The vast amount of television shows and movies available onNetflixcan feel overwhelming. When you’re headed into your well-deserved weekend, the last thing you want to do is hunt down what to watch.
That’s where I come in. I’m leveraging my many hours spent on Netflix to surface three TV series that make for a great binge-watch.Although these are all excellent shows you won’t want to stop watching,they’ve flown relatively under the radar. Whether you’re in the mood for something supernatural or need a great laugh, I’ve got your weekend planned.
2021
1
8
Total Runtime
6 hours 22 minutes
Have you everwatched something on TV and still felt hauntedby it years later? That’s how I feel aboutKatla.The one-season show is the first and only Icelandic mystery-drama I’ve ever seen, and it made quite an impact. Four years on from viewing,I still cite and recommendKATLAto anyone who is looking for a binge experience outside the norm.
Set in modern-day Iceland,Katlaincorporates supernatural and Icelandic folkloric elements into its mystery set-up, and it’s this strange brew that makes the series an unforgettable experience. The title is drawn from the very real and very active volcano of the same name located in the south of Iceland.Katla’s premise sees ash-covered people begin to make an appearance a year into the volcano’s ongoing eruption.
Only something is wrong: the people emerging from Iceland’s stunningly eerie landscape were all dead or missing for many years. Their sudden and inexplicable return upends the lives of their loved ones, who must navigate mixed reactions of fear, grief, wonder, and disbelief to have their dead among them once more. The resulting drama is thought-provoking, disturbing, and compulsively watchable.
Katla’s length makes for a perfect one-day binge, one that you won’t soon forget.
With an astonishing 100% rating from critics onRotten Tomatoes,Katlaleaves a lasting impression. I know I couldn’t stop watching until the very last frame. Running a little over six hours,Katla’s length makes for a perfect one-day binge, one that you won’t soon forget.
2022
5
2 hours 30 minutes
Once you’re thoroughly fascinated and unsettled by watchingKatla, the best next binge is the hilariousCunk on Earth. This Netflix original “mockumentary” series was produced byBlack Mirrorcreator Charlie Brooker and features the exceptional British comedian Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk.Morgan’s Cunk has a devoted fan following online, but she is not yet the household name she deserves to be. YourCunk on Earthbinge-watch could help change that.
Cunk is a cheerfully oblivious TV presenter who interviews real-life experts about serious subjects —Cunk on Earthcovers the history of the world from early man through World War II and beyond. While speaking to celebrated professors, authors, and curators, Cunk asks questions that border on the absurd, and the fun is often to be had in watching her distinguished guests decide how to respond.
For a ‘mockumentary,’ the show is also deeply informative.
Played with sly and winking humor by the brilliant Morgan, Cunk is such a fun character that the bits never feel mean-spirited. And for a “mockumentary,” the show is also deeply informative.Through Cunk’s “bumbling” delivery, you’ll find yourself learning a lot about history, technology, religion, art, and more.
If you find yourself a devotee of Philomena Cunk after your binge-watch, the good news is that additional series await you: a follow-up series,Cunk on Life, is also available on Netflix, and you may find clips and episodes of earlier appearances of the character on YouTube.
3 (1 on Netflix)
2 hours 56 minutes
And now, the timeliest of binge recommendations. This week, the charming Nickelodeon-made seriesThe Tiny Chef Showwent viral on social media after the show was canceled. The live-action/animated series took an unorthodox approach to announcing its cancellation,posting an adorable and heartbreaking videoof its main character receiving the news.
The video quickly spread across social networks and text message chains — and the reactions it evoked made two things apparent. The first was that many people had never heard of the Emmy-winning children’s program before the cancellation video. The second was that they were converted into instant and enthusiastic partisans of Tiny Chef. Take a look and you’ll see why:
The Tiny Chef Showfollows said Tiny Chef (voiced by Matt Hutchinson), a felted green chef who also happens to be a vegetarian, as he prepares meals in his tree-stump kitchen. His friends include a robot, a pet caterpillar, a fantastically colorful snail, and his own house band.Celebrities like Amy Sedaris, RuPaul, Alan Cumming, and Rebel Wilson have lent their vocal talentsto this delightfully whimsical show.
You can binge the first season ofThe Tiny Chef Showon Netflix right now — and if you want to help with the renewed momentum to save Tiny Chef and friends, check outInstagramfor a great way to do it. IfNetflixsees the exploding popularity of everyone’s new favorite culinary master (sorry,The Bear), they could decide to help give the Tiny Chef another shot. The first season clocks in just under three hours, the perfect length to watch in one go.
