “action movie” runs the spectrum of CGI explosion-filled spectacles and highly choreographed fight scenes to movies with heroes who deliver cheesy one-liners right before the last rocket-powered grenade is fired. It can mean shutting your brain off, or it can mean complex stories that use action to benefit the plot. Luckily, Netflix has most subgenres covered when it comes to good action films, whether you want kung fu, superhero-ing, or anything in between. Here are the 20 best action movies on Netflix streaming right now, so grab some popcorn and enjoy. Related: The Best Sci-Fi Movies On Netflix Right Now Sony 1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2000 Run Time: 120 min | IMDb: 7.9/10 Ang Lee's Oscar-winning martial arts flick defied the odds to become one of the most influential films in the genre, crossing multicultural barriers and introducing audiences to some great talents in the international acting world. The film follows the story of Li Mu Bai, an accomplished Wudang swordsman who retires his legendary weapon only to be pulled back into a battle with his arch-nemesis, a woman who killed his master years earlier and seeks to claim his sword for her own. There's more happening plot-wise — Bai has a love interest in another skilled warrior, Yu Shu Lien, and they're both forced to face off against a Wudang prodigy that's been studying under their enemy — but the real draw here is the perfectly-mapped-out fight sequences, which include just enough special effect to be awe-inducing, but not too much to distract from the beautiful choreography that Lee puts on display. AMC 2. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 2018 Run Time: 117 min | IMDb: 8.5/10 The Oscar-winning animated film is making its way to Netflix this summer, which means if you didn't get a chance to see it in theaters, you no longer have to wonder what all the hype is about. The story follows a young kid named Miles, who becomes the web-slinging hero of his reality, only to cross paths with other iterations of Spider-Man across different dimensions that help him defeat a threat posed to all realities. Mahershala Ali, John Mulaney, and Jake Johnson make up the film's talented voice cast, but it's the striking visuals and daring story-telling technique that really serves the film well. New Line Cinema 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2003 Run Time: 201 min | IMDb: 8.9/10 The final installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy marks the final battle of Middle Earth as Sauron's power reaches its , and Frodo attempts to destroy the ring once and for all. There's plenty of epic battles and satisfying story conclusions to be had here in the same visually-stunning style as Peter Jackson's previous films, even if the ending is bittersweet. Columbia 4. Black Hawk Down 2001 Run Time: 144 min | IMDb: 7.7/10 Ridley Scott's 2001 war drama boasts an impressive ensemble cast and a gripping true story, two essentials to any great war film. Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shephard, and a host of other A-listers star in this re-telling of the infamous Battle of Mogadishu, a 1993 raid by U.S. troops in Somalia that ended in tragedy. The objective of the mission was to capture a rebel leader responsible for inciting violence and genocide in the country. The film details all of the unfortunate circumstances that led to U.S. troops being pinned down in a remote village in Somalia, being forced to fight for their lives without backup, and ultimately, causing the U.S. government to decide to pull troops from the area. Hartnett gives a credible leading man performance as the young officer in charge of his first command, and the film finds its footing when it focuses on its main characters — men trying to survive in a hostile environment despite impossible odds. Marvel/Disney 5. Black Panther 2018 Run Time: 134 min, IMDb: 7.4/10 Ryan Coogler's superhero flick revolutionized the Marvel Universe when it landed earlier this year, so it's only right that we're given the option to watch it over and over again. The film gives us a fully-realized, otherworldly Wakanda as it follows the trials and tribulations of a newly-minted king, T'Challa Chadwick Boseman. While trying to govern his people and embrace is Black Panther alter-ego, he's also got to fight off a would-be usurper in Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger, who may just be the best villain Marvel has ever seen. And Coogler gives the women plenty to do in this as well with the Dora Milaje — T'Challa's all-female guard — and Lupita Nyong'o's badass spy getting ample screen time. Columbia TriStar 6. Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels 1998 Run Time: 107 min | IMDb: 8.2/10 Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn pair up for this British comedy about a group of friends who become entangled in a turf war of sorts after a card game gone wrong. Eddy Nick Moran is a card shark who buys into a high-stake game hosted by a mob boss named Harry. The game is rigged, and Eddy and his friends soon owe hundreds of thousands of dollars to the gang. To score the cash, they decide to rob a rival gang, who in turn have stolen money and weed from some local cannabis suppliers. Eventually, all of this thieving leads to shootouts and brawls over money, drugs, and two antique shotguns. Ritchie put himself and Jason Statham on the map with this one, patenting a fast-action, quick-witted type of storytelling that works well here and is a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Radius-TWC 7. Snowpiercer 2013Run Time: 126 min, IMDb: 7.1/10 Chris Evans stars in this sci-fi thriller from auteur Bong Joon-ho. The film, set years into the future following a devastating ice age caused by mankind, follows Evans' Curtis who lives in poverty on a train that continuously circles the Earth and contains all that remains of human life. Curtis is part of the “scum” that the people relegated to the back of the train while the “elite” enjoy the privilege of wealth and status that comes with living in the front. Curtis sparks a rebellion that ends in bloodshed and a devastating reveal when he makes it to the train's engine room and discovers just how the elite have been fueling their operation. It's a dark, grimy action piece that should give fans a new appreciation for Evans' talent. Marvel 8. Thor: Ragnarok 2017Run Time: 130 min | IMDb: 7.9/10 Before Black Panther became one of the highest grossing films in the Marvel Universe, Chris Hemsworth's hammer-loving hero gave the superhero franchise a much-needed dose of humor and fun with Thor: Ragnarok. Directed by Taika Waititi, the film follows the Asgardian warrior as he tries to save his home from the brutal reign of his long-lost sister Hela a wickedly good Cate Blanchett and fight his way out of off-planet gladiator pits with the help of the Hulk Mark Ruffalo and a Valkyrie played by Tessa Thompson. Sony 9. Kung Fu Hustle 2004Run Time: 99 min | IMDb: 7.8/10 The early aughts action-comedy borrows elements from famous Kung Fu films of the '70s and pairs them with a completely ridiculous plot and some impressive cartoon-style fight sequences to produce a wholly original flick that we guarantee you'll marvel at. The film follows the exploits of two friends, Sing and Bone, who impersonate gang members in the hopes of joining a gang themselves and inadvertently strike up a gang war that nearly destroys the slums of the city. Of course, the real draw here is the absurdist, over-the-top