5 Netflix Shows to watch this month

Bored from having binge-watched Brooklyn Nine Nine for the 378th time? Worry not, for here is a list of the top 5 TV shows you can watch this month to battle your idle demons.

1. The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon. Source: MamasGeeky

The Queen’s Gambit starring Anya Taylor-Joy is a mini-series about a 9-year-old orphan girl named Beth Harmon who grows up to be a prodigy in chess, a male dominated sport, in the mid-1950s. The show follows Beth, who is not only emotionally inept but also struggles to acclimatise herself in the world of chess whilst battling her severe addiction to alcohol and drugs. Though the series is fictional, it tackles some very real issues like addiction and other problems related to mental health. The show is bound to keep its viewers hooked as Beth teaches misogynist men that women too can do anything they wish.

2. The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016)

Based on the true story of the famous O J Simpson and Jeffrey Toobin's book, The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson (1997), a star in the American Football League, the series takes viewers through 10 tension-packed episodes detailing one of America’s most famous trials in history. When O J Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson (Kelley Dowdle) and her lover Ron Goldman (Jake Koeppl), America’s “Dream Team” of lawyers is hired by the defendant to prove his supposed innocence. Starring as the opposing counsel is Sterling K Brown as Christopher Darden and Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark. With David Schwimmer, Bruce Greenwood and John Travolta, as part of a diverse cast, the series bagged 12 awards including a Golden Globe which proves its right to be binge-watched in a single day.

3. Medici (2016-2019)

A historical drama created by Frank Spotnitz and Nicholas Meyer, Medici gives a detailed account of the rise and fall of the Medici family in 15th century Italy. With fantastic background scores composed by Paolo Buonvino and Ian Arber, paired with stunning locations and sets, this 3-season show depicts the moral struggle between greed, hatred and vengeance. Season 1 portrays the life of Cosimo de’ Medici and his establishment of the Medici family as a formidable mercantile bank in Florence followed by season 2 and 3 which outline the reign of Lorenzo de’ Medici, including his rise and fall, eventually leading to the end of the Medici rule. Starring Daniel Sharman as Lorenzo de’ Medici (Season 2-3), Richard Madden as Cosimo de’ Medici (Season 1) and Sarah Parish as Lucrezia Tornabuoni, the series is guaranteed to make you shed tears and question your own moral compass.

4. Anne with an E (2017-2019)

Based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 children’s book, Anne of Green Gables, Anne with an E is a Canadian television show about the adventurous and somewhat misfortunate life of Anne Shirley, a wild and energetic orphan child. Set in the early 19th century, the show is a coming-of-age story which incorporates themes like friendship, loyalty and family. It could also be considered feminist which makes it that much more exciting to watch. Starring Geraldine James as Marilla Cuthbert, R H Thompson as Matthew Cuthbert, Annabeth McNulty as Anne Shirley-Cuthbert and Lucas Zimmerman as Gilbert Blythe, the series can melt the most stone-like heart and does complete justice to the book by Montgomery.

5. The Crown (2016-present)

Written and created by Peter Morgan, The Crown is a historical drama portraying the life of Queen Elizabeth II, from her wedding to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to her rule in the early 21st century. Played by Claire Foy in Seasons 1 to 2 and Olivia Colman in the later Seasons, Queen Elizabeth’s life as a female monarch is captured quite accurately by the showrunners and the cast. Season 1 covers the events up to Winston Churchill’s resignation from his post of Prime Ministership, while Season 2 addresses the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956, ending with the birth of Prince Edward in 1964 and Season 3 begins with Harold Wilson’s election as Prime Minister and ends with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Starring Matt Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Eileen Atkins and other famous actors, the show depicts the hardships and successes faced by the young Princess Elizabeth in her royal journey as a well-established Queen of Great Britain.