Netflix is my other lover, there’s just no getting around it. My husband has accepted it, I’ve accepted it, and our life is all the better for it. In fact, there’s not much else that gets my motor running in a deep, dark, grey, snowy cold winter than a snuggly night in front of the fireplace with some good shows to watch on Netflix. It makes me happy just thinking about it. I wanted to share the love, so I came up with a good solid list of 5 things you should be watching on Netflix now.
I couldn’t in good conscience come up with a list of what you should (binge) watch on Netflix this weekend without adding a good British drama / romance. It’s not good bingeing if accents aren’t involved, it just isn’t. One of these days I’m going to write a post of ALLLLLLLLLL the BBC shows you need to watch before you die. And there are many.
But I digress. Let’s get to the list of what you need to be watching THIS weekend.
Focus, Allison.
Pride & Prejudice with Kiera Knightley
Jane Austen was brilliant, no question about it. And it’s rare that a brilliant writer has her (or his) brilliant books come to light onscreen in an even somewhat enjoyable adaptation, let alone a gorgeous, delightful one. But that’s exactly what happened with Pride & Prejudice, both the BBC version (with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy – SWOON) and the more recent adaptation with Kiera Knightley and and Matthew Macfadyen. It’s understated and richly cinematic and wittily delightful all at the same time and it’s BRAND NEW TO NETFLIX so go watch it right now.
Next: The West Wing by Aaron Sorkin.
If you haven’t watched The West Wing yet, I won’t hold it against you. Much. But it’s time to rectify the situation, and only you can make it right.
When my husband and I first watched this show on DVD in the early 2000’s, we paused it every few minutes so we could listen to the dialogue over, and over, and OVER again. Sorkin is known for running his shows at a rapid fire dialogue pace, and when you throw politics into the mix, it takes a bit of getting used to the zippy, sassy, information filled one-liners. And then afterwords you never want to watch a dumb TV show again, because let’s face it, there’s only one Aaron Sorkin, and good TV writing is a rare and precious thing. The West Wing is SO good, and the behind-the-scenes look at presidential advisers is so fascinating. You don’t have to love politics to love this show, but if you do, it’s extra delightful.
p.s. this is an extra great show to binge watch, so you stay current with all the minutia of the politics.
Oh, M*A*S*H.
This show has a soft spot in my heart because in the early 1980’s when I was a little kid, once in awhile I’d sleep over at my grandparents house, or stay at their condo with them in Southern Utah, sans parents, and at 11 p.m. every night like clockwork, after the local news, my grandparents settled in with their Postum and peanut butter toast in front of the television to watch M*A*S*H. I understood almost none of the innuendo, but loved it anyway because I was watching a grownup show my parents NEVER would’ve let me watch, and it was 11 o’clock at night, and Postum and peanut butter were involved. The characters were hilarious and sweet and tender and naughty, and I loved every minute of it. Later, when I was old enough to understand all of it, I re-watched it, and wept almost every episode. M*A*S*H stands for: Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and the setting of the show is a group of army surgeons living and working in a mobile unit near the front lines during the Korean war. In fact, the show first aired in 1972 and it is widely speculated (and maybe even confirmed?) to have been about Vietnam, which was happening while the show aired. It’s fantastic, and beautiful, and not to be missed.
Sigh. I can’t even say the words together, A – Room – With – A – View, without an audible girlish sigh. It’s cinematic, it’s funny, it’s so, SO British, the writing is clever, the cinematography is wonderful. The heroine is young and whiny and a little bit cheeky, and Maggie Smith plays the long suffering spinster aunt, (“Poor Charlotte”), and Helena Bonham Carter falls in love with a fabulously eccentric dreamboat. If you love romantic BBC stuff, this is the show for you.
The Civil War is what put Ken Burns on the map as a talented documentarian in the 1980’s. It’s a really moving 9 part series covering the history of the American Civil War through illustrations and photos, while letters from soldiers and whole swaths of history are narrated throughout. If you slept through this part of your high school or college history curriculum, (who, me?) and would like a clear, moving, thorough education about the Civil War, this documentary is for you. Settle in, Buttercup, it’s a long one.
If you’re looking for more ideas of what to watch on Netflix, here are a few of my suggestions:
// p.s. this post is in partnership as a member of the Netflix Stream Team. which just means I watch Netflix for you and find all the good stuff so you can spend your time doing useful things. see also: I live to serve you and meet your entertainment needs. //
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
Don’t forget Longmire (my favorite!), Broadchurch and Bloodlines!!
A Room with a View. Swoon.