The Originals
When Netflix went public 15 years ago they started with an online membership to have DVDs mailed to you for a rental period. Reed Hastings, the company’s CEO offered to sell his company to Blockbuster for $50 million but was eventually laughed out of the room. Blockbuster has since merged with DISH after filing for bankruptcy in 2010 and now their stores are “a thing of the past” according to their website. Netflix and other streaming companies like Hulu, and Youtube have pushed blockbuster off of the market.
According to TechCrunch.com Netflix now reaches 75% of U.S. streaming consumers. Netflix holds a number of TV shows and movies available to its users. They have even ventured into creating their own content. From hit shows like Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Making a Murderer and more. Netflix has completely changed the way we watch TV.
Their newest release "The End of the F***ing World" released on January 5th and quickly gathered viewers. With only 8 episodes all lasting approximately 20 minutes, it is the perfect show to binge watch alone while you’re trying to ignore your responsibilities or to Netflix and chill with your favorite person. The series is based on the original graphic novel by Charles S Forsman and stars Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden who give a dynamic performance.
"TEOTFW" is a dark teenage comedy that ends up being sort of a love story. In this teen drama we meet 17-year-old James, a self-diagnosed psychopath determined to kill someone. He's been practicing on animals growing up waiting for the day he could use this skills on a human, and Alyssa is the perfect victim. She’s a loaner, just like him. She hates her mom, her creepy stepdad and doesn’t trust people who "fit in." She says what’s on her mind and doesn’t care what anyone thinks, or so she says. After being fed up with life at home, she convinces James to run away with her. He believes this is the perfect time to murder her. When these troubled two set off on their journey, it sets off a string of events that led them to be fugitives on the run.
Throughout the series we see these two characters unpack their trauma and begin to figure out just who they are. We begin to watch them change and evolve within just a few days. The two deceives assigned to their case even begin to grow through these children. We see they have a chemistry they're trying to deny and these kids begin to unravel that. The drama touches sexual assault, serial killers, and dysfunctional partnerships.
With a blunt title that lets you know the ending is not a happy one, it's a funny yet serious coming of age story that keeps you hooked and leaves the season ready for another. At the time this article was written, it held a 97% positive consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, and is a must-see.