So you’ve finally hit rock bottom: you’ve watched the new season of Glow or Queer Eye up until the very end and your heart aches for a “Play Next Episode” button that you know will not appear (yet). Worry not, friend. We know how frustrating it can be to poke around on Netflix’s homepage until you find another show to turn on—or even worse, how much time you can spend clicking around before resigning yourself to rewatching The Office for the millionth time (okay, it’s actually not that bad of an idea). As this year’s Emmy nominations have indicated, Netflix has tons of great content right now. To help cure your post-Antoni-blues, here are some of our favorite shows and movies streaming now.
TV Shows
The Staircase: If you’re into true crime stories, this is definitely the show for you. The 11-episode docuseries follows the case of Michael Peterson, who claims to have found his wife dead at the bottom of their staircase in 2001. Did she fall? Was there foul play? Prosecutors think so, which is why they convicted him of murder in 2003. But after 15 years following Peterson and his family, director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade told Time Magazine he’s still not sure if the subject of his series is guilty or not. So yeah, now you have to watch and decide for yourself.
The Carrie Diaries: When The Carrie Diaries first came out, I remember thinking that a Sex and the City prequel sounded like a terrible idea. I’ve never been so happy to be wrong. This show is e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! A young, budding-with-optimism Carrie lands her first gig in NYC while still in high school and falls in love with the city, herself, and Austin Butler. This show (and its beautiful ’80s outfits) has an excellent cast, perfectly-timed episodes, and an even better soundtrack. I’m still upset that it was canceled after 2 seasons, but believe me, it’s definitely worth your time.
One Day At A Time: A show about a Cuban-American family who loves and supports each other through everything? AND Rita Moreno is the abuela? Count me all the way in. Justina Machado kills it as Penelope, the army vet who leaves an “unsafe” marriage to raise her incredibly funny and woke kids—with the help of her mom. You will fall in love with every character, and then call your mom and tell her how much you love her.
Ozark: Getting into darker territory, this Netflix original follows a seemingly-normal family’s sudden move from a Chicago suburb to the Missouri Ozarks when their ties to crime become complicated. Jason Bateman, who’s in the run for Best Actor in a Drama Series, plays the money-laundering patriarch of the household. Now’s a good time to get a head start on this critic-fave—season 2 comes out August 31.
Easy: This Netflix original is incredibly fresh in that each episode follows different characters in Chicago who are navigating love, sex, and relationships—in an incredibly authentic and understated way. Some episodes stand out more than others (Season 1, Episode 2 is my favorite!), but the fact that they’re not chronological means you can skip around as you please. With superb performances from Zazie Beetz, Aubrey Plaza, and Orlando Bloom, to name a few, it’s a great option for when you just want to take a break and watch something low-key.
Movies
The Incredible Jessica James: I stumbled upon this 85-minute gem late one night and was amazed that I hadn’t heard anything about it. Jessica Williams, of the hilarious podcast 2 Dope Queens, plays an aspiring playwright teaching theater to young kids in NYC. She’s getting over her ex, she’s meeting a new guy, but most importantly, she’s getting to know herself. This is a really great easygoing option for when you don’t want to commit to a long movie and aren’t really in the mood for jumping into a new TV show.
Mustang: This Turkish-French Academy Award nominee is not light, but it is so, so beautiful. It follows five orphaned sisters as they’re brought up by their grandmother and uncle in a conservative Turkish village by the sea. There are moments of extreme sadness but there are also moments of pure joy. Most importantly, there are moments of pure wonder and curiosity as director Deniz Gamze Erguven authentically captures the experience of growing up as a young girl and being grounded by sisterhood, which is something we rarely get to see portrayed so honestly. If you watch this movie, it’ll stay with you for a long time to come.
The Other One: One of my all-time favorites, this is a great documentary to turn on if you’re interested in music, the counterculture of the ’60s, and the Haight Ashbury scene in San Francisco. It follows the life of Bob Weir, the legendary guitarist who joined the Grateful Dead when he was just a teenager. This movie was my first real entryway into the Dead’s music and history, and now I’ve followed Dead & Company (the reincarnation of the band with John Mayer) across the country, so I guess you could say it’s pretty easy to fall in love with. Even if you’re not a psychedelic jam-band person, it’s a must-see peek into one of the most fascinating “subcultures” in the US.
Copenhagen: This movie is strange to describe, but it works surprisingly well on-screen. It follows the trip of a disillusioned American guy (played by Genthin Anthony from Game of Thrones) to Copenhagen to trace the roots of the dad who abandoned him. There, he meets a 14-year-old who helps him unpack his complicated relationship with his family and himself. It’s a pretty easy watch but still a little more serious than a traditional rom-com, if you’re in the mood for something contemplative.
Ibiza: You know I had to get a girls’ movie on this list! This Netflix original follows Harper, played by Gillian Jacobs, when her friends join her on a work trip to Spain…but end up in Ibiza (duh) chasing after a DJ she had a connection with. Traveling? Music? Great friends (and actresses?) Yes, please! It’s a fun comedy to turn on while you face mask and munch on some snacks.
(Bonus: If you’re more of an Amazon Prime streamer, some of our favorite shows on there are Good Girls Revolt, Mozart in the Jungle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Man in the High Castle!)
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Feature Image via Jessica Harrington
