My 2021 Netflix Journey
Netflix came out with a lot of great shows and a lot of new seasons of great shows in 2021, but here are my top picks, my recommendations and my disappointments.
2021 was a big year for my Netflix exploration; it consisted of many days where I could stay at home and binge shows for the whole day. I feel like I’ve been able to cover a decent basis of new ‘popular’ shows and new seasons of the classics and I want to share with you my 2021 Netflix journey. This ranges from korean dramas, to Netflix reality shows, to long-standing TV Shows that have been around for endless seasons.
I want to start with what may just be my favourite show of all time, Grey’s Anatomy. Who can blame me for being a Grey’s fan? Even though it’s been around for 17+ seasons and the same amount of years, I feel that it’s a timeless show grounded in reality that draws viewers in and makes them invested in the characters and their lives. I’ve fallen victim to becoming extremely attached to many characters, and seeing them leave the show over time has been heartbreaking. In 2021, Netflix released season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy, which centered around the current Covid-19 pandemic that we are actually experiencing. This season brought on a lot of controversy, as to be expected. Some loved the way the show portrayed real life events and the emotions that come with experiencing the pandemic, whereas some hated the reminder of these hard times and didn’t like seeing the pandemic as an inspiration for entertainment. I have to say that even though it felt like the show was able to emcompass aspects of the life we’re currently living, it definitely wasn’t my favourite season. I would have to agree that having an entire season centered around such a dire time made it less entertaining, and it makes it so that later seasons would have to follow a similar storyline. I think the show romanticized the pandemic and I would have enjoyed a more seamless transition, but I am and will continue to be a strong supporter of the show.
Next up, we have You, a very eerie and thrilling show that kept me at the edge of my seat. Netflix released season 3 of You in 2021, and I have to say that without a doubt, it was my favourite season to date. I liked that it followed the storyline from season 2 and was able to build on Joe and Love’s love story, showing how their relationship changes after moving to a new city and having a child. Although the show is meant to be “creepy” and presents a character that showcases sociopathic tendencies, what makes it enjoyable is how unpredictable it is, and how uncomfortable it can make me. A show like this differs greatly from something like Grey’s Anatomy, where I enjoy the stability and the every day lives of mundane characters.
I got hooked on the first few seasons of Dynasty after a friend’s recommendation, but the newest season of Dynasty has left me disappointed. The show has just become something that I watch for entertainment in the background, instead of a show that I’m invested in. I feel like the storyline is being derailed, and that the producers are trying to create a story out of nothing. It’s starting to become a bit like Riverdale, and don’t even get me started on how bad that show is becoming. It doesn’t even deserve a mention in this post - I just had to express my disappointment and I hope that Dynasty doesn’t drag it on for too much longer.
I have been a korean drama fan for years, and recently I’ve become a lot more selective in the shows that I want to watch. 2021 was a not a big year for my k-drama exploration, but I will mention two shows that I watched and thoroughly enjoyed. I’ll start with the most obvious, Squid Game, which is arguably not a korean drama, and more like a korean thriller-psychological-crazy-drama. I want to start off by saying that I watched it before all the hype, so I want to be a considered an original fan. Just from watching the trailer, I knew that it was going to be an intriguing story and I was definitely not disappointed; The idea and the execution had me on the edge of my seat. I think the actors did an amazing job at portraying their characters, and the show had me feeling all kinds of emotions, every single episode. I do want to say that I think it was definitely over hyped and shouldn’t have become the inspiration for every little thing, from youtube challenges to halloween costumes. Nevertheless, it deserved its' success and I’m excited for a new season.
My new favourite korean drama of all time is Start-Up. Giving it this label is a big deal, especially since I’ve watched my fair share of korean dramas over the years. I may be a bit bias as the story revolves around a shy woman, an underdog, who becomes a successful woman in tech, alongside a handsome and intelligent tech boyfriend, and you could say that that’s the life I envision for myself. Regardless of my own personal feelings towards the story, I loved the actors and the scenes, from coding in the basement to huge hackathons. The story was sweet, cute, and not over-the-top unrealistic, like some korean dramas are. I would love for there to be another season, but that’s rare for a lot of k-dramas, so I won’t keep my hopes up.
Netflix has recently become a hub for reality shows, and I’m absolutely here for it. Some of the ones that I’ve indulged in include Too Hot to Handle, Selling Sunset, and Single’s Inferno. What I love about reality shows is that it gives me the ability to analyze the people and learn about all the different kinds of ways people act in and react to certain situations. When watching a regular TV show, you’re aware that you’re watching actors play characters on a screen, and can only analyze a character to a certain extent. I enjoy watching regular people be put in certain situations and see how they do things, compared to how I would do them. The idea behind each reality show brings something different to the table, and they’re each entertaining in their own way. Even though some things may be scripted, overall there isn’t any predictability in the shows, so every episode feels new and engaging.
As for a reality show that has really won over my heart in 2021, and which I’m eagerly waiting for a new season, I want to give an honourable mention to Dream Home Makeover. If you had asked me if I would want to watch this a year ago, I would have said that these kinds of shows would never catch my attention. Now that I’m looking forward in my life and planning what the future will look like, living in a new city and eventually buying a home, this show has made me even more excited for the possibilities of my future home. I have fallen in love with Shea and Syd, their family and their business, and I hope that one day I’ll be able to own a place that I can call my dream home, and maybe enlist Studio McGee to make it happen.
I want to conclude by saying 2021 was an amazing year for Netflix, and I was happily entertained while being cooped up in my house all day. I’m excited for all the new shows to come and I’m even more excited to write about them.