Netflix Picks 2.0

It's no secret that I love Netflix, and after recently chipping one of the bones in ankle YAY (read more about that here) I've spent the last 6 weeks curled up in a ball on the sofa dosed up on prescription painkillers and binge-watching all that Netflix has to offer. Since it's been a while since I last shared what I've been watching, I thought (under the circumstances) I would give you a little update. 

The Good Wife // I started watching The Good Wife at the start of May, and quickly became obsessed. I tried to watch at some point last year, and I didn't really like it. This happened when I first watched Suits, and as I mentioned in my last post I ended up loving that too. It's about a lawyer (Alicia Florrick) who returns to the world of Law after taking time off to raise her children. Being a bit rusty (and the wife of a corrupt politician), nobody is willing to hire her until she runs into an old friend from university. The show follows Alicia as she gets back into the swing of things, making a new life for herself and her two children. Full of scandals, corruption, and drama, it is perfect for those looking for something a little more exciting.

Community // I am somewhat ashamed to say that I got through all 6 seasons in 7 days. That is absolutely atrocious. And that included having to hunt down the 6th season that isn't currently available to watch on Netflix. The show begins with lawyer Jeff (Joel McHale) being found out for never having graduated with a law degree. Forced to go back to college, Jeff ends up at Greendale Community College - a failing school run by the hilariously eccentric Dean Pelton (Jim Rash). Jeff makes friends with fellow classmates and they set up a little study group, which work towards fixing the Dean's bad financial decisions. 

Arrested Development // I LOOOOOOOVVEEEDDDDD this! I don't know why but I related to the storyline so much. Maybe it was the whole sane person in a dysfunctional family thing, IDK. The program is focused on the affluent Bluth family, who descend into chaos after the family business goes bust. Accustomed to a lavish lifestyle, the family struggle with their materialistic and selfish nature. Levelheaded Michael Blush steps in to take care of the family's finances, and the show follows him as he battles to restore the family business. 

Degrassi: Next Class // Not something I'd usually watch, but I was running out of options due to not being able to do anything. I'm not sure if I am completely in love with the programme, but I did get through the series quite quickly and was happy when I saw that I second season was on it's way. The show follows students in a high school and each episode touches on a different teen issue such as teen pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, and racism. For anyone that doesn't know the show is one of several spin off shows from the original Degrassi franchise, and centres around life on De Grassi street in Toronto. 

Flaked // I knew I would love this when I saw that it was coming to Netflix. Will Arnett is absolutely hilarious and I don't think I've ever disliked anything he has been in. He played GOB in Arrested Development and I've been obsessed with him ever since! Plus he was married to Amy Poehler at one bit, so yanno #goals. Flaked is a semi-autobiographical show that follows the life of Chip, a middle-aged alcoholic, who offers up self-help advice but is need of some himself. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, I know many people who have enjoyed it, and last week the show was renewed for a second series to premiere on Netflix in 2017 - so it must be doing something right! 

Lady Dynamite // I'm not completely sure why I opted to watch this, and if I'm honest I have no idea what was going on half the time. I found it hilarious at times, but I'm not sure I followed the plot. Was there even a plot? I have no idea! The show follows actress Maria Bamford (played by herself) who moves back to Los Angeles after spending time in recovery for bipolar disorder, and attempts to start her life back up. There are a lot of flashbacks which is probably the reason why I didn't always follow the storyline, but I'd watch it again purely for the humour! 

Jane The Virgin // I wanted to watch this when it first aired on TV, but for some reason or another I missed it. When it came on to Netflix I was straight on it, and I absolutely loved it! Luckily, I watched it in time for the start of the second series on E4. The program follows a woman called Jane (obvs) who is accidentally artificially inseminated after a doctor mixes up two patients. Becoming pregnant completely throws off Jane's life plan, and the show follows her throughout her pregnancy and in the months after the birth of her son Mateo. And just to make things a little bit more interesting, there are also criminal masterminds, murders and kidnappings!

Gilmore Girls // Over the last couple of days I've started watching Gilmore Girls again and OMG I am hooked. I used to watch it a little bit in my youth (makes me sound 87 when in fact I am 20), and I never really appreciated it enough. Netflix has only recently added it, and I am already halfway through season 2! As you are reading this I am most likely watching an episode, and to be completely honest you should be too. 

