In my inbox, this week, came some great news – the announcement of Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why. The show made a big bang last year when it hit our screens with hard-hitting scenes telling the story of Hannah Baker and the tapes where she recorded the “reasons” that she was no longer here from beyond the grave. With that in mind, I’ve been inspired to write my own 13 Reasons Why You Should Be Watching Netflix this May – and the weather is an extra one (where is all that sunshine gone?).
13 Reasons Why (Series 2)
Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of Hannah’s death and the start of our characters’ complicated journeys toward healing and recovery. Liberty High prepares to go on trial, but someone will stop at nothing to keep the truth surrounding Hannah’s death concealed. A series of ominous polaroids lead Clay and his classmates to uncover a sickening secret and a conspiracy to cover it up. It comes to our screens all in one binge-able package on May 18th. If you’re missing it in the mean time, you could always re-watch Season 1…
Cold Feet (Series 1-6)
Cold Feet is a British comedy-drama television series produced for the ITV network back in the late 1990s. The series follows three couples experiencing the ups-and-downs of romance, originally Adam Williams and Rachel Bradley (James Nesbitt and Helen Baxendale (who also played Emily in Friends), Pete and Jenny Gifford (John Thomson and Fay Ripley) and Karen and David Marsden (Hermione Norris and Robert Bathurst). While there has been a renewal after years off the air, Netflix is bringing the original six series to us so we can get all caught up on their goings on.
Love Island
Candyfloss for the brain but oh so addictive, Love Island might be just what you’re looking for to fill your evenings after a stressful day. The premise is simple: Young singles seek a summer of love and romance in Majorca; the winning couple leaves the island with the grand prize. What could possibly go wrong?
The Intern
If you’re looking for total heartwarming comedy, then this movie has got exactly what you need. Starring Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro, The Intern tells the tale of 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker who, looking to get back in the game comes out of retirement and seizes the opportunity to become a senior intern at an online fashion site. Ben soon becomes popular with his younger co-workers, including Jules Ostin (Hathaway), the boss and founder of the company. Whittaker’s charm, wisdom and sense of humor help him develop a special bond and growing friendship with Jules.
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
The fourth season of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt hits our screens at the end of the month and is set to be the last (aside from a movie to finish the whole lot off). If you’ve never seen the show up to this point, you’re in for a treat.Rescued after 15 years in a cult, Kimmy Schmidt decides to reclaim her life by venturing to New York, where she experiences everyday life with wide-eyed enthusiasm. On a whim, she rents a room from Titus, a gay wannabe Broadway actor, who makes ends meet as a street performer in Times Square. The unlikely pair finds they’re well-suited to help each other out, with Titus reintroducing Kimmy to modern life, and her providing him with the inspiration that you should never give up. Together they’ll make it through whatever life throws at them. As season 4 begins, Kimmy gets a job at a tech startup, Titus pretends to have a TV show to impress Mikey, and Jacqueline starts a talent agency.
The Social Network
In a rather timely addition, given recent goings on with Facebook, Netflix brings us The Social Network, a film about the founding and goings on of the social media website. In 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer genius Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) begins work on a new concept that eventually turns into the global social network known as Facebook. Six years later, he is one of the youngest billionaires ever, but Zuckerberg finds that his unprecedented success leads to both personal and legal complications when he ends up on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one involving his former friend (Andrew Garfield). Based on the book “The Accidental Billionaires.” I enjoyed this film, especially the soundtrack, and it does give a bit more insight into the company which many of us use every day without a thought.
Evil Genius – The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist
On May 11, a documentary for lovers of Making a Murderer hits Netflix. 2:28 PM. August 28, 2003. A man walks into a bank with a bomb locked around his neck. This is a true story.
The Rain: Season 1
After a brutal virus wipes out most of the population, two young siblings embark on a perilous search for safety. A Scandinavian thriller series which I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into.
https://youtu.be/gUnXrml0k0M
End Game
Directed by Academy Award winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, End Game is an intimate vérité style documentary short that follows visionary medical practitioners who are working on the cutting edge of life and death — and dedicated to changing our thinking about both.
The LetDown
The Letdown is an Australian television comedy series first screened on the ABC in 2016. It follows the adventures of Audrey, including her struggles as a new mum in an oddball mothers’ group. It’s a relatable comedy with heart and definitely worth checking out – I love it and look forward to more!
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman
This interview series has had big hitters like Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai and George Clooney already, and this month, Tina Fey joins the interviewees. She opens up about her family, the changing culture at “SNL” and the one moment she wishes she could take back. Plus, blues icon Buddy Guy.
The Angry Birds Movie
Flightless birds lead a mostly happy existence, except for Red (Jason Sudeikis), who just can’t get past the daily annoyances of life. His temperament leads him to anger management class, where he meets fellow misfits Chuck (Josh Gad) and Bomb. Red becomes even more agitated when his feathered brethren welcome green pigs to their island paradise. As the swine begin to get under his skin, Red joins forces with Chuck and Bomb to investigate the real reason behind their mysterious arrival. Based on the popular game, parents will be thrilled to hear there is an actual story to it, and kids will laugh along to this entertaining movie.
PJ Masks
I’ve written about the boy child’s love of PJ Masks before, and I am thrilled to see it coming over to Netflix. They may be just as questionable as Paw Patrol, and I do wonder if they’re giving him ideas about how he doesn’t really need sleep, but it’s wholesome and keeps him entertained, which is all that counts. If you’ve got young kids into action heroes minus the violence that can come with a lot of them, this one is right up your street. There’s also a SingAlong with PJ Masks option just in case you didn’t get enough fun from the episodes themselves. I’ll leave that up to yourselves if you choose to stick that one on and sing the songs for a few weeks afterwards…
Those are just 13 of the new additions to Netflix this month – is there anything else you’ve discovered or are planning a rewatch of? Let me know in the comments below, or shout over on Facebook or Twitter!
*****
Disclosure:I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team and received a Netflix subscription and an iPad Mini in return for posting Netflix updates and reviews, however, all opinions are my own, and I already had a personal subscription before joining the Stream Team.