Punitha Kumar looks at the TV shows, documentaries and films available to Malaysian residents, now that the Netflix platform is online here.

It’s Friday night and you’re home. “Go out and have a pint to welcome the weekend”, they all say. “I’d much rather sit on my couch, grab a cold beer from the fridge and binge-watch Marvel’s ‘Daredevil’ on Netflix”, you say!

So, slip into something comfortable, have that stash of food and drinks by your side and get ready to truly ‘Netflix and chill’ (the literal version).

15. Master of None

Known for the political comedy TV series ‘Parks and Recreation’, stand-up comedian Aziz Ansari has co-created this comedy series with Alan Yang, who was also part of the Parks and Rec team. The series follows Aziz as the titular character Dev Shah on his trials and tribulations as a 30-year-old actor in New York.

Although Netflix hasn’t officially announced Season 2, Aziz recently told reporters that he wants to make sure that “whatever we do for season two lives up to what we made in the first season.” Why should you watch it? Have you seen Aziz in any of his comedy specials? ‘Nuff said.

Stephen Avery thought life was going to turn for the better when he was exonerated from prison after serving 18 years for a wrongful sexual assault conviction. But, the disappearance of photographer Teresa Halbach on Halloween in 2005 after shortly meeting him, and the discovery of her car and charred body fragments slightly over a week later at Stephen’s salvage yard, landed him a life imprisonment without parole in 2007 for the 25-year-old’s murder. However, early this year, Stephen filed yet another appeal over the verdict.

Follow his case, a conflict of interests between jurors who sit on the murder trial and new evidences as they unfold in this 10-part documentary. Season 2 has been confirmed after the directors’ stated that new allegations are surfacing and that weight might be added in uncovering Halbach’s murderer.

13. Shutter Island

We all know the jokes thrown at Leonardo Dicaprio for sulking about as he has yet to win an Oscar award, but the man deserves a pat on the back for this mystery thriller flick. The movie almost sounds like Leo’s ‘The Beach’. Almost. This one messes with your mind. Martin Scorsese gives you a psychological power trip with an equally trippin’ cast including Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo and Emily Mortimer, as the story investigates how a murderess escaped a mental institution located on an island.

12. Forensic Files

These 20-minute true-crime mini documentaries give viewers a glimpse into how detectives and lab technicians solve crimes using the latest gadgets in the technology world. Basically, it’s ‘CSI’ (Crime Scene Investigation) minus Gil Grissom or swanky Horatio Caine, if that floats your boat.

11. Grace and Frankie

He’s leaving you, but that’s not the worst. He’s leaving you for another man, and that man is your enemy’s husband. Now, you will have to live with your enemy since both husbands are in love with each other. Sounds like a happily-ever-after ending. Not. With Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as the two main casts, give this comedy series a go if you speak sarcasm fluently.

10. Casablanca

This is an all-time classic favourite so, if you have yet to hear about it, I suggest you step out of our house more often. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s tale of love and romance are pretty much on every top movie list or survey of classics that are recommended to watch. This movie will show you that romance isn’t all about swiping on an app or texting someone at an ungodly hour.

9. Gangsters: Faces of the Underworld

The Krays, the Richardsons, Paul Ferris, Frankie Fraser, Arthur Thompson and Vic Dark. Do these names ring a bell? If they don’t, they’re household names predominantly in the UK for the wrong reasons. Catch this documentary that provides an insight into the lives of these villains and how they terrorised the streets of Britain for half a century.

8. Narcos

“There’s no business like blow business.” As the tagline suggests, Netflix brings a new series for all you ‘Breaking Bad’ lovers. This one takes a look into the criminal escapades of Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar. Having premiered in August last year, Season 1 has ended but Season 2 will be hitting your screens soon. So, start binging on all 10 episodes while you still can.

7. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Photo credit: awesomestories.com

It’s a uniform for the Jews during the Nazi regime, but to an 8-year-old boy, it looks like striped pajamas. Bruno, played by Asa Butterfield, forms an unlikely friendship with a boy of his age, held within a concentration camp during World War II. As the friendship grows through the barbed wire fence, Bruno and many others learn the camps may not seem to be what it proclaims.

6. Ken Burns: The War

The War is a seven-part documentary about World War II, told via American lens. A must-watch for military fans, the documentary focuses on four towns namely Alabama, California, Minnesota and Connecticut and how the war affected the lives of people from these places.

5. Peaky Blinders

Having received stellar ratings which include an 8.8 on IMDB and 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Cillian Murphy heads the mob in this post-World War 1 crime drama based in Birmingham, England. If Season 2 sees the mob expanding to London, while Season 3, which comes to Netflix in April, will see the clan expanding and going international, I reckon this drama is here to stay for at least a little while longer.

4. The Batman Saga

Photo credit: geek.com

We all know there are plenty of trilogies to choose from on Netflix, but in view of the upcoming ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’ film, what better way to anticipate and keep those memories alive than to go down the road reminiscing on all the times the caped crusader was on the big screens?

Kick it off with Tim Burton’s version of ‘Batman’ and ‘Batman Returns’ which stars Michael Keaton followed by Joel Schumacher’s ‘Batman Forever’. I’ll give a pass on George Clooney’s ‘Batman and Robin’ but we all know Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is a must watch.

3. Chef’s Table

This one is for all the foodies who concentrate on the meals that are being made, rather than on what TV show host Padma Lakshmi wears while hosting food and restaurant competitions or makeovers. Season 1 currently has six episodes, each focusing on one world-renowned chef and his or her style of cooking.

2. Beasts of No Nation

Idris Elba stars in this Netflix original movie which was adapted from a book published by Uzodinma Iweala in 2005. In turn, it was adapted from a Nigerian music album and has Abraham Attah in the titular character as Agu, a young boy who is forced to become a soldier and fight a war in his country. As one IMDB reviewer puts it: “It is quite the untold story about such a huge political and inhumane problem within Africa today.”

1. Marvels’ Jessica Jones

Krsyten Ritter has been making waves on the small screen since her days as Chloe from ‘Don’t Trust The B**** in Apartment 23’ and quite recently as Jane Margolis in ‘Breaking Bad’. But, in yet another Marvel TV series, Krysten sails through as anti-heroine Jessica Jones in her trademark unapologetic attitude and solves cases after setting up her own detective agency, post-superhero life.

SEE ALSO

Netflix in Malaysia: cost, content and censorship – is it worth it?