Netflix might be full of long, saga-length series like Stranger Things that you can really make a meal out of. But sometimes you just want the satisfaction of and closure of getting through an entire season or series in one go.
Luckily, Netflix also has a lot of shows like that, as well, and I’ve got some new and old ones for you below. First up is Dan Levy’s latest, a crime comedy that premiered this month. There’s also Natasha Lyonne’s timeloop series and Mae Martin’s brilliant dramatic comedy to check out, too. Dig in!
3
Big Mistakes
Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy is back with a hilarious crime comedy
Dan Levy was brilliant as spoiled and snarky David Rose in the Emmy monster Shitt’sCreek, which he created with his dad, Eugene. It’s been six years since that show ended, but thankfully, Levy is back with a new Netflix series that’s gone right to the Netflix Top 10. Co-created by Levy and I Love LA’s brilliant Rachel Sennot, Big Mistakes stars Levy as Nicky Darando, an openly gay pastor in New Jersey who’s hiding his relationship with Tareq (Jacob Guiterrez). When Nicky’s impulsive and erratic school-teacher sister, Morgan (Taylor Ortega, Welcome to Flatch), shoplifts a necklace from a shop run by Yusuf (Boran Kuzman), the schitt (sorry) really hits the fan.
- Operating System
-
Fire OS
- Resolution
-
4K
For just a little more money than the Fire Stick TV Lite, you can get the Fire Stick TV 4K, which offers a Dolby Vision upgrade and TV controls on the Alexa remote. With 4K streaming, it’s much more futureproof.
As it turns out, Yusuf is in with the Russian mob, and that particular necklace turns out to be precious to a group of gangsters and their leader, Ivan (Mark Ivanir). Soon, Nicky and Morgan find themselves blackmailed into working for Ivan’s criminal syndicate, for which they are woefully unsuited. As a big fan of Roseanne from back in the day, it’s brilliant to see Laurie Metcalf steal scenes in Big Mistakes as Nicky and Morgan’s overbearing mother, Linda.
Critics have so far loved the show—it debuted on the Netflix Top 10 and currently has an 88% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its eight episodes are each roughly 30 minutes, making Big Mistakes a great weekend binge.
2
Russian Doll
Natasha Lyonne parties, dies, and repeats in New York City
Ever since seeing Bill Murray’s classically funny Groundhog Day, I’ve been a huge fan of time loop movies and shows—where characters are stuck living the same day over and over again. While films like Edge of Tomorrow bring action and aliens into it, and series like Netflix’s Dark trip back and forth in time, Russian Doll drops its cynical, partying protagonist in New York City.
Created by Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Amy Poehler (SNL, Parks and Recreation), and Leslye Headland (The Acolyte), Russian Doll follows gravelly-voiced New Yorker Nadia Vulvokov, who goes to her 36th birthday party, organized by her best friend Maxine (Greta Lee), after which, she’s hit by a cab on the street and dies. But something’s pulling Nadia back to life, and she resets in the bathroom at the party only to keep dying and coming back over and over again.
The fun of the time-loop genre is in the character’s journey in breaking the loop. And when you add Lyonne’s smart-mouthed wisecracks and sarcasm to the show’s excellent supporting cast that also includes Chloe Sevigny and Charlie Barnett as Alan, who is also trapped in the loop, you have a winning combo. However, although Russian Doll has had two critically acclaimed and very bingable seasons, the show has yet to be renewed for a third and remains in limbo.
1
Feel Good
Mae Martin’s honest and intense romantic dramedy
My introduction to non-binary Canadian comedian Mae Martin was through their excellent limited series thriller Wayward. But the prolific writer, actor, and producer has been killing it for years, and their 2020-2021 romantic dramedy Feel Good is yet another example. Hilariously sharp and earnestly vulnerable, Feel Good is the semi-biographical story of Mae (they write and star), a London standup and recovering addict struggling with sobriety.
In season one, before coming out as non-binary, Mae’s got a regular gig at The Gag Bin, where she meets George (Charlotte Ritchie), a sheltered Oxford woman who has only dated men. The two launch into an intense and passionate romance, and soon they’re living together. Much of that establishing happens in the first episode, but the real guts of Feel Good happen afterwards, as George’s reluctance to come out and introduce Mae to her parents destabilizes Mae’s addictive tendencies. But still, Feel Good manages to remain funny amidst the chaos, and the addition of Lisa Kudrow (Friends) as Mae’s despicable mother, Linda, adds the perfect tension to the show.
Critics heaped praise upon Feel Good (it has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes) for its stellar performances and honest exploration of modern relationships, gender identity, and addiction and recovery. Its twelve, 24-minute episodes are easily bingable, making it a doable weekend watch.
We want you to get the most out of your Netflix subscription, whether that means serving you up ideas for movies and documentaries you can get lost in, or quicker shows that you can binge and be done with in a couple of days. We’ve got you covered.
- Subscription with ads
-
Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
-
Two or four
Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
