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Mini-LED TV: What it is and how it improves Samsung, TCL and Sony TVs in 2022

Mini-LED TV: What it is and how it improves Samsung, TCL and Sony TVs in 2022

TVs get a bit better every year, and in 2022 the improvement with the biggest impact might be mini-LED. It's an evolution of traditional LCD TV tech that uses thousands of tiny light emitting diodes to improve picture quality, and at CES 2022 more TV makers than ever are using it. TCL, Samsung and LG all introduced new mini-LED TVs and Sony and Hisense will ship their first mini-LED TVs later this year. Samsung calls its version Neo QLED, LG is going with QNED for some reason while the latest version from TCL is called OD Zero.

Let's start with what makes mini-LED special. By using more, smaller LEDs to illuminate the screen, a TV can have finer control over its highlights and shadows, for potentially better contrast and image quality especially with HDR shows, movies and games. Mini-LED's main advantage over OLED, the best TV tech on the market, is that it can be more affordable, particularly in larger screen sizes. Mini-LED is an evolutionary technology, not a revolutionary one, and draws on existing LCD TV technology. In the mini-LED TVs we've tested so far, including the TCL 6-Series and Samsung QN90A, the picture quality improvements are the real deal, although not quite good enough to beat OLED.

Now that just about every TV maker will sell a mini-LED TV of some kind in 2022, you're bound to hear a lot more about the technology. Here's how it works, and why it's so cool.

Mini-LED is not MicroLED

Before we get started, know that mini-LED and MicroLED are not the same thing. MicroLED is a near-future tech that's reserved for huge screens and rich people today -- like a 110-inch Samsung for the cool price of $156,000. Mini-LED is currently available in TVs as small as 55 inches and as affordable as $700. 

MicroLED displays from Samsung and LG use millions of LEDs, one for each pixel. Essentially, you're looking directly at the LEDs that are creating the picture. And while each individual MicroLED is tiny, the modular nature of MicroLED means it can get truly gigantic. The biggest example we've seen of Samsung's The Wall hit 292 inches diagonal, although the 2022 version isn't necessarily modular and ranges from a relatively modest 89- to 110-inches.

Read more: Samsung MicroLED TVs get 89-inch size, better audio, bezel-free design at CES 2022

MicroLED is seen here in a massive 219-inch size Samsung calls The Wall.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Mini-LEDs are found inside normal-size TVs but the LEDs themselves are much larger than MicroLEDs. Just like the standard LEDs found in current TVs, they're used to power the backlight of the television. A liquid crystal layer, the LCD itself, modulates that light to create the image. MicroLED isn't LCD at all, it's a whole new TV technology that also happens to use LEDs.

Here's how the two stack up against one another as well as standard LED, QLED and OLED.

Light-emitting diode TV technologies compared

	Standard LED	QLED	OLED	Mini-LED	MicroLED
Size range	15-inch and up	32-inch and up	42-inch and up	55-inch and up	89-inch and up
Typical 65-inch price	$800	$900	$2,000	$1,000	N/A
US TV brands	All	Samsung, TCL	LG, Sony, Vizio	Hisense, LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL	LG, Samsung
Based on LCD tech	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No

Bright lights, big TV, better local dimming

To understand mini-LED, you need to understand standard LED, at least as far as your TV is concerned. Inside all modern LCD TVs (i.e. every TV that's not an OLED), there's anywhere between a few, to a few hundred light emitting diodes. These tiny devices emit light when you give them electricity and are being used everywhere in the modern world, from the flashlight on your phone to the taillights on your car. They range in size -- commonly they're around 1 millimeter, but can be smaller than 0.2 millimeter. In your TV these LEDs are collectively referred to as the "backlight."

In some TVs the LEDs are on the edges, pointing inward. On others, the LEDs are behind the screen, pointing toward you. For improved image quality, particularly to appreciate high dynamic range (HDR), you need local dimming. This is where the TV dims the LEDs behind dark sections of the image to create a better contrast ratio between the bright parts of the image and the dark. For more on this, check out LED local dimming explained.

