Seasons: 5 seasons and 23 episodes. Starring: Jon Hamm, Rosemarie DeWitt, James Norton, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Gugu Mbatha-Faw. Description: Black Mirror takes a, sometimes satirical, look at what happens when some of the world’s greatest inventions collide with some of humanity’s ugliest traits. The content is dark and thought-provoking. Each episode is a self-contained story with different actors. Despite this, each episode fits together in a beautifully twisted way, which could be attributed to the fact that a theme of morality and human behavior is a common thread in each episode.
Why it’s a keeper: Black Mirror is scary and yet believable. It shows the very best of what humans are capable of and then holds up a mirror and forces us to realize how this can quickly work against us, showing the very worst of human behavior. The predictions are scary because you can quickly see that they are not beyond the realm of reality.
Stranger Things (BEST)
Seasons: 4 seasons with a total of 34 episodes. Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, and Matthew Modine. Description: Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things takes place in Hawkins, Indiana. This place doesn’t really exist but is representative of many towns in middle America. The story starts with a boy named Will, who mysteriously disappears. His mother decides to launch her own investigation to find him and bring him home. Will’s friends join in the search, and along the way, uncover a series of unusual secrets, which include everything from the supernatural to worrying government activities and experiments.
Why it’s a keeper: Stranger Things has a thrilling plot as well as an ensemble of talented child actors. It is a homage to all things ’80s, which is lovely to see in today’s age when most of the entertainment centers around technology and the future. It’s no surprise this is one of the most popular shows on Netflix.
Maniac (BEST)
Season: 1 season, 10 episodes Starring: Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Sally Field, Justin Theroux, Sonoya Mizuno, and Jemima Kirke Description: Maniac was originally a Norwegian series. It was remade by Netflix in 2018. It is based around two central characters, Annie and Owen, played by Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, who both suffer from mental disabilities. They meet when they take part in a pharmaceutical trial that promises to solve all of their problems. Unsurprisingly, things do not go according to plan, but Annie and Owen realize they have a cosmic connection.
Why it’s a keeper: Maniac takes the viewer on a ride with twists and turns along the way. Watching the world-class acting, cinematography and carefully-crafted narratives is beautiful. The viewer has to let their imagination go to places it may not have explored in the past.
The Haunting of Hill House (BEST)
Seasons: 1 season, 10 episodes Starring: Michael Huisman, Carla Gugino, Timothy Hutton, Elizabeth Reaser, and Victoria Pedretti Description: The Haunting of Hill House centers around the Crain family. The family is fractured and complicated, and the siblings have been haunted by their time living in Hill House as children. The show sees them return as adults where they discover the same paranormal activities that made them want to leave in the first place.
Why it’s a keeper: The series is based on the novel by Shirley Jackson, which at the time was groundbreaking for its feminist themes. Netflix’s version is a marked departure from the original as it mainly focuses on the male characters. However, Netflix has done the drama justice in other ways, making it a significant contribution to the horror genre. Each character has a rich backstory, which provides context to the plot as the mysteries unfold. The series will have you on the edge of your seat and certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted. Be warned, you may find yourself screaming at the screen and sleeping with one eye open.
Mindhunter (BEST)
Seasons: 2, 19 episodes. Starring: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Hannah Gross, Anna Torv, and Cotter Smith. Description: The series is set in the late 1970s and early 1980s and features FBI agents who have been tasked with solving open mysterious cases. The main character, Holden Ford, is based on John E. Douglas, a former chief and special agent of the FBI. Ford takes a particular interest in the psyche of criminals and becomes obsessed with their behaviors. This mirrors the obsessions that the criminals had with their victims, and the more time Ford spends investigating these crimes, the harder he finds it to maintain his sanity.
Why it’s a keeper: Mindhunter is entirely believable as it takes great care in developing the characters with excellent attention to detail. The show itself has a number of twists and turns that surprise the viewer, leaving him desperate to discover what happens next.