Since I covered my top favorite television shows that aired in 2017 on local and cable networks, I thought it would only be right to discuss my favorite shows that aired on Netflix as well.  While Netflix has been slowly taking away some of my old favorites series to make room for the new ones, I have been pleased with a lot of their new shows.  Don’t get me wrong, I desperately want them to bring back shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and One Tree Hill and to consider not taking Lost off.  Either way I will still dust off my old DVD sets and settle for some quality shows on Netflix as a compromise.  Netflix has done a good job of successfully providing me with the binge-watching we all crave once in a while with its lineup.  Who am I kidding…all the time!  Please note some spoilers are ahead.

The Best of the Best of television shows streaming on Netflix for 2017 are:

1. 13 Reasons Why
2. Stranger Things (season 2)
3. The Punisher
4. Ozark
5. Orange is the New Black (season 5)

Orange is the New Black is a favorite guilty pleasure of mine and I admit that I look forward to every June for the premiere.  I tend to watch these episodes in just under a week because I am always sad when it is over to soon.  Season 4 ended with a cliff-hanger of Daya pointing a gun at a guard, leaving fans wondering what would happen next.  A lot of the season focused on the inmates refusing to be treated poorly anymore, leading to a riot that allowed the tables to be turned and the inmates to take control of the prison.  Each episode was jam-packed with drama and action, which had me contemplating when to start up the next episode.  I have to admit that it took a lot of self-control to watch everything over the course of the week, as it would have been very easy to finish this within a day or two.

When my friends told me about Ozark, they said it was sort of like Breaking Bad but not really.  Not really that specific of a review, but it did get my attention and I checked out the show featuring the wonderful and brilliant Jason Bateman.  Bateman plays Marty who gets caught up in a money-laundering scheme and is forced to leave his home with his family and set up shop in the small town of Ozark so that the head of the Mexican cartel doesn’t kill him and everyone he cares about.  Marty has a set of skills that are unlike many others and thinks on his feet quickly to come up with a business scheme that can work, all while trying to deal with the fact that his marriage is coming to an end and to keep his children happy.  Sounds like a tall order and it is.  While the series is no Breaking Bad, at least not yet anyway, it was entertaining and absolutely worth a watch.

I am a big fan of Marvel in general and The Punisher is one of my favorite heroes or maybe anti-heroes of all time.  Usually when I say this, fans question this and say why not Wolverine or Captain America?  The Punisher is so powerful to me because he has no super powers and his quest for revenge is sympathetic and tragic.  When Netflix’s Daredevil season 2 came out, the best part of it was the introduction of The Punisher.  I was ecstatic when I heard that the character would be getting his own series.  I am happy to say that I successfully binge-watched this show over the weekend and it is everything I could have hoped for.  Jon Bernthal is so believable as Frank Castle that you would think the comic series was based off of him.  He is someone to root for and although the violence may be extreme, the enemies get what is coming to them.  I also found myself investing time and energy into the supporting cast as well which is rare for me.  The villains are also so intense and heart-breaking, as Frank Castle finds himself being betrayed left and right while he is trying to make amends and bring those who deserve it to justice.

Stranger Things season 2 is absolutely worth a binge-watch and perhaps a second or third time through.  That’s how good it is.  The music alone sparked new life into this season, the characters and friendships were bonded further, and the quest to find out where one comes from and what “home” truly means is touching and beautiful.  Once again, this season blended the perfect amount of comedy with sci-fi mystery.  New friends and characters are introduced and the adventures don’t stop.  I don’t want to give away too much in case you haven’t gotten a chance to watch yet, but remember “friends don’t lie.”  So please watch and enjoy!

When 13 Reasons Why streamed on Netflix earlier in the year, it was considered to be very controversial because of the subject matter and targeted audience.  As a result, it got mixed reviews.  After watching the first episode for myself, I found myself binge-watching the season all in one day.  While I am sure many of you have done the same, the show did an excellent job of drawing the viewer in wanting to unlock the real reasons why Hannah Baker decided to end her life and how her friend, Clay Jensen is involved.  Rather than leave a suicide note, Hannah records everything on 13 audio cassette tapes and has them delivered to the different people responsible so that they can hear the whole story.  While the show makes you want to dive deeper into truth, there is something very raw and painful about the emotions that are revealed along the way from each character who wronged Hannah and how they are dealing with the aftermath of her death along with issues in their own lives that they are facing.  You connect with the characters so much which makes the ultimate fate of Hannah that more tragic and heart-breaking.  While the show is emotionally difficult to handle sometimes, it is worth a watch and reminds us about what is truly important in life.

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of your favorite television shows from 2017 that streamed on Netflix below.  Happy viewing and the countdown to 2018 is here!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl