Netflix has over 8,000 movie and television show titles combined available for streaming. Credit: Ris Twigg | Assistant Photo Editor
The first week of classes has come to a close, which means it’s time to shut the books and enjoy the weekend. Whether it’s with new friends, a date or just staying in alone, Netflix is the perfect way to wind down at the end of the week.
While well-regarded shows like “The Office” and “House of Cards” are undeniably great options, there are also some undiscovered hits for those who want to stray from the tried and tested. Here are some not-so-obvious picks from Netflix for every kind of chill.
“The Standups”
It’s hard to go wrong with good stand-up comedy. “The Standups” is a six-episode series that features a different stand-up comedian each episode. The series can be enjoyed in multiple viewings or all at once, and is great for anyone wanting to enjoy side-splitting jokes by a variety of up-and-coming comedians.
“Black Mirror”
For something a little –– or a lot –– darker than comedy, check out “Black Mirror.” This British anthology series has three short seasons, with each episode featuring a different story from the not-too-distant future. A few episodes end on a hopeful note, but most are incredibly bleak. Also, don’t try binge-watching this series, every episode leaves the viewer with enough to think about for some time after it ends.
“Casting JonBenét”
This unusual documentary from Australian filmmaker Kitty Green is equal parts fascinating and disturbing. The film is based on the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, a 6-year-old beauty queen whose still-unsolved 1996 homicide fascinated and horrified the nation. The narrative follows the “casting” of residents from Boulder, Colorado –– where Ramsey and her family lived at the time of her murder — for a documentary about Ramsey’s murder. The residents weren’t actually being cast, but all offer testimonies of their own theories of what happened the night Ramsey was murdered. The film doesn’t offer much in the way of actual evidence, and it doesn’t even try to come to a conclusion about what actually happened. The town’s residents are the real stars of the documentary, as they are given the task to act out scenes leading up to, during and after the murder.
Any Disney movie (while they’re still on Netflix!)
Bloomberg reported that Disney will be ending its contract with Netflix to create its own streaming service at the end of 2018. For now, a vast selection of Disney titles currently offered on Netflix can still be enjoyed. Most older classics aren’t available, but recent hits like “Finding Dory” and “Moana” and flicks from the early 2000s like “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “Lilo and Stitch” are and can be enjoyed at any age, especially by college students wanting to relive the days before shoebox dorm rooms and $200 textbooks.
“Friends from College”
This show is the newest in the so-bad-it’s-good subset of shows on Netflix. Featuring some of the least likeable characters on television, it’s a great one to watch with friends in college. The show stars many well-known television actors, including Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Savage and Cobie Smulders, with guest appearances from popular comedians such as Seth Rogen and Kate McKinnon. Although the show follows a storyline, many of the jokes play out sketch-comedy style. It probably won’t win any Emmy awards, but for fans of cringe-worthy humor it definitely fits the bill for an enjoyable Saturday-night binge watch.
