Netflix is the most popular streaming service in the world. As a result, many students at Xavier High School enjoy browsing Netflix and watching shows. If you are one of these Xavier students (or anyone else for that matter) who enjoys watching Netflix in your free time, here is a studied list of Netflix originals that you can watch right now!
Stranger Things
Action – Mystery – Supernatural – 80s – 5 Seasons, 42 Episodes
There was an internal debate whether to even put this show on the list because of its extreme, sustained, mainstream popularity. However, if somehow Stranger Things has not come across your screen yet, then you must watch it.
The show takes place during the 1980s. In the small town of Hawkins, a boy goes missing. This disappearance slowly unravels a growing conspiracy within the show, involving grotesque monsters, telekinetic children, and an entirely different world. This show is a classic and something that is definitely worth watching if you have not already.
You
Thriller – Psychological – Romance – Suspense – 5 Seasons, 50 Episodes
You is a psychological thriller based upon the novels written by Caroline Kepnes. The story follows a serial killer named Joe Goldberg who develops obsessions with women he deems to be fascinating. Over time, he begins to stalk, entrenching himself into the daily lives of his victims. He uses his criminal mind to control every aspect of his victims’ lives, narrating his elaborate criminal mechanisms himself.
The show is filled with suspense, keeping the viewer captivated as they cannot help but dive deeper into the twisted mind of Joe. However, Joe is not the only character that is depicted negatively by the show, as the show also serves as a critique or satire of modern dating, celebrities, and the societal elite. This show is a MUST WATCH for true crime lovers (it’s not true crime but still), and people who like dark and disturbed stories.
Adolescence
British – Crime – Parenthood – Emotional – 4 Episodes
Adolescence is a four-episode series about a boy named Jamie who finds entire life is flipped upside down when the police bust down his door, accusing him of murdering his classmate. Over four episodes, we learn more about Jamie: his motives, demons, and the environmental factors that have molded him into the monster he eventually became. This show explores the effects of careless parenting, the meaning of masculinity, and of course, the struggles of Adolescence.
The way Adolescence tells its story is as bold as its message, filming each of the episodes in one extended shot. Without any cuts or flashbacks, the viewer can experience the story from the grounded perspective of one of the characters, having the ability to learn details about the situation as if they were one of the detectives assigned to Jamie’s case. This series is highly recommended, since it’s short, bitter, and disturbingly real. It is only 4 episodes long, just watch it.
Squid Game
Capitalism – Death Game – Korean – Thriller – 3 Seasons – 22 Episodes
One of the most popular shows on Netflix, Squid Game needs no introduction. 456 contestants are invited to compete in the Squid Game, where they must face deadly challenges in order to win a massive cash prize. With each of the contestants finding themselves in dire situations in the real world, they will do whatever it takes to win in the Squid Game, even if it means forfeiting their humanity.
There’s a reason why this is the most popular show on Netflix, and it is because of the excitement that the show induces. The games, characters, and ruthlessness offer a terrifying, gripping watch that will leave you attached to the screen for days.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Animated – Dystopian – Sci-Fi – Action – 10 Episodes
Cyberpunk Edgerunners takes place in the dystopian, hyper-capitalist megalopolis known as Night City, where vice and corporate greed is the foundation of society. The year is 2076, and humans have started replacing their organic body parts with “Cyberware”, giving them superhuman abilities, adding even more danger to the crime-infested streets of Night City. The story follows David Martinez, a young man who becomes an Edgerunner (a person who uses Cybernetic implants for their own criminal benefit), after he infuses a high-end implant into his own body that he was originally supposed to sell. With his new strength, David becomes a notorious criminal in Night City. But David soon realizes that, even as a Night City legend, nobody is untouchable, not even him.
If the word “Cyberpunk” seems familiar, that is because it is based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077, which is set in the same universe. If you are a fan of the video game, or just looking for a colorful, tragic, animated story, then Edgerunners is for you.
Any questions or comments: please reach out to [email protected].
