Netflix has become a major part of most people’s lives in 2020. The same goes for me of course. I have tried to go through most series which seemed interesting. I had some few ups and many downs or disappointments. So I would like to share some of my experiences along with the series I liked and the many I felt disappointed about.
Most importantly I’ve seen the Netflix algorithm and some of the universal rules that apply to the series Netflix likes to present. Some of those are annoying others are those which we can get used to.
Magic and supernatural beings , apocalypse
We can create two key categories in here:
- Survival series
For some reasons I can see that American culture has a long-going enthusiasm for escapist, end-of-the-world survival movies and series. These storylines are paired up with supernatural beings. The problem with this is, that there are way too many series which go around the same storyline. Which makes these series really all the same.
2. Magical series
When a group of people gets in touch with magic, magical society or magical school of sorts in any given timeframe. These days, magical series also paired up with a fantasy land setting too like the Witcher.
Teenage series
How about pairing all this up with some teenage drama? Netflix loves teenage series. I think it’s because lots of viewers come from that demographic, or simply like teenage series. There are tons of teenage series which concentrate on finding partner. There are a growing number of teenage series with a heavy focus on finding one’s sexuality I m not overly content with.
Costume and Fantasy
People we all over the place when Downton Abbey series were released and we know it’s largest audience is from the US. No wonder, Netflix wants to capitalize on this success by releasing series, which almost exclusively are about the style and not really about the actual storyline. Another example is the other new series called the Dig which play out in the beginning of 19th century and are about an excavation but in reality it’s storyline doesn’t really focus on what was supposed to be the main theme ( the excavation).
On the other hand, fantasy series try to capitalize on the humongous success of the Game of Thrones series while adding some Narnia feeling to its storylines. I am trying to watch one of these, but couldn’t make myself do that just yet.
A co-star with a British accent
All Netflix series have at least one person with a British accent. Americans love British accent and Netflix capitalizes on that big time. They love to see some British acting in their series.
British series attempting to copy True Detective
While True Detective was genial on its own right, it’s one that cannot be copied. Yet, the British for some reason want to copy its atmosphere so bad. Maybe they follow an American recipe this way, but they are messing up their series with darkness, over-dramatic music every 10 seconds, awful pressurized atmosphere and an overall dull story. I’m very disappointed because I do love British series like Doc Martin, Father Brown and so many other ones. I hope they learn not every series have to be so dark.
Darkness
Maybe its just me but the majority of the series are so so dark. Maybe this is inherited from Marvel series which are inherently very dark. Sometimes so dark it makes them hard to watch during daytime! I have yet to find out why this is happening. In movies darkness comes off way differently than on a mobile device. There is also lots of darkness in the storylines at times but not in the gripping way but in the annoying way. In Jessica Jones, I was shocked to see the guy playing the bad guy ( that British actor from Broadchurch with a really negative structure of a face) I was counting on somebody much better than him.
Lack of real good comedies/funny series
Good comedy seems to be a rarity on Netflix. I searched for so long to find series which are genuine and funny. And oftentimes I found these not even added to the comedy theme.
There really aren’t many real good comedies on Netflix and even if they say they are comedies oftentimes they are just not funny.
Overcomplicated plots and unfinished storylines
Many of the series on Netflix remind me of Twin Peaks, which was among the first mystery series which got so popular that in order to make it longer, they completely messed up its storyline and ripped it from all meaning or understanding. Netflix is stacked with series which I like, then they go ahead and totally mess up its storyline. Also often unnecessarily. And as many these series get axed prematurely we will never know what may have happened. This is pretty annoying.
Gory scenes
Gory series and scenes rule Netflix series and I’m not happy about that. It wasn’t easy to find series which I would actually like and many series grew so out of control I had to stop watching them.
LGBTQ in series
Nowadays almost every single series have to present at least one character ( possibly teenage) that’s changing sex or one scene that’s homosexual or lesbian. While I have no issues with LGBTQ as a movement, I feel it’s being forced down on people’s throat. You can in fact treat friendly love differently from other love and not ever mix the two. I find this really problematic especially from the point of view of teenagers watching all these series.
Netflix pushing its own series
There are tons more series on Netflix than those which would always come up in your searches. It’s because Netflix would primarily want viewers to watch its own series and not the others which are only there to keep viewers on the channel, in case they would look for a specific series. If you want to check out all the series, you would need to search alphabetically, and with keywords to see all the series that’s out there available.
