As the spring semester starts to unfold, it is clear that our fellow Stags are happy to be back on campus. Yet, with the University’s ‘Study in Place’ policy, it can be difficult to find something fun and safe to do while stuck indoors…except, of course, binge-watching Netflix. While we have access to watch thousands of TV shows at the touch of a button, I come to you recommending my own five personal Netflix favorites. I strongly encourage you to watch one, if not all, of the following during our study in place period:
The OA – When Prairie Johnson, a young blind woman, returns home after a seven-year disappearance, everyone is shocked not only by her return, but also by the fact that she can now somehow see. She won’t give her parents or police officers any details involving the time she was missing, but she does share her experiences with a group of five strangers. After sharing her story and revealing her new name as ‘OA,’ they try to help her locate where she was held captive and save the people she was trapped with. The story takes viewers through a beautiful and thought-provoking tale of near-death experiences, life after death and the power of the mind. As my all-time favorite show, if you are to pick at least one selection from this list, I heavily urge you to choose this one.
Black Mirror – “Black Mirror” is a collection of short films that portray a completely different story from the previous one. While all five seasons, made up of twenty-two episodes, have no connection to one another, they all share a common theme: technology. The writers have created numerous scenarios in which they prove how frightening the modern world may come to be. These problems range from social media obsession (“Nose Dive”) to extreme life-like video games (“Playtest”). Personally, my favorite episodes include: “Hang the DJ,” “USS Callister” and “White Bear.”
You – After Joe Goldberg meets Guinevere Beck at his workplace, his ‘schoolboy’ crush quickly turns obsessive. He finds himself stalking her over both social media and in real life. His tactics become useful in getting close to her; however, the situation changes to a dangerous setting all too soon. Overall, there are many suspenseful scenes that get you hooked on the storyline and multiple cliffhangers written throughout both seasons. Additionally, it was recently announced that a new season will be produced, which is exciting for many fans left hanging on the edge of their seat in the last episode of season two.
The Good Place – Eleanor Shellstrop is both relieved and shocked that she made it to the Good Place following her death. However, the longer she spends there, the more she realizes she was placed there by mistake. With the help of her supposed after-life soulmate and new friends, she tries to gain enough points to earn her true spot in the Good Place and tell the truth. But while she is attempting to raise her merit, the town starts to fall apart due to her accidental presence. “The Good Place” is full of comedy and shocking plot twists that are entertaining for everyone to enjoy.
In The Dark – Murphey Mason is no stranger to challenges, being a blind woman who lives in Chicago. However, she finds herself subject to her worst tragedy yet when she finds her best friend, Tyson, dead in an alley. After looking for help and calling the police, his body is nowhere to be found. Due to the lack of information and urgency on his case, Murphey tries to solve Tyson’s murder on her own, even with her disability. “In The Dark” is incredibly eye-opening for sighted people, and still generally amusing. It was so suspenseful that I think I was able to finish the show within the same week I started it.
I genuinely feel that any of these five shows are perfect stories to binge-watch during our quarantine period, not only because I have great taste, but also because they are all equally entertaining as they are anticipation-inducing. Stay safe and happy ‘Netflix-ing’!
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