This weekend on Netflix, if you’re not (or are done) watching Something Very Bad is Going to Happen or Anaconda and are in the market for something unique, chilling, or enlightening, allow me to politely direct your attention to the list below.
For the second weekend of April, I recommend binging the heck out of both seasons of one of the best live-action adaptations of a manga in recent memory. If that’s not your jam, I’ve also highlighted a sinister psychological drama starring Toni Collette, and a gorgeous nature documentary series with the soothing narration of David Attenborough.
One Piece
Gum-Gum 100% Rotten Tomatoes score!!
I wasn’t at all familiar with Eiichiro Oda’s best-selling manga or animated series at all before Netflix’s live-action adaptation hit the streamer in 2023. Live-action versions of manga, and even video games or other cartoons, can be hit-and-miss (usually miss), but with its authenticity, faithfulness, sense of fun, and bang-on character adaptations, One Piecehas silenced the critics with a riotous and unique series that I think is a breath of fresh air.
With a hit second season now complete (hitting 100% on Rotten Tomatoes), get your straw hat on and join the fun. One Piece follows the adventures of the perpetually positive pirate, Monkey D. Luffy (newcomer Iñaki Godoy), a sort of Mr. Fantastic-type character whose rubbery limbs and body can stretch beyond belief. Luffy is in search of the legendary treasure known as the One Piece, and finding it will make him the King of the Pirates. But he can’t do it alone, so he assembles the Straw Hat crew—Nami the navigator (Emily Rudd), Roronoa Zoro the swordsman (Mackenyu), Usopp the storyteller (Jacob Romero Gibson), and the ass-kicking chef, Sanji (Taz Skylar)—who become best friends.
Picking up new members along the way, the Straw Hats adventure across the seas to the Grand Line, evading both the Marines and the vicious assassins, the Baroque Works crew. One Piece is a feast for the eyes that’s fun, quirky, and stays true to the source material. No wonder season two has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Wayward
Toni Collette is a hippy cult leader in this small-town thriller
If you like conspiratorial small-town thrillers where sinister plots bubble right under everyone’s noses until you realize that everyone is in on it, then Wayward is for you. Created by Canadian comedian and actor Mae Martin, and inspired by the real-life experiences of a friend who was sent to an institute for “troubled teens,” Wayward follows Abbie (Sydney Topliff), whose parents ship her off to Vermont’s Tall Pines Academy, to correct her path in life. Her rebellious best friend, Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), senses that something is wrong with the place and chases her there, but also ends up inside.
While inside, Abbie and Leila begin piecing together the mysterious and manipulative ways of Tall Pines’ charismatic leader Evelyn—played by the show’s secret weapon, Toni Collette—and the cult she has the town twisted up in. But the girls aren’t the only ones who suspect something odd is happening. Martin plays Alex Dempsey, a newly arrived transgender police officer whose wife is expecting their first child. Alex teams up with the girls to get to the bottom of the dark conspiracy before it takes hold of their family, too.
Critics didn’t love Wayward, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 78%, but they largely agreed that performances by Collette and Martin were solid. Wayward is an easy weekend binge you can finish over a couple of days.
Our Planet
Let David Attenborough’s soothing narration guide you
A beautifully shot and intelligently narrated nature documentary or docuseries always makes for chill, thought-provoking viewing on any weekend. And with the king of all nature documentaries, David Attenborough, leading both seasons of this Emmy-winning series, you are in very good hands. Our Planet, and its second season, Our Planet II, are on Netflix for the taking, both using stunning 4K imagery, spatial-audio sound, and shots so up-close and candid that you’ll be in awe of how they get such footage.
The series highlights the effects of climate change on our world and spans 50 countries, from the deepest oceans and the widest plains to endless jungles and even the frozen tundras. Season one’s eight episodes focus on the ecosystems mentioned above and follow the polar bears, orangutans, sea creatures, and elephants that live in harmony with them. Season two’s four episodes shift focus to migration, with episodes like World on the Move that highlight massive, moving herds of buffalo, humpback whales, and more. The season also gets into the hive with honey bees and tadpoles, and examines how geese, antelope, and other creatures dodge pollution and the impact of humans on the planet.
Between the two extraordinary seasons, Our Planet maintains a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is the gold standard for docuseries.
As Netflix and other streamers continue to increase the price of their services, getting the most out of it is more important than ever. Check out our helpful guide to doing just that.
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