Can a professional Netflix binger be a legitimate career? I’d definitely consider myself one. I view binge watching my favorite shows as a way to let my hair down. It’s so easy to get caught up in the demands of life and forget about creating space for fun. If you don’t already, I encourage you to start carving out space to enjoy yourself without doing any heavy lifting.
I love all types of genres but I truly only watch series that make me want to stay up past my bedtime. I’ve been into Crime, Dystopian, Slow Burn and Sci-Fi recently. I’ve created a binge-worthy list of Netflix Series that I highly doubt that you will regret watching!
My Top 10 Binge-Worthy Series on Netflix:
- Manifest (Mind-Bending, Sci-Fi TV)
First of all, Manifest is a 10000/10! I’ve been watching since it came out in 2018 and each season blows me away. Manifest is about a group of passengers that took a flight to Jamaica for a few days and came back 5 ½ years later. Prior to their return, all passengers have been presumed missing/dead. What makes this show super interesting are the psychic gifts, unique genetics and eerie circumstances they come back with. The psychic gifts are called “callings” and they essentially rule every passengers life for better or worst. Society calls them 828er’s and views them as aliens.
The main thing all passengers have in common is the large magnitude of trouble navigating this new life. This is the best show I’ve watched since Game of Thrones and although there are three seasons, each season deserves your undivided attention.
2. Money Heist (Exciting, Suspenseful, Thriller)
Whew chileeee!! WHAT. A. SHOW. This show is very similar to Prison Break with a different focus. Money Heist is about a genius mastermind called “The Professor” who plans every single detail of the biggest heist in history. He recruited 8 people with their own special gifts that help him pull off the heist. Each season shows the unique trouble they face while bringing his vision to life.
Often times, I felt like I was right in the room with them and feeling the same emotions as the characters while watching. I watched this series in a week and was excited the entire time. This show is a 1000/10 with ease. The last season arrives September 3rd, 2021 so you have plenty of time to catch up!
3. The 100 (Dystopian, Violent, Sci-Fi)
This Sci-Fi thriller takes place 97 years after a nuclear war and it is about a group of survivors that live in a dying space station called “The Ark”. As the space stations resources become critical, the powers that be have sent 100 kids down to “Earth” to explore if life can be sustainable. Spoiler alert, life can be sustained but major challenges present themselves at each turn. The 100 goes from 3 to 300 quickly and requires attentiveness to stay focused on the storyline. I love the evolution of this show from the first season to the last. It’s one of those shows where you can’t sit down and completely explain it because SO much has happened. While this is super easy to binge, be sure not to miss an episode because you might end up confused!
4. Queen of the South (Explosive, Violent, Exciting)
If “never give up” was a person, it would be Teresa Mendoza! She started off as the girlfriend of a drug dealer and quickly found herself on the run from some of the biggest drug lords in Mexico. Teresa finds herself living in constant survival mode while trying to remain above water. She constantly goes through hardship after hardship but they all have specific lessons. Eventually she begins working towards becoming the Queen of the South and the biggest dealer in the world. My favorite thing about this show is the evolution of her journey and the people that she calls her family.
A lot of people fall off but the real ones stay. From the first episode to the last episode, everything flowed and made sense, Although a lot of the episodes were gruesome, they kept my attention. Teresa was willing to risk it all to give herself the life she never had.
5. Ozark (Slow Burn, Ominous, Dark)
Whew, Ozark is a very unique yet believable show! Marty Byrde – a husband to Wendy, and a Dad to Charlotte and Jonah – is forced to become the man he didn’t expect to be. While living their regular lives, Marty found out his partner was stealing from a Cartel. After the Cartel found out about it, his partner was killed and Marty was automatically in their debt. He has a million eyes watching every single thing him and his family does so they have to move carefully and act like nothing is wrong. Marty has no intention on doing anything other than what’s best for his family even if it includes a crime. The acting is superb and Marty’s personality is perfect for the role. Marty has become a mastermind and tries to hack the system and create a life for his family that isn’t completely tied into the Cartel.