comedy that takes place during some of the film's biggest action sequences. It's laugh-out-loud funny, but only if you check your brain at the door. Miramax 10. Sin City 2005Run Time: 124 min | IMDb: 8/10 Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez team up for this stylish crime thriller drowning in corruption, comic book references, and A-list actors playing varying degrees of anti-hero. Based on the first, third, and fourth books in Miller's original series, the film jumps between three different stories all set in the seedy underworld of Basin City. Bruce Willis plays an aging police officer framed for crimes he didn't commit and who must protect a young woman he's come to love. Clive Owen plays a vigilante who protects prostitutes from bad guys. And Mickey Rourke plays a man seeking revenge for the death of his lover. It's a lot of action and bloodshed, all done in Miller's signature tone and Rodriguez' recognizable flair. Weinstein Company 11. Inglourious Basterds 2009Run Time: 153 min | IMDb: 8.3/10 Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz, and Eli Roth star in Quentin Tarantino's imaginative World War II drama about a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers with a plan to assassinate Hitler. The film flip-flops between Pitt's Southern-accented Lt. Aldo Raine's mission to scalp Nazis and blow-up an exclusive event for SS officers in Paris and French actress Melanie Laurent, who plays a theater-owner with a devious plan of her own. It's full of mesmerizing performances and Tarantino's unique brand of humor — oh, and a lot of Nazi killing. Universal Pictures 12. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World 2010Run Time: 112 min | IMDb: 7.5/10 Edgar Wright's 2010 action comedy about a hapless boy, who must defeat evil ex-boyfriends in order to win the hand of the girl he loves, is a fast-paced ride that bombards the senses. Michael Cera plays a loveable goof in the titular hero, a young man enamored with a woman named Ramona Flowers Mary Elizabeth Winstead. In order to be with his lady love, Scott takes on her exes six guys, one girl that challenge him to truly strange contests. The film is a cinematic mash-up of Japanese anime and gamer culture, intended for the crowd who grew up on Nintendo and comic books, but it brings plenty of overall laughs all the same. FilmDistrict 13. Olympus Has Fallen 2013Run Time: 119 min | IMDb: 6.5/10 Gerard Butler proves he's still got it playing Mike Banning, a disgraced Secret Service agent who's pulled back in the fold when a terrorist attack on the White House puts the president's life in danger. Aaron Eckhart plays the Commander-in-Chief, who can also kick a surprising amount of butt, but most of the heroics are saved for Butler's Banning, who uses his inside knowledge of the White House to foil a highly-organized raid by a group of trained killers looking to set off America's nukes. Paramount 14. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989Run Time: 127 min | IMDb: 8.2/10 Set fives years after Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade marks Indiana Jones' journey to rescue and reunite with his estranged father, a historian who goes missing after searching for the Holy Grail. Harrison Ford returns to play the swashbuckling archeologist while Sean Connery — most famous for his role as James Bond at the time — plays Indy's absentee father. Most of the fun in this film can be chalked up to the pair's chemistry. Indy and his dad don't get along and their bickering, even as they're avoiding assassins and tracking down ancient relics, is played up for laughs, rightly so. Disney/Lucasfilm 15. Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2017Run Time: 152 min, IMDb: 7.3/10 There's always going to be backlash when a studio decides to revive a beloved franchise and take it in a new direction but The Last Jedi continues to anger space fanboys everywhere and honestly, we're not sure what their gripe is. Rian Johnson gave us a masterclass in how to take something old and make it new again with his interpretation, injecting a bit of fun and fantasy into the age-old story. Mindblowing Jedi fights, Force connections, Porg, and Artic Foxes, the movie has something for everyone and it challenges both old and new characters alike with interesting arcs and climactic moments. Plus, did we mention Porgs? WB 16. 300 2006Run Time: 117 min | IMDb: 7.7/10 Zack Snyder's visionary war epic is filled with shirtless hunks and stylistic action sequences done in a way we haven't seen on film before. The film follows Gerard Butler's character, a Spartan king named Leonidas, as he leads 300 brave soldiers to fight the Persian Empire that's hoping to destroy his homeland. Most of the film details the unforgiving violence these warriors have grown up around, with young boys being literally thrown to the wolves to test their toughness before being invited to join the legendary Spartan army. Snyder makes sure to get every blood-spatter and knife-plunge on screen, usually in saturated frames and slo-mo sequences. Columbia 17. Hellboy 2004Run Time: 122 min | IMDb: 6.9/10 Sure, Stranger Things star David Harbour is about to make the Hellboy franchise cool again, but before the Internet's sweetheart dons the horns and the fist, why not revisit this masterpiece starring Ron Perlman? Not only does Perlman easily sell a devil-may-care attitude while he's hammering bad guys in the face, battling Russian sorcerers, killing Nazis, and tangling with tentacled behemoths, but Guillermo del Toro directs this thing, which means the visuals are just as spell-binding as the action. Mandarin Films 18. Ip Man 2008Run Time: 106 min | IMDb: 8/10 In a town filled with aspiring martial artists, the best of the best is Ip Man, a father and husband who just wants to keep his quiet way of life even in the midst of the Japanese occupation of China. In discovering that sometimes fighting is the only way to keep the peace, Ip inspires many by taking a stand during war-torn times. As a subtle reflection on war mixed with a healthy dose of fast-paced, mesmerizing combat, Ip Man is actually based on the real life of Yip Man, the grand master who trained Bruce Lee. Miramax Films 19. Equilibrium 2002Run Time: 107 min | IMDb: 7.5/10 Christian Bale and Season Bean star in this Sci-Fi drama set in an oppressive future where all forms of emotion are outlawed. Bale plays a man named John Preston, who's charged with enforcing the law but when he accidentally forgets to take a dose of the medicine that suppresses feelings and artistic expression, he begins to question the system he upholds and eventually, leads an uprising. Columbia 20. xXx 2002Run Time: 124 min | IMDb: 5.9/10 Vin Diesel takes a break from jacking cars to play extreme-sports junkie Xander Cage in this action thriller with Samuel L. Jackson. Cage is recruited by the NSA to take down a Russian terrorist group planning to unleash a chemical weapon on major cities around the world. In exchange for clearing his criminal record, Cage spies on the group, learning their plans while performing some death-defying stunts. Diesel is the quintessential action man in this one, hooking up with girls, kicking a**, and saving the world, but the fight scenes and action sequences are just inventive enough to keep you interested. Recent Changes Through October 2019:Removed: April And The Extraordinary WorldAdded: Sin City ![]()
TV NEWS
25 Oct 1919