Parks and Recreation // Although technically not on Netflix (c'mon UK sort it out already), I've recently started watching Parks and Rec (via Amazon Video fyi). I've been a big fan of Amy Poehler's for YEARS and I don't know why it's taken me so long to get round to watching it! If you've never watched it, the show follows the staff of the Parks and Recreation department of the Pawnee government - a fictional town in Indiana. Leslie Knope is the brains behind the department, and I love her so much. I've almost finished season 5, and my favourite character is Ron Swanson bc I relate to him so much! I have no idea why though!

What are you watching at the moment?

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My Favourite Picks: Netflix

If you don't know what Netflix is, get off this blog and never return again (joke, please come back I love you really). If you do know what it is and are looking for some some new bits to watch, then you have come to the right place! Although Netflix is pretty much an all round thing for me, I always find myself wanting to cosy up on the sofa with the worlds biggest hot chocolate and binge watch my favourite shows. So this post is entirely dedicated to the only monthly subscription I will probably ever buy, and my favourite TV programmes that the service currently has to offer!

House Of Cards

This took me a little while to get into, but I'm absolutely addicted to it now! It is an American political drama about a ruthless politician (played by Kevin Spacey) who seeks his revenge on other politicians (and some others) who have wronged him. It is very engaging and reminds me a lot of Woody Allen's films as there are a lot of monologues in which Kevin Spacey speaks directly to the camera. There are a few unexpected plot twists along the way (Season 2, Episode 1 - you know what I mean if you've watched it!) and things that will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

Pretty Little Liars

Of course this had to get a mention. It is probably my all time favourite programme on the service! I've been watching it for the best part of 2 years and I spent the majority of my first year of University binge watching seasons 1-5 every evening. The show follows the story of a group of girls who try to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of one of their friends - Alison DiLaurentis. Along the way they begin to receive threats and are basically tortured by a mystery character known only as 'A'. The plot is full of twists and turns as the girls try to work out the identity of their blackmailer and work out what has happened to Alison and whether or not she is still alive. If you haven't watched it and intend to please resist the urge to go onto Google and see who 'A' is. It is worth waiting till it is revealed on the show in Season 6. 

Wet Hot America Summer: First Day Of Camp

If you don't watch this for the storyline. Please watch it purely for the cast. Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks - just to name a few. The general storyline is pretty rubbish and is a prequel to the film, but the script is packed full of one liners and absolutely ridiculous jokes. Each episode is split up to cover a couple of hours of campers' first day at summer camp. I really love this as each episode has a beginning, a middle and an end making it really easy to pick up where you left off. You don't have to have watched the film to understand it either as I watched it without even realising there was a film till the last episode finished. 

Once Upon A Time

I have loved Disney pretty much my entire life, and the first film I ever went to see at the Cinema was Disney's Tarzan back in in 1999! Once Upon A Time is essentially Disney for teenagers and young adults. The show is based on the idea that all the fairytale characters that you know and love are trapped in a small town in Maine, living ordinary lives under the power of a curse. After a certain number of years have passed, a saviour is brought into the town in order to help lift the curse. It has the perfect amount of romance, drama and action and I am so glad season 5 has just started to make its way onto Netflix! 

Suits

This was a recommendation from the lovely Rhianna of Robowecop and at first I wasn't so sure I would like it. But as soon as the main character made an appearance I was hooked (how gorgeous is Patrick J. Adams tho *swooooooon*). It follows the life of Mike Ross, a college drop-out who impresses a corporate lawyer in a job interview. Mike isn't at all qualified to be a lawyer, but has an eidetic memory and is able to remember anything he reads - no matter how trivial it is. The lawyer, Harvey Specter, hires him on the spot and gives him the job of associate. As he has no legal qualifications, the show follows how he and Harvey keep it a secret from clients and the rest of the law firm whilst they go around closing cases. 

Whitecollar

On a similar sort of line as Suits, Whitecollar follows the life of white collar criminal Neil Caffrey (Matt Bomer) who agrees to help the FBI catch other white collar criminals using his expertise as an art and securities thief, counterfeiter, and conman. I found this show highly addictive as the actor Matt Bomer is drop dead gorgeous and is topless at least once per episode. There are currently five seasons on Netflix, although the sixth season is supposed to be added soon (GET ON WITH IT ALREADY NETFLIX). 

