What to Watch on Netflix: Vol 1

Nowadays, there are so many great shows hitting both television and online streaming services that it can be overwhelming to choose what to watch. While this is a great problem to have, we wanted to showcase a few great series featured on Netflix that will ensure a good time all around!

Hilda
Watch if: You want to be completely immersed.

Being a child again, going on adventures, and making friends with mythical creatures is everyone’s secret dream. You can deny it all you want, but this show will make you realize how wrong you are. Deep down, you want a pet deer fox, or to debate with a human-wood animal. This show has an Adventure Time vibe, with a little more spice added to it.

Hilda is a little girl who isn’t afraid of anything, fixes all of her problems on her own, and befriends all kinds of animals with the help of her two best friends. Every episode offers a bit of surprise and wonder.

This show has become a favorite of mine. I watched the series three times because I’m so obsessed. It has a lot of strong female characters, passes the Bechdel test, and comes from Luke Pearson’s graphic novels. It’s a show that adults and kids can love and learn from; tolerance, not letting fear control your actions, and giving yourself the ability to judge others not from what society says, but from your own experiences. Who knew trolls aren’t as bad as you thought?

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Watch if: You’re kind of in the mood for a romance.

Normally, I’m not a fan of teen romance movies, or at least that’s what I tell my friends, but this one is stronger than the rest. It follows the theme most of these movies do; two people end up together that normally wouldn’t be, they accidentally fall in love without realizing it, and something happens that causes one of them to hate the other. Then, there’s a super romantic gesture, and they end the movie with a kissing scene accompanied by cheesy romantic music.

The characters, however, have some depth and complexity. Based on Jenny Han’s first novel, the main character, Lara Jean, is adorable. However, the antagonist, Christine, is an extremely shallow and typical mean-yet-popular high school girl character.

I wouldn’t say this is a movie everyone should watch, but it’s one you can see when you can’t figure out what else to see or maybe during a slumber party. It wasn’t life changing, nor did it really break the mold, as far as the story line goes, but it was enjoyable.

Aggretsuko
Watch if: You hate your job.

Do you want to feel personally attacked because you’re in a dead-end, soul-sucking, anger-inducing job? Then this is perfect for you. There are times where you’ll be peacefully watching the show and the scene slaps you in the face.

Retsuko is a female cat working in an entry level accounting job with a chauvinistic boss. She ends up secretly rocking to heavy metal whenever she gets angry. It has the typical anime feel but the setting is unique. It covers what a lot of people in office work feel–deep seeded anger and hopelessness–along with the awkwardness of making friends, dating, and dealing with knowing your limits.

This show is already loved by anime nerds, but I think non-anime watchers would appreciate it as well.

Nappily Ever After
Watch if: My best friend just broke up with her significant other and wants to cry on my shoulder.

I feel like I couldn’t appreciate this movie enough, but there was a lot of things many women, and I could relate to. The pressure to be a certain kind of pretty, dating, and judgement from other women about your looks are explained well. 

Violet Jones is the main character who has an extreme transformation, physically and mentally, by the end of the movie. She grapples with what a lot of women today do: what extremes she will go to for a man, the approval of her parents, and standing out in a male-centric career.

This means, of course, that this movie will probably not be one a lot of men will enjoy or consider a good movie. You need a good mixed drink ready and some friends gathered around while pigging out on popcorn and ice cream.

There you have it! This has been our What to Watch on Netflix: Vol 1! We hope you get the chance to consume this content and have a great time just as we did until we found out that we watched a majority of these shows in one sitting. Stay tuned for more great recommendations on not only Netflix but other streaming websites as well!