Wednesday, August 17, 2016

The Must Watch Netflix Shows



This is not a sponsored post in any way. I personally love Netflix, and have been enjoying the streaming service as well as the DVD movies to my home. I just find with regular cable there isn't much on, so I downgraded my plan and am enjoying Netflix's full capabilities. I love the DVD's coming to my house, it makes it so easy to watch and return, and the streaming is fabulous when there is nothing interesting on cable (which is more often than not!). These are some of the shows I really enjoy, many are Netflix originals which I think is fabulous, some are not, but ones I felt I should tell you about. Since I first did this post, there have been many new shows I have been enjoying, I decided to update this every so often, so you don't miss a thing! 


I got into Bloodline after it was nominated for a few Emmy awards. It stars Kyle Chandler and Sissy Spacek, about the Rayburn family, who own and manage a beachside hotel in the Florida Keys. Their troubled eldest son comes back for the parents Anniversary and things turn into major turmoil. The acting is really stellar and the location of the Florida Keys is really so beautiful. You can watch Season 1 as well as Season 2, I am watching slowly. It is hard to do for sure, but trying to make it last!  


Chef's Table is a fabulous documentary showing different Chef's and how they make the amazing cuisine in their restaurants. Being a total foodie, I really loved this, and actually will watch a second time. To hear what inspires these talented Chef's and the diverse backgrounds they come from, is quite fascinating. This has a Season 2 release date of May 27, 2016, and I cannot wait to see the Chef's they have lined up for the new Season! There will also be a Season 3 in 2017, so you can imagine how popular this show has become! 


The Last Tango in Halifax is written by Sally Wainwright, who also writes Happy Valley, and is a really wonderful drama. In 2013 it was nominated for four BAFTAs, winning Best Drama Series; and Sally Wainwright was named Best Drama Writer at the 2013 British Academy Television Craft Awards. Sarah Lancashire won a Best Supporting Actress in 2014. 
The show is about a couple re-united after 50 years, getting married and their blended family issues. It has lots of twists and turns, and wonderful acting by everyone involved. I am really hoping for a Season 4 sometime soon. 


Another Chef movie is For Grace, which shows the opening of the restaurant Grace in Chicago with Chef Curtis Duffy. The restaurant has received 3 Michelin Stars, and it was really cool to see what goes into creating the best restaurant in the country. A must see for anyone who loves food and cooking. 


Orange is the New Black is pretty well known in the media. When I first started watching it, it had to grow on me, but I am now addicted. The goings on in a women's prison, the true life tales from Piper Kerman 's memoir, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison (2010). The release date for the Season 4 is June 17 2016 and I am taking my time getting through all episodes. 


Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was something I just thought I would give a try to watch. I wasn't expecting anything big, although it is written by Tina Fey, who is such a comic genius. Well, the show is really, really funny and a nice light show to watch from the heavy dramas out there. Starring Ellie Kemper and first-time Emmy nominee Titus Burgess ( he is FABULOUS and should have won), and Jane Krakowski, plus a great Carol Kane! I was also thrilled to see Jon Hamm doing some amazing comedy on the show. The series follows 29-year-old Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) as she adjusts to life in New York City after her rescue from a doomsday cult in Indiana where she and three other women were held by Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) for 15 years. Just watch it, you will thank me for the laughs! The new Season 2 starts April 15, 2016.  

Restaurant Australia was really a learning experience for me. It shows 3 renowned chefs, Neil Perry, Ben Shewry, and Peter Gilmore as they come together to create a uniquely Australian menu set to impress some of the world's toughest critics. Everything they use for the menu is from the Australian land and sea. If you are a foodie as myself, you will really enjoy this show. 


A fabulous documentary about the amazing Misty Copeland, who was appointed the first black principal ballerina at American Ballet. A truly inspiring piece of work. 


I was actually in New York when Bill passed away, and it was just so sad. I think we all felt he would live forever. The Bill Cunningham New York documentary is a MUST SEE. The iconic photographer for the New York Times, who started the street fashion movement, as well as photographed shows and exhibits, is quite a complex character. If you love fashion, and/or photography, this is a MUST SEE. I actually own the DVD, I just had to have it in my collection. 

Another show I just stumbled upon, Happy Valley, a Netflix original. So many shows I am enjoying are Netflix shows, they are really giving the networks a run for their money. This is a British crime drama, keeps you on the edge of your seat, with Sarah Lancashire and James Norton (below) from Grandchester mysteries on PBS. It was very hard to not watch this all the way through, and they are talking about a 3rd season.  It was awarded the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series and it was so deserved. A neat note is the lady who played the maid O'Brien from Downton Abbey, Siobhan Finneran, is in the show. I didn't even realize it was her! 