Ideally, you'd be able to dim each pixel enough to create a visually impressive contrast ratio. This is, for example, how OLED and MicroLED work. With LCD, though, it's much harder to do. The liquid crystal panel that creates the image only blocks the light created by the backlight. Not all the light can be blocked, so the image is grayer and has less "punch" than with OLED. 

Local dimming improves this issue, but it's not 1:1. There isn't one LED for each of the 8 million-plus pixels in a 4K TV. Instead there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pixels for every LED (or more accurately, groups of LEDs called "zones"). There's a limit to how many LEDs you can squeeze onto the back panel of a TV before energy drain, heat production and cost become severely limiting factors. Enter mini-LED.

On the left, the image as you'd see it on a TV with full-array local dimming. On the right, an exaggerated illustration of the backlight array as you'd see it if you could remove the LCD layer. Arranged across the back of the TV, each LED covers a large-ish section of the screen (i.e. creating the light for many thousands of pixels). Pinpoint, or per-pixel lighting is impossible.

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Here's the same image (left) illuminated by another exaggerated illustration, this time of a mini LED TV array backlight (right). Note how much more you can make out compared to the standard-size LEDs in the first image above. With far more LEDs, the backlight has a greater "resolution," so there can be finer distinctions between light and dark. The ideal, like OLED and micro LED, would be per-pixel illumination, but mini LED is a step closer to that without the cost of the other two technologies. 

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET

Going big with little LEDs

Although there's no accepted threshold, LEDs smaller than 0.2-millimeter tend to be called mini-LEDs. They're often 0.1-millimeter or less. Not too small though: At around 0.01-millimeter, they're called MicroLEDs.

Generally speaking, when you make an LED smaller, it becomes dimmer. There's less material to create the light. You can offset this a bit by giving them more electricity ("driving" them harder), but there's a limit here, too, constrained by energy consumption, heat, longevity and practicality. No one is going to hook their TV up to a high-amp, home appliance-style outlet. 

As LED technology improves, they get more efficient. New tech, new manufacturing methods and other factors mean that the same amount of light is created using less energy, or more light using the same energy. New tech also allows for smaller LEDs.

TCL's comparison of LED backlight types using the 8-Series with mini-LED as the "Best" example.

TCL

One of the first mini-LED TVs available was TCL's 8-Series. It had over 25,000 mini-LEDs arrayed across the back of the TV. These were grouped into around 1,000 zones. Both of these numbers are significantly higher than what you'd find in a traditional LED TV. The 65-inch Hisense U8G, for example, has 485 local dimming zones while the 85-inch Vizio P85X has 792. No TV maker aside from TCL officially lists the number of LEDs in its TVs, but it's safe to assume none have as many as 25,000 (yet).

Don't expect every mini-LED TV to have that many LEDs, of course. Lower-end models will have far fewer, but likely still more than regular LED TVs. For instance TCL's 65-inch 6-Series has 1,000 mini-LEDs and 240 zones -- more than many models at its price but clearly not at the same level as the 8-Series.

If you were to take the LCD layer of the TV off, the mini-LEDs would create an image that would look like a low-resolution black-and-white internet video version of the show you were watching (see the pairs of image comparisons above). By being able to dim parts of the screen far more precisely, the overall apparent contrast ratio goes up. It's still not quite as good as being able to dim each pixel individually (like OLED and MicroLED), but it's far closer to that ideal than even the most elaborate full-array LED LCDs now. 

LG

Having more zones is a big factor here, as it means improving two other aspects of the image. The most obvious is reducing the "blooming" typical of many local-dimming LCDs. Blooming is created because the local-dimming backlight is too coarse, creating light behind a part of the image that should be dark. 

Imagine a streetlight on an otherwise dark road. A local-dimming TV doesn't have the resolution in its backlight to only light up the pixels creating the street light, so it has to light up some of the surrounding night as well. Many LCDs TVs have gotten pretty good at this, but not as good as something that can dim each pixel like OLED. With mini-LED, you might not be able to light up individual stars in a night scene, but the moon probably won't have a halo.

Because there's less of a chance of blooming, the LEDs can be driven harder without fear of artifacts. So there can be a greater on-screen contrast ratio in a wider variety of scenes. The bright parts of the image can be truly bright, the dark parts of the image can be at or near totally dark.

Samsung Neo QLED, LG QNED and TCL OD Zero: What's in a name?

