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Netflix recommendations
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Wild Wild Country
...which I was completely engrossed in
Chapman and Maclain Way’s absorbing six-parter covers the rise and fall of the notorious Rajneeshpuram community in Oregon.
Six one hour episodes which are incredibly compelling
In 1981, Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh purchased a vast tract of land in Wasco County, Oregon, with a goal of shaping the remote valley into a centrepiece of a religious movement focusing on dynamic mediation, free love, harmony and the crafting of The New Man.
The influx of newcomers, clad in red and orange outfits, brings out insecurities in their nearest neighbouring town, the tiny community of Antelope. An outpost of only 40 residents, most solitary ranchers and retirees, Antelope pushes back against the interlopers with their blissed-out expressions and inexcusably loud sex noises. They're about to discover that in Bhagwan's private secretary Ma Anand Sheela, they've made a cutthroat enemy willing to use all manner of electoral and civic manoeuvering to allow her community and movement to spread, and if those legal recourses fail, Sheela may be prepared to take more aggressive steps.
It's got the lot... fear & loathing, paranoia and megalomania. Plus, attempted murder, biological warfare, an arms race, Learjets, the FBI, the National Guard, espionage, immigration fraud, wire tapping, a tragic subplot involving 6,000 homeless people, Hollywood glitz, Nike, and the US constitution getting waved around.
5/5
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The Staircase
I highly recommend it for all fans of True Crime.
A very strange and intriguing tale.
The Staircase, directed by Oscar winner Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, originally aired on French television as an eight-episode miniseries in 2004 and earned the prestigious Peabody Award in 2005.
It's been around for a while so I daresay a few of you have already seen it.
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I'm now going in for Season Two of...
Making a Murderer
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Making a Murderer"
Jaw dropping stuff it is too.
I'm totally engrossed. I have no idea how this will play out (and don't want to know). Another true crime classic.
Will Brendan Dassey ever get out? Even a lay person can see his confession was false and the people responsible should be totally ashamed.
I'm hoping the old DA, the appalling Ken Kratz, and the corrupt police officers, end up in the dock. I'm not holding my breath though.
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Making a Murderer"
Still absolutely gripped as I close in on the ending.
Kathleen Zellner, the wrongful convictions attorney, is amazing. She's exonerated more wrongly convicted people than anyone else and it's easy to see why.
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I'm on Episode 9 now of Season Two of Making a Murderer and my respect and admiration for Kathleen Zellner is now stratospheric. It's just remarkable what she's been able to uncover.
If you've never seen Making a Murderer then I cannot recommend it highly enough. Talk about truth being stranger than fiction.
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Wild Wild Country
The Staircase
Making a Murderer
...what else would people recommend in a similar vein?
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Wild Wild Country
The Staircase
Making a Murderer
...what else would people recommend in a similar vein?"
In answer to my own question, and having asked elsewhere, and done some asiduous research, this is what I have come up with for alternative crime/true crime recommendations that I have yet to view and which are currently on Netflix or Amazon in the UK...
The Keepers (Netflix)
Dark Tourist (Netflix)
Evil Genius (Netflix)
Dirty Money (Netflix)
Dirty John - the dirty truth (Netflix)
Shadow of Truth (Israel) (Netflix)
Into The Abyss (Netflix)
The Thin Blue Line (Amazon Prime Video)
Casting JonBenet (Netflix)
The Confession Tapes (Netflix)
Delhi Crime (Netflix)
Abducted in Plain Sight (Netflix)
Murder Mountain (Netflix)
Amanda Knox (Netflix)
I am Jane Doe (Netflix)
Audrie and Daisy (Netflix)
Mindhunter (Netflix)
Strong Island (Netflix)
True Story (Netflix)
Any more?
Wow, Nigey, if you watch all of those, you won't have time to read!
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The three series I’ve been watching recently have eaten into my reading time.
Still, variety is the spice of life
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Making a Murderer S2
...along with...
Wild Wild Country
The Staircase
...it's yet another five star series.
A stunning if very depressing look at the American justice system.
The case still rumbles on through the courts so hopefully there will be some kind of denouement.
Next up I have decided to go for.....
The Keepers
...abut which the Guardian states....
