Culture

A comprehensive summary of Netflix’s current ‘Top 10’

Have you been caught in the “Squid Game” craze? Or maybe you’re feeling the “love” from Netflix’s “You.” Netflix’s current “Top 10 in the US” has a lot to offer right now. 

I will be ranking these Top 10 from lowest to highest in order of quality. I’ll also list their current position on the Netflix Top 10 List, but there are some shows and movies on here that you definitely should check out before the others. There’s good TV, there’s bad TV and then there’s just plain “why does this even still exist” TV. Netflix’s current “most popular” run the gamut between all of these.

  1. Cocomelon

Being a parent is hard. I swear this show is trending every week, and I don’t understand why. But then I remember that people have children and that parents want a break. They want five minutes to wash Cheerios, spit-up and other innocuous fluids off their hands.

It’s rather hard to describe “Cocomelon.” There’s really no plot or characters for me to describe. It’s pretty much just hours upon hours of nursery rhymes or other kinds of kid’s music set to vibrant visuals. There’s really nothing here for adult viewers. Unless you’re feeling a little “buzzed” — it might be funny then. 

Ranking: Number 9 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 2/10 — Skip, unless you are 5 years old. 

  1. Locke and Key

Creepy houses, blood, murder and demons — what’s not to like? “Locke and Key,” based on the comic series of the same name, certainly won’t be winning any awards for originality or wrack-up statues come awards season, but it’s a decent show to binge. It follows Nina Locke, who moves her three children into a house in New England following the murder of her husband. Already you can probably tell there are some issues here — traumatized families in a spooky misty England never fare well. It’s all very Lovecraftian. 

Ranking: Number 8 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 6/10 — Three cheers for trauma. 

  1. Maid

Netflix does serious dramas! And this one is not for the faint of heart. Based on a memoir, “Maid” is a miniseries that follows the story of a woman named Alex, who leaves her abusive boyfriend and finds a job as a maid. Life, of course, does not immediately go back to normal following her relationship and there’s more to deal with at her new job. You’ll be feeling heavy after this one. 

Ranking: Number 5 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 7.5/10 — Save this for after finals are done, too much stress at the moment. 

  1. Hypnotic

Netflix sure does love pumping out original movies every week or so. But hey, the more they give us the more we have to pick from, and if it gives more directors and writers film opportunities, I’m not going to complain. “Hypnotic” is a thriller movie, released just this weekend starring Kate Siegel and Jason O’Hara. It very aptly involves a hypnotist and his various unethical shenanigans. 

Ranking: Number 4 Ranking Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 8/10 — Very seasonally appropriate. 

  1. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

It’s always interesting to see when a movie has a resurgence in popularity years after its release. “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” which came out in 2017, is a very typical Guy Ritchie movie full of action, crazy stunt sequences and some shaky camera sequences. It didn’t do well critically or financially, and to my knowledge, faded away in a sea of Arthurian adaptations. But it’s trending on Netflix now — perhaps Charlie Hunnam’s handsome grizzled face has a hand in that. 

Ranking: Number 7 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 8.5/10 — As a Medieval and Renaissance Studies student, I can never say no to King Arthur. 

  1. Army of Thieves

Zack Snyder has made his full departure from Warner Bros. and is taking full advantage of his deal with Netflix. His latest film, “Army of the Dead,” came out this summer to mixed reception from critics and audiences, but Netflix must have been satisfied with its performance because they’re giving this universe spinoff after spinoff. This week, Snyder has taken the role of producer with “Army of Thieves.”

“Army of Thieves” is a heist film that serves as a prequel to “Army of the Dead.” You don’t run into heist films all too often, but it seems that this one has gained a bit of popularity. It’s definitely not a bad movie to watch with a bowl of popcorn and friends — something chill for a Friday night.

Ranking: Number 2 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 9/10 — Just to see Nathalie Emmanuel’s stunning and stylish hairstyles. 

  1. Colin in Black and White

Colin Kaepernick has been through a lot, so he deserves a TV show at the very least. Kaepernick is a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who is known for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality. This new Netflix series is a dramatic retelling of Colin Kaepernick’s childhood through his high school years, and his encounters with race, class and culture that inspired his activism. Kaepernick narrates parts of the series himself. I very much hope he’s getting paid well.

Ranking: Number 10 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 10/10 — If you’re looking for something good and serious, tackle this. 

  1. You

As a society, we seem to have an unhealthy obsession with serial killers. Seriously, why do we like them so much? I’m no one to judge, I’m a Hannibal fan first and the Culture Editor second, but it’s still interesting to see how much stock we put in these very dangerous people. 

“You” is Netflix’s serial killer cash cow. Based on the book series of the same name, we have now followed Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), your friendly local serial killer who falls obsessively in love with every attractive woman that passes him.

Season 3, which was released a couple of weeks ago, follows Joe and his wife Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) as they settle in the suburbs with their newborn son. Serial killers and domesticity? It’s more entertaining than you’d think. 

Ranking: Number 1 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 15/10 — Came for the intrigue, staying for marital disputes. 

  1. Maya and the Three

We need indigenous representation in every medium we can get, and that includes animation. “Maya and the Three” is Netflix’s new hot miniseries, set in a fantastical “Mesoamerican” world with the warrior princess “Maya.” Not only does the show fully embrace Mesoamerican culture, but many of the characters’ voice actors are Latinx as well. I’ve got no complaints here.

Ranking: Number 6 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 25/10 — Zoe Saldana steals the show and my heart. 

  1. Squid Game

If you’ve had any sort of internet connection for the past month or so, I do not need to tell you to watch this. It’s so good, and it’s about time that we see some international shows gain more widespread recognition in the U.S.

“Squid Game” takes place in South Korea, where various citizens find themselves drawn into a deadly “Battle Royale”-like game show and play various children’s games to win a multi-million dollar jackpot. Sounds innocent enough, but losing one of these games comes with quite literally permanent consequences. These players all also happen to be in some serious debt, and there is really no one more desperate on earth than a man in need of quick money.

Ranking: Number 3 on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the US Today”

Rating: 1000/10 — Gong Yoo, please slap me.

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