It’s approaching the holiday season but Netflix isn’t slowing down for anything.
November sees the streaming service releasing their usual assortment of original series, with returning favorites like The End of the F***ing World, new spin-off docu-series The Movies That Made Us, and epic animated adventures like Green Eggs and Ham. Of course, Netflix also continues to release new and innovative international series like the German language We Are the Wave. There will be plenty to choose from to fill your Thanksgiving downtime.
We Are the Wave: Season One – November 1
When I was in school I read a book called The Wave by Todd Strasser that has somehow stuck with me ever since. It is based on the real-life story of a high school history teacher who attempts to impress upon his students the cult-like attraction of fascism by creating his own mini fascist society as an example. Unfortunately, he does his job too well as the students begin to incorporate the ritualistic elements and theoretical ideals into their lives, eventually imposing conformity on others through force.
We Are the Wave is a German drama loosely based on that novel and its easy to see the similarities even before researching the origins of the narrative. In We Are the Wave, a group of teens leads a revolt against the establishment for the noblest of reasons, but the movement quickly spirals out of control. What offered the illusion of empowerment to the disenfranchised is what ultimately takes that individual power away. The trailer looks great, full of youthful rebellion and optimism quickly followed by intimidation and violence. And let’s face it, the lesson of the Third Reich and the dangers of fascism are always worth a healthy reminder, especially in these slippery times.
Atypical: Season Three – November 1
In the third season of this coming of age dramedy, Sam (who is on the autistic spectrum) begins his college journey as everyone struggles to redefine themselves in the face of personal change. As Sam and his friends face the challenges of college, Sam’s parents face marital hurdles of their own. Sam’s mom had an affair, and while she’s trying to make things right with Sam’s dad, he’s avoiding having the conversation. Meanwhile, Sam’s sister is struggling with her sexuality after a near kiss with her best friend.
Suffice to say, there’s plenty of drama coming up. Atypical remains a popular series on Netflix, despite early criticism regarding the portrayal of Sam’s autism and the general lack of people with autism on the production team and in the cast. Atypical responded to those criticisms by hiring more people on the spectrum, but one can’t help but wonder why you wouldn’t naturally hire a person with autism to help produce a series about a person with autism. In any case, Atypical now has spectrum representation in the writing room and in the cast, so here’s hoping season three continues to grow in complexity and depth.
Queer Eye: We’re In Japan! – November 1
The boys are back and bringing joy to the people of Japan. What I love about Queer Eye is the wholesome positivity they bring to everything they do. The series could so easily have been a catty makeover show that shamed its guests into changing who they are in order to adhere to a generic standard of beauty. But Queer Eye is more than a makeover show, because while they address the superficial aspects of their subject’s lives – fashion, decor, lifestyle, hair, and makeup – everything they do is meant to bring empowerment, love, and confidence to generous people who struggle with self-care and self-love.
Rather than making over, they enhance and refine their guests’ natural style, emphasizing what makes them special and accentuating their natural beauty. By the end of the episode, people who deserve to love who they are and know their own beauty have been built up to see their own self-worth. Every single episode is a tear-jerker, partly because I think we all feel that sense of inadequacy and need a group like Queer Eye to come along and tell us we’re fabulous.
The people they help are also kind, generous, extraordinary, relatable people who viewers naturally empathize with – so we cry to know they don’t see their own self-worth and we cry to see when they finally do. Bringing Queer Eye to other countries is also brilliant because it helps break down cultural barriers and foster understanding, which is so important in a world that is so divided.
She-Ra and the Princess of Power: Season Four – November 5
I feel like every time I write about a new season of She-Ra and the Princess of Power another season has dropped before I’ve even finished the paragraph. This show is crazy popular and for good reason. Not only is it funny and action-packed, but its an empowering and positive female-led adventure that normalizes various sexualities and gender identities. It is so important for children to see themselves represented in popular media and to know that whatever they identify as is normal – which is difficult when the vast majority of television relationships and characters are heterosexual.
But that’s changing and there is visibly more diversity in television and cinema now than there ever has been. She-Ra’s cast of characters are predominantly female, many of which are more or less fluid in their sexual or gender identity, and with most of the romantic tension generated between female characters. For season four, it has been announced that a non-binary character has been added to the series as portrayed by non-binary actor and advocate Jacob Tobia.
The End of the F***ing World: Season Two – November 5
When I mentioned to my best friend that The End of the F***ing World was coming back for season two, she took a long, thoughtful pause and then asked, “How?” Which I think pretty much sums up what most fans of the show are wondering. Based on last season’s cliffhanger, how exactly will season two proceed? The trailer for season two suggests that the answer to that is “bleakly.” Most of the trailer consists of a dejected-looking Alyssa (Jessica Barden) wearing a wedding dress.
The status of James (Alex Lawther) after being shot at the end of season one is still unclear, but things don’t look too good. Meanwhile, a mysterious woman (Naomi Ackie) watches Alyssa from the shadows. Unusually, for such a successful and well-received series, there were actual complaints about the show continuing for a second season. Purists and fans of the original graphic novel were pleased with the adaptation and are concerned about the series continuing without source material. Why chance ruining something so nearly perfect? But chance it they did and we can only wait and see what will happen next.
Green Eggs and Ham: Season One – November 8
I was initially confused by the idea of a Green Eggs and Ham series – I mean, what would it be about anyway? How do you stretch a story of a guy hounding another guy into trying a food he thinks he doesn’t like but has never actually even tried and then ends up liking into a multi-episode epic? Well, the series isn’t about that really – I mean, it is a little – but it’s mostly about a mismatched duo named Sam and Guy who are forced on the run together as they set off on a mission to Meepville.
It looks fun and adorable with some kind of moral about teamwork, friendship, acceptance, and trying new things, but it’s basically a classic road movie. Series creator Jared Stern basically called it Dr. Seuss’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles and I can’t argue with that. It has an awesome cast too, with Michael Douglas as Guy, Adam Devine as Sam, and featuring Eddie Izzard, Keegan Michael-Key, John Turturro, Tracy Morgan, Diane Keaton, and Jeffrey Wright. 10/10 will watch.
The Stranded: Season One – November 14
Netflix is finally releasing its first Thai original series three years after the streaming service first became available in Thailand. The Stranded follows a group of survivors who are stranded on an island after a tsunami. But its more than just a tsunami, because there’s no cell reception, no rescue, and things keep getting weirder. There’s something strange about the island as if there are mysterious forces trying to keep the survivors from leaving. Sounds familiar, right? The big difference is that everyone on the island is a student from a private school, so we get teen drama too. To be fair, the trailer does have its freaky moments and the tone looks more like horror than supernatural fantasy. Maybe Lost fans will finally get the ending they wanted, whatever that is.
The Toys That Made Us: Season Three – November 15
Everyone loves a good bit of nostalgia and looking back to the classic toys we played with as kids is the ultimate nostalgia trigger. Thankfully, The Toys That Made Us is more than sentimental fluff as the docu-series investigates the history, marketing, production, and licensing behind those toys in a comprehensive behind the scenes look into the toy industry. The story behind our toys are often more complicated and cutthroat than we realize – stories like how George Lucas and Star Wars forced the industry to completely change how it handles toy licensing.
The series proved so popular with Netflix audiences that the 8-part series, which wrapped up after season two, broke out of its format to produce four more episodes in its new continuing series. Season three will feature episodes on Power Rangers, My Little Pony, Wrestling, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Episodes will feature interviews with legendary toymakers who were instrumental in producing these nostalgic favorites, including former Hasbro designer Susanne Riette Keith and producer Haim Saban who brought us The Power Rangers.
The Crown: Season Three – November 17
For those already obsessed with The Crown, season three of this series about the current Queen of England is especially exciting because it is the first time we get to experience the unique casting change associated with the historical nature of the narrative. The first two seasons starred Claire Foy as the young Queen with Matt Smith as Prince Philip, but the story has moved forward a few years and Olivia Colman has taken over the role of Queen Elizabeth with Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip.
Season three will also feature Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana. Based on the trailer it looks like Elizabeth and Margaret are locked in a battle of wills, while Prince Charles falls in love and struggles to gain his family’s approval. The casting is fantastic overall, but the highlight for me is Olivia Colman. She is just so good in everything she does, even if I wasn’t already watching the show I would totally start just to see her.
High Seas: Season Two – November 22
High Seas is a lavish Spanish language period murder mystery à la Agatha Christie on a luxury liner. Two sisters in the 1940s hop on a cruise from Spain to Brazil after the death of their father. They quickly become involved in solving various mysterious deaths on board, all while attending fancy parties and flirting with handsome men and having a grand old time. There’s a full cast of stock characters that serve as suspects in the case and plenty of romance involving one of the ship’s officers.
Season two involves taking on some stranded castaways and a potential haunting. Whether or not the supernatural element is real or just a ruse to cover murder is another question, but it looks like there’s plenty of scenes of people anxiously walking down dark hallways with flickering lights. Overall, it looks like a lot of old-fashioned fun.
The Movies That Made Us – November 29
I’m pretty excited about this one. From the producers of The Toys That Made Us comes a spin-off about the seminal movies that broke the mold. Unfortunately, it is not based on or related to the Joe Dante and Josh Olson hosted podcast The Movies That Made Me but will still provide a deep dive of several defining blockbusters. The films being examined are Home Alone, Ghostbusters, Die Hard, and Dirty Dancing and will include interviews with industry professionals and actors from the films.
Word has it that Dan Akroyd and Ivan Reitman will appear for interviews about Ghostbusters, but series creator Brian Volk-Weiss called Bill Murray’s hotline every day for a year and couldn’t get him. Not really surprising given Murray’s refusal to be involved in any Ghostbusters related sequels or reboots. I am excited to see who else will appear for interviews and what the series has to say about each movie. I am also already excited about any potential future seasons and which films will be chosen for those.
What Netflix series will you be watching this November? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!