The long awards season is finally reaching its high point: the 2024 Oscars. The best actors, directors, screenwriters, and below-the-line talent will be honored on March 10. Netflix will be represented by several prestige films looking to bring home an Oscar, notably Maestro, Nyad, Rustin, and May December.
But not everyone is a fan of the Oscars, and that’s quite OK. If you are not interested in watching the ceremony, fire up Netflix and stream a TV show. Four of our five suggestions are from 2024, including two TV adaptions of popular movies and one hit reality show. However, there is also a terrific drama from 2018 featuring a popular actor from Game of Thrones.
The Gentlemen (2024)
So far, 2024 is the year of the television series inspired by movies. The first series on this list is The Gentlemen, a TV spinoff of Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen from 2020. After the sudden death of his father, British soldier Eddie Halstead (Theo James) returns home and unexpectedly inherits the family estate.
Though he initially wants to sell the property, Eddie discovers a cannabis farm beneath the estate, which ends any chance of a sale. Eddie’s father secretly ran a weed empire behind his back, and now, it’s time for Eddie to step up and run the family business. The Gentlemen was made to satisfy Ritchie’s diehard fans and it is the DJ that plays Ritchie’s greatest hits – witty dialogue, over-the-top characters, and violent set pieces.
Stream The Gentlemen on Netflix.
Love Is Blind (2020-)
Love Is Blind is the definition of a guilty pleasure. Is it ridiculous? At times, it absolutely is. Are most of the people egotistical fame seekers? Of course. Is the series the perfect form of mindless entertainment to watch after a long day? You bet. Once you start, it’s hard to look away.
The premise is simple: over two dozen singles try to find love by establishing an emotional connection first and foremost. Participants communicate while in pods and cannot see each other face-to-face until a marriage proposal. From there, couples live together on a trial basis. At the end of the experiment, the remaining engaged couples either get married or end their relationship. Like all reality shows, there is plenty of drama from both the men and women. And that’s what keeps fans coming back for more.
Stream Love Is Blind on Netflix.
Bodyguard (2018)
The world wants to know who will be the next James Bond. Scan any betting odds site, and you’ll find Richard Madden on the list of candidates. Watch Bodyguard, and you’ll quickly realize that this role was Madden’s unofficial audition tape for Bond. Madden stars as David Budd, a former war veteran-turned-police sergeant who’s assigned to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague, the controversial politician who has eyes on becoming the next Prime Minister. Budd disagrees with Montague’s beliefs, complicating his duties to protect her.
Game of Thrones proved Madden has the charm and charisma to play Bond, but Bodyguard demonstrated the actor’s range and showcased his ability to handle a darker, emotionally conflicted character. That’s the type of actor who should replace Daniel Craig as 007.
Stream Bodyguard on Netflix.
One Day (2024)
Joining The Gentlemen among the television series on this list that were inspired by movies is One Day, Netflix’s TV show inspired by the 2011 film adaptation and David Nicholls’ 2009 novel. The story begins on July 15, 1988. Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) meet for the first time on the night of their graduation from the University of Edinburgh. The two opposites spend the night the night talking about life after school and what their futures hold. They go their separate ways the following morning, but remain friends.
Each subsequent episode follows their lives on July 15 over the next two decades. One Day is an emotional roller coaster as the “will they/won’t they” romance between Emma and Dexter plays out. Warning: You may or may not have your heart ripped out by the end of One Day.
Stream One Day on Netflix.
American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders (2024)
Since the days of Making a Murderer, Netflix has been the premier streaming service for true crime. The documentary that will become your next obsession is American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. In 1991, journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in his hotel room, with his wrist slashed nearly a dozen times. Authorities ruled the death a suicide, but Casolaro’s family insisted Danny would never kill himself.
At the time of his death, Casolaro was investigating a conspiracy he called “the Octopus,” a secret organization tied to the Reagan administration that had a hand in spyware, drug running, and money laundering. The Octopus allegedly played a role in presidential elections and the Iran hostage crisis. In this four-part docuseries, photojournalist Christian Hansen analyzes Casolaro’s alleged suicide and further examines the Octopus. Like many true crime docs before it, The Octopus Murders is a series you must see to believe.
Stream American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders on Netflix.
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