Although Marty is smart, the people he’s dealing with are extremely dangerous and willing to kill his entire family with one wrong move. You will definitely be hooked off the first episode and continue to be hooked! The last season has been set to release late 2021.
6. The 3% (Dystopian, Rousing, Sci-Fi TV)
The 3% is a very profound, detailed and eye-catching show. The world is divided into two worlds: the poor and the rich. The poor live on the Inland and the rich live on the Offshore. Every year, the poor sign up for The Process which is an excruciating and mind-boggling journey that determines if they are worthy enough to join the 3% that make it to the Offshore. Aside from the fight to survival, the plot highlights the inequalities that each world faces and emphasizes that all humans deserve a fair life that meets their needs. The entire Process is rooted in capitalism which forces people to prove their worth just to live a decent life.
Some people that enter the first Process become extremely woke to the corrupt system and work towards bringing change to the Inland. If you enjoyed watching Hunger Games and the 100, you’ll definitely enjoy this show!
7. The Last Kingdom (Violent, Gritty, Dark)
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you’re no doubt going to be a fan of The Last Kingdom. I consider this a watered down version of GOT because there are only a few seasons. The story line revolves around Uhtred, the son a Saxon noblemen, trying to claim his birthright. He was kidnapped and raised by the Danes (Vikings) after witnessing is father’s death. He grows up to become one of the best warriors and he is hungry for revenge but he doesn’t know what relationships to cross and what relationships to keep.
Uhtred is a badass and doesn’t play about what he wants! He definitely reminds me of Jon Snow and doesn’t stop until he gets the respect he deserves. I’d even go far enough to say that this is not only a great show to binge, but also a great show to rewatch because the plot is insane!
8. In the Dark (Drama, Ominous)
A blind, redheaded woman named Murphy is the main character of In the Dark. She rides the ups and downs of life and copes with liquor and sex. Along the way, she meets a kid named Tyson and they end up talking everyday, becoming best friends. One day Murphy found a body at their usual meet spot and it was Tyson. She commits to solving his murder case as her intuition leads her. The plot turns so many corners in the worst ways possible and it’s insanely good. As you watch the show, it can be frustrating to see the danger happening around Murphy that she can’t see. There are many factors at play that are a part of finding justice for Tyson. The next season is currently unknown but it is potentially coming Fall 2021!
9. The Rain (Gritty, Emotional, Suspenseful)
The Rain is a mind boggling show that you might binge, then take a break from because there is just so much happening. One day Simone and Rasmus are led to a bunker their Dad built for any extraneous circumstances. The extraneous circumstance that brung them to the bunker was a deadly virus that was included in raindrops. The people that didn’t find cover during the rain were wiped out from the virus. Simone and Rasmus spent five years in the bunker while their Dad tried to figure out the reasoning behind it all. After leaving the bunker, they came across bodies all over the city that had been left since the last rain.
They end up meeting other survivors and the group puts forth its hardest and biggest effort to stay alive while making some regrettable choices along the way. Towards the last season, the plot does get very peculiar because the plot takes a slight turn. It’s still worth the watch and the writer does a good job at providing the viewers closure.
10. Blood and Water (Suspenseful)
Blood and Water is a short South African series that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Puleng is a teenage girl who struggles with the absence of her sister who was kidnapped shortly after birth. She meets a new friend at a party that she believes could potentially resemble her sister. She transfers to the school with the intention to find out the truth. Along the way, she finds out way more than she was expected to. I enjoyed the intentionality of this show and it’s ability to highlight issues. Although Season 1 was short, Season 2 is set to release some time soon.
Don’t tell Netflix I said this.. but borrow a friend’s password if you need to. All of these shows are so worth it! Happy Binging friends!
Until next time,
Kee
Leave a Reply