agoodmovietowatch's Top Good Shows

This may well be Netflix’s first successful attempt at a traditional weekly television show, a brief and well-made set of videos on topics ranging from the wealth gap to monogamy to cryptocurrency.The idea is decidedly not unique. The only thing YouTube might have more of than make-up advice videos are explanatory monologues by self-declared Illuminati.But the production value, the research, and the dedication that went into Explained set it apart. Expect sharp and factual 15-minute takes on contemporary topics that deeply benefit from Vox’s experience in making easily digestible informative content.At best you will end up more knowledgeable on topics. But expect your special uncle to yell at the “fake news-media liberal snowflakes” on television. 

Olivia Colman stars in this crazy comedy about an unusual family of intellectuals living in the English countryside.Colman plays Deborah Flowers, the mother of the family and a music teacher. She’s struggling in her marriage to her miserable and unfaithful husband Maurice (played so well by Julian Barratt). Together they live with a Japanese butler who barely speaks English and their adult twin children who are always on the verge of killing each other.Broken families have always been a premise for jokes on TV, but if you think about it or if you watch Flowers, you’ll be reminded that broken families are also a serious and dreadful affair.

An amazing binge-worthy show that is a mix between a coming-of-age story, a romance, and a crime thriller. It tells the story of James, a 17-year-old who believes he is a psychopath (for some very convincing reasons). James decides he wants the victim of his first murder to be a new schoolmate, Alyssa.  He befriends her and keeps waiting for the perfect moment to kill Alyssa until he finds himself on a journey with her to escape her home. Somewhere near the middle of the show, and without you fully realizing it, it transforms from an original coming-of-age story or odd-boy-meets-odd-girl story to an intriguing view on adolescent insecurities and the role of parents into shaping them. It transforms from a mysterious, almost charming story to an interesting character study.  This is when the show will blow your mind.  It's a fresh, smart, funny yet disturbing emotional thrill ride. 

Mobeen, Nate, and Eight are three friends from Birmingham. Mobeen, the head of the group, takes care of his sister in the absence of his parents and tries to be a good Muslim and citizen while escaping his past as a drug dealer. In the first episode, a transaction to buy a laptop results in three SWAT teams being called on Mobeen and his friends.A lot of Man like Mobeen is silly, laugh-out-loud comedy. But as its creator wanted, it also gets serious very quickly. Themes of teenage knife crime (in the second season), the rise of right-wing sentiment, and a problematic relationship with the police are constantly being brought up without ever feeling forced.

The Boys is the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Pineapple Express) take on the superhero genre. As creators of the show, they add their signature humor to a solid comic book story of the same name. The show takes place in a world where superheroes, or Supes, start abusing their powers for commercial gain. Their organization, Vought, is profit-driven and run with a mindset of increasing Instagram likes and selling Supe paraphernalia. This comes at an expense, as Supes start abusing their powers and focus more on their image than their duties. When their abuse results in a violent incident involving the show’s main character, he joins an anti-Supe unit called The Boys. The Boys are lead by Butcher (pictured above), by far the best and funniest character in the show; and includes Frenchie, a hilarious and romantic French bomb expert. Expect excellent character development and a witty script.

Rilakkuma and Kaoru is that perfect mix of cute and profound that you’d expect from a Japanese show about a woman living with teddy-bear roommates. The first episode is about cherry blossoms, but really, it’s about loneliness. Actually, the best term I can find to describe this show, and I’m not joking, is “slice-of-life.” The stories are endearing and intimate. You won’t be able to help but relate to the main character as she deals with being single while her friends are in relationships, her apartment building being demolished and she can’t find another affordable place to move into, her stressful job, etc. I have never seen a show combine this many absurd elements (the woman lives with three goddamn teddy bears), with so much realism. And all of this is done in an easy, quiet tone.