As an ever growing, ever loved, ever obsessed over of youth culture, Netflix has found a home into most everyone’s hearts these days. They’ve made themselves their own specific market, and they have done a fabulous job on it. Their Netflix Originals have skyrocketed in popularity with their some endearing quality that’s so hard to place, but so easy to binge. It makes you think Netflix is conditioning us to shrivel up and fade into our couches with our eyes glued to their shows… But I, for one, wouldn’t be unhappy with that demise. Whether you’re looking for a heart-felt sob story, a dream-worthy romance, or an action-packed mystery tale, Netflix has carefully curated the perfect show for your needs. Here is a list of our favorite Netflix originals, all for your binge-ing needs.

Things I have personally seen and can vouch for:

Big Mouth

-I actually wholly respect this show for bringing an entertaining way to learn about the gritty details of sex ed that they don’t teach you in health class. Big Mouth is comparable to BoJack Horseman in its aura of raw disappointing reality, but it’s tasteful and reminds me of chips and salsa, if that makes any sense. You get to see middle schoolers learn about… themselves. Full of second-hand middle school embarrassment that you really can’t get enough of.

Sex Education

-Two truly excellent shows that are designed for the admittedly hormone engulfed part of tweens and teenagers brains are Big Mouth and Sex Education. Mad props to the design and purpose of this show. It depicts a funny reality in bright pastels and 80s aesthetic. It has this really interesting set of characters. From a shy boy whose mother is a sex therapist,The show made its debut in early January, so it hasn’t really had too much time to engulf pop culture in a wildfire storm of how awesome it is, but trust me. It’s a good one.

Disenchantment

-Another cartoon for not-children! Netflix loves bending the ordinary. Disenchantment was designed by the same people who made The Simpsons. It’s a certainly a tale, set in a fairy-esque land, but is by no means a fairytale. It follows the delinquent princess Bean, an elf called Elfo, and the Bean’s personal demon, Luci. Hilariously flawed characters and a corrupt political system sweetened with fantasy themes. Unique in every sense of the word. It’s Lucky Charms, but the wheat pieces are realistically unsavory facts and themes from a harsh reality, and the marshmallows are fairies and wizards and giants and palaces. Also there’s a talking pig.

Stranger Things

-Since its release, it’s almost become a classic. I had to include this in the top list because of how well known it became. Another driving factor of the growing fondness of the 80s aesthetic that our generation has gotten attached to. Dungeons and Dragons is now a cool thing to play. Everyone loves bomber jackets and bright colors again. Stranger Things has had a major effect on our society and it’s definitely worth the view. It’s a super iconic show, if not only for its cultural impact alone.

Umbrella Academy

-Adapted from a comic series, the Umbrella Academy has a thrilling, imaginative, and enrapturing storyline. Childhood superheroes, now grown up and dealing with the struggles of the real world, until the real world begins its long awaited apocalypse. The characters are incredibly well developed, and are super believable (other than the fact that they’re super extraordinary). Also not to mention the soundtrack is AMAZING all thanks to emo rock legend, Gerard Way. It appeases the middle-school emo phase, in ab middle-school-comic-book-nerd-phase way, in a super-cool, action-packed, superhero movie kinda way. Killer binge-worth material.

Bird Box

-This movie ate up social media like a wildfire when it came out. It’s a heart-racing, gut-wrenching thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. If I’m totally honest, I didn’t like it, simply because of how emotional it made me. But for that reason I would recommend it as an impressive film, because it made me feel so strongly. It might make you scream at your TV/laptop/phone screen, but that only makes it better. The characters make me SCREAM. It’s a pretty good film. I liked the birds.

Black Mirror

-Black Mirror is aggressively attacking society and our growing dependence on technology. The show doesn’t necessarily have a plot from episode to episode, which makes it very unique, because you don’t really have to watch them in order at all. Every episode is set in it’s own sci-fi universe, with its own type of problems. It certainly make you think a lot about our current society and how it painfully easy it would be for us to turn into the characters in the show.

Ted Bundy Tapes

-Oh what can I say about the Ted Bundy tapes? We’re talking about a serial killer talking about how he might or might not have killed a bunch of people, to avoid death row. I mean, Bundy tries to manipulate the reporter and you into believing that all the murders were pretty much all coincidences. It kind of messes with your mind, but if you’re into mysteries and documentaries and have time on your hands, this is perfect.   

YOU

-Another spin of a popular aesthetic used as a creative archetype (might I say, Netflix makes pretty-looking shows/movies). A handsome bookstore manager named Joe, manages a store full of honeys and ambers and browns, accented with a warm and somber green. He’s dreamy, reflective and he loves books. What a guy, huh? And he develops  bit of a crush on a beautiful blonde gal, who also loves books, writes poetry, and lives in a roomy house with tall open windows that let in the sunlight. What could go wrong if they get to know each other better? You’ll see.