Seattle, Seattle
I’m not sure why, but I noticed Seattle is the base city of so many of these apocaliptic or otherwise magical series. If somebody can tell me why, I will be thankful for it.
People don’t work yet still have money
Houses by the sea, lake and other gorgeous settings, castles, manors whatever you dream of. Apparently as it turns out. people don’t really need to work in series or pay bills, unless the storyline is connected with their work. I m very envious of all these people.
Action series stars rarely sleep or eat and they almost never need to go „out”
No matter we are already in 2021 the stars in action series are still superheroic with no apparent need for food, sleep or toilet.
The videoclip-style series
I’m not too keen on series which play out like a videoclip or which include these videoclip montages like the Black List which always had to have these videoclips.
So, to finish it off, here are some of my most liked series on Netflix and some of the biggest disappointments. I will not go in details with the storylines, I don’t want to spoil anybody’s experience.
Last, but not least, let me present you with my own selection of series I liked and disliked on Netflix so far. Please, comment down below if you have your favorite series which you think I might like.
My top choices of Netflix series:
- Grace and Frankie – it’s become by best liked series in hope it would continue. There are great, seasoned actors playing in this, such as Jane Fonda or Martin Sheen. The series is funny. witty and it plays out by a wonderful house by the sea which is officially now my dream home!
- iZombie: I didn’t put many expectations on this series and suddenly it turned out especially great! While there is a base story, the stars would also investigate all sorts of different crimes in this, which is what I really really like and yet, there are so few of these types of series.
- Doc Martin: a genial British series from the old school when directors didn’t want to copy American thrillers.
- Sabrina: one of the few Netflix original series which I really came to like although its storyline went in too dark I fear.
- The Order: Netflix is axing these series but I so really hope it would somehow continue as it’s great, witty and really really funny while also being exciting.
- The Bletchley Circle San Francisco: too bad that the other two series are missing, I feel lucky I found them on Youtube. This British-American series is set post-WW II and is about a group of highly intelligent women who used to work as code breakers during the war. They are now getting together to solve a couple of very interesting crimes. I love this series and can’t wait for them to continue!
Series which I also liked
- Locke and Key: it was hard for me to start watching this but it turned out surprisingly good. I m looking forward to its 2nd season in hope there would be more, without really weirding us out.
- Good Witch: a Hallmark series it’s a really feelgood type of a series to watch after an exhausting day.
- Glee: a very refreshing surprise these series which do contain singing but it’s really funny and great to watch.
- Van Helsing: although I really liked these series I have stopped watching it as its storyline just became way too gory and complicated adding a mental serial killer to the story. I may continue watching it one day, but for now, it was enough.
- Bitten: this was a pleasant surprise, although the sex scenes and overexaggerated male nudity is stuff I don’t necessarily need. I’m in its 2nd season’s end where the storyline would get overcomplicated so I fear they mess it up.
- Tiger King: what a story. I hope they will catch that woman.I’ve just heard that the guy won’t be able to profit from these series on his life story. I wonder who gets the money.
- Raked: a funny yet cynical Australian series that’s a good mix of crime stories and personal affairs.
Series which were meh or overall disappointing:
- Atypical – not funny, rather exaggerated
- Black List – videoclip like, the storylines are not too smart, I tried twice but I gave up on this.
- Marcella, Bordertown, Line of Duty and the one starring Olivia Colman – the American thriller like British series all of which disappointed so far
- Dead to me: the storyline is not really thought through although its watchable and has lots of seaside shoots.
- Selling sunset: I watched I think 2 of its series but it’s becoming way too forced down our throats and it’s getting further away from actually selling properties of any type.
- Daredevil: it started well but then it went straight into darkness and dwelling on the past which makes up about 70% of the storyline.
- Warrior Nun: nope.
- Virgin River: pressing too hard on romance they should’ve at least given some time to the main character to settle down and whatnot.
- Walking dead
Last but not least: the series I just can’t bring myself to watch:
- Orange is the new black
- Riverdale
- Stranger things
- Breaking bad/Better call Saul
Leave me a comment to let me know which series you like and which series should I give another chance.
Karas Blog 