![]() ![]() There are plenty of good TV series on Netflix. Arguably, too many, in fact. If you're trying to figure out what to watch next, here's a great place to start with a look at 60 of the best shows on Netflix right now including some of the best Netflix original series. You can also find recent changes, including new seasons and removed shows, at the bottom of this list, while some of the most recently added entries listed first. Related: The Stand-Up Specials On Netflix Right Now, Ranked Netflix Living With Yourself 1 season, 8 episodes | IMDb: 7.6/10 The only thing better than a series starring Paul Rudd is a show starring two Paul Rudds. The funnyman leads this new original series while playing a man named Miles, who seems pretty dissatisfied with his life so far. After agreeing to participate in a mysterious spa treatment that promises a better, more successful life, Miles is left with a practically perfect doppelganger intent on taking his life from him. It's dark and weird, and did we mention the two Paul Rudds? Netflix When They See Us 1 season, 4 episodes | IMDb: 9/10 Director Ava DuVernay's limited series about the wrongfully accused men in the Central Park Five case is an emotionally heavy reimagining of a truly tragic event in our history. The series sheds light on racial profiling and corruption in the NYPD as a group of young Black men are targeted for a heinous crime and put on trial with little evidence. It's a gripping, heartbreaking retelling, but one that feels sadly relevant. Netflix Tuca & Bertie 1 season, 10 episodes | IMDb: 7.4/10 Ali Wong and Tiffany Haddish voice the stars of this animated comedy from BoJack Horseman artist Lisa Hanawalt. Wong plays Bertie, a 30-something songbird thrush with debilitating anxiety, a knack for baking, and a truly toxic work environment. Haddish plays her best friend Tuca, a loud-mouthed toucan who loves to party and hates the thought of settling down. The friends try to hold on to their single days, even as Bertie takes the next step in her long-term relationship and Tuca struggles to find her place in the world. It's a more colorful, comforting world than BoJack, but it's got the same great humor and surprisingly-thoughtful musings. Netflix Dead To Me 1 season, 10 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10 Christina Applegate returns to TV with this grief-com about a woman trying to pick up the pieces after her husband is murdered in a horrible hit-and-run accident. Applegate plays the angry, grieving widow with equal parts humor and empathy while Linda Cardellini plays her sunny, optimistic best friend. The two meet in a grief group and navigate the challenges of moving on after loss while also solving a murder mystery. There's no way you'll know what to expect here, which is half the fun of watching. Netflix Russian Doll 1 season, 8 episodes | IMDb: 7.9/10 Natasha Lyonne stars in this Groundhog Day-from-hell remake about a woman who's forced to relive the last day of her life over and over again. It's been done before, but this series stands out thanks to its mix of dark humor and a tinge of the supernatural. Lyonne is one of the often overlooked OITNB stars, but it looks like this series is giving her a chance to show off her comedic chops as her character, Nadia, endures a constant loop of partying, dying, then waking up to do it all over again. As bleak as the premise is, Lyonne manages to find a silver lining, a universal message that basically read, “The world is sh*t, let's help each other out if we can.” Netflix The Umbrella Academy 1 season, 10 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 Superhero team-ups are a dime a dozen, but the TV adaptation of this award-winning comic series created by Gerard Way — yes, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance — feels wholly unique and thus, totally refreshing. The show follows the story of seven kids, all born on the same day to mothers who didn't even know they were pregnant. They're adopted by a mysterious billionaire and trained to use their supernatural abilities to fight evil in the world, but when they grow up, their dysfunctional upbringing catches up with them, and they're left struggling to live normal lives. It's all kinds of weird, which is exactly what the genre needs right now. Netflix Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 2 seasons, 21 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10 Kiernan Shipka stars in this witchy revival of a sitcom classic. This Sabrina Spellman is darker than what millennials are used to. As a half-mortal, half-witch, Spellman is an outcast with the magical community and the first season explores the cult-like fervor of magic users, their worship of Satan, and why Sabrina is being pressured to sign her name over to the Dark Lord. The show also tackles issues of romance, friendship, and sexism in clever, crafty ways and with season two newly released, expect things to get even more nightmarish for the Spellman clan. BBC One Bodyguard 1 season, 6 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 The UK's most popular new drama has made its way across the pond. The procedural thriller stars Game of Thrones' Richard Madden as David Budd, a military vet turned police officer tasked with protecting a high-profile politician during a, particularly dicey time. There's plenty of suspense and action to string you along, coupled with a vulnerable performance by Madden, who ditches his King of the North swagger to play a man conflicted by his past and his present duty to his country. Netflix The Haunting of Hill House1 season, 10 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 Mike Flanagan knows how to do horror, and his latest series for Netflix, The Haunting of Hill House, is proof of that. The show, like the book off which it's based, follows the fractured Crain family as they try to make peace with their dark and twisted path. Of course, through some carefully-timed flashbacks, we see why the Crain siblings are so messed up: They lived in a haunted house as children, a house that eventually caused the death of their mother. There are plenty of frights to keep horror fans interested in this thriller, but the real point of this show is investigating trauma and its lingering effects. Makes sense that horror is the best way to do that. amc Breaking Bad5 seasons, 62 episodes | IMDb: 9.5/10 Not just the best series on Netflix, Breaking Bad is the best series of all time. There's no debate about that. NETFLIX BoJack Horseman 5 seasons, 60 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10 Not enough people on the Internet have explained that BoJack Horseman is not what it might seem like. Not enough people raved that it was an often very funny, often very heartbreaking meditation on depression. It's an animated sitcom about a washed-up horse, and somehow, it's also an incredibly profound look at deeper themes. It's amazing, but it may also leave you in a depressive funk for days afterward. Its fourth season even placed it among our best TV shows of 2017, and, thankfully, Season 5 is just as funny and sad as ever. Netflix Stranger Things3 seasons, 25 episodes | IMDb: 8.9/10 A throwback and love letter to the early 1980s movies of Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter, the Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things feels both familiar and new. It's about a boy named Will think E.T.'s Elliot who is captured by a The Thing-like creature and trapped in a Poltergeist-like world. His mother Winona Ryder recruits the local sheriff to investigate Will's disappearance. Meanwhile, Will's dorky, Goonies-like best friends take to their bikes to do some sleuthing of their own and eventually befriend an alien-like girl with telepathic powers the E.T. of the series. Season two continues that vibe as the show dives deeper into government conspiracies and alien monsters intent on wreaking havoc on small-town Indiana. It's great PG horror/sci-fi, like the blockbusters of the early '80s, and even if you didn't come of age in the era, there's something for everyone to enjoy. AMC Mad Men7 seasons, 92 episodes | IMDb: 8.6/10 Mad Men is one of the best-written, best acted, and engrossing dramas on television. Period. The first season is a little slow, but keep with it: Matthew Weiner eventually layers in a lot of fun elements, and takes it home for a great ending. NBC The Office9 seasons, 201 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10 The original UK The Office mainstreamed Ricky Gervais' awkward, uncomfortable humor, while The Office diluted it some, layered in one of sitcom's greatest romances for four seasons, anyway, and surrounded Steve Carell with a remarkable, quirky supporting cast. The first four seasons still stand as the best workplace comedy in American sitcom history, even if the final four seasons were increasingly mediocre — though the series did redeem itself in the end. NBC Parks and Recreation7 seasons, 125 episodes | IMDb: 8.6/10 Witty, heartfelt, and funny, you're not likely to find a more likable sitcom than Parks and Recreation. The first six episodes aren't very good, but once they figured out what to do with Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope, the sitcom began to thrive, thanks in huge part to its endearing supporting cast. Parks and Rec is blissful television, and a must watch for any fan of great sitcoms. NBC Friends10 seasons, 236 episodes | IMDb: 8.9/10 There's nothing to say Friends that you don't already know, and unless you're under the age of 15, you've probably already seen every episode, but — along with Seinfeld available on Hulu — Friends remains the most durable, re-watchable sitcom ever. Netflix Arrested Development5 seasons, 84 episodes | IMDb: 8.9/10 The series lost some of the mystique it had gained after its cancellation because Netflix's season four wasn't to everyone's satisfaction — though it flowers with repeat viewings, especially with the recut version of it. Arrested Development still stands as one of the funniest, most inventive, and most influential sitcoms of the generation. Netflix Orange is the New Black7 seasons, 91 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 One of the best original shows on Netflix, this prison dramedy is a deeply human, funny, moving, realistic, progressive show about life and the bad decisions we're all destined to make. OITNB humanizes the dehumanized, transforms labels — felons, thieves, murderers, embezzlers — into real human beings and reminds us that, even in prison, life isn't put on hold. Life is being led. It's a remarkably excellent series, and addictive as hell. AMC Better Call Saul3 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 In its first season, Better Call Saul quickly put to rest any fears anyone might have had about a spin-off from arguably the greatest drama of all time, Breaking Bad which sits atop this list. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould return as showrunners, and they continue to bring the same level of complexity, intensity, and character development to Saul as they did for Breaking Bad. What's most remarkable about the series, however, is that they managed to transform the Saul character into someone humane and sympathetic while staying true to the same character in the original series. Indeed, Saul is the most detail oriented and perhaps the smartest show on television, and one hell of an intense, suspenseful drama, which is all the more impressive because we know roughly where it will end up. FX American Horror Story8 seasons, 106 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10 Ryan Murphy's horror anthology on FX is an unpredictable tour-de-force that, when it sticks its landing, is one of the best shows on TV. The series chronicles truly terrifying, mind-warping plots across multiple seasons, connecting some, ignoring others. What grounds these outrageous storylines involving haunted hotels, murder houses, insane asylums, cults, and covens is the cast, most notably Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Evan Peters. Murphy relies on their visceral portrayals of individuals unhinged to sell this whacky, nightmare-inducing rollercoaster and sell they do. Starz Outlander2 seasons, 29 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10 At first glance, this bodice-ripper from Starz reads like the television adaptation of a dime-store paperback romance novel. It's got time travel, sexy Scottish men in kilts, an arranged marriage, even a bit of witchcraft. But the show, starring Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, elevates itself beyond those tropes, touching on everything from love and loss to the politics behind some of history's most infamous conflicts. From the highlands to the French court, the series delivers awe-inducing visuals, career-making performances, and the kind of drama to keep you hooked. IFC Documentary Now!2 seasons, 14 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10 Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Seth Meyers have created something truly unique with their riff on our culture's obsession with docu-style TV series. The SNL alums mock the stylistic choices and subjects of other shows of its ilk, with episodes dedicated to everything from Grey Gardens to The Thin Blue Line. And the guest list for this thing is unbelievable. Netflix Mindhunter2 seasons, 20 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10 In Mindhunter, Jonathan Groff plays Holden Ford, a character based on the real-life John E. Douglas the inspiration for Jack Crawford in the Hannibal series. The series itself is based on the origins of an actual behavioral science unit in the FBI used to study serial killers in the 1970s and 80s. Ford is a young FBI Agent who takes a keen interest in psychology which, in turn, grows into an interest in the psychology of sequential killers. It's a fascinating exploration into the origins of what now seems commonplace, a science that has inspired dozens of police procedurals. What's more interesting here, however, is that while Ford is studying serial killers all of whom are based on actual serial killers from that era, Ford develops his own obsession with serial-killers that mirrors the obsession serial killers have with their victims. It's engrossing and fascinating. The series comes from Joe Penhall and executive producer David Fincher who also directs several episodes, and fans of Fincher's Zodiac will appreciate Mindhunter for its same attention to detail, and the same dedication to character and research over surprising twists and reveals. Showtime Twin Peaks2 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10 If small-town murder mysteries full of camp and supernatural phenomenon are your thing, well then why wouldn't you watch or re-watch Twin Peaks? The series, crafted all the way back in the '90s by David Lynch, is a cult-favorite and for good reason. With Kyle MacLachlan playing Special Agent Dale Cooper, a poor schmoe who's called in to investigate the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer, he's met with more than he bargained for. Conspiracies theories and otherworldly beings, time travel, and dwarves in red business suits soon follow. The original series may have ended with cliffhangers and unexplained plot-holes, but with the more recent Showtime revival, now's as good a time as any to catch up on all the strange events that seem to plague this sleepy town. Netflix Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt4 seasons, 51 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10 This Tina Fey-produced sitcom — which was originally supposed to air on NBC before the network agreed to give it to Netflix — is as dense and irreverent as 30 Rock, but it's also immensely life-affirming. It's funny, fast-paced, chock-full of pop-culture references and maybe the easiest Netflix original series to binge-watch. And, like 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt also includes a lot of fun — and unexpected — celebrity cameos and pop culture references throughout its four seasons. AMC The Walking Dead9 seasons, 131 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10 Currently, the highest-rated scripted series on cable television, The Walking Dead is an up-and-down show. When it's good, it's phenomenal; when it's not, it can be a slog especially in the earlier half of the series, when Frank Darabont was showrunner. Greg Nicotero does fantastic FX work, and the series is particularly compelling because no one — no matter how high they are listed in the credits — is safe from the zombie apocalypse, and the showrunners seem to relish in killing off cast members other than the almighty Rick Grimes. Some of the binge-watching value, however, is lost because it's so difficult to avoid being spoiled to plot points of one of the most talked about series on TV. Nevertheless, unlike almost any television drama, up until the sixth season, The Walking Dead improved with age, Beware of the cliffhangers, however, in season six, and a precipitous fall off in quality thereafter. FX American Crime Story2 seasons, 19 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10 Although the original trial took place 20 years ago, and despite the fact that anyone watching the series already knows the outcome, The People vs. O.J. Simpson somehow remains a tense, suspenseful watch. Buoyed by incredible performances the season was nominated for over 20 Emmy Awards, winning 8, The People vs. O.J. Simpson recreates the events following the murder of Ronald Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson and recasts them in the light of what we know now. In its second season, the shows moves focus on the assassination of design legend Gianni Versace by Andrew Cunanan. While not as strong as the amazing ensemble in Season 1, Season 2 boasts memorable portrayals of conflicted, complex figures by Darren Criss, Penelope Cruz, Édgar Ramírez, and surprisingly Ricky Martin. BBC Sherlock4 seasons, 13 episodes | IMDb: 9.2/10 Sherlock is the best iteration of the Sherlock Holmes ever to air on television. The British series from Steven Moffat stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, and despite the fact that it has been updated, it brilliantly captures the same spirit of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories. It's fast-paced, engrossing, brilliantly acted, often very funny, and frequently tragic. Netflix 19. Master of None2 seasons, 20 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10 Intimate, funny, warm and kind, Master of None confidently tackles issues of sex and race from a perspective original to mainstream television. Creator, writer, and star Aziz Ansari loads the sitcom with smart observations and wry humor, and when it comes to dating as a thirty-something, Ansari just gets it. Sweet, sentimental, but never sappy, the mold-breaking Master of None may be the most thoughtful and well-considered dating sitcom on television. Netflix GLOW3 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 Packed full of hairspray, '80s nostalgia, leotards, and neon eyeshadow, 2017's GLOW surprised us all with a comedy about a group of unconventional women wrestling with stereotypes in and out of the ring. Led by Alison Brie and Marc Maron, the show is both a subversive commentary on issues of gender equality and sexism, and a raucous imagining of what goes on behind the scenes of an adult women's wrestling league. In other words, it's a damn good time. Brie carries the series, playing a struggling actress forced to take a “role” in this televised nonsense, but she's by no means a heroine. In fact, it's her battle to find her character and herself while making amends for her bad behavior along the way that's so entertaining. Well, that and some good ol' fashioned body slamming. Season two focuses the spotlight on the supporting cast as the women ready for their television debuts and contend with sexual harassment and misogyny in the workplace. CW Riverdale3 seasons, 57 episodes | IMDb: 7.4/10 Riverdale is a dark teen comedy based on characters from the Archie comics. It mixes in elements of a conventional teen drama — romance, small-town life, and the high-school ecosystem — with a compelling, adult murder mystery. The series takes place in a small-town with a 1950s vibe despite being firmly set in the present where a high-school teenager is found dead under mysterious circumstances that implicate much of the community as suspects. Riverdale is powered not just by the mystery, but by characters who are instantly likable Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are all standouts and easy to invest in. The mystery is so incredibly intriguing that it's almost impossible not to get wrapped up in it as the storyline guides us through numerous red herrings. It's a madly addictive series, occasionally campy, and just self-aware enough not to take itself too seriously. Netflix Black Mirror5 seasons, 22 episodes + interactive film | IMDb: 8.9/10 It cannot be stressed enough how amazing Britain's Black Mirror is. It's severely biting social commentary about the current and future technological age in the form of twisted, dark Twilight Zone episodes. It's an incredible and incredibly short four seasons of television, and episode for episode, perhaps the best series on this list. Watch one episode, and you'll be hooked. Netflix Dear White People3 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 6.2/10 Netflix's original series Dear White People builds on the foundations laid by Spike Lee's drama of the same name. The show kicks off during the aftermath of an event that happened in the film — a blackface party held by a white fraternity on a fictional college campus. Sam, a radio personality and student at the school, covers the fallout for her listeners and serves as a pseudo-narrator to all the goings-on at school. There are brief moments of humor and plenty of satire, but watching these kids deal with racist learning institutions and police brutality and ignorance from the privileged peers feels uncomfortable real and relevant. It's a must-watch, not only because the acting is superb, and the storylines are rich, but because you'll probably learn something you didn't know but should. Sundance Rectify4 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10 Rectify is maybe the best series on television that no one watched. Aden Young, in a soulful performance, plays Daniel Holden, a man locked up and put on death row nearly 20 years ago for raping and murdering his girlfriend. However, DNA evidence