Stranger Things
Stream it: Netflix
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Netflix's just released Stranger Things captures you from minute 1, with all of the best parts of old Spielberg movies like ET and The Goonies, and the character tension only a streaming show can provide. Beautiful 80's style cinematography, music, and title sequence are so well done they don't feel like an homage but a modern version using the best elements of the period. I blew through the 8 chapter season in a day and a half. A must-see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY
Mr. Robot
Stream it: Season 1 – Amazon Prime and for purchase / Season 2 – Hulu
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Winner of the 2015 Golden Globe for Best Drama and nominated for 6 Emmy's, Mr. Robot is an exceptionally done critique of modern democracy in America, the surprising weaknesses in our cyber structure, both personal and national, and a welcome peek into how real hackers exploit their prowess. An AMC-style show that you'll never believe lives on USA. Strong characters with real flaws and simple hacking techniques will have you strapped to your TV while you attempt to delete your own internet footprint.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kRyVaoa10I
11.22.63
Stream it: Hulu
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Based on Stephen King's novel and produced by JJ Abrams, 11.22.63 tells the story of a high school teacher who has discovered a time-traveling “rabbit hole” that drops him in 1960, three years before the Kennedy assassination. He may come and go as he pleases, but every time he re-enters the rabbit hole, it undoes any changes he made the last time. With a conviction that he can stop the assassination and prevent the lasting repercussions of Kennedy's death, Jake heads into the rabbit hole with the plan of using the 3 years to determine the true forces behind the events in Dallas and stopping them. The acting can be hit or miss, ultimately 11.22.63 is a fun combination of Quantum Leap and the conspiracy theories in Oliver Stone's JFK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXUx__qQGew
The Night Of
Stream it: HBO
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
An exquisitely developed 8 part series that focuses on the criminal investigation and legal proceedings of a murder in New York. HBO has created a dark and gritty world, full of tension, long scenes and an attention to detail. An addicting noir mystery, and satisfying in ways only HBO shows can.
The Night Manager
Stream it: AMC – Amazon (Prime later this year)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of a former British soldier propelled him into the colloquial running to be the next James Bond. Based on the popular novel by John Le Carre, Hiddleston's Jonathan Pine is recruited by MI6 to infiltrate the inner circle of a massive arms trading ring led by Hugh Laurie's Richard Roper. To gain access, Pine must become a criminal himself. Laurie provides a performance unlike those we've seen from him before, and the high production of the cinematic spy world makes this mini-series a favorite among critics.