The overall name for the technology is mini-LED. That's what TCL, Sony and Hisense call it while LG and Samsung, true to form, prefer to use their own names.

Samsung's is Neo QLED, building on the company's years of marketing QLED with quantum dots. LG's QNED, based on its Neo-LED technology, is a brand-new addition to the bewildering world of TV acronyms.

There are bound to be differences between how these companies implement mini-LED, most notably how many LEDs are on each size of TV. On top of that, how well these LEDs are addressed and other factors will determine how good they look compared to each other and to other TV technologies.

Meanwhile TCL introduced its third-gen mini-LED televisions this year as well, called OD Zero. TCL says OD Zero TVs will be much thinner, just 10mm in the first example, thanks to a reduction in the distance between the backlight layer and the LCD display layer. That TV also happens to be an 85-inch 8K model that costs $10,000.

As of early 2022 the only major TV maker that hasn't introduced mini-LED is Vizio, but that could change once the company announced their official 2022 lineup in spring.

The dark night returns

Deep blacks and bright whites are the Holy Grail (Grails?) of TV image quality. Add in the color possible with quantum dots and you've got the makings of a fantastic-looking television. With LG Display still the only company able to make OLED work affordably in TV sizes -- at least until Sony and Samsung QD-OLED models from Samsung Display appear later this year -- other manufacturers need ways to create competing technology. LCD is still the only cost-effective alternative, and while it has come a long way, it's an aging technology. Mini-LED is the latest band-aid keeping it in the game.

As far as band-aids go, however, this is a pretty good one. We'll continue comparing the best mini-LED-based TVs against OLED in the near-term and, eventually, micro LED and future technologies like direct view QD.

---

As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more. 

You can follow his exploits on Instagram and YouTube, and on his travel blog, BaldNomad. He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-sized submarines, along with a sequel.

---

Source

https://quemwijaa.kian.my.id/

.

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Smart glasses are getting ready for an iPad moment in 2022

Smart glasses are getting ready for an iPad moment in 2022

Many products shown off at CES 2022 were about future tech, like cars that change color, robot butlers or invisible headphones. But with rumors that Apple may announce its own take on an augmented reality or virtual reality device sometime this year, companies already making such products are getting dragged into the present.

Chinese TV maker TCL, for example, announced at CES its RayBan-style NXTWear Air glasses that overlay computer-generated images on the real world. Sony used CES to make a surprise announcement about its hotly anticipated PlayStation VR 2 headset, which promises to trick your brain into thinking you're inside a computer-generated world. Qualcomm and Microsoft, meanwhile, announced a new partnership for head-mounted technology chips.

Indeed, technology built around the digital worlds of the "metaverse" was a central theme of 2022's Consumer Electronics Show, which took place both online and in-person in Las Vegas last week. The roughly 2,300 companies that participated showed off all sorts of products, like backpacks and wallets with beacon locators and shockingly close-to-human robots. But a good deal of the buzz at the show focused on head-mounted technology, particularly the headsets from TCL and Sony.

That buzz was there for good reason. The tech world has repeatedly been surprised by competitors that sweep in and take the industry by storm. Amazon did that with its Kindle reading device, which sold out within hours of its initial launch in November 2007. Smartwatch startup Pebble pulled off a similar surprise with its 2012 Kickstarter campaign that topped $7 million in a matter of weeks. 

And then there's Apple, which regularly influences and upends the industry. That very specifically happened 15 years ago in January 2007 when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs announced his company's first iPhone during the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. That happened the same week as CES, pulling attention away from the show and the new phones, which the iPhone ultimately killed off in the marketplace. 

"The industry doesn't want to be burned like they were with the iPhone," Moor Insights and Strategies analyst Patrick Moorhead said.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs lounges onstage with the newly announced iPad in 2010.

James Martin/CNET

But they were burned again pretty quickly. In 2010, a rush of tech companies including Motorola, Hewlett-Packard and Dell announced competing tablets ahead of Apple's expected introduction of the iPad. More than a decade later, Apple leads the industry with more than 31% market share, according to IDC. Motorola, meanwhile, no longer makes its once-hyped Xoom tablet. HP and Dell, whose devices were stars of CES 2010, sit far below other industry leaders like Samsung, Lenovo and Amazon.

