To all the social pariahs who don’t own a Netflix account: It’s time to sell your soul to the streaming service. Netflix has announced over a dozen exclusive original series to roll out over the next two years, and if the smash-hits “Orange Is the New Black” and “House of Cards” are any indication, they are going to slaughter their cable competitors.
The company has already pocketed three Emmys, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award nomination—the first ever for original online content. Netflix has become a television force to be reckoned with, and its forthcoming line-up looks stronger than ever.
Via: dormstormer.com
“Sense8″
Netflix tasted blood with those Primetime Emmy Award wins, and they are not messing around come round two. They’ve tapped the sibling team of Lana and Andy Wachowski (“The Matrix” franchise, “V for Vendetta”, “Cloud Atlas”) to create a 10-episode sci-fi drama to premiere later this year, and early reports are putting it on the planetary scale of epic.
“Sense8” follows eight characters across the world—from a closeted Mexican actor, to an Icelandic party girl/”basic bitch” and a transgender American blogger—who miraculously become telepathically linked and must survive being hunted by an evil force named Mr. Whispers. There’s a 40 percent chance he’s a cat with an eye-patch.
Regardless, Lana’s own experience as a trans woman guarantees captivating writing, and the diverse cast is sure to draw an equally varied cult following. It has already been planned out into a five-season narrative that looks like it could easily rival “Lost” for the most complicated story in TV history.
*As a shameless side note, this show might be filming an assassination scene next month at the building I’m staying in while interning in San Francisco, so I’m especially excited to see someone’s head get blown off in my hallway*
“Narcos”
If “Breaking Bad” got you hooked on drug drama, then “Narcos” is going to be your next big fix. It chronicles the life and death of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. As a ruthless cartel crime boss, known terrorist, congressman, family man, and occasional Robin Hood figure, Escobar has plenty of nasty cocaine-raging stories to keep us watching. The 13-episode first season is slated for an early 2015 premiere.
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“The Crown”
Because women in power are so irresistibly enthralling, Queen Elizabeth II is finally getting the serial drama treatment she deserves. “The Crown” charts her reign from the day she succeeded her father George VI, at just 26 years old, to present day. As a combination of historical biopic, political thriller, and royal family melodrama, this series should draw in “Downtown Abbey” fans like ants to butter.
“Grace and Frankie”
The creator of “Friends” is penning a sitcom to star two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda and Emmy winner Lily Tomlin (who last appeared together as coworkers in the 1980 comedy, “9 to 5”). The powerhouse actresses will portray onetime nemeses, the titular Grace and Frankie, who are thrown together again when their respective husbands announce they are in love with each other and plan to marry. Netflix promises to hold nothing back, lining us up for a hilarious, foul-mouthed comedy that will be far from family-friendly. Amen to that.
For those still holding out on a subscription, prepare for a fate worse than death. These titles alone will be dominating your friends’ conversations for the coming years, and this isn’t even HALF of the coming content. Be sure to check out Part Two so you can weep even harder.
Via: mashable.com
“Marvel Lineup (the Defender’s Saga)”
In an unprecedented deal with Disney’s Marvel, Netflix will be premiering four separate 13-episode, live-action superhero series each centered on the gritty street crime in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.
“Daredevil”
The first series to drop sometime in 2015 will focus on Daredevil, the blind ninja-lawyer you may remember from Ben Affleck’s terrible 2003 film (pray for his upcoming portrayal of Batman). We can expect graphic urban assassins, thrilling organized crime drama—and if were lucky—an appearance from the sexy sai-wielding kunoichi, Elektra (who was the focus of a slightly less awful “Daredevil” spinoff starring Jennifer Garner).
“Jessica Jones”
If you’ve never heard the name, don’t fret. Jessica Jones is a relatively unheard of superheroine, mostly known for her work as a detective and reporter after giving up her life as a flying, super-strength-wielding vigilante. She has the potential to offer a smart, grounding look at the human side of the often over-the-top superhero genre.
Via: hitflix.com
“Luke Cage”
Jones’ more established husband, Luke Cage, will be getting his own series as well. Known as the Hero for Hire with unbreakable skin, Cage is a street fighting, kick-ass-and-take-names brawler that is sure to offer non-stop action and a ridiculous amount of gunfire. Imagine Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson on steroids with an Uzi and you’ll have a decent idea of what’s in store.
“Iron Fist”
Cage’s longtime partner and martial arts master rounds out the Hell’s Kitchen superhero lineup and promises something along the lines of “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” style combat and timeless Zen soul searching. If nothing else, there will be plenty of chi-infused punching.
“The Defenders”
The four live-action shows will culminate in a mini-series event that (I assume) brings the various characters together against some common threat. It’s unclear whether the shows will crossover prior to “The Defenders” series, though with the common setting and comic book history intertwining them, it’s probably a safe bet.
As a lifelong comic book nerd, this is definitely the project I’m most excited for. If Netflix can pull this off, we can all finally forget those terrible CW superhero adaptations, “Arrow” and “Flash”.
Via: thebestofnetflix.com
Featured photo courtesy of: youfail.com
