Label writer, Hannah Bradfield, tells us about her top picks of Netflix’s new releases.
Netflix has stayed true to its streaming promises by releasing a multitude of content to its platform in this New Year. The following additions are taken from a variety of genres and are dotted all over Netflix’s screening spectrum.
The Stranger: You’ve most probably already heard of this psychologically thrilling drama that has taken to our screens recently. The premise of the show is that, no matter how well you think you know somebody, there will always be a dark web of secrets creating a façade of who they really are. What if there was somebody who knew all of these deep-rooted and sometimes forgotten secrets? A stranger, that could slip quietly in and out of somebody’s day, revealing a fact that would likely change their lives and perceptions of those closest to them. Well, that is exactly what The Stranger does, leaving a trail of mystery and ambiguity in her wake. The drama is adapted for the screen by its author Harlan Coben, following his previous master role in Netflix’s equally exhilarating thriller Safe. The Stranger is comprised of eight episodes and holds down the presence of a star-studded cast including the likes of Jennifer Saunders and Siobhan Finneran. If you want a series to binge where the ending is far from guessable, this one is the one for you.
Love is Blind: On a lighter note, Netflix has just introduced Love is Blind to its already extensive reality TV category. With a bizarre yet intriguing premise to the show, which releases new episodes weekly, it is an interesting and entertaining watch for every audience. A group of men and women are separated into two groups respective of their genders, they then stay in these groups segregated from the rest of society. There are two sets of ‘pods’ which are separated by a wall, meaning that the participant in this relationship experiment cannot see the person on the other side. The men and woman are sent on ‘dates’ where they sit alone in the pod, hearing only each other’s voices. Somehow, from this, after about 10 days of ‘dating’, the men decide whether they wish to propose to somebody on the other side of the pod. An official proposal = the first time the couple is allowed to see each other…The engaged couples are then sent on a romantic getaway and their relationships are put to the test in the build-up to their weddings; will there be any successful marriages at the end of the series? Episodes are released weekly to keep you guessing.
The Witcher: The American fantasy drama echoing Merlin, with Stranger Things vibes, and a hint of Game of Thrones. British actor Henry Cavill plays a mutated monster hunter who struggles to feel authentic human emotion, despite his strong moral code. The series explores an ambiguous setting, assumingly in a parallel universe but masked by a medieval England essence. Betrayals, love and passion, blurred lines of good and evil, and a comical bard front the plot of The Witcher. It’s one to watch when you can spare a certain amount of attention, however as the timeline of the story is pretty complex, with everything eventually coming together in Episode 4, which is already halfway through season one. The Witcher is based on the video game and book of the same name.
Killer inside: the mind of Aaron Hernandez: This very controversial documentary addresses the life and convictions of renowned American Football player Aaron Hernandez, whose career ended after he was convicted of killing Odin Lloyd in 2013. The three-parter follows Hernandez’s American Football career with the New England Patriots and the scandal that followed when he was connected to a string of violent crimes. It also examines his trial and provides access to exclusive interviews with those who were close to him including former teammates. The Netflix documentary then follows the aftermath of his death, days before trial. Shrouded in controversy, many audiences have decided that the way the documentary addressed things wasn’t appropriate, so give it a watch to decide for yourself.
Featured image by Sarah Hannaford.
