If you’re like me, Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday of the year. But sometimes, you need a break from all the “family time”. So here’s 10 things to watch on Netflix over Thanksgiving.
The Crown
The Crown follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II (Clair Foy) starting with her marriage to Prince Philip (Matt Smith) in 1947 to present day. The series also stars John Lithgow as Winston Churchill. The first season of this Netflix Original was released on November 4 with a second season already in the works.
The Ranch
The Ranch is a comedy series stars real life friends and two former stars of That 70’s Show Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson. It details the lives of the dysfunctional Bennett Family in Colorado as they work to save their ranch that has fallen on hard times. The entire first season is now available on Netflix.
Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders is a British crime drama series set in post WWI England. It centers around the Peaky Blinders street gang and their leader Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) in their rise from poor street urchins in Birmingham to crime bosses as they are trying to be suppressed by a special detective (Sam Neill). Netflix currently has three seasons of the series available.
Turn: Washington’s Spies
Turn is an AMC series that tells the story of the Culper Spy Ring which helped General Washington and the Americans win their fight for independence. It stars Jamie Bell as protagonist Abraham Woodhull and Samuel Roukin as Captain John Simcoe. Netflix currently has two seasons available with a third not yet available on Netflix. A fourth and final season has been approved by AMC that will premier in 2017.
Bernie
If you like dark comedies and social narratives on life in a small town, look no further. The movie chronicles the 1996 murder of 80-year-old millionaire widow Marjorie Nugent by titular character Bernie, played by Jack Black. It is then the job of Danny Buck Davidson (Matthew McConaughey) to successfully prosecute Bernie which proves difficult due to him being beloved by the small town.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror was originally a dark and satirical British television show that showcased speculative consequences on themes in modern society. After two seasons, Netflix commissioned a third. Each episode is stand alone where each has a different theme and cast. Some have even described it as the Twilight Zone for a new generation.
Narcos
This Netflix Original series is set and filmed in Colombia as it tells the story of notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar that became a billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine. It also shows his interactions with other drug lords, DEA agents, and various other hostile entities. There are currently two seasons available on Netflix with a third and fourth approved for production.
Cutthroat Kitchen
If you’re like me, you have that one family member that always brags about their cooking and how they can turn anything into a delicious meal (even if the only thing they’ve ever brought to dinner is macaroni and cheese). Cutthroat Kitchen is a cooking challenge show hosted by Alton Brown based on the premise of trying to sabotage your opponents in hopes of winning and walking out with a cash prize. Netflix currently has four seasons of this quirky, whimsical, and downright brutal reality cooking show.
The Imitation Game
The Imitation Game is a historical drama about the British MI6 attempts to crack the Nazi Enigma Code during World War II. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the inventor of the Turing machine which is the basis for modern day computers. The plot of the movie centers around Turing’s contemptuous relationship with his coworkers, the moral struggle as to whether or not to let attacks happen to prevent the Nazis from knowing that the British have cracked their code, and his legal battles after the war having to do with his homosexuality.
Shameless
Shameless is an older Showtime comedy series that I recently discovered due to a friend. It follows the lives of a lower class south-side Chicago family as they deal with the struggles of trying to make ends meet with an absent mother, alcoholic father, genius eldest brother, schizophrenic and homosexual second brother, and the oldest sister trying to keep it all together as she has assumed the parental role. It stars William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, Emmy Rossum as Fiona, and Cameron Monaghan as Ian.
Shameless is currently in it’s seventh season on Showtime with the previous six available on Netflix. While it sounds sad and depressing, it is also a laugh-out-loud funny series that will no doubt make you feel better about your dysfunctional family. (Warning: I would not advise watching this show with children.)
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