Revered film stars and directors are testing the boundaries of the small screen. TV series are getting more creative with storytelling, like with the anthology format, and more platforms and channels are offering quality, original content. It’s a great time for television, and winter is the perfect time to catch up on anything you’ve missed. Between Netflix, Hulu and network on-demand apps that can be shared between friends and accessed on phones, computers, tablets and TVs — in the words of Cady Heron — the limit does not exist. But here are a few suggestions.
In terms of bingability, Netflix’s Making a Murderer is where it’s at right now. The 10-part docu-series premiered on the platform in December, and if you haven’t watched — or at least heard about — it yet, you’ve probably already been in hibernation.
This captivating, troubling look at the justice system follows a Wisconsin man named Steven Avery. In the 1980s, Avery was hastily convicted of a violent crime (he maintained his innocence). Twenty years into his sentence, a new look at DNA evidence exonerated Avery. But just two years after his release, Avery was convicted of an even more violent crime. Almost universally intriguing and addictive, Making a Murderer truly represents what’s popular in TV — entertainment, really — right now: an in-depth delve into true crime (coinciding with the wildly popular podcast Serial) and subject matter that inspires action from its audience (from outside research to starting petitions for Avery) — all on a platform on which viewers can watch as many episodes as they desire on their own schedule. (I would be remiss to not also mention The Thin Blue Line, an influential true-crime doc and must-see. Errol Morris’ 1988 film, which also explores wrongful conviction and legal system corruption, is available on Hulu starting Jan. 7.)
Also on Netflix
- Aziz Ansari’s slice-of-life comedy Master of None is a refreshing take on the almost-autobiographical comedy genre featuring a diverse, relatable cast of characters. And if you’re fan of Ansari’s work as Tom Haverford, the final season of Parks and Recreation goes live Jan. 13 (the rest of the series is already streaming).
- Dubbed a contemporary Twilight Zone, Black Mirror is a surreal sci-fi thriller short on episodes (only three each in Seasons 1-2, plus a newly added Christmas special) but heavy on themes surrounding modern society and technology. The U.K. anthology series moves to Netflix with a third season (of 12 episodes!) expected later this year.
- Get a crash-course in the dark Marvel universe with Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
- Coming Feb. 26, Fuller House follows the next generation of the Tanner clan we came to love in the ’90s — with most of the original cast reprising their roles (minus the Olsen twins). This time around, an adult D.J. asks sister Stephanie and BFF Kimmy to move into their childhood home and help raise her three sons. Time is a flat circle!
- Reigning Netflix original champion House of Cards returns for Season 4 on March 4.
Now on Hulu:
The X-Files returns to Fox with new episodes Jan. 24, so why not binge on the original? All nine seasons and 202 episodes are available (new episodes will also be available as they premiere).
While I try to focus television coverage on exceptional selections like Fargo and Empire (Seasons 1 and 2 of both now streaming), I definitely get down with some guilty-pleasure viewing. And when it comes to the junk food of TV, it doesn’t get any more satisfying that The Only Way is Essex, the U.K.’s answer to America’s trash-tastic, manufactured reality shows. A whopping 16 seasons await.
Many shows and movies are available on-demand through your cable provider, but the best selections come from HBO Go. Every original series, documentary and special (plus a rotating selection of movies) is available to watch or stream from early hits like Six Feet Under and The Wire to today’s faves like Game of Thrones and Girls.
Coming up on HBO/HBO Go:
• Mad Max: Fury Road is ferociously fun, regardless of your familiarity with Mel Gibson’s originals. It premieres at 8 p.m. Jan. 9, on-demand Jan. 10.• First aired on TV in the late ’70s, The Godfather Epic (5 p.m. Jan. 17, on-demand Jan. 18) combines I and II to tell a chronological story, adding scenes that were cut from the original films.
This article appears in Jan 6-13, 2016.