"The industry's a lot more ready for this one, and it's been investing in years," Moorhead said. "You have all these people who are like, 'never again.'"

Apple, which didn't respond to a request for comment, typically doesn't discuss rumors of upcoming products.

Still, Apple CEO Tim Cook has teased his company's interest in AR and VR, either through its software tools offered to developers or statements that the technology is a "critically important part of Apple's future" that will "pervade our entire lives."

"I think AR is one of these very few profound technologies that we will look back on one day and went, 'How did we live our lives without it?'" he told tech YouTuber iJustine in September. "I'm AR fan No. 1. I think it's that big."

The Oculus Quest 2 appeared to sell strongly during the 2021 holiday shopping season.

Scott Stein/CNET

800-pound gorilla

Apple is already one of the most highly valued companies in the world, built largely on the success of devices like the iPhone and iPad, which together make up well more than half its $274 billion in net sales last year.

As longtime tech watchers often note, Apple was a relative latecomer to both markets. Microsoft had built tablet technology into its Windows PC software since 2001. It had also created software for computer-phone hybrids, often called "personal digital assistants," alongside then-market leaders Palm, Handspring and Research in Motion. But when Apple introduced its devices, it offered significantly easier-to-use software and a promise of high-quality apps and data syncing over the internet.

"One thing Apple does differently from everyone else is to create an ecosystem of hardware, software and devices," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies, adding that Apple's strengths will likely help it even more in the headset world.

Sony's been slowly revealing its PSVR 2 headset. So far, it's only shown the device's controllers.

Sony

As CNET's Scott Stein notes, VR technology itself is still in flux, "with companies aiming for products that are smaller and more able to be connected to devices like phones." Right now, the Oculus Quest 2, the $299 VR headset from Meta (nee Facebook), is considered the market leader with one of the most popular VR app stores and one of the most affordable devices alongside Sony's $299 PlayStation VR.

Meanwhile, there are no consumer AR headsets that have gained widespread popularity. Microsoft's $3,500 HoloLens 2 and Magic Leap's $2,295 namesake headset are both focused on business customers.

That leaves Apple with an opportunity to jump in, analysts say. "Apple's headset reveal will be a powerful statement that it means business when it comes to metaverse," Loup Ventures analyst Gene Munster wrote in December, adding the company's "investing heavily," a sentiment backed by years of reports about prototypes and initiatives coming out of Cupertino.

One more thing...

Apple's headset may face a larger challenge than competitors from Meta, Sony and Microsoft, analysts say. Apple will also need to overcome consumer apathy.

The tech world's gone gaga over VR and AR before, with relatively few sales to show for it afterward. In the 1980s and 1990s, VR experience centers in malls and Nintendo's Virtual Boy excited techies about the promise of the new technology, but the experience didn't come close to the hype, and sales failed to materialize. The industry imploded before it got a chance to get off the ground.

"I'm AR fan No. 1. I think it's that big."

Tim Cook, Apple CEO

In 2016, VR went through somewhat of a repeat when Facebook's Oculus Rift headset launched after four years of public testing and development. Phone maker HTC introduced its Vive around the same time, as did Sony with its PSVR. Initial sales were lower than expected, according to people familiar with data surrounding Oculus and Microsoft at the time.

Six years later, Oculus appears to have found its niche as a tool for entertainment amid the interminable COVID-19 pandemic. The HTC Vive has largely been used by businesses. VR, AR and the virtual worlds of the metaverse, such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox, have also offered a way to socialize with people amid quarantines and social isolation.

Apple may be able to supercharge that trend, taking advantage of growing interest in the technology for entertainment and social communication, which are among the most popular categories in its App Store.

Until then, CNET's Stein says that even as more and more companies beckon us to join their digital worlds, Apple will remain "the elephant in the metaverse."

---

Source

https://muharramc.costa.my.id/

.

'Halo' TV Show on Paramount Plus an Ultra-Violent Assault on the Senses

'Halo' TV Show on Paramount Plus an Ultra-Violent Assault on the Senses

You could argue that Halo, the new Paramount Plus TV show based on the popular video game, is arriving 15 years too late. 

