With Spring around the corner, now’s the perfect time to get in some last-minute Netflix binging before the warmer months grace us with their presence once again.

If you live in Canada, you know it’s been a long, brutal winter (shock and awe). With Spring around the corner, now’s the perfect time to get in some last-minute Netflix binging before the warmer months grace us with their presence once again. We’ve gathered 5 of our newest Netflix picks to fill up on before ‘Netflix and chill’ becomes ‘rosé on the patio’.

You

This Netflix original thriller has taken over TVs across the nation since its late-December release on the platform, and for good reason: it’s addicting AF. You follows New York City bookstore manager Joe Goldberg and his love affair with grad student and aspiring writer Guinevere Beck, after a brief meetcute at the bookstore. After they meet, Joe becomes obsessed with Guinevere and does everything in his power to win her love, swiftly removing anything or anyone that gets in his way. The series invokes an internal battle between head and heart for the viewer, and teaches us some valuable lessons about how important it is to keep your online life on lock. It’s in your best interest to block off a day or two to binge it – also, you’ll probably want to have a nice soothing indica on the go to calm your nerves a bit, or you might just end up chucking your remote at the TV.

The Sinner: Season 2

Image via: CarterMatt.com

Season two of this fantastic series comes just a year after its precursor. Spoiler alert: it’s way better than the first season. Detective Harry Ambrose, the brilliant yet troubled P.I. we grew to love in season 1, returns to his hometown of Keller, NY to investigate a double homicide: with an 11-year-old boy as the primary suspect. As Ambrose attempts to piece together why a young, docile boy would commit such a gruesome crime, he uncovers some dark secrets the town has made every effort to try to conceal. It becomes Ambrose’s mission to expose these secrets and bring justice for the young boy, who he’s found himself relating to on an inherent level based on his own childhood experiences. If you love weird, culty, mind-bending TV, you don’t want to skip this one.

Bandersnatch

Image via: Engadget

Bandersnatch is the highly talked about interactive Black Mirror episode that hit Netflix at the end of December. The choose-your-own-adventure style special takes place in 1984, and asks viewers to control the main character’s actions: a young programmer named Stefan who’s adapting a novel of the same name into a video game. There are several different endings to be discovered based on what decisions you make for Stefan, but rest assured each one keeps with the notorious themes we know and love from Black Mirror: deliciously trippy and colourful, intrinsically meta and often anxiety-inducing yet still extremely entertaining. Bandersnatch meditates on free will, and really leaves you wondering if the concept of free will exists at all. It’s a lot more fun when different perspectives are involved, so we encourage you to invite a few friends over for the evening to mull over just a few of the many possible endings.

Conversations with a Killer:
The Ted Bundy Tapes

Image via: NME

Disclaimer: we are not glorifying Bundy in any way by featuring this series as one of our picks – but we do think it’s worth a watch if you’re into true crime.

This recently released docu-series is a 4-part, never-before-seen look into the twisted mind of America’s most notorious serial killer, rapist and necrophile Ted Bundy, featuring exclusive interviews with Bundy himself during the investigation. The series offers an intimate look into Bundy’s psyche as he reveals information regarding upwards of 30 murders he committed from the period of 1974-1978, getting off scot-free for years before he confessed. The series also brings to light the adoration and glorification of Bundy and his “good looks” during the investigation, which acted as a massive crutch to his evasion of justice for so long. The series reaffirms how powerful the human bias can be when it comes to stereotypes, and is a fascinating watch for true crime lovers.

Bird Box

Image via: SocialSamosa.com

Bird Box is a dark, post-apocalyptic thriller also released on Netflix in December. The film focuses on a mysterious, supernatural force originating from Russia that is quickly wiping out the world’s population by driving people who look at it to commit suicide. Malorie (Sandra Bullock) and two unnamed children are faced with a treacherous, downstream, and most importantly, blindfolded journey by paddle boat – in an effort to reach an alleged sanctuary untouched by the deadly force. Before the journey, the film also illustrates the civilians’ survival efforts and explores their human psyche, and how they band together and sometimes betray each other to try to stay alive with the perils of imminent death. While Bird Box has had mixed reviews and may make you roll your eyes a bit (“Boy” and “Girl”? C’mon my dudes), it’s definitely worth a watch. But please, for the love of god, if you’re going to do the Bird Box challenge, STAY AWAY FROM YOUR VEHICLE.

Categories: CULTURE FILM TELEVISION