At 4 am, there’s nothing more tempting than tapping the ‘Keep Watching’ button on the current show you’re binge-watching.
With a host of streaming platforms, each with several shows to keep you hooked, CE finds out the shows Chennai is currently obsessed with.
Drishya Narayanan, writer
My recent obsession has been the mini-series Good Omens on Amazon Prime. It’s based on authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s book of the same title.
With a spin on topics like the Armageddon and the Antichrist, this is how a fantasy series should be made.
Good Omens is adorned with nostalgic music by Queen and the chemistry between the two leads isn’t oh-so-subtle.
It has moral and feminist undertones and questions the divide between good and evil. The only problem is that it’s too short.
Deepa Shankar, student
I love watching situational comedies. After a long day, there’s nothing more relaxing than being transported to a different country and different time where I needn’t take life very seriously, and simply laugh.
One of my recent favourites is The Big Bang Theory. It’s a perfect mix of wit, silliness, the ups and downs of friendships and really cute characters.
The humour, although predictable at times, still manages to crack me up. An episode of TBBT is the perfect end to a day.
Ashraya Kannan, student
I am currently binge watching two shows — You, and Dynasty.
It is about a charming bookstore manager who is obsessed with a writer and goes to extreme measures to make himself a part of her life.
So many things happen in the first three episodes alone that you come out of it feeling like you ’ve just watched a billion hours of television.
Dynasty is a story revolving around a royal dynasty. I purely watch it for fun and drama.
Vandana Vellekkat, consultant
My favourites are The Good Wife, House of Cards and Designated Survivor.
Soap operas and other TV series, local or international, do influence us and our thinking subconsciously. It’s just another addiction.
Most of these series are mysteries, thrillers, action, political drama because that’s what we look forward to, and that sells the most among people. It influences our perception.
It gets you hooked on. Netflix is a nice thing to do when you have no agenda in mind. It’s a good way to kill a lazy weekend.
Vivek Venkatraman, sales executive
When your commute to work is a road trip in itself, Netflix and Amazon Prime are a boon.
I am currently binge watching Mr. Iglesias, which is about a funny and good-natured History teacher working in a public school and helping a bunch of gifted misfits to unlock their true potential.
The show stars Gabriel Iglesias, the renowned standup comedian, in a 10-episode comedic web series.
Saranyaa Murkesh, content developer
I started watching Brooklyn Nine- Nine after many people asked me to.
Now, I can’t stop! The show is hilarious and covers so many themes in ways you would never have imagined.
What’s more, sensitivity in handling various subjects has not affected the show’s humour or tone.
Mahalakshmi, entrepreneur
The trend towards binge-watching has evolved rapidly mainly because we don’t have the patience to waste time on a series with a lame ending.
We decide to wait, read reviews to see if it’s worth your time, and then watch it.
My favourite series on Netflix is Suits, because it has strong characters.
The story makes you think that nothing is impossible. My favourite character is the classy and strong Jessica Pearson, played by Gina Torres.
Amrutha Varshinii, social media specialist
With only about an hour of actual screen-time before bed, it’s a tough call if I want to catch up on world events or unwind with a standup set.
Which is why Patriot Act is my pick. I’ve been following all three seasons religiously because news-comedy is a format I’ve been enjoying since John Oliver.
Also, it’s great to see a fellow Indian go out there and kill it. With the new season, I’ve been binge-watching all episodes. It’s great content and I love his sneakers game.
Malini Gopalakrishnan, editor
I hopped on to the Netflix bandwagon fairly late, less than a year ago.
Once I was in though, it was hook, line and sinker.
Given how little time I get, what with being a single parent with a full-time job, I think it is an insult to any true binge-watcher worth her salt to call myself one.
That said, there are a number of shows that had me displaying all the signs of an addict — Narcos, Umbrella Academy, Russian Doll and Orange is the New Black, to name a few.
Stranger Things is a family favourite. It’s a show I love to watch with my daughter and my sister.
In fact, I just renewed my subscription this month to watch the show. I’m also going to watch Leila and Sacred Games (another hot favourite) while I’m at it.
Safe to say, those books I bought in a retail therapy spree are not going to be read soon.
Manasa Kumar and Abishek Mani, marketing specialist and analyst
I am hooked on to Designated Survivor while my husband is watching Jessica Jones.
We are really looking forward to binge-watching the new season of Stranger Things that just released recently.
The production values of the shows on Netflix are far superior to the ones on TV and they are a lot more impactful.
One particular show that we love to watch together is Brooklyn Nine-Nine because it’s an instant mood lifter and we love to sit down and watch it together, especially after a long day at work.
These shows are so intriguing and palatable with quick episodes and cliffhanger endings that l eave you wanting for more.
Netflix is ad-free and also, we don’t subscribe to cable TV anymore.