There I’ve said it. I love Netflix. When I was expecting my son, quite a few people suggested we purchase a Netflix subscription. I didn’t really understand why, probably because I gave birth in the spring and was out and about in a lot of parks when my son was 0-6 months and could be placed on a picnic blanket with toys and didn’t move.
Fast-forward to winter 2016 and I now understood. I was at home a lot with a newly crawling baby and it was too cold to be outside for long periods. When the baby went down for a morning nap I realised I’d seen every episode of Home Under the Hammer and Pointless became far less entertaining when I could predict every answer.
So it was Netflix to the rescue and here are my tips for which shows to keep you going whilst on maternity leave.
Gilmore Girls
The ultimate mother-daughter drama spanning 8 series (season 8 is exclusive to Netflix), which may also give you a coffee addiction. A nice one to start off with, easy to follow, full of quirky characters and 90s fashion. If you’re hormones are still raging, then you may strangely enjoy Lorelai’s arguments with her mother.
The Get Down
Sadly, this only lasted one season but this show actually prompted me to ask the hubby for a Netflix subscription for Christmas. Why? After hearing Baz Luhrmann being interviewed on the radio about his exclusive show for Netflix, I just knew I wanted to see it. The Get Down documents the origins of Hip Hop in the Bronx, NYC and how it shook up the disco scene. So there’s kick-ass music, a young disco queen who falls for a poetic future hip hop star and a harsh reminder of the reality of living in the Bronx in the late 1970s. You can also rely on Luhrmann to provide lots of colour, action shots and standout costumes.
Orange is the New Black
A prison drama that is everything a prison drama should be, gritty, dangerous, violent at times and full of strong characters. The development of the key characters over the 5 seasons keeps you watching, you see some start off sweet and naïve and then go onto join the dark side. While others stick to their core values all the way through, even when events go from bad to worse complete hell. Another thing that jumped out to me is usually US dramas are full of beautiful people. This show is different, diversity is clear in every episode, women of every size, colour and creed are shown. Strong female characters at every turn, a great show for when you’re home for another night in on the sofa.
Suits
A more typical US drama, full of beautiful people posing as super slick, fast talking lawyers, in a fast paced corporate world. Probably better suited once the baby is sleeping more regularly at night or napping well in the day, since the plots do demand some attention. Having said that, the format of the show has stayed pretty much the same across the 7 seasons with each ‘case’ being resolved pretty much in one episode. Again, I found the quick witted humour in this show really entertaining and it’s easy to start caring about the main characters. Especially Louis, who makes you want to slap him and hug him at the same time.
My husband and I have also enjoyed choosing shows to watch together. They include Narcos, Better Call Saul and Dexter. Please let me know if there’s any shows we should add to our list in the comments!