Who murdered Sister Cathy? Netflix takes true crime to the next level
The body of Cathy Cesnik, a dynamic young nun, was found on a dump in Baltimore decades ago. New documentary The Keepers all but solves the case – and then goes further, thanks to two retired Nancy Drews
I know very little about the case so am looking forward to this one.
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The Keepers
...was excellent
Another splendid Netflix series. Another shocking condemnation of American justice.
I have nothing but admiration for the women who devoted so much time to trying to solve the riddle of who murdered Sister Cathy
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Nigeyb wrote: "I agree with Jan.....The Keepers
...was excellent
Another splendid Netflix series. Another shocking condemnation of American justice.
I have nothing but admiration for the women who devoted s..."
Well, it was Baltimore. This is the town where they killed a prisoner by driving him around in a wagon for hours - no safety belt, bouncing around.
My father was from there. Family had been there for generations. We lived there for a few years, too.
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I didn't realise that Baltimore had such a bad reputation Jan. Thanks for the info.
That said, The Wire doesn't portray the city in a great light. Amazing TV series though. One of the best I've ever seen.
Back to Netflix, I've just finished watching another great True Crime series....
Evil Genius
Anyone seen it?
It opens with the grisly death of a pizza delivery man who robs a bank with a bomb around his neck - and then gets progressively weirder from there
Another top true crime built around the bizarre case of Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong.
Nigeyb wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Well, it was Baltimore..."I didn't realise that Baltimore had such a bad reputation Jan. Thanks for the info.
That said, The Wire doesn't portray the city in a great light. Amazin..."
His other show was Homicide: Life on the Streets. David Simon's wife, Laura Lippman did some of the writing on Wire. She later used some of her television experience in a book - not sure which one now. But it was one I listened to and didn't physically read.
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Homicide: Life on the Streets"
Yes, I remember Homicide: Life on the Streets well. A wonderful series - another of my all time favourites.
Back onto Netflix True Crime, I've now just finished Shadow of Truth about the murder of a 13-year-old girl, Tair Rada, in Golan Heights, Israel during the daytime at her high school in 2006.
It does for Israeli justice what The Keepers and Making a Murderer do for American justice.
Another fascinating True Crime series and well worth watching
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The Great Hack
...which is absolutely essential
It's a Netflix documentary on Cambridge Analytica and it sheds light on one of the most complex scandals of our time
Everyone should watch it
It's around two hours and digs deep into the subject.
It's shocking on so many levels and is about far more than just illegally using people's personal data.
Watch it.
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Mindhunter
Mindhunter is an American crime series created by Joe Penhall, based on the true crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Edward Douglas and Mark Olshaker.
The series was executive produced by Penhall, David Fincher, and Charlize Theron among others, and debuted worldwide on Netflix on 13 October 2017
Season two is set to be released on 16 August 2019
So far it's pretty good - I understand it gets better as the series progresses.
Who else has watched this? Or considered it?
Nigeyb wrote: "Just started the acclaimed...Manhunter
Mindhunter is an American crime series created by Joe Penhall, based on the true crime book [book:Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit|126..."
Haven't watched it yet although I did read the book years ago. Wasn't crazy about the Speck and Gacy stories but that could be because I lived through those periods in the Chicago area. Also knew a young man who had a friend who was invited to Gacy's house. He was known for playing a clown. Luckily the young guy got a weird feeling about him and didn't go. But I definitely remember when those nurses were killed. Many people afraid to leave the house or took the dog when they did. I think they found him at the Mark Twain Hotel - either a flophouse or the next thing to one.
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Manhunter
...and am not really looking forward to Season Two which arrives on 16th August 2019
It's actually not very gory or explicit, indeed it cleverly manages to avoid a lot of the grim details by relying on interviews with the killers.
Having watched a lot of true crime documentaries it took me a while to adapt to the drama format and, in part, it's a bit soapy, but there's still a lot to enjoy.
David Fincher delivers yet again.
Roll on Season Two
Next up I've just started something quite similar....
Manhunt: The Unabomber
The series explores how the FBI caught infamous criminal masterminds, with each closed-ended season following a different case. The first season focused on the FBI agent, a highly specialized linguist, who used unconventional means to bring Ted Kaczynski, aka the "Unabomber," to justice after nearly a 20-year manhunt.