Despite coming in the wake of Halo Infinite, arguably the best Halo video game in well over a decade, the cultural cachet of the franchise has been dipping since 2007, when Halo 3 was released and a generation of gamers sat transfixed in front of their consoles to "Finish The Fight."

Since then, we've finished that fight. We've finished a few more fights in the years following. In fact most of us, even the most diehard fans of the Halo series, are a little over finishing fights.

Kwan Ha, played by Yerin Ha.

Paramount

The original Halo game, released in 2001, was a vaguely jingoistic, post-9/11 tale of heroic UNSC soldiers battling against a hyperreligious (read: Muslim) alien race known as the Covenant. A race hellbent on activating a universe-destroying ring world -- aka the titular Halo. 

Even nongamers will recognize the "Halo," an enormous, ancient weapon designed to make all sentient beings extinct. The game was a pretty straightforward, well-executed "good versus evil" story designed to efficiently get players to the good part: lobbing grenades and firing guns at an endless onslaught of aliens intent on murdering you and the entire human race. 

But in 2022, in the wake of prestige TV, a pandemic and a society far less trusting of authority, that story doesn't exactly pass the vibe check. Particularly the jingoism and the mild space racism. It's for this reason that the Halo TV show, starring Pablo Schreiber as the protagonist Master Chief, with Natascha McElhone as his creator Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, wisely deviates from the video games in a number of smart ways. 

In the TV show, Halo's soldiers are far from the good guys. Instead they're part of a fascist army hellbent on suppressing human colonies off-world. The Master Chief is their wrecking ball: an overwhelming one-man army capable of killing aliens and his fellow humans without mercy at the behest of his superiors. 

But after touching an alien artifact that unlocks long suppressed memories, the Master Chief begins to slowly discover his humanity -- pitting him against not just the Covenant aliens, but the army that helped create him. 

Despite tropes and some clunky expository dialogue, Halo is perfectly serviceable science fiction that borrows liberally from other influential shows. Its off-world rebel groups resemble the "Belters" from The Expanse, while its central emotional core, the burgeoning relationship between the Master Chief and Kwan Ha -- the sole human survivor from the show's opening battle -- borrows beats from The Mandalorian. 

Master Chief and his fellow Spartans are humanity's only effective weapons against the Covenant.

Paramount Plus

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Halo is compelling and barrels along at a friendly pace, clearly wrestling with its source material in fundamental ways, trying to make video game elements work in a new format. Not everyone will enjoy the choices made. After the release of the show's last trailer, fans went ballistic upon discovering that Cortana -- an AI character from the video games -- wasn't blue and transparent like she is in the original. 

If that upsets you, then brace yourself. Wait till Master Chief removes his helmet -- probably the best example of the show literally and figuratively breaking free from the shackles of the video game.   

But the show is faithful where it makes sense. Its action sequences are kinetic and incredibly visceral -- ultra violent even. Legs are blown off, bodies are ripped in half. Early in the first episode an alien mercilessly murders a group of small children cowering in a hidden bunker. Fans of the game may remember that Neil Blomkamp was slated to direct a Halo movie back in the mid-2000s. District 9 was born of the bones of that failed project and, ironically, the Halo TV show feels very influenced by Blomkamp and his work. 

In the show, Covenant forces are utterly terrifying and completely indestructible until the Master Chief and his band of Spartans arrive. These encounters do a tremendous job of communicating what makes the game special. Fans complaining that Cortana is the wrong color will forgive it all when they see Master Chief hiding behind cover waiting for his shields to recharge. 

But ultimately, whether fans like it or not, Halo is at its best when it pushes back. Dedicated fans may resent some of its braver choices, but it's undoubtedly for the best. Dialogue clunkers aside, Halo is a well-produced TV show with solid performances and brilliantly executed set pieces. Given the history of video game adaptations, I'm taking that as a win. 

Halo might be 15 years too late, but better late than never. 

---

Source

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Why Bluey Is the Best Children's TV Show on the Planet

Why Bluey Is the Best Children's TV Show on the Planet

When my oldest son was 3, he watched one of the consensus worst animated movies, Planes: Fire and Rescue, roughly four times a week. 

