The holidays are upon us. Days off of school and work are in the near future. We all know what that means…time to binge-watch! During these tough times, we all need a way to unwind and lose ourselves in the world of Netflix. There are so many choices and so many categories that it takes longer to pick a show than to watch it! Never fear. I have come up with a handy list of five Netflix shows (in no particular order) that will be sure to use your couch time wisely while you are recovering from those hefty holiday meals or trapped inside by the not-so-nice winter weather.
Before we get started, if you don’t have Netflix, check out a Roku streaming device equipped with Netflix! With that out of the way, heeeere we go…
Number 5 — Avatar: The Last Airbender
At number five is Avatar: The Last Airbender. This Nickelodeon smash hit is making its retro re-appearance. The show takes place in a world made up four nations based on the elements of air, earth, water, and fire. This world is full of people called benders that can “bend” the elements to their will. Benders use their skills from everything from farming to fighting. The show has a near perfect blend of action, drama, and comedy that people of all ages can enjoy (no really they can). The story is focused around the main hero Aang who is the last airbender alive, and his friends Katara and Sokka who are the brother and sister that found him frozen in ice. Katara and Sokka are from the Water Tribe. Katara is a water bender and Sokka is a brave warrior. Another great thing about this show is that each episode is only 20 minutes so you can knock out tons of episodes in a couple of hours making time fly even faster. So give the first episode a try. Its only 20 minutes! You’ll be glad you did.
Check out Season 1 on DVD from the library.
Number 4 — The Office
The number four slot belongs to The Office. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “that’s what she said,” or you’ve seen one of the thousands of memes from this show, then you already know about this cult hit. The Office follows the daily hijinks of a hilariously dysfunctional office team at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The main character is Michael Scott, who is the manager and lead jokester, whose behavior leads the office staff into ridiculous situations. It is impressive how many laughs they can cram into this 20-minute show. Trust me, you will be rolling on the floor with laughter. Watch it while you can because this show will only be available on Netflix until December 31, 2020. Once you start this show, you gain a new appreciation for the Netflix autoplay feature.
Check out Season 1 on DVD from the library.
Number 3 — Billy on the Street
Billy Eichner is the star of my number three pick with his show Billy on the Street. Before this show, I had never heard of this guy, but I am so glad I gave this show a shot. The show is part reality game show and part comedic genius. Billy on the Street follows the comedian around the streets of New York City while he quizzes unsuspecting pedestrians. The cool part of the show is that he usually has a celebrity guest on the show to co-host with him. His loud and abrasive personality fits perfectly with the vibe on the streets of New York and will keep you laughing. At 30 minutes per episode, this show will give you a nice laugh without eating up too much of your day.
Don’t have Netflix? Check out a Roku streaming device equipped with Netflix from the library.
Number 2 — All American
At number 2 is All American. All American is inspired by the real-life story of Spencer Paysinger. For those of you who don’t know, he is an NFL Superbowl champion, so yeah, he’s a big deal. It is a family drama about Paysinger’s younger self as a talented high school football player. He spreads his time between his two families in South Central LA and Beverly Hills. These two families drop Spencer into vastly different worlds, but it is cool to see how there are more similarities and common struggles than you would think among them. Spencer, his friends, family, and teammates discover that the differences that seem to divide us may be the things that end up uniting us. This is a must-watch for fans of Friday Night Lights, Last Chance U, Elite, Cheer, and Undefeated.
Don’t have Netflix? Check out a Roku streaming device equipped with Netflix from the library.
Number 1 — Stranger Things
My final Netflix pick is Stranger Things. Watching this show takes you on a fun adventure that combines adventure, sci-fi, horror, mystery, and comedy. It seems like a lot, but it comes together nicely with a solid story and characters you can really relate to. It takes place in a small town where everyone knows everyone. The story begins with the townspeople spun out over a boy’s strange disappearance, which begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise peaceful community. The boy’s mother, Joyce, desperately tries to find him, convinced he is in grave danger, while the police chief searches for answers. Trying to help find him, the boy’s friends discover a strange little girl who is on the run from bad people. The kids of Stranger Things soon learn that there is always more to reality than meets the eye. Even if you are not a big sci-fi person, just give this show a try because you will be pleasantly surprised.
Check out Season 1 on DVD from the library.
Now that you know what to watch, it’s time to start streaming. Enjoy the shows and happy binge-watching. And don’t forget, if you don’t have Netflix, you can check out a Roku streaming device equipped with Netflix from our library.
Thanks for reading!