Meredith Lepore
The dead of winter used to come with the curse of boredom — you know, the dark times before Netflix. And if you love science fiction, does Netflix ever have your back! In addition to a number of original series including recent breakout hit The OA and Stranger Things (which recently took home the SAG award for best ensemble in a drama series), the streaming platform has a ton of other great options. Some you have heard of, some will probably be totally new, but all will please your inner sci fi geek.
The OA (Netflix Original)
This show came a little bit out of nowhere but it quickly becoming one of those must-binge, everyone-is-talking-about-it shows. This thriller starring and also created by Brit Marling blends “science-fiction, fantasy, crime drama, neo-spiritualism, radical sincerity, apocalypse imagery,” according to Decider, and people cannot turn away.
Stranger Things (Netflix Original)
No explanation really needed here as this was the must-watch show of the summer. Who doesn’t love ’80s nostalgia, young boys coming of age, a great comeback (by Winona Ryder of all people). Plenty of secrets and scares to be had here — no wonder it was on so many critics’ top 10 lists for best show of the year. If you haven’t checked it out yet, turn out the lights and do yourself a favor.
Travelers (Netflix Original)
Just another time travel show? Not so much. Starring Eric McCormack, it centers on a team of special operatives (known as travelers), sent back in time from the future to try to prevent the collapse of society. I’m hooked already.
Black Mirror (Netflix Original)
Technology is ruining us all, isn’t it? That is the focus of this important show. The originally British series became part of the Netflix family when they commissioned a third season of 12 episodes that went up late last year. In the same tradition as The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, each episode has a different cast, a different setting and sometimes a different reality altogether — all united by persistent questioning of technology’s role in society. When it went on Netflix, a whole new audience got drawn into this addictive and thought provoking series.
