Expecting a cold weekend? Winter is fast approaching, but Netflix seems to realize this year after year. I find the best shows and movies get released to the platform when the weather starts to get cold.
But what’s good? You’ve probably finished Stranger Things season 2 by now. And you’re probably starting to realize you missed a lot of shows in the warmer months. But don’t worry. There’s a lot to get you through the weekend.
You might need something to make you laugh away the first taste of winter blues. Or maybe you’re looking for something to make you think. This week’s picks offer both, and something in-between.
Neo Yokio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwc6fTnsdBI
Neo Yokio is a concept I’m not fond of. It represents a culture that I don’t really like, but I think that’s what I liked about it. The initial trailers made me cringe. But as I started watching Neo Yokio, I actually found out it had a lot of personality.
Neo Yokio is a Japanese-style anime. But it’s different from most anime because of its English cast and weird scenario. The plot is based on Jaden Smith—for lack of a better explanation. Netflix describes it as “a postmodern collage of homages to classic anime, English literature and modern New York fashion and culture.”
Jaden Smith voices Kaz Kaan, Neo Yokio’s most #1 bachelor and demon-slayer. It’s weird. But it’s good?
I’ll say this: it’s an anime with Steve Buscemi and Jaden Smith. It delivers on whatever image that creates in your head.
Mindhunter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gZCfRD_zWE
Sometimes you need to remember the scariest thing isn’t the cold. Mindhunter is perfect for the latter half of the year. The production feels like a mainstream CBS crime drama, but its content feels like HBO or FX. It’s a perfect Netflix pickup.
Mindhunter stars Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany as two FBI agents tackling the bureau’s greatest mystery: what compels people to kill? The pair investigate serial killers before “serial killer” is even a term. But the majority of its tension comes with the emotional turmoil caused by trying to understand how people kill.
The characters try to balance their work and home, but it proves to be challenging. There’s a lot to unpack in Mindhunter, so we recommend watching it and make your own opinion. But it’s one of our favourites of the year.
Riverdale
Nobody wants to watch a cancelled show. It’s easy to pick up a show at launch, but it’s even easier to catch up on a show with a big following. Riverdale is back with its second season, so now you can finally get on board.
But now Riverdale is on its second season, and it’s at the top of everybody’s mind. Now you can get caught up on the first season, and you’ll have the tools you need to talk about the latest twists at the ol’ water cooler.
The first season of Archie and the gang’s edgy reboot is 13 episodes long, and the second season is five episodes into its premiere. It should be easy to get caught up before the second season ends.
