The Playlistis to Netflix TV whatThe Social Networkis to cinema: a slick, slightly satirical dramatization of how one of today’s most ubiquitous digital media behemoths was built.It tells the story ofSpotify, from Daniel Ek’s humble beginningsas an SEO boffin who pirated his music to its takeover of music streaming.
The Playlist’sfinal episode is the fictional story of a hypothetical congressional hearing about Spotify’s negative effect on the music industry for small, independent artists.
While this Swedish miniseries might not be quite as sharp-edged as David Fincher’s movie about Facebook, it certainly doesn’t pull any punches in its depiction of how music’s Big Three were convinced to join Spotify’s freemium features revolution. For fans of true-story dramas involving tech tycoons, this hidden gem is not to be missed.
Quite simply the best Christmas-themed sitcom on TV,I Hate Christmasisa charming, warmly authentic tale set in the stunning Venetian town of Chioggia.It’s about a young hospital nurse’s struggles in the romance department. Available in Italian with subtitles and dubbed in other languages, this show is impossible not to fall for.
Christmas comedies are notoriously difficult to pull off without coming across as cloying or clichéd, but this one avoids all the pitfalls of the genre brilliantly. What’s more, it wasn’t a one-hit wonder, withI Hate Christmasseason 2 proving even better than the show’s first outing.
Alongside thetime-travel showDark,Kleois one of the best German-language series on Netflix. This humorous action-thriller about an assassination in the East German intelligence service during the Cold War is lightning-quick on its feet and very handy with a Luger pistol.
There’s something for everyone in the show, from murder mystery enthusiasts to fans of black comedy.Kleohas just about everything going for it, and more than its two existing seasons to look forward to in the coming years.
Snabba Cashisthe closest thing you’ll find toThe Wirecurrently on Netflix. This gritty crime drama about poor migrants getting roped into the drugs trade in Sweden is superbly produced, with some compelling performances from its main cast.
IfTurn of the Tide’s premise weren’t based on a true story, its script would have been rejected for being too outlandish. The tale of remote island villagers happening upon a ton of cocaine brought to their shores by a Sicilian mafia boat shipwrecked in a storm might sound fanciful, but it’s inspired by what really happened to the community of Rabo de Peixe.
Turn of the Tideis a gripping drama about finding a way out of isolation and poverty in the unlikeliest of places, only for that way out to haunt those who took it.
Set in the Azores, almost 1,000 miles away from mainland Europe,Turn of the Tideis a gripping drama about finding a way out of isolation and poverty in the unlikeliest of places, only for that way out to haunt those who took it.Lostfans should love this series, which has already beenrenewed by Netflix for season 2.
Featuring one of themost mindblowing cliffhangers in TV history,The OAis a show every sci-fi fan with a subscription to Netflix should have watched by now. If you haven’t, it’s likely because the series really hasn’t been promoted enough since it first arrived on the platform in 2016.
Despite being canceled,The OAholds an impressive 84% rating onRotten Tomatoes.
Opening with the mysterious reappearance of a girl who went missing years before the events of the show,The OAhas the feel of a latter-dayTwin Peaks, as it isn’t afraid to lean into the supernatural and surreal to add depth to its mystery. This is high praise, but the show earns it.The OAwill likely grow into a cult classic in its own right, but for now, you can discover it while it’s still one ofNetflix’s hidden gems.
Netflix
Netflix is a global streaming service offering on-demand access to movies, TV shows, documentaries, and original content. Founded in 1997 as a DVD rental service, it transitioned to streaming in 2007 and now operates in over 190 countries.
