Netflix has an incredible lineup of new original series premiering before the end of the year. To help create a manageable binge-watch list, here are six new shows to keep on your radar.
The streamer will take you into the chaotic world of a modern-day New York City nightlife scene, back in time to a 19th-century Dublin and New York to see how the Guinness dynasty began, to a creepy town where teenagers do not thrive, to a 1990s U.S. Marines boot camp, way back to the 1800s to unravel the mystery behind a presidential assassination, and finally, back to the present day as an author and a psychopath come head-to-head while she’s penning his life story.
Black Rabbit (September 18 / Eight Episodes)
Series creators and executive producers Zach Baylin and Kate Susman did a brilliant job with this one. Casting Jason Bateman and Jude Law as brothers was one of many smart moves. Bateman and Law, who also executive produce, were meant to be onscreen together, and every scene with them should be a master class for actors.
This drama takes place in New York City’s intense nightlife scene as these brothers struggle to overcome the trauma of their childhood, achieve success, and fight their self-destructive tendencies. Jake Friedkin (Law) owns the popular restaurant and VIP lounge, The Black Rabbit, which is about to become the hottest spot in New York. Everything is going according to plan until his brother, Vince (Bateman), unexpectedly returns to town. The audience quickly learns that wherever Vince goes, trouble, death, and chaos follow.
Bateman directed the first two episodes, followed in two-episode blocks by Laura Linney, Ben Semanoff, and Justin Kurzel. Black Rabbit is a non-stop ride into the dark side of family loyalty at any cost, versus self-destructive ambition and greed.
House of Guinness (September 25 / Eight Episodes)
This new prestige drama series comes from acclaimed creator, writer, and executive producer Steven Knight, who is known for the wildly popular Peaky Blinders. Knight was inspired by the Guinness family, one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties, when creating this series.
To tell their tale, he takes the viewer back in time to 19th-century Dublin and New York, just after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery, as his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, carry on the family legacy amidst family turmoil, rival factions, hidden relationships, inner demons, and the ever-present threat of secrets coming to light. Peaky Blinders fans will not be disappointed.
Tom Shankland and Mounia Akl each directed four episodes, and the large ensemble cast is led by Anthony Boyle as Arthur Guinness, Louis Partridge as Edward Guinness, Emily Fairn as Anne Plunket (née Guinness), and Fionn O’Shea as Benjamin Guinness. The costumes and set design are extraordinary, making this a great pick for viewers who love period pieces.
Wayward (September 25 / Eight Episodes)
Absolutely nothing is as it seems in the picturesque town of Tall Pines. Though idyllic on its surface, there are dark secrets aplenty behind every closed door, and no one is safe. Many wayward teens have gone missing there, but no one seems to be looking for them until police officer Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin, who also serves as creator, executive producer, and co-showrunner alongside Ryan Scott) and his pregnant wife, Laura (Sarah Gadon), move into a home on the edge of the peaceful-looking woods to start a new life. At first, everything seems perfect.
Soon, Alex meets two students, Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), from the local school for “troubled teens” who are desperate to escape, and could be the key to unearthing everything rotten in the town. As Alex begins investigating a series of unusual incidents, he suspects that Evelyn (Toni Colette), the school’s mysterious leader, might be at the center of all the problems. This Canadian original series is a genre-bending thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Boots (October 9 / Eight Episodes)
Netflix takes you to Boot Camp with the U.S. Marines in this smartly written series that was inspired by Greg Cope White’s memoir “The Pink Marine.” I love everything about this one, in large part because my dad was a U.S. Marine and my childhood was regaled with tales of boot camp.
This dramedy is set in the tough, unpredictable world of the 1990s U.S. Marine Corps when being gay in the military was still illegal. The series follows directionless, closeted Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh), the son of a decorated Marine, as they join a diverse group of recruits, where they’re pushed to the limits as they endure the figurative and literal landmines of boot camp. Semper Fidelis!
Boots comes from creator, co-showrunner, and executive producer Andy Parker (Tales of the City, Imposters), co-showrunner and executive producer Jennifer Cecil (Umbrella Academy, One Tree Hill), and executive producer Norman Lear.
This ensemble cast is truly fantastic and includes Max Parker as Sergeant Robert “Bobby” Sullivan, Vera Farmiga as Barbara Cope, Cedrick Cooper as Staff Sergeant Marcus McKinnon, Ana Ayora as Capt. Denise Fajardo, Angus O’Brien as Thaddeus Beau Sterling Hicks, Dominic Goodman as Isaiah Nash, Kieron Moore as Nicholas Slovacek, Nicholas Logan as Sergeant Cary Wayne Howitt, Rico Paris as Santos Santos, and Blake Burt as John Bowman.
Death By Lightning (November 6 / Four Episodes)
This drama series brings to life the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James A. Garfield, the 20th U.S. President, who served from March 1881 until his death in September that year after being shot two months earlier.
Michael Shannon stars as Garfield alongside Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, Betty Gilpin, and Shea Whigham. The story is centered around Garfield and his greatest admirer, Charles Guiteau (Macfayden), the man who would kill him.
The four-episode limited series comes from creator, writer, and executive producer Mike Makowsky (Bad Education), and executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (3 Body Problem, Game of Thrones), Bernie Caulfield (3 Body Problem, Game of Thrones, Big Love), and director/executive producer Matt Ross (28 Hotel Rooms, Captain Fantastic, Gaslit).
The Beast In Me (November 13 / Eight Episodes)
This psychological thriller stars Claire Danes (Homeland), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Brittany Snow (The Hunting Wives), and Natalie Morales (Dead To Me). All are incredible in their respective roles!
Since the tragic death of her young son, acclaimed author Aggie Wiggs (Danes) has receded from public life, trapped by trauma and writer’s block; she’s a ghost of her former self. She finds herself simultaneously horrified and fascinated by her new neighbor, Nile Jarvis (Rhys), a famed and formidable real estate mogul who was once the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance. He inspires her to write again, and she realizes she wants to tell his story. She quickly fears that she might be in over her head and that he might be a true psychopath.
The limited series is executive produced by Danes and comes from Howard Gordon (Homeland, 24, The X-Files), Gabe Rotter (The X-Files), Daniel Pearle (American Crime Story), Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross, David Kissinger, and Jodie Foster.
As always, happy binge-watching on Netflix!
