Netflix has become that friend who just won’t stop proposing outlandish new ideas. You definitely love a thing or two they come up with, but at a certain point, it’s simply way too much to process.
The company is spending $6 billion on original content in 2017. So the over 100 million people across the world who subscribe to the service have an inevitable paralysis of choice ― and not every show is going to be a hit. Honestly, most are kind of mediocre. But the service has a record of putting out at least a few gems every year, all of which will hopefully end up in the ever-changing list below.
For the weekend of Nov. 25, Streamline recommends “She’s Gotta Have it” in the top spot. Spike Lee directs every episode in this phenomenal new Netflix series, an update on his 1986 film. Critics are saying this is his best work in years.
Netflix is actually debuting two high-profile shows this week ― “She’s Gotta Have It” and “Godless.”
There’s an increasingly nagging feeling when making these Streamline recommendations every week that this is just too much content for any of these projects to truly stick. Did “Alias Grace” really get the attention it deserved, or did it get lost in the shuffle? Did the full potential audience for “Lady Dynamite” really get a chance to give it a shot? Before anyone can start digesting these stories and start debating their merits in the overall cultural canon, there’s 20 more hours of just new Netflix content to stream and consider.
The television artistic landscape seems to be heading toward a saturation point similar to today’s literature offerings. With so many books, the majority of readers tend to just pick up a few of the most popular, critically acclaimed works. Perhaps audiences will adapt to just tune in for only the two or three biggest and brightest projects every year.
If that’s the case, Amazon’s recent — extremely expensive — acquisition of the rights to “The Lord of the Rings” seems like a good move compared to Netflix’s constant bombardment of new shows. If you only have time for the A-level shows, all these B+ shows are going to get lost.
Other big news for Netflix was the additional sexual harassment accusations against Kevin Spacey, former star of Netflix’s crown jewel, “House of Cards.” The show might continue without him, but its future is still unclear. That also goes for its ongoing relationship with other accused stars such as Danny Masterson of “The Ranch” and Louis C.K. The company ended a deal with the latter, but much of his work is still on the site.
“Master of None” finally fell off the Streamline list this week, only because it has now been out for a while, and so many new shows have come to fill spots. But as this is still Thanksgiving weekend, it’s a good time to revisit the Emmy-winning episode “Thanksgiving.”
Below, the show recommendations Streamline includes a suggested documentary as well as a list of other shows and movies joining the service this week.
Note: This list only includes shows that debuted their most recent episode less than a year ago. Much like the main list, it prioritizes newness.
The Documentary Recommendation For The Week:
“Saving Capitalism”
Release: Nov. 21, 2017
This film’s focus on income inequality from former labor secretary Robert Reich certainly has the potential to become one of those generation-defining works to which students and young professionals alike are drawn. In a moment when a tax reform measure that might increase economic disparity is on the line, this is an important watch. To solve this problem, having a great understanding of the factors that led us here — and the potential solutions — will be necessary.
And here are the shows and movies arriving on Netflix next week:
Nov. 27
- “Broadchurch” (Season 3)
- “Darkness Rising”
- “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic” (Season 7, Part 2)
Nov. 28
- “Glitch” (Season 2, Netflix Original)
- “Good Morning Call” (Season 2, Netflix Original)
- “The Queen Of Spain”
Nov. 29
- “Guerra De Idolos” (Season 1)
Nov. 30
- “The Details”
- “Winning”