With a week of finals over and a month off from classes, there’s bound to be time over break in which you feel like lounging and carelessly watching television. That’s what Netflix is for, right? (OK, to be fair, I’m sure Netflix was created with other intentions.) Here’s a list of what’s popular now, which can be enjoyed by any college student looking for mindless fun.
‘Jane the Virgin’
Its first episode aired on the CW in 2014, but this past fall, the whole first season was put on Netflix, and from there the show gained way more viewership and devoted fans. The show, set in a Miami hotel, focuses on Jane, a virgin who accidentally got inseminated at a regular checkup appointment with her doctor. The father of the baby? Rafael, who owns the hotel at which Jane works. Oh, and they shared a passionate kiss five years back. But Jane is engaged to detective Michael, who is working on a drug-related case in the same hotel. Jane grew up without a father, but he shows up partway into the season and turns out to be the star of her favorite telenovela (a Latin American soap opera). Are you lost yet? All this and more spirals into effect in each episode. Like a modern age soap opera, it is fast-paced and keeps you engaged the whole time. A lot can be predicted throughout, but that makes up for all the spirals no one could guess were coming.
‘Louie’
The series was written, directed, edited, produced, and stars comedian Louis C.K. The show originally aired on FX; Netflix features four of its five seasons. Louie plays himself but a fictional version. There are also recurring characters, but each episode should be watched separately. It’s not portrayed in an ongoing season format; rather, each episode has its own story, then ends there. Viewers see footage of Louis C.K.’s standup routines. You don’t want to miss this comedy series.
‘Californication’