House, M.D

I'm only on episode 4(?) of this as I have to be in a certain mood to watch it, but I really enjoy it when its on! It's about a doctor who cures people with really strange diseases/illnesses. The doctor, Dr House, constantly clashes with his colleagues and tends to break hospital rules on a regular basis. House leads a group of doctors and together they try and eliminate possible causes of a patients symptoms ,but sometimes they go into waaaay too much detail and I'm left cringing. There are a total of eight series which will keep me going forever as it's not a show I like to binge watch. 

Orange Is The New Black

I was hesitant in including this as the last season was quite a let down for most people - including myself. The Netflix original series is based upon Piper Kerman's 2010 book 'Orange Is The New Black: My Year in A Women's Prison', and follows the life of Piper Chapman - a woman who is sentenced to 15 months in a minimum-security prison for transporting drug money over 10 years ago. The first series follows Piper as she gets to grips with being apart from her fiancé, friends and all the luxuries she is used to having at home. In prison, Piper is reunited with Alex - the international drug smuggler who named Piper at her trial and got her sent down. Just to point out, this probably isn't a show that you'd want to watch with your parents present as it a tad graphic at times if you get what I mean..... 

Grace and Frankie

I stuck this on when I'd just finished watching PLL and was looking for a new series to watch to fill the void. Somebody on Twitter told me to watch it and I loved it so much that I got through it in less than 24 hours. It tells the story of two married women who hate each other, but are forced to reinvent their lives after their husbands are having an affair with each other(!!). After coming to terms with the idea that their husbands are gay, the two women (played by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin) learn to rely on each other and end up becoming good friends. 

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is pure comic genious! It tells the story of one woman who is trapped underground by a crazy pastor claiming to be saving a select group of women from the end of the world. Years later they are found and have to learn to adapt to the modern world - getting jobs, boyfriends and finding a place to live. The storyline isn't the best but the humour is spot on. If you are ever feeling down - stick this on and you will be laughing in seconds! 

The Returned

This isn't my usual type of programme, and especially with the creepy cover photo for the show on the Netflix homepage, I have no idea why I started watching it. But it is so gripping and eery! The show is based on the idea that all those who have died in the town have come back to life (or 'returned') not realising that they are infact dead. There is currently only one series available on Netflix, but I'm pretty sure the Netflix original series has been renewed for a second season. 

Mrs Fisher's Murder Mysteries

I feel about 90 including this programme in my post, but I absolutely loved watching it! It is like an Australian version of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, set in the jazz age of 1920s Australia. Miss Phryne Fisher is the meddling busy body who tries to solve murder cases that really don't have anything to do with her. The outfits and costumes are absolutely stunning, all made in the style of 1920s attire. Although there are a couple of seasons on Netflix, there aren't many episodes in each season so they are very easy to get through in a short space of time! 

Taxi Brooklyn

This was one of those spur of the moment watches, the kind of thing you put on when you finish your favourite show and put on the first thing that seems relatively interesting. I was immediately hooked! It is a comedy about a police detective who looses her driving license and end ups teaming up with a taxi driver who takes her too and from her cases. He even ends up helping her solve a few along the way. 

Badults

I watched this when it was first aired on E4 and I thought it was pure comic genius! I did end up missing a few episodes whilst I was at university and was pleased when it made it's appearance on Netflix earlier this year. It is about three best friends from school who move into a flat together and basically are bad adults 'Badults'. They are terrible at work (yet somehow don't manage to get fired haha), terrible at relationships and even terrible at making food. 

Person Of Interest

I absolutely adore this programme! And I am eagerly awaiting the start of the next season. I almost forgot to add it onto this list as I finished the available seasons so long ago. It is about an ex-CIA agent (Reese) and a computer whizz (Finch) who help prevent crimes before they happen with information received from a super-computer called 'the machine'. Together, with the help of a few corrupt police officers they save the lives of so many people.  Reese is so badass and looks cool doing absolutely anything and quite often has some hilarious comments. Finch: "I really wish you wouldn't do that here", Reese: "When I do it in the park, people look at me funny". 

And that's it! What have you been watching recently and what should I watch next? 

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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