The show provides insight into the criminal and the case but also the psychological effects these cases have on the FBI agents assigned to hunt down the most dangerous criminals who often delve into a kind of madness of their own, becoming totally absorbed in the crimes and forced to live inside the darkest minds imaginable for years.
And it's got Paul Bettany playing the role of Ted Kaczynski. Result.
Hello all,In keeping with our Japanese August theme I’m going to recommend the anime Aggretsuko on Netflix.
I have a very good friend who is Japanese and my brothers girlfriend is Japanese and both say it’s brilliant and portrays Japanese culture and office life well.
I’ve just finished season one and starting season two. Season three has been picked up. I have had several laugh of loud moments whilst watching it. It’s really fun.
Wiki description.
Retsuko is an anthropomorphic red panda, 25 years old and single, who works in the accounting department of a Japanese trading firm. Facing constant frustration every day from pushy superiors and annoying co-workers, Retsuko lets out her emotions by going to a karaoke bar every night and singing death metal.
After five years of working the daily grind, Retsuko's unhappiness causes her to undergo a series of events that puts her job in jeopardy, forcing her to shift her relationships with her co-workers and ends up changing her life in unexpected ways. She then turns to marriage as a way to get out of work.
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In keeping with our Japanese August theme I’m going to recommend the anime Aggretsuko on Netflix...."
Thank you for that recommendation, FR - my son is an anime fan, so I will mention this one to him and see if he has seen it.
This is not a Netflix recommendation, but we've just watched the anime film Mirai, about a young boy getting used to the arrival of his new sister, with magical elements. This is on Amazon Prime Video (for an extra charge) - it was great. This was a dubbed version rather than a subtitled one though.
Nigeyb wrote: "Just started the acclaimed...Manhunter
Mindhunter is an American crime series created by Joe Penhall, based on the true crime book [book:Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit|126..."
Thought this post regarding ‘Manhunter’ was going to be about the original Hannibal Lecter film and the villainous ‘Tooth Fairy’.
Released in 1989.
Really good and would thoroughly recommend it if you enjoy this type of story.
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After that I'll be diving into season two of Mindhunter which arrived a few days ago. Can't wait.
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Blimmin marvellous and highly recommended for all fans of true crime and/or David Fincher
I understand that there are five seasons planned
#capsflyingintheair
Has anyone watched the Netflix version of Tales of the City? I try to only watch Netflix in Spanish, but that one looks enticing enough to start an English-speaking persona for. I loved the serial then the books. I'd love to know if anyone who liked the books likes the adaptation.
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I'm now halfway through...
Casting JonBenet
....the 2017 documentary film about the death of JonBenét Ramsey and the aftermath
It uses the casting process for a reenactment to cleverly get members of the community to comment on the case - very effective so far though I wish I knew a bit more about the case, which sounds extraordinary.
I've looked at that several times & never started it. I am from Baltimore. I was an extra in a few episodes of The Wire (their main offices were right down the street from where I lived at the time, so all my neighbors and I are in it at moments - stuff like "there's my elbow!")
Interestingly, Laura Lippman's very first novels were crime novels set in that same neighborhood -- just a few blocks over, in the slightly more tony part of town.
Baltimore had a horrible reputation for a long time, then it got slightly better, then it got bad again. It's a very segregated city, much like many others, where you can go from very high priced and fancy houses to a block away where it's...less fancy.
I read an article about Anne Tyler, who lives in a lovely part of the city, bordering the northern suburbs. She & her friends rewatched The Wire many times over -- why? She said it straight out: I don't know that Baltimore. And I'm pretty sure she probably doesn't.
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The Wire is probably my all time favourite TV series
I've now finished Casting JonBenet and I'd definitely recommend it. A very unusual treatment for a programme investigating a crime. Perhaps not for everyone but I thought it brought out some really interesting issues.
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Watched with rating…
Wild Wild Country - 5/5
The Staircase - 5/5
Making a Murderer - 5/5
The Keepers - 5/5
Mindhunter - 5/5
Manhunt Unabomber - 4/5
The Great Hack - 5/5
Evil Genius - 4/5
Dirty John - the dirty truth - 3/5
Shadow of Truth (Israel) 4/5
Casting JonBenet - 4/5
Still planning to investigate…
Ted Bundy Tapes
Murder Mountain
Dirty Money
Abducted in Plain Sight
The Fear of 13
I am Jane Doe
Dark Tourist
Happy Valley
Into The Abyss
The Thin Blue Line (Amazon Prime Video)
The Confession Tapes
Delhi Crime
Audrie and Daisy
Strong Island
True Story
Time: The Kalief Browder Story
Any top tips from fellow subscribers?