has come to light that casts doubt on his guilt, so the court system has no choice but to release him. Is he actually guilty? Or is he innocent and misunderstood? That's the question at the heart of the series, and the question the people in his small town, including his family, have to ask themselves. Is this man we're letting back into our family a murderer and a rapist, or is he the kind, thoughtful man he appears to be? Rectify is a beautiful show about appreciating life that manages to perfectly straddle the line between bleak and hopeful, and quietly features some of the best performances on television. Netflix Godless1 season, 7 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10 Exec produced by Steven Soderbergh and written, directed, and created by Scott Frank, who wrote Logan and Out of Sight, Godless, is equal parts a feminist Western and s a show about fathers and sons. The series is set in the 1880s in the small mining town of La Belle, where nearly all of the town's men have died in a mining accident. Enter Roy Goode Jack O'Connell, a charming gunslinger on the run from the mentor he double-crossed, Frank Griffin Jeff Daniels, who — along with his crew out desperadoes — had already murdered everyone in another small town for harboring Goode. The series ultimately pits a town of mostly women against a brutal, merciless outlaw gang. Scoot McNairy, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Sam Waterston play lawmen, but the standouts in Godless are Downton Abby's nearly unrecognizable shotgun wielding pioneer woman Michelle Dockery and Merritt Wever, a bisexual woman all out of f—ks to give. It's a tremendously good series buoyed by beautiful cinematography, poetic language, a few great shoot-outs, and fine performances from the entire cast. It's one of the best Netflix series of 2017. NETFLIX Daredevil3 seasons, 39 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 Daredevil is unquestionably the best superhero series of all time. It has the addictive qualities of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it's darker and more intense than any of those films. It's harsh, with brutal eye-popping fight sequences. It has an excellent cast led by Charlie Cox as the title character with tons of chemistry, and nails the tone of the source material. NBC The West Wing7 seasons, 156 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10 Television's all-time best political drama The West Wing is Aaron Sorkin at his absolute best, working with one of the finest ensemble casts in television history. The show wavers after the fourth season when Sorkin left, but it picks back up in its final season with Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda. Here's a celebration of the greatest fictional President of all time to get you warmed up for it. Netflix Big Mouth3 seasons, 31 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 The animated, coming-of-age comedy from Nick Kroll is full of familiar voices and even more familiar life problems. Centered on a group of pre-pubescent friends, Kroll voices a younger version of himself, a kid named Andrew who's going through some embarrassing life changes like inconvenient erections and strange wet dreams and bat-mitzvah meltdowns. All these traumatizing and hilarious happenings are usually caused by Maurice, Andrew's own Hormone Monster also voiced by Kroll who takes pleasure literally in abusing the poor kid. As painfully accurate as the show is, if you're lucky enough to be removed from that angst-ridden era of life, you'll probably appreciate the humor in all of it. Netflix Marvel's Jessica Jones3 seasons, 39 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 As an episodic series, Jessica Jones occasionally falters in its first season. Jones is a private detective with certain special powers, but the series doesn't put her P.I. talents to much use, instead focusing on one storyline surrounding the big bad, Kilgrave David Tennant for the entire 13 episodes. Tennant's character, however, is the best reason to watch the series — he's captivating yet repugnant, alluring yet vile — and the themes of rape and domestic abuse resonate loudly. Unfortunately, when Kilgrave is not onscreen, the series drifts, and that's especially apparent in Season 2. Krysten Ritter's title character is too often dour and sarcastic, robbing the series of some much-needed levity. Still, it's a captivating, thematically-rich series that covers ground no other superhero series would dare to explore, and while that doesn't make it the most entertaining Marvel series, it is the bravest and most unique among the Netflix originals. Netflix American Vandal2 seasons, 16 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 In theory, American Vandal sounds silly and sophomoric, and it is, but it's also a genuinely brilliant, incredibly clever, smartly written satire of true-crime documentaries. It plays just like any other true crime docuseries — interviews, investigations, multiple suspects, and numerous conspiracy theories — only the crime here is not a murder. In its first season, it's a high-school student who has been accused by the school board of spray painting dicks on 27 cars, a crime that threatens his ability to graduate. It's a brilliant whodunnit that just happens to also be the best parody of 2017, and it even took home a Peabody Award. The show's follow-up season trades dick picks for explosive diarhhea which is just as fun, if not ten times as gross. Netflix Gilmore Girls7 seasons, 153 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 Maybe the wittiest, pop-culture rich drama ever, Gilmore Girls has nevertheless managed to hold up incredibly well over the years. It's a great show to watch with a new generation of television viewers, it's a great show to watch while bingeing on food, and it's a great show to re-watch many times. The relationship between single mother Lorelai and her daughter, Rory, never gets old. BBC Broadchurch3 seasons, 24 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10 A young boy is found dead in a seemingly idyllic small town, and the detectives charged with solving the case turn up twist after twist in tracking down the murderer. Despite its familiar premise see also: Twin Peaks, The Killing, Broadchurch relies on its ensemble cast — specifically the impeccable David Tennant and Olivia Colman — to keep viewers caring after each red herring is tossed back into the ocean. The first series centers on the hunt for the killer while the second is on both the suspect's trial and a reopened case from the past, but they both don't let up in intrigue. A word of warning, though: This isn't one of those TV dramas you should binge even if you want to. It gets heavy and emotionally exhausting, and unrestrained streaming kinda negates the effect of the show's mysteries. NBC The Good Place3 seasons, 37 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 Set in the afterlife, The Good Place sees a lazy, entitled selfish, Arizona woman Eleanor Shellstrop Kristen Bell enter into “Heaven” only to discover that — due to a mixup — she was incorrectly assigned. With the help of her new friends and, Shellstrop endeavors to be a better person and earn her place in Heaven. In the early goings, the high-concept premise feels like it's going to run out of runway, but Mike Schur Parks and Recreation continually finds new directions to take the show and the characters, as the show humorously and sweetly tackles an array of moral dilemmas before