What to Binge-Watch on Netflix this Week

Santa Clarita Diet

Bon Appetit! Or should I say Bone App the Teeth? This show nails an interesting premise and provides a good weekend’s worth of binge-watching. Centered around a typical California suburban family where both parents are real-estate agents, the show turns pretty gross quickly when Sheila (Drew Barrymore) finds out she’s a zombie. Her husband Joel (Timothy Olyphant) and daughter Abbey (Liv Hewson) must simultaneously find out just exactly what’s going on with Sheila, while also keep up the appearance of a normal family in front of their nosy neighbors. They quickly enlist the help of Abbey’s nerdy friend Eric (USC’s very own Skyler Gisondo) to help diagnose and maybe find a cure!

This show is super quirky and very well written, often balancing on the line between completely implausible and slightly realistic. My favorite characters were by far Joel (Timothy Olyphant) who tries so hard to offset Barrymore’s often over-the-top energy, and Eric, whose innocence and eagerness to help is adorable without being cheesy or overplayed. The fast pace and high energy of the show does take some getting used to, but it’s a great one to watch with some friends (or alone) with some popcorn (or a whole pizza) and escape midterm season for ten episodes!

For Fans of: Stranger Things, Crazyhead

 

Borderline

If you like doc-style comedies like The Office and Parks and Recreation, then you will absolutely love this comedy about a UK Border Security office in the fictional Northend Airport. True to it’s style, this show makes you cringe with second-hand embarrassment just as much as it makes you laugh. While it does mirror The Office quite closely, especially in the dynamics of its ensemble cast, it differs in day-to-day routine. The cast includes the slightly alcoholic but just-trying-to-be-cool boss, who they just call Proctor (Jackie Clune), Tariq (David Avery), the young and handsome guy who is just trying to save up enough money so he can really focus on his DJ career, the naive nerd Clive (David Elms) who actually wants to be there, and the bumbling Scottish hopeless romantic Grant (Jamie Mitchie) who all make up the office.

This show’s humor is dry and unrestricting, and the Narrator manages to contradict the characters at almost every moment. “The Border Patrol has been working very hard to make sure our borders are safe…” cut to a shot of Clive unnecessarily detaining his favorite actor from Game of Thrones, only to ask him about the show. With the first season coming in at just under three hours, this show is a tease (but in a good way) for those like me who miss the days when The Office still had seasons to go before completion.

For fans of: The Office, Parks and Recreation