Thanks to quarantine and stay-at-home orders, it honestly feels like I've seen all the best Netflix has to offer. I watched all of Tiger King — yes, including the reunion — witnessed the teens in Outer Banks get into a world of trouble, and saw a dysfunctional family of superheroes save the world in The Umbrella Academy's Season 2, and I know I'm not alone. So... what now?
Well, luckily, it's virtually impossible to actually watch everything on Netflix — it's infinite, like the universe. And, when you add in all other streaming services, you've got at least a couple galaxies worth of content to dig your way through. With that in mind, here's what to stream if you've already watched Netflix's biggest hits of 2020.
If you loved Tiger King... watch Alabama Snake on HBO Max
It's hard to believe there was a time that we thought Tiger King would be our only pandemic TV obsession. We were so innocent then. The chaotic docuseries will forever be remembered as the first collective pop culture flashpoint of the global pandemic, but for fans ready to move on from Joe Exotic, they should turn to Alabama Snake on HBO Max. The documentary tells the story of Glenn Summerford, a preacher who, in 1991, allegedly attempted to kill his wife, Darlene Summerford, by rattlesnake bite. Like Tiger King, Alabama Snake is full of unique characters, and ends up somewhere you'd really never expect.
If you loved Umbrella Academy... watch Lovecraft Country on HBO Max
Umbrella Academy and Lovecraft Country might not have much in common upon first glance. One is a superhero show about a group of time traveling siblings hoping to stop the apocalypse in the 1960s, the other is a kind of dark fantasy exploring generational trauma in Black families in the 1950s. Period setting aside, the two shows have very different tones. And for Umbrella Academy fans who are particularly enchanted by it's dark comedy, Lovecraft Country might not be the best follow-up. But, if what you like about Umbrella Academy is the mix of the supernatural with family drama, then Lovecraft Country is definitely worth a look.
If you loved Emily in Paris on Netflix... watch Call My Agent on Netflix
What can I possibly say about Emily in Paris that hasn't already been said? Nothing, except that if you really want to get a look at what life in Paris is like, then you should check out Call My Agent, a French sitcom available on Netflix. The show follows a group of working actors and their agents living in Paris, and, while still fiction, definitely shows a different side to the city than the overly romanticized Emily in Paris.
If you loved Too Hot To Handle... watch 12 Dates of Christmas on HBO Max
What's better than watching a group of hotties trying not to hook up during a summer getaway? Watching a bunch of hotties try to find love in ugly Christmas sweaters! If Too Hot To Handle was your spring jam, then 12 Dates of Christmas, the HBO Max original dating show about singles looking to bring home a special someone for the holidays, is a great way to end the year right.
If you loved Never Have I Ever... watch Saved By The Bell on Peacock
Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever (NHIE) was the best coming-of-age TV show of 2020. But Peacock's Saved By The Bell reboot is a close second. Though NHIE has a more intense emotional focus than Saved By The Bell, both give a fresh perspective into high school from marginalized voices — an Indian American daughter of immigrants in Devi for NHIE, and working class students of color trying to find their way in a school full of privilege in Saved By The Bell. Plus, both shows are actually funny as hell.
If you loved The Haunting of Bly Manor... watch The Flight Attendant on HBO Max
The Haunting of Bly Manor isn't terrifying because of the ghosts, but because of the manipulative relationships at play, specifically that between Peter and Miss Jessel. Well, that and the ghosts. It's tough to think of a show that's quite like Bly Manor (that isn't The Haunting of Hill House), but fans of Season 2 of Netflix's anthology horror show should check out HBO Max's The Flight Attendant. Though it doesn't involve as many ghosts, the HBO drama similarly examines twisted relationships and the lasting effects of past trauma. It's also entertaining as hell.
If you loved Outer Banks... watch Teenage Bounty Hunters on Netflix
Outer Banks might be the teenage drama sensation of the year, but Teenage Bounty Hunters, another Netflix offering, also deserves some love. The show, which sadly failed to connect with audiences on the streamer, followed twins who accidentally become bounty hunters, giving it a bit of Outer Banks-like danger. There's also a central mystery, though Teenage Bounty Hunters is also a bit more of a traditional teen show than Outer Banks. Bottom line: if you loved Outer Banks, but wished it might have been a bit more tongue-and-cheek, Teenage Bounty Hunters is a great show to catch up on.
If you loved The Baby-Sitters Club... watch Julie and the Phantoms on Netflix
Let's be real: Netflix's adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club is a perfect show. From the cast of newcomers to the tackling of seriously relatable life milestones (hello first period!), the show perfectly balanced the expectations and hopes of fans of the original books with entertainment actually meant for current tweens. Netflix's more recent YA offering, Julie and the Phantoms, also walks that line, creating a show that works both for adult and tween audiences. Plus, it's a musical. Trust me, it's lovely.
If you loved Unsolved Mysteries... watch Murder on Middle Beach on HBO Max
Unsolved Mysteries has made us all amateur detectives, tracking down clues and running down theories on reddit. It truly makes you wonder what you would do if there was an unsolved crime in your life. Enter Murder on Middle Beach, a docuseries from Madison Hamburg that follows his own investigation into his mother's murder. The four-episode miniseries offers a more personal look into the true crime genre, and should make fans who wished each episode of Unsolved Mysteries was longer happy.
If you loved Hollywood... get ready for WandaVision on Disney+
This might sound weird, but hear me out. If you loved Ryan Murphy's take on Hollywood glamour in Hollywood, then you might want to check out WandaVision once it hits Disney+ in early 2021. Yes, WandaVision is first and foremost a superhero show, but the trailer teases that a big part of the show will be various homages to old sitcoms. If you're a TV buff and lover of old Hollywood, you'll want to at least give it a shot.
If you loved The Queen's Gambit... get ready for Dickinson Season 2 On Apple TV+
This one might also sound strange, but The Queen's Gambit, Netflix's drama about a complicated chess champion, and Dickinson, Apple TV+'s dramedy about Emily Dickinson, are more similar than they appear. Both shows are heavily stylized, giving viewers a close look at these complex women and their thought processes. And both are unlike any other show on television. If you enjoyed The Queen Gambit's risky narrative choices and flawed heroine, you might just fall in love with Dickinson.
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