To be clear, this is a conservative estimate. An estimate designed to make myself feel better. An estimate to make you think I'm less of a horrorshow parent than I actually am. The actual number? I don't know. I don't want to know.

Kids have terrible taste in everything. And, if given the opportunity, tend to watch the same thing – over and over – until every frame is emblazoned like TV burn-in, directly on their hippocampus. I know. I've been here. Friends, I have suffered.

I am here to rescue you from this burden. 

I am here to tell you about Bluey.

Bluey is an Australian-made kids TV show about a family of anthropomorphic dogs who walk, talk and act like human beings. It premiered on ABC (Australia's version of the BBC) back in 2018 and slowly, but surely, began taking over the planet ever since. 

Bluey is the best kids TV show I have ever watched and I am obsessed with it.

Available to watch on Disney Plus in the US, Bluey is aimed at preschool children but I regularly watch it with both of my children, now aged 6 and 9. 

I definitely haven't been watching episodes by myself when the kids are at school. 

But if I was watching episodes of Bluey by myself when the kids were at school, I'd blame its uniquely calming aesthetics. I'd tell you about its commitment to quality in all its facets. I'd tell you the show regularly brings me to tears, with its relatable, yet courageous insights into family life and its lessons about what it's like to be a parent -- or just part of a family -- in the 21st century. 

Camping is my favourite episode, but there are so many classics! 

Disney Plus

Surface level explanations of the show's quality don't do it justice. Bluey is a show about a family doing everyday family things, but it's the execution that counts. An episode about playing on a trampoline with your kids becomes a quiet reflection on how work inevitably encroaches on the joy of parenthood. An episode about a baby's first steps forces parents to confront the perils of being competitive with other moms and dads. Bluey is so delicately balanced that lessons rarely feel forced and come enriched with humor that transcends age barriers. Bluey is funny no matter how old you are, and never in a – shhhh – this is an adult joke wink-wink way, but in an accessible, democratic way that keeps everyone on board. 

Some episodes hit on a level that you truly don't expect. One episode, titled Camping, explores the strange nostalgia of a short-term vacation friend. I was sobbing by the end. Any episode where the kids dress up as "grannies" is hysterical and I challenge any mother to watch Sleepytime and leave with dry eyes. Fathers will find a role model in Bandit, maybe the best father in television history. He's creative, charming, and has me challenging my own assumptions about what it means to be an effective dad in 2022. Bandit is the north star and we're all left trailing in his wake. 

Ultimately Bluey is the rarest of shows. It speaks directly to parents without alienating children. It has lessons to teach but never patronizes or oversteps the mark. It's perfectly balanced and endlessly rewatchable. There's never been a kid's show like Bluey, Almost every episode is operating at the level of a high quality Pixar short. Watch it immediately. You won't regret it. For real life.

Just don't blame me if your kids start speaking with Australian accents. 

---

Source

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'Halo' TV Show on Paramount Plus an Ultra-Violent Assault on the Senses

'Halo' TV Show on Paramount Plus an Ultra-Violent Assault on the Senses

You could argue that Halo, the new Paramount Plus TV show based on the popular video game, is arriving 15 years too late. 

Despite coming in the wake of Halo Infinite, arguably the best Halo video game in well over a decade, the cultural cachet of the franchise has been dipping since 2007, when Halo 3 was released and a generation of gamers sat transfixed in front of their consoles to "Finish The Fight."

Since then, we've finished that fight. We've finished a few more fights in the years following. In fact most of us, even the most diehard fans of the Halo series, are a little over finishing fights.

Kwan Ha, played by Yerin Ha.

Paramount

The original Halo game, released in 2001, was a vaguely jingoistic, post-9/11 tale of heroic UNSC soldiers battling against a hyperreligious (read: Muslim) alien race known as the Covenant. A race hellbent on activating a universe-destroying ring world -- aka the titular Halo. 

Even nongamers will recognize the "Halo," an enormous, ancient weapon designed to make all sentient beings extinct. The game was a pretty straightforward, well-executed "good versus evil" story designed to efficiently get players to the good part: lobbing grenades and firing guns at an endless onslaught of aliens intent on murdering you and the entire human race. 

