With everyone having so much free time at the moment, there seems no better time than now to dish out some Netflix recommendations – some of the best films and shows we’ve been checking out in this lockdown period.

Film recommendations

First up is Super Dark Times, a teen-based thriller directed by Kevin Phillips. We’ve mentioned it before, but it’s an absolutely gripping experience, focusing on a group of high school friends whose paths are drastically torn apart following a traumatic shared experience. The violence is visceral, the cast is phenomenal (look out for Ozark‘s Charlie Tahan, who is splendid in his role) and the plot is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s certainly a nail-biter and is pretty anxiety-inducing, but if you’re looking for a tense thriller with a really powerful story, this is for you.

Next up is Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story, a 2020 documentary about a sixteen-year-old girl who is accused of murder, and following a pretty unbalanced trial, sentenced to life in prison. The documentary outlines the precarious situation around Brown’s imprisonment, and the subsequent social media uproar that aimed to get her free, spearheaded by celebrities such as Rihanna and Kim Kardashian. It’s a fascinating and moving watch about the injustice of the American penal system, and one of the best documentaries you’ll find on Netflix.

Finally, an enjoyable watch found on UK Netflix is John Carpenter’s 1983 body horror classic, Videodrome. A visceral and whimsical watch, this stars James Woods as a TV exec who stumbles upon a feed of increasingly violent murders, and decides to broadcast them for a demanding audience – before it all takes a turn for the worse. The plot is interesting and unique and the visual effects are great, and I guarantee you’ve never seen anything quite like this before – and for that alone, it’s worth checking out.

Show recommendations

First up is a brilliant Netflix Original comedy series that gets nowhere near enough credit, Workin’ Moms. Created by and starring Catherine Reitman, this follows a group of three mothers navigating the tribulations of maternal life, from rebellious teenagers to the work-life balance, the gender pay-gap to breastfeeding. It’s a refreshing and honest take on comedy with some brilliant gags and great chemistry between the cast – and while it’s newly-released fourth season is pretty short, it’s still a fantastic watch, and one of the best comedies around at the moment.

Another wonderful comedy is the BBC’s People Just Do Nothing – you can find the first four seasons on Netflix. and the final season on iPlayer. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of Kurupt FM, a London pirate radio station headed by MC Grindah, as they try and outgrow the radio scene and become worldwide garage stars. The mockumentary style complements the deadpan humour perfectly, and the performances are all on point – Asim Chaudhry as Chabuddy G is a particular highlight. With a film adaption due this year, there is no better time to check out one of the BBC’s best comedies.

The final pick is something a bit more serious, the fantasy drama The Witcher. A smash-hit when it released in December 2019, this adaption of Andrzej Sapkowski‘s novels is different to the video-game series, but shows real promise. Starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a bounty hunter tasked with tracking down and eliminating monsters, this 8-episode season chronicles his backstory and a prophecy he is destined to fulfil, telling a sprawling fantasy story with brilliant action that can only keep improving. Definitely worth a watch if there’s still a Game of Thrones-shaped hole in your viewing at the moment.

There are our picks for the best stuff to watch on Netflix at the moment – if you have any other suggestions be sure to leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading!

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