Why You Should Care About These New Shows on Netflix
Streaming services like Netflix are known for offering a vast array of content, ranging from award-winning series to less-than-obvious gems. In this article, we've curated a list of shows that are worth your time, especially for viewers in North East India and the broader Indian context.
1. Agatha Christie's Seven Dials
Based on the 1929 novel by Agatha Christie, this thriller is a period drama that follows a young aristocrat drawn into a mystery surrounding the death of her almost-fianc. The series is set in the top echelons of British society and features an expanded cast including Martin Freeman and Helena Bonham Carter.
2. Queer Eye
The fifth season of this life makeover sensation arrives with a storm of controversy due to behind-the-scenes drama, but on-screen, the show remains packed with feel-good moments that fans have come to love. The Fab Five Karamo, Tan, Jonathan, Antoni, and Jeremiah get to go out on a high, with episodes featuring a pair of elderly sisters, a fire-fighting single mother, and a beloved local tour guide in the show's final host city of Washington, D.C.
3. Running Away
This crime drama follows a father desperate to bring his troubled daughter home after she goes missing. The series is part of Netflix's deal to adapt Harlan Coben's works and features James Nesbitt, Ellie de Lange, and Thomas Flynn in the lead roles.
4. His & Hers
Based on Alice Feeney's crime novel of the same name, His & Hers is a glossy affair, fronted by Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson as a small-town detective and his estranged reporter wife. The series follows the investigation of a murder and the pair become suspects as connections to the dead woman emerge.
5. City of Shadows
This Spanish crime thriller plays with genre conventions, featuring a disgraced cop, a frosty relationship with a new female partner, a maze of clues, and a conspiracy tied to the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. The series is available in English-dubbed and original Spanish audio with English subtitles.
6. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
This animated outing finds Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) bridging the gap between the modern Tomb Raider prequel games and the events of the original 1990s outings. The series follows Lara as she searches for ancient artifacts with a personal connection to her own family, and battles meddling spirits and angry gods.
7. Stranger Things
After a long wait, Stranger Things is back for its fifth and final season. The series follows the residents of Hawkins as they deal with the aftermath of the reality-tearing events of Stranger Things 4. The series also explores the connection between the disappearance of Will Byers at the very start of the show and the wave of horror that's consumed Hawkins since.
8. The Beast in Me
This eight-episode thriller follows a writer struggling on her next book who is drawn ever deeper into the darkly charismatic world of a man accused of murdering his first wife. The series boasts phenomenal performances from its wider cast including Natalie Morales, Aggie Wiggs (Clare Danes), and Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys).
9. Last Samurai Standing
Based on the series of Japanese novels written by Shogo Imamura and illustrated by Katsumi Tatsuzawa, Last Samurai Standing follows a retired samurai who enters a savage tournament to save his family. The series packs in some of the finest sword duels and martial arts sequences ever committed to screen.
10. Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
This adult animation adds another hit to Netflix's roster, based on Ubisoft's spy action series. The series follows grizzled veteran Sam Fisher (Liev Schreiber) as he is dragged out of retirement to rescue a younger agent, Zinnia McKenna (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). The series is developed for screen by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad and already renewed for a second season.
11. The Witcher
The fourth season of The Witcher finds almost everything different, with Liam Hemsworth donning the gray wig as Geralt of Rivia, replacing Henry Cavill. The series follows sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), gathering forces against the dark mage Vilgefortz, and trainee Witcher Ciri (Freya Allen) seeking a new life for herself with a group of thieves called the Rats.
12. Boots
Based on Greg Cope White's memoir The Pink Marine, Boots follows a closeted teen as he follows his friend into the US Marine Corps, even as his mother barely notices him leaving. The series charts the teen's fish-out-of-water travails through basic training and serves up a smart exploration of masculinity and camaraderie.
13. Wayward
Created by comedian Mae Martin, Wayward is a dark and distressing thriller that follows the secretive Tall Pines Academy in Vermont, a boarding school for troubled teens. The series explores control, coercion, and the power of charismatic figures in a way that feels all too real.
14. House of Guinness
If you're a fan of Guinness beer, this historical drama based on the family behind its creation will go down smoothly. The series follows the wealthy family as they navigate a war of succession after the patriarch's death, setting the stage for a war of succession just as the company is trying to expand into New York.
15. Haunted Hotel
Haunted Hotel starts off as a seemingly familiar addition to Netflix's roster of original adult animated series but manages to interrupt its spooky hijinks with some unexpectedly profound and emotionally resonant moments. With a voice cast boasting comedy greats Will Forte and Eliza Coupe, Haunted Hotel is worth digging up this Halloween.
16. Alice in Borderland
After spending the summer honing her psychic powers by tracking down serial killers, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) returns to Nevermore Academy for its third season. The series follows this spooky, ooky teen drama as it delves into a new string of murders and a conspiracy surrounding a shady psychiatric hospital.
17. Love, Death + Robots
Developed by Deadpool director Tim Miller, Love, Death + Robots is an anthology series where the only common thread is each episode's unique interpretation of the themes of love, death, and robots. Now in its fourth season, viewers are treated to wild concepts that include psychic street gangs in a postapocalyptic future, a re-creation of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Live at Slane Castle performance of Can't Stop in marionette form, and, in a rare hybrid of live action and CGI, a priest meeting an alien envoy that thinks God has been reborn as an Earth dolphin.
18. Sneaky Pete
Sneaky Pete follows a man who steals the identity of a former cellmate to hide from the dangers of his old life. The series originally aired on Amazon Prime but is now available on Netflix.
19. Grace and Frankie
Grace and Frankie follows the complicated relationship between two women, Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin), who are forced to live together after their husbands come out as gay and leave them.
20. Sakamoto Days
Sakamoto Days follows a retired samurai who enters a savage tournament to save his family. The series is based on the manga by Yuto Suzuki and packs in some of the finest sword duels and martial arts sequences ever committed to screen.
21. Squid Game
Squid Game became a global phenomenon, blending Hunger Games shocking elimination battles and Parasite's condemnation of exploitative capitalism. The series follows hundreds of desperate people who are recruited to compete in a series of playground games with a deadly twist, the survivor winning a 45.6 billion ($35.8 million) jackpot.
22. Trainwreck
Trainwreck is a series of documentaries exploring some of the biggest, well, train wrecks of recent history. Each installment is a fascinating exploration of how badly things can go wrong when the wrong people are in charge.
23. The Survivors
The Survivors follows the aftermath of a storm that trapped a young man in a sea cave, leaving his brother and friend dead. Fifteen years later, he returns to his hometown with his partner, and the town's blame for his role in the tragedy threatens to tear his life apart.
24. Dept. Q
Dept. Q follows a police detective who heads up a new department dedicated to solving the iciest of cold cases. The department's first case involves the disappearance of a teenager, and the detective must navigate a community of only 2,000 people where everyone seems to be connected.
Reflections and Looking Forward
With a plethora of new and returning shows, there's never been a better time to dive into Netflix's vast library of content. Whether you're a fan of crime dramas, historical dramas, or animated series, there's something for everyone. So grab your popcorn, settle in, and enjoy the ride.