Siobhan Elizabeth Ball
Elm Staff Writer
As we get into the swing of the new year, streaming services are releasing a plethora of new series to binge. Here are some recommendations on what to keep your eye on this winter.
For the drama lovers
On Jan. 1, Netflix released “Kaleidoscope,” an eight-episode drama series. According to IMDb, the storyline of the series is based on a real-life heist in which $70 billion in bonds went missing during Hurricane Sandy.
“Kaleidoscope” offers a unique viewing experience as the series is non-linear. The episodes can be watched in any order, but the episode “Black” should be watched first, and “White” should be watched last. The series is similar to Netflix’s first experimental project, the 2019 interactive film “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.”
The series stars veteran actors Giancarlo Esposito and Rufus Sewell as a career criminal and his former partner-in-crime as they attempt the biggest heist in history.
Fans of “Knives Out” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” will be thrilled to read that director Rian Johnson has created a new mystery/comedy series, “Poker Face.”
Starring Natasha Lyonne, the show started streaming on Peacock on Jan 26. The series follows Lyonne’s character Charlie Cale, a casino worker on the run, with each episode following an inverted detective story style.
Several famous guest stars make an appearance throughout the ten-episode series including Adrien Brody, Ron Perlman, Chloe Sevigny, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Earlier this month, Netflix also released the highly-anticipated second season of their original series “Ginny & Georgia,” in which audiences return to the sleepy fictional town of Wellsbury, Mass. after the last season’s cliff-hanger.
The follow-up brings ten new episodes filled with drama and mystery. It also explores numerous heavy topics, including body dysmorphia, eating disorders, self-harm, and depression.
Brianna Howey, who plays Georgia, stated in an interview with CBS News that “one of the most important messages from the season is that, ‘It is okay to not be okay and to ask for help. It takes a lot of courage to live in your vulnerability.’”
Additionally, the deaf community is represented in the show’s second season by deaf actor Chris Kenopic, the executive director of the Deaf Literary Initiative in Canada. Kenopic plays Clint Baker, father of main characters Marcus and Maxine Baker, who he communicates with using American Sign Language.
For the comedians
While not exclusively airing on streaming, the second season of ABC’s workplace sitcom “Abbott Elementary” is back from its winter hiatus and available to stream on Hulu.
With over 10 million viewers according to Vulture, it is one of the most talked-about comedy shows at the moment, the comedy’s lovable characters and sharp wit make it an easy watch.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the comedy won big at the 2023 Golden Globe awards, taking home three awards including best comedy series.
For “Ted Lasso” fans trying to fill the void between seasons, writer and actor Brett Goldstein is back with “Shrinking,” an Apple TV+ comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.
The show balances grief and laughter as it tells the story of Jimmy, a therapist who risks his career to tell the unadulterated truth to his clients.
On Netflix, “That 90s Show” debuted on Jan. 19, picking up fifteen years after the end of its predecessor, “That 70s Show.”
The program follows the antics of Leia, the teenage daughter of “That 70s Show” leads Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti, after she moves from Chicago to Point Place, Wis. to live with her grandparents for the summer.
Audiences will see the return of other fan favorite characters from the original series, Red (Kurtwood Smith), Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp), Jackie (Mila Kunis), Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and Leo (Tommy Chong).
As the semester gets underway, hopefully these recommendations can provide some well-deserved breaks from studying.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo caption: Despite its controversial decision to raise prices, Netflix remains one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with an estimated 231 million users as of the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Statista.