agoodmovietowatch's Top Good Shows

A Netflix documentary mini-series that follows the relocation of a cult from India to a small town in Oregon and the ensuing events. It's a completely true story, but the events it portrays are so bizarre and unexpected that they have to be seen to be believed. The cult, led by a controversial Indian guru, drew worldwide attention to its beginnings in India and then to its conflict with the locals once it relocated to the United States. If you were a contemporary, you must know that the town is Antelope and the guru is Bhagwan or Osho, but if you were not, it is very unlikely you've even heard of it. What was a very significant moment in American media and history has been long forgotten, and is retold here in a captivating way. An extremely well-executed and a powerful account of a very unlikely story.

Atlanta is the work of mastermind Donald Glover, who you may know as Troy from Community, two-time Grammy Nominated rapper Childish Gambino, or again from his successful stand-up career. He goes all out here, in what feels like a complete use of his entire multi-talent arsenal (he directs, writes and stars as the lead), as well as a vehicle for what he has to say about the city where he grew up. Earn (Glover) is a Princeton University dropout who has a baby with his ex-girlfriend and who is so broke he is de-facto homeless. When he learns that his cousin has been somewhat successful as a rapper called Paper Boi, he tries to reconnect with him to become his manager. The story of the smart but failed college dropout intertwines with the musician hustle, to give many hilarious moments and characters (look out for Darius, played by LaKeith Stanfield), but mostly a very genuine and relevant work. A fun, sharp and unique show.

Yes, it is adapted from the book. Now let’s get on to more critical information I can give you as someone who has already watched it: clear up the next 7 hours. I started it at midnight, finished it at 7am. This binge-worthy historical drama tells the story of how the illegitimate son of the richest man in Russia (played by Paul Dano) finds himself in the center of his country’s downfall as it faces another Napoleon invasion. Romance intertwines with war, tragedy and greed. Tolstoy himself (author of the book this series is based on) recognized that the tangled story is not novel-like, “even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle". Directed by Tom Harper (Peaky Blinders), it has an almost obsessive attention to detail that captures the glamor, deceit, and insanity of its time. More importantly, it stays true to the philosophical nature of the written material, and by extension becomes an illustrative work on the human condition in general.

A British comedy series that was originally called Scrotal Recall before it was bought by Netflix and rebranded. It’s about Dylan and his friends, he is a desperate romantic in his 20s who suddenly discovers he has chlamydia, and therefore must contact all his (numerous) past sexual adventures and relationships. Every episode has the name of one of the girls he has to contact, and the story that goes with it. Dylan’s best friends are Luke, a hilarious seemingly confident but actually insecure, shallow business-school-type; and Eve, Dylan’s best friend who may have undisclosed feelings for him, she is a sarcastic, smart girl who is very well portrayed by Misfits star Antonia Thomas. Lovesick is a charming little series, that portrays failed relationships but ends up being beautifully romantic. Something you can easily find yourself watching many episodes in one take.

Here is a TV show where the performances are so good that it's hard to give any credit to the story. Patricia Arquette as a prison employee, and Benicio Del Toro and Paul Dano as inmates are an unbelievable trio. They all shine in their own right in this true story of escape from a prison in Upstate New York. Arquette is almost unrecognizable in the role of a frustrated middle-aged woman who gets romantically involved with the inmates. Dano plays the young one, a smart but easily excited guy. Del Toro plays an experienced, shrewd, and boss-type prisoner. Together they take an already exceptional story and create one of the most realistic mysteries in recent memory. Because of this, the pacing might be slow for some - but remember, it's not like the cast is difficult to follow.

A gangster epic with an incredible performance from Forest Whitaker. He plays Bumpy Johnson, the famous Harlem gangster, who gets released after serving a long sentence. Trying to get hold of the crime scene he once ruled, he runs into none other than Malcolm X; making this show both a gangster and historical saga. It's the prequel to the Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott movie American Gangster.

One of the best TV dramas in recent memory, Succession is about a mega-corporation (based loosely on Disney) and the family behind it. It starts with the eldest son trying to prove himself worthy of the CEO position that his father promised him over his siblings. But what does that mean in the world of the 0.01%? A lot of family dysfunction. Watching Succession feels like a vice: it's a guilty sneak-peak into the world of the mega-rich where you're constantly rooting for something or someone you never thought you'd root for. All the characters are amazing but watch out for Cousin Greg!

Lenny Abrahamson (Frank) builds on an amazing soundtrack and fantastic source material to craft the incredibly atmospheric, high-stakes drama about low-stakes relationships, that is Normal People. Every detail of every scene feels studied, everything that is not necessary is removed. The dialogue is sharp and funny. The acting, from the two main characters to the last extra, is perfect.There is no way that the plot description will do Normal People any justice, and it would be revealing too much any way. It's best to go into this not knowing much. One thing is certain, if you liked modern dramas that are about how and what is said as much as they are about what happens, you'll love Normal People.