arriving at a surprising twist ending. It's a charming, clever and delightful series with a freshly-imagined approached that only improves as the season progresses and new wrinkles are explored, while Ted Danson is his usual remarkable self. It's a fantastic comedy, one of the best TV shows on network television in recent years. Showtime Shameless9 seasons, 110 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 The long-running Showtime series understands better than any other drama on television what it's like to be poor in America. Set in Chicago, Shameless follows the lives of the Gallagher family as they struggle beneath the poverty line to make ends meet. The family is afflicted with alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, poor decision-making skills, and the kind of terrible luck that so often follows poor families, but they've also got each other, their resilience, and a determination to break the cycle, but in Shameless, impoverishment is the boogeyman that always comes back, hilariously and heartbreakingly. BBC Peaky Blinders5 seasons, 30 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10 Another British import, Peaky Blinders is roughly the Netflix UK equivalent of HBO's Boardwalk Empire, taking place in the same time period and covering similar terrain. Peaky has one thing that Boardwalk does not, however, and that's the piercing, intense Cillian Murphy. The show also features Tom Hardy as a phenomenal recurring character debuting in season two along with Noah Taylor. Netflix The Crown2 seasons, 20 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 At once intimate and sweeping, The Crown presents an inside view of the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II, played by Claire Foy, and the first few years of her reign. John Lithgow is featured as the indomitable Winston Churchill, struggling with the ignominy of age at the end of his career. Churchill's support and mentorship of Elizabeth, despite his limitations, creates an important emotional center around which various historical events turn. Elizabeth's relationship with her husband, Prince Phillip Matt Smith is also wonderfully explored; his role as consort is one that he by turns delights in and rebels against. The production spared no expense in painstakingly recreating the physical environments and rigid protocols that constrained and defined the royal family. The challenges posed by modernity and the post-colonial period are filtered through the Palace's political structure, in which despite her role, Elizabeth's personal needs and wishes are continually subsumed to protocol and appearance. This series will appeal to anyone who enjoys costume drama, but it is also a fascinating exploration of the post-WWII period and the development of a monarch who managed to maintain and even expand the popularity and stability of the British Monarchy against significant odds. Netflix Bloodline3 seasons, 33 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10 Bloodline is engrossing, so much so that somewhere along the way, you may find yourself wondering if you skipped an episode. You'll start in on episode 7, fall into a trance, and wake up somewhere around episode 10, wondering what happened to the last four hours of your life. Ben Mendelsohn will hook you immediately, but after four or five episodes into season one — once the pieces begin to fall into place — the story will sweep you along toward the dark and sickly satisfying end, capping the season off with four of the best episodes in the short but stellar history of Netflix's original programming. Unfortunately, the following seasons — while still a fine TV — don't live up to the first. The CW Jane the Virgin5 seasons, 100 episodes | IMDb: 7.8/10 Based on a Spanish telenovela, Jane the Virgin plays more like a brilliant but genial satire of conventional telenovelas. Gina Rodriguez plays the virgin here, who is impregnated through an accidental artificial insemination. Matters are complicated, however, because she has to break the news of her pregnancy to her deeply religious family, as well as her fiancé, with whom she has never had sex. Jane also develops feelings for another man who just so happens to be the baby's father. It sounds like a premise that could not sustain itself beyond 5 episodes, but the writing is so good and the characters so delightful that Jane never gets bogged down by its premise. It's a genuinely delightful, heartwarming show, and Gina Rodriguez lights up the screen every second she is on it. Fox New Girl7 seasons, 146 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10 Fox's comedy about a quirky girl who moves in with three male roommates quickly evolved from a pretty straightforward premise to become one of the best shows on TV. Zooey Deschanel plays Jess, a teacher who's forced to room with three other guys, Nick Jake Johnson, Schmidt Max Greenfield, and Winston Lamorne Morris after she discovers her boyfriend's been cheating on her. For the next seven seasons, the gang grows to become close friends — getting married, having babies, experiencing sympathy PMS, and getting stuck in Mexico, among other disasters. Still, it's the chemistry between the four mains that makes every outlandish episode work. Netflix House of Cards6 seasons, 78 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10 House Of Cards, Netflix's first major foray into original programming, is worth every cent of its $100 million production budget, featuring searing performances, a droll sense of humor, slick writing, engrossing plot-lines, and Kevin Spacey chewing the face off the scenery. The first season is phenomenal, but the show rapidly goes downhill through its six seasons with some sparks of life in scattered seasons, with the final season focused on Robin Wright's Claire Underwood being cluttered at best. Showtime Dexter8 seasons, 96 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10 Michael C. Hall is absolutely terrific as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police department who moonlights as a serial killer and tries to keep his two lives separate. There's a great opening season, a fantastic fourth season, and in between the two, a couple of decent ones. Do yourself a favor, however, and don't bother with Dexter's final four seasons. It's a testament to how good the first and fourth seasons were that it still gains a place upon this list, despite a deeply disappointing final season. The CW Crazy Ex-Girlfriend4 seasons, 62 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10 A musical series about a woman who leaves her prestigious job in Manhattan to follow an ex-boyfriend to a small town in California, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is like no other show on a show on television. The premise is not unlike that of Felicity, but the tone is unique: Quirky and hilarious on the surface, but dark and subversive underneath. As co-creator along with Aline Brosh McKenna and star, Golden Globe winner Rachel Bloom provides catchy songs with irreverent lyrics that offer dark meditations on depression, insecurity, and the challenges of balancing careers and love lives. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is funny, feminist and infectious. netflix Sense82 seasons, 24 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10 Once the Wachowskis' underappreciated sci-fi series establishes its characters, there's at least one profoundly moving moment in every episode. Sense8 is rich with brilliant ideas, and, though they're not always executed with perfect logic, the chemistry between the characters is undeniable. It's impossible not to root for them, to feel and experience their ups and downs, their confusion and heartbreak, and, most of all, their love. The Wachowskis first foray into television is at once romantic, life-affirming, and thought-provoking. Netflix Grace And Frankie4 seasons, 52 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10 It's rare that older women get a chance to shine on a half-hour comedy series, but if your stars happen to be Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, you'd be insane not to have all the action center on them. Grace and Frankie follows the pair as they discover that their husbands have been carrying on an affair with each other. The news throws life into chaos, forcing Grace and Frankie to room together and pick up the pieces. Along the way, there are family squabbles, online dating drama, and a battle over the ladies' organic lube company but at the heart of the show are these two women who bond after a devastating ordeal and support one another during a time of change and growth. Did we mention organic lube? There's that, too. Netflix Travelers3 seasons, 34 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 Travelers is a sci-fi series co-produced by Netflix and a Canadian television network Showcase starring Eric McCormick Will & Grace. It's a light sci-fi drama about people from hundreds of years in the future whose consciences are sent back to the present day to take the place of others who are already about to die. They're sent back, a la Terminator, to prevent a bleak future from taking place. In the present day, this group of people is tasked with missions to prevent the future dystopia from happening, but they also have to acclimate into the lives of their host bodies. It is a quintessential Netflix show: Easy-to-binge, madly addictive, fun as hell, and immediately engrossing. While it certainly borrows heavily from other sci-fi shows and movies, it does an excellent job of shaking it up and bringing fresh life to the genre. BBC Happy Valley2 seasons, 12 episodes | IMDb: 8.5/10 A gruff police sergeant Sarah Lancashire in North England tries to unravel an increasingly complicated and violent string of crime, stemming from a kidnapping of a young woman. As the pieces fall into place, she struggles to find justice for her own daughter who died years before and to care for the son she left behind. While the series follows plots done plenty of times before — kidnapping gone wrong, a killer targeting prostitutes — Lancashire's commanding performance is more than captivating. A relatively unknown face for the casual American viewer, her portrayal of the very flawed yet non-compromising officer has earned Lancashire multiple BAFTA nominations and a win. Netflix One Day at a Time3 seasons, 39 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 A remake of a 1970s sitcom produced by 94-year-old iconic television producer Norman Lear, One Day at a Time manages to not only match its predecessor but miraculously improve upon it. This new version centers on a Cuban America family headed by a single mom Justina Machado raising three kids with the help of her mom Rita Moreno. It's broad jokes and laugh track feels somewhat out of place on the streaming service, but the jokes still land and more importantly, the characters connect in an honest way as they attempt to live on a modest nurse's salary and maintain their Cuban heritage while adapting to modern progressivism much like Fresh Off the Boat. It's more poignant sitcom than it is funny, but it's a warm, loving look at difficulties of single parenting that resonates as much today as it did in the '70s. The CW iZombie5 seasons, 83 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 Creator Rob Thomas takes the same formula he applied to Veronica Mars and relocates it to iZombie, a police procedural with a twist. Liv More Rose McIver is a zombie who works in a Seattle morgue, where she eats the brains of murder victims. Doing so gives her access to the victims' memories, which allows her to assist police in the investigations of their murders. Meanwhile, as the zombie virus spreads across Seattle, Liv Moore is also searching for a cure while also dealing with a love life complicated by the fact that she is undead. It's a lightweight procedural that, like Veronica Mars, is bookended each season with a serialized arc. The series mostly succeeds, however, on the charms of its cast — Rahul Kohli is a particular standout, while David Anders plays the series' Spike — and the clever, quick-witted writing despite the presence of a zombie, the weekly cases tend to be fairly conventional. Netflix The Fall3 seasons, 17 episodes | IMDb: 8.2/10 With a serial killer Jamie Dornan on the loose in Belfast, the authorities bring in a cold, calculating detective Gillian Anderson to put an end to the murders. The Fall presents a compelling, frightening look at an intelligent murderer without dumbing down the authorities on his trail, unlike other serial killer-themed shows out there. While the series gets slowed down by a few subplots in its third season, the performances of Dornan and Anderson are captivating, turning the series into an intense game of cat-and-cat. Anderson has even said this is her all-time favorite role even over Dana Scully, with good reason. CBC Schitt's Creek5 seasons, 66 episodes | IMDb: 8/10 Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara star in this Canadian sitcom about a wealthy family forced to scale down their extravagant lifestyle with hilarious results. Levy plays Johnny Rose, a rich video-store magnate who loses his fortune when his business manager fails to pay his taxes. O'Hara plays his wife, Moira, a former soap opera star who, along with her husband and their two pampered children, must move to a town called Schitt's Creek. Johnny bought the town as a joke when the family had more money than they could spend, but now, the town and its residents serve as a comedic wake-up call for a guy who has problems rooting himself in reality. Levy is brilliant in this thing and it's a damn shame the show is so overlooked by American audiences. Let's change that. Recent Changes Through October 2019:Added: Big Mouth: Season 3, The Walking Dead: Season 9, Shameless: Season 9, Riverdale, Schitt's Creek: Season 5, Living With YourselfRemoved: Portlandia |
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Frozen II
Net: $86.0M
Grs: $288.8M
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Knives Out
Net: $26.8M
Grs: $41.4M
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Ford v Ferrari
Net: $13.2M
Grs: $81.0M
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Queen & Slim
Net: $11.9M
Grs: $16.0M
Weeks: 1
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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Net: $11.8M
Grs: $34.3M
Weeks: 2
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21 Bridges
Net: $5.6M
Grs: $19.2M
Weeks: 2
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Playing with Fire
Net: $4.2M
Grs: $39.2M
Weeks: 4
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Midway
Net: $3.9M
Grs: $50.2M
Weeks: 4
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Last Christmas
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Grs: $31.7M
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10. |
Joker
Net: $2.0M
Grs: $330.5M
Weeks: 9
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