But in 2022, in the wake of prestige TV, a pandemic and a society far less trusting of authority, that story doesn't exactly pass the vibe check. Particularly the jingoism and the mild space racism. It's for this reason that the Halo TV show, starring Pablo Schreiber as the protagonist Master Chief, with Natascha McElhone as his creator Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, wisely deviates from the video games in a number of smart ways. 

In the TV show, Halo's soldiers are far from the good guys. Instead they're part of a fascist army hellbent on suppressing human colonies off-world. The Master Chief is their wrecking ball: an overwhelming one-man army capable of killing aliens and his fellow humans without mercy at the behest of his superiors. 

But after touching an alien artifact that unlocks long suppressed memories, the Master Chief begins to slowly discover his humanity -- pitting him against not just the Covenant aliens, but the army that helped create him. 

Despite tropes and some clunky expository dialogue, Halo is perfectly serviceable science fiction that borrows liberally from other influential shows. Its off-world rebel groups resemble the "Belters" from The Expanse, while its central emotional core, the burgeoning relationship between the Master Chief and Kwan Ha -- the sole human survivor from the show's opening battle -- borrows beats from The Mandalorian. 

Master Chief and his fellow Spartans are humanity's only effective weapons against the Covenant.

Paramount Plus

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Halo is compelling and barrels along at a friendly pace, clearly wrestling with its source material in fundamental ways, trying to make video game elements work in a new format. Not everyone will enjoy the choices made. After the release of the show's last trailer, fans went ballistic upon discovering that Cortana -- an AI character from the video games -- wasn't blue and transparent like she is in the original. 

If that upsets you, then brace yourself. Wait till Master Chief removes his helmet -- probably the best example of the show literally and figuratively breaking free from the shackles of the video game.   

But the show is faithful where it makes sense. Its action sequences are kinetic and incredibly visceral -- ultra violent even. Legs are blown off, bodies are ripped in half. Early in the first episode an alien mercilessly murders a group of small children cowering in a hidden bunker. Fans of the game may remember that Neil Blomkamp was slated to direct a Halo movie back in the mid-2000s. District 9 was born of the bones of that failed project and, ironically, the Halo TV show feels very influenced by Blomkamp and his work. 

In the show, Covenant forces are utterly terrifying and completely indestructible until the Master Chief and his band of Spartans arrive. These encounters do a tremendous job of communicating what makes the game special. Fans complaining that Cortana is the wrong color will forgive it all when they see Master Chief hiding behind cover waiting for his shields to recharge. 

But ultimately, whether fans like it or not, Halo is at its best when it pushes back. Dedicated fans may resent some of its braver choices, but it's undoubtedly for the best. Dialogue clunkers aside, Halo is a well-produced TV show with solid performances and brilliantly executed set pieces. Given the history of video game adaptations, I'm taking that as a win. 

Halo might be 15 years too late, but better late than never. 

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Netflix: The 50 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch

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Netflix: The 50 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch

Netflix has a bulging library of TV shows. Because each week brings new series to watch, it can be tough to find the best of the bunch. No need to worry. We've done the hard work for you.

You'll find highlights of new content below, as well as CNET's full list of best TV originals on Netflix.

What's new this week (Aug. 29 to Sept. 4)

Check out this week's highlights.

Tuesday

• I Am a Killer (Season 3): Documentary. Murderers recount the true stories of their crimes, including a woman who killed her abusive husband and the man behind a deadly New Year's Eve party.

Wednesday

• Club América vs. Club América (Limited Series): Documentary. This docuseries delves into the past, present and future of América, the most winning and controversial soccer club in Mexico, and its players' DNA.
• Family Secrets (Season 1): Polish drama. A couple's wedding day threatens to turn disastrous when they begin to unravel a web of secrets and lies that connects their two families.

Thursday

• Off the Hook (Season 1): French rom-com. Realizing they both have a toxic relationship to the Internet, roommates Léa and Manon decide to do the unthinkable: abandon all devices for 30 days.

