This “Back to School” edition of This Month in Netflix arrives in what’s possibly the most exciting time of the year for uni students. While everyone else returns to school or a job (*shivers*), the endless opportunity of university awaits once more: new year, new you. In other words, you can binge-watch Netflix as much as you like and Mum can’t find you to tell you it’s 5pm or 5am (either is concerning to her). Here’s a bundle of good stuff to keep you amused as the long nights draw in.
Narcos (Season 3)
A Netflix Original Series
When? Friday 1st September
Credit: Netflix
What? Following the life of infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar, Netflix’s Narcos has been met with mixed response in the past but the critics have been raving that it might have finally got on track. Season 3 picks up after the death of its previous protagonist, with Escobar having been executed at the close of the last season. Game of Thrones legend Pedro Pascal takes up the mantle as lead moving forward, playing Javier Peña, the agent once tasked with bringing Pablo to justice.
Who? Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, Kingsman 2), Damián Alcázar, Alberto Ammann.
Toast of London
When? Friday 1st September
Credit: Channel 4
What? Mighty Boosh star Matt Berry expands into a comedy of his own as the creator and star of Toast of London. An eccentric middle-aged actor with a chequered past, Steven Toast is blind to his own failures as he navigates London’s social scene. With an impressive episode-by-episode guest cast, Toast of London is a British hidden gem that lovers of Boosh or The IT Crowd will adore.
Who? Matt Berry (The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd), Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who), Down Mackichan (Plebs, Two Doors Down).
BoJack Horseman (Season 4)
A Netflix Original Series
When? Friday 8th September
Credit: Netflix
What? After starring in the 1990s sitcom “Horsin’ Around”, BoJack (Will Arnett) is the definition of washed-up celebrity. It may be animated, but the satire is completely real. Ironically releasing alongside Fuller House, BoJack Horseman mercilessly pokes fun at washed-up celebrity culture. Although Season 1 has the averaging score of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, both Season 2 and 3 sit at 100% on the review website. We don’t know whether Season 4 will live up to these scores, but never look a gift horse in the mouth.
Who? Will Arnett (Arrested Development, The Lego Batman Movie), Alison Brie (Community).
The Expanse (Season 2)
When? Friday 8th September
Credit: SyFy
What? Two hundred years in the future, the solar system is completely colonised with human beings spread out amongst the stars. As war brews between Earth and Mars, Detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) becomes interwoven into a bigger scheme after investigating the death of a young girl. With all out war at play in Season 2, The Expanse steps up a gear, with the crew aboardThe Rocinante attempting to diffuse tensions across the galaxy.
Who? Thomas Jane (The Punisher, The Mist), Steven Strait (Magic City), Cas Anvar (Diana).
The Bad Education Movie
When? Sunday 10th September
Credit: BBC
What? Fittingly for our ‘Back to School’ edition, Netflix have blessed us with a school-related film. Based on the BBC Three series of the same name, The Bad Education Movie sees hapless teacher Alfie Wickers (Jack Whitehall) take Form K on a school trip to Cornwall. Although it doesn’t quite lineup with the series continuity-wise, it’s a fun send off for the wayward students of Abbey Grove School. If you’re a fan of Bad Education and you haven’t seen its move to the big screen, it’s time to go back to class.
Who? Jack Whitehall (Fresh Meat), Matthew Horne (Gavin and Stacey), Sarah Solemani (Him and Her, Bridget Jones Baby).
Bean: The Movie / Mr Bean’s Holiday
When? Thursday 14th September
Credit: StudioCanal
What? Talking of acclaimed BBC comedy murdered recreated in cinematic form, Mr Bean‘s 1997 and 2007 films will soon be available to watch on Netflix! Starring Rowan Atkinson as the iconic character, the films expand on the smaller sketches seen in his nineties sitcom Mr Bean, taking him to Los Angeles and then to France on chaotic holidays. Neither were massively well received by critics, but a couple of hours with one of television’s most memorable funny men? What’s not to like.
Who? Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Love Actually), Peter MacNicol (Sophie’s Choice, Ghostbusters II), Willem Dafoe (Finding Nemo, Death Note).
Fuller House (Season 3)
A Netflix Original Series
When? Friday 22nd September
Credit: Netflix
What? Fancy a bit of cheesy 1990s comedy? Fuller House might be brand new, but its sickeningly-sweet humour reeks of 90s cheese. Based on the classic sitcom Full House, Netflix obviously believes that the original show’s 195 episodes simply weren’t enough. Minus Mary-Kate and Ashley, it follows the now grown-up daughters of the Tanner family and their children. It has been criticised for relying too heavily on nostalgia, but it’s perfect if you’re looking to revisit the cliché-ridden, laugh track fuelled world of retro sitcoms.
Who? Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber.
Star Trek: Discovery
When? Monday 25th September (weekly episodes)
Credit: CBS
What? Captain’s Log, Star Date 2017. It’s been over a decade since Star Trek last graced the small screen, but Star Trek: Discovery is beaming onto Netflix in time for Freshers’ Week. Separate from the recent Star Trek films, Discovery will follow First Officer Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) aboard the USS Shenzhou. As it is set 10 years before Captain Kirk’s adventures in Star Trek: The Original Series, it is said to feature the rising tensions between the Klingons and the Federation. Whether you’re a Trekkie or a complete p’takh, Discovery promises to boldly take you where no man has gone before.
Who? Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time), Michelle Yeoh (Marco Polo, Tomorrow Never Dies), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter, The OA).
Nymphomaniac Vol. I & II
When? Thursday 28th September
Credit: Lars von Trier
What? Celebrate the arrival of your tri-annual student loan arriving with a browse of Lars von Trier’s two part 2013 film Nymphomaniac! If you’ve got 214 minutes to spare (the uncut version is 325, though you’ll have to browse elsewhere to find that), this controversial art film features Charlotte Gainsbourg as a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who recounts her sexually libellous life story. You’re in for a harrowing couple of hours, but if it’s your thing, I’m not here to judge.
Who? Charlotte Gainsbourg (Antichrist, Melancholia), Stellan Skarsgård (Pirates of the Caribbean, Mamma Mia!), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Fury).