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Ted Bundy Tapes
...which is very interesting and really well made
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Ted Bundy Tapes
It's not a case I knew much about however this is fascinating, and makes me realise just how difficult it would have been searching for a serial killer prior to information technology and the power to search and combine databases.
It's brilliantly put together too, the archive footage is amazing.
I watched the Ted Bundy tapes Nigel. I really didn’t know all that stuff about him. Really interesting. I watched this before the Zac Efron movie on sky. Zac Efron was pretty good considering what he was playing.
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I'd forgotten about that recent Zac Efron film - I'l seek it out
I would start with Time: The Kalief Browder Story - but have a box of tissues handy. It's a horrific story, but it's also a well-made doco.I found Audrie and Daisy also very affecting (and upsetting) and a decent watch. I loved the theme song from it (and can't remember what it's called. You don't hear it until the end, but I think Tori Amos got a grammy nod for that.)
I personally believe if you want to watch docos, you must watch The Thin Blue Line at least once, though it feels unimportant now in some ways.
I started The Confession Tapes and fell asleep. That's not a reflection on it though. I should finish it!
I've only read Strong Island & it's on my to watch list as well.
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My next watch is going to be Dirty Money
I finished the Ted Bundy Tapes last night. I thought it was superb. Really informative and suprising. Talk about the past being a foreign country.
We started watching On Becoming a God in Central Florida - at least binged on the first three episodes. Discovered that George Clooney is one of the producers. Kind of offbeat but interesting. It is on Showtime.
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Happy Valley?
A BBC production but now on Netflix
How good is it?
I'm thinking of making it part of my next book group selections. We also do something to watch and something to listen to. My next theme is probably going to be Yorkshire....
Read: A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
Listen: Pulp - Different Class
Watch: Happy Valley series 1 - ep 1 + ep 2 (Netflix)
Nigeyb wrote: "Has anyone watched....Happy Valley?
A BBC production but now on Netflix
How good is it?
If it's the one I'm thinking of (blond female cop is the main lead) it's better than I thought it would be, but it's been a while.
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Top Boy - 5/5
I'm amazed Netflix have brought this back. I enjoyed Series 1 & 2 when they were on Channel Four about 10 years ago.
Apparently it was Drake, of all people, who was instrumental in getting back on our screens, with a 4th series coming soon.
It's as violent and visceral as ever, so only for those with a tolerance for such things, and it's full of swearing too.
Gripping if a tad improbable in places. Roll on Series 4.
Lately I am obsessed with "Romance Is a Bonus Book," which is a Korean Netflix original series. It's about a woman trying to return to the workforce after a divorce. She pretends to lesser education and experience than she has in order to take a menial job at a publishing firm where an old friend of hers is an editor. (I believe it's loosely based on the American series "Younger," which I haven't seen.) It's beautifully filmed, funny and sad, romantic, and...very poetic and passionate about books! Watch it even just for the lovely opening credits.
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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
It's pretty low key but essential for Breaking Bad fans.
We discover what happens to Jesse Pinkman after the final episode of BB, and meet some old friends along the way.
Understated, but quite moving I thought.
4/5
The blurb....
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a 2019 American neo-western crime film that serves as a continuation to the television series Breaking Bad. Series creator Vince Gilligan wrote, directed, and produced the film, while Aaron Paul reprised his role as Jesse Pinkman.
I wasn’t sure if I was brave enough to watch it Nigel. I don’t want Jessie to die 🙈
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Reading the 20th Century
Books mentioned in this topic
The Irishman (other topics)The Irishman (other topics)
A Kestrel for a Knave (other topics)
Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Brandt (other topics)Charles Brandt (other topics)
Barry Hines (other topics)
John E. Douglas (other topics)
Laura Lippman (other topics)
I know a thread about Netflix recommendations is a little off topic however I hope you will forgive me.
I'm guessing many of us subscribe to Netflix so a thread for recommendations feels like a good idea
So, what have you watched on Netflix that you recommend?