Some days, you tune into Netflix and find yourself overwhelmed with new shows to binge. It seems like every week a streaming service kicks out a new series that must be watched. Netflix alone makes up over half of the American viewing library as of 2023.
Despite this, there are certain shows which remain timeless — either for its plot, characters, setting, conflict or politics. Here are a few shows that should not be forgotten against the ever-growing wave of new shows on streaming services.
“I Am Not Okay With This” (2020)
“I Am Not Okay With This” is a television series which came out in February of 2020 as a Netflix original. Despite how fast trends can come and go, the show has made a significant impact and should be remembered because of its representation and connection it had with viewers.
The story consists of a teen-aged girl, Sydney Novak, who is dealing with her father’s suicide, her mommy issues, and the crush she has on her best friend. Sydney and the audience find out that whenever Sydney feels strong emotions, she is able to cause harm to the source of her anger solely with her mind. With her newfound power, she causes her crush’s boyfriend to get an atrocious nosebleed in a diner. Sydney struggles with her sexuality, processing the emotions her father’s unexpected suicide left her with, and her new powers.
I first came across the show in 2020 when I was browsing Netflix, but I only decided to watch it recently in 2023 because of the edits I saw on TikTok. When I first started watching it, I was immediately interested in the characters and their stories since the show quickly introduced them. Due to the show’s fast-paced nature, I did not become bored or uninterested like I usually do. Even though the show is fast-paced and the story moves quickly, the storyline is not rushed and the character’s interactions are realistic.
The show covers topics such as suicide, sexual orientation, and harassment. The show is unafraid to delve into such triggering topics and makes viewers understand the emotions the characters are going through.
“[The show] made me realize how many different emotions there are in the world,” said freshman Jada Joseph.
The impact the show has had on viewers—even years later—is significant and should be remembered.
“The End of the F***ing World” (2017)
“The End of the F***ing World” deserves to be remembered for its adventurous narrative and unique storytelling. The series captivates audiences with its dark humor, unexpected twists, and the love story between the protagonists, James and Alyssa. “The End of the F***ing World” is dark and violent, but it’s also entertaining and enjoyable to watch. The scenes are scripted in a way where the viewer is able to watch both character’s perspectives.
The show caught my interest after I started to watch the first episode. The series starts off with a boy, James, who believes he is a psychopath. He kills animals for his own enjoyment and wants to try something new: killing a human. However, he needs to find the perfect person to fit the role. Later in the episode, the audience is introduced to a rude teenage girl, Alyssa. She is looking for someone who is interesting because Alyssa believes everyone in the town is dull. When James and Alyssa meet, he realizes he has found the perfect victim. Together, they leave town and sneak into a random man’s house which James and Alyssa stay at until the owner comes home. Little did they know, the man has a big secret and James and Alyssa become wanted after James gets revenge.
I found this show when I was looking for a new series to watch on Netflix and scrolled upon it randomly. At first, I assumed the show would be dumb and silly but when I started watching it, I realized I was mistaken. The show has impacted me more emotionally than I originally thought. However, I believe the first season was more interesting and entertaining while the second season was more dramatic and emotional. I love how the voiceovers from the characters show the difference between a character’s reactions and actions in contrast to their actual feelings.
“I liked it because it had a unique plot and had a lot of action,” said freshman Belqis Karimi. “I kept watching because it was very interesting and they hook you very quickly. It didn’t necessarily inspire me but it was an amazing series. It influenced me to watch more TV shows like it.”
“The End of the F***ing World” was really interesting and the depth to the characters and their humor hooked me to the show. Even though the episodes are short, they contain a lot of information and action in a short period of time and keeps the watcher hooked to the story. Overall, I enjoyed the show and recommend watching it.
“Supernatural” (2005)
Even though the show is over 10 years old, viewers can see many people posting on social media about it. This is really a very entertaining show and there are many twists and turns you won’t expect. This show conveys many emotions the first time you watch it. The show can go from happy to sad in a minute, but that is what you get in tv shows.
“Supernatural” is a 2005 award winning tv show which aired until 2020, and starred Jensen Ackles ,who plays Dean Winchester, and Jared Padalecki, who plays Sam Winchester. They portrayed two brothers hunting the supernatural to help out the people of the world. In the beginning of the show, we see Dean breaking into Sam’s apartment that he shares with his girlfriend Jess. I feel that this show is one of the best shows of all time because of how much joy it brought me.
I started watching “Supernatural” because I had some free time and had seen it pop up on Netflix over a million times. When I began watching “Supernatural,” I was in a very bad mental state and needed an escape but I never knew how much joy that show was going to push into my life. Online, I have seen so many other people expressing how the show brought them happiness and joy; that was when I realized that this show had a huge impact on every person who watched it. There is a website that was made called SPN Survivors, a fan made to help with the fans that dealt with mental health issues.
“Supernatural” is watched by mostly young adults and teenagers, most adults who watch the show have been watching since the show came out. When people think of the supernatural they think of ghosts and demons but in “Supernatural” they include much more from hunting Werewolves, Vampires, Shapeshifters, and much more.
“I literally could not watch another show again unless it was a show like that,” said freshman Kennedi Simpson.
Even though “Supernatural” has been out for more than a decade people can still find the series very humorous. Its fandom has grown tremendously since 2005, millions of people watch the two brothers hunt the supernatural everyday. That is how you know that they have a huge support system with their fans. They help people, people help them, that’s how it is when actors do a series. From when “Supernatural” was first released to now you can tell a lot has changed since the time they were set in, it really shows us how different times are now.