I picked this show to watch just out of the blue, one night when nothing was on. It said it was a BBC Comedy, and my Mom introduced me to the amazing British comedies many years ago. I felt I could use some good laughs. Well, this show is just brilliant! The first season stars Andy Sandberg as Cuckoo, the 2nd Season (which I have yet to watch) stars Taylor Lautner. 
Ken and Lorna Thompson's daughter Rachel has returned from her gap year with a new husband, Cuckoo - self-appointed spiritual ninja. He is every parent's worst nightmare - a slacker full of outlandish, New Age ideas. Greg Davies plays Ken, the father, and is just so funny. You feel so bad for this guy, the situations he gets himself into are unreal. I am very excited to see the 2nd Season, and I think I will watch the 1st Season over one more time. A really fun comedy! 


Grace and Frankie is another fabulous comedy, a Netflix original, which stars 2 legends - Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston are also in the cast, as is Brooklyn Decker. The storyline goes Sheen and Waterston are lawyers that have a practice together, and decide to tell their wives Fonda and Tomlin that they are in love and leaving them. Lily Tomlin was nominated for an Emmy for this show, so sorry she didn't win as she is so excellent. I think the whole cast is brilliant, and it's only a half hour so it's very easy to binge watch all the episodes at once. I try to limit myself to 2 at a time. The new season for this starts May 6, 2016.  


A wonderful education about cooking from Michael Pollan. Explored through the lenses of the four natural elements – fire, water, air and earth - this show really explains food preparation and it's history. I think this will be one I will watch a second time, I have the last one to go to watch. I love the fact that Netflix is producing such high quality documentaries as well as dramas and comedies for us to enjoy! 


Love is created by Judd Apatow, Paul Rust, and Lesley Arfin and stars Gillian Jacobs and Rust. It shows the ups and downs of Love, and is really quite funny. I am a huge Judd Apatow fan, and I would say if you like his films, you should give this a watch. 

I came across this by accident, but it is really just laugh out loud funny. Created by David Cross from Arrested Development - it's just really silly humor. I grew up watching the Three Stooges as my family loved them, so I am really into silly comedies. This just made me laugh so darn hard! The lead character lies his way into a new job in London, and the problems begin as soon as he arrives. I was also happy to see Will Arnett and Sharon Horgan in the cast. If you are having a bad day or week, watch a few episodes! 


House of Cards was something I started watching with my Mom on DVD. It is one heck of an intense show; Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are perfect in these roles. I would think it's more fun playing bad people than good people as an actor. I am usually not into politics or those type of shows, but this one has me on the edge of my seat with each episode. 


The fabulous documentary about Iris Apfel, the 94 year old fashion icon, is a MUST see. It is really so wonderful, and anyone with a love for fashion should see this as soon as possible. I have watched it a few times myself, I must admit! Iris is a true inspiration. 


Derek is one of the first early Netflix original series from Ricky Gervais started in 2012 and ran until 2014. I am a huge fan of Ricky and this show is one of my favorites. A documentary-style comedy-drama follows a group of people living on the fringe of society. At the group's core is Derek Noakes, a tender, ingenuous man who works at a retirement home. His love for his job and the people he cares for is evident in everything he does. I would suggest giving it a try and see how you like it. 

Stranger Things has been the talk of Summer 2016. Since I am a Winona Ryder fan, I decided to give it a try. I normally do not watch horror or scary movies, but I thought I would be brave and see what it is all about. I do admit, I watch only when light outside! It is a fabulous show, I watched the whole thing in about 2 weeks! Winona plays a Mom who's son disappears, and finding him becomes quite an ordeal. The show takes place in the 80's, lots of great 80's music plays in the background. They are looking to make Season 2, I personally cannot wait! 


This is one I am really excited to watch this November 4, 2016. The Crown is about young Queen Elizabeth II with a budget of over 142 million US dollars. I think this should be really amazing, I love watching royal shows/documentaries, the fashion is always amazing and story line always interesting. The 10-episode, hour long series will follow the current queen from her marriage in 1947 to present day. They promise to give us a least 6 seasons. So exciting!! 


I hope I didn't talk your ear off with all these shows! I hope maybe I have introduced you to something new to view on Netflix. It seems they are coming up with new shows all the time, and I am excited to see what else they have in store for us. 

Are you a fan of Netflix? What are your favorite shows? 

revised 08/07/2016

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