Friday

• Buy My House (Season 1): Reality. Homeowners from across the US pitch properties for sale to four experienced real estate investors, hoping to make a life-changing deal on the spot.
• Dated & Related (Season 1): Reality. Single siblings help each other search for their soulmates, hoping to find love (and maybe win $100,000) while living at a luxurious villa.
• Devil in Ohio (Limited Series): Crime mystery starring Emily Deschanel. Determined to protect a young patient who escaped a mysterious cult, a psychiatrist takes the girl in, putting her own family -- and life -- in danger.
• Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives (Season 2): Reality. Cameras follow the banter and bonding between four fun-loving women from Bollywood's inner circle as they juggle professions, family and friendship.
• Fakes (Season 1): Teen drama. Emilija Baranac and Jennifer Tong lead this YA dramedy series about friendship and fraud told from different perspectives. 
• You're Nothing Special (Season 1): Spanish teen drama. Life in Amaia's new hometown starts to get a lot more interesting when a rumor spreads at school that she's inherited her grandmother's magical talents.

Read more: The Absolute Best Movies on Netflix

Best Netflix original TV shows

At the time of writing, these TV shows all scored at least 70 on Metacritic.

Thriller

Netflix

Lupin (2021—)

If you enjoyed Money Heist, then meet Lupin, another non-English language show with an action-packed story. This time we're in France, where professional thief Assane Diop enacts his revenge mission on the man responsible for his father's death. Inspired by a book about gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, Assane uses disguises, thieving know-how and a good dose of charisma to expose the wealthy and powerful Hubert Pellegrini's crimes.

Netflix

Bodyguard (2018)

Bodyguard broke records when it first aired in Britain, climbing from cliffhanger to cliffhanger at a relentless pace. This might be the definition of the unstoppable binge, not surprising given it comes from the mind of Line of Duty's Jed Mercurio. Game of Thrones' Richard Madden plays the titular bodyguard, who suffers from PTSD after serving in the Afghanistan war. On top of that, he's assigned to protect the Home Secretary (Keeley Hawes), whose politics he despises. Taking provocative turns, and crafting one of the best-ever 20-minute opening scenes, Bodyguard is an expert tension-building balancing act.

Netflix

House of Cards (2013-2018)

While Kevin Spacey's sexual harassment allegations ended up marring this slick, fourth-wall breaking slice of politics' dark side, it's still worth watching if you dig power games and the occasional backstabbing. Initially following Spacey's Frank Underwood, House of Cards' sixth and final season pivots to follow his wife Claire (Robin Wright) as she takes on more and more power in the Oval Office.

Horror

Netflix

Midnight Mass (2021)

From the auteur who brought us The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, comes another slow-burning horror series that'll haunt you for days. Midnight Mass is Mike Flanagan's latest creation, a meticulously crafted mystery spanning seven hourlong episodes. Riley Flynn, still paying the price for a drunk driving accident four years ago, returns home to Crockett Island, where the arrival of a charismatic new priest coincides with astonishing miracles around the town. Pregnant with a sense of foreboding and dread, Midnight Mass is an eloquent interrogation of faith, with horrifying supernatural monsters along for the ride.

Steve Dietl/Netflix

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Hill House, loosely based on Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, weaves its horror into a deeply affecting story about a broken family. Fractured after growing up in a haunted house, the Crains can't ignore their past and must do what you never want to do: Go back down those dark corridors. The impressive set-pieces will please horror fans, but it's the sad story of the Crains that will, yes, haunt you for days. Good news: The second chapter of the anthology, The Haunting of Bly Manor, is a similarly affecting Gothic romance.

Netflix

Crazyhead (2016)

If you were a fan of Howard Overman's insanely entertaining Misfits, Crazyhead might be where you want to head next. Overman's follow-up show, which first aired in the UK in 2016, is a comedy-horror starring Cara Theobold (the voice of Tracer in Overwatch) and Susan Wokoma as unlikely friends who bond over being able to see demons gallivanting about in normal society. Their brilliant double-act is at the heart of this disturbingly entertaining series, featuring exorcisms, accidental roommate killings and demon fathers. Yeah, you need to watch this for yourself.

Sci-fi

Netflix

Archive 81 (2022)

Enjoy sci-fi series that play with two timelines? Have a special spot for cults and mysteries? Meet Archive 81. The multiple genre-straddling show stars Mamoudou Athie as Dan Turner, an archivist who takes a gig restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from the '90s. He gets far more than he bargained for, drawn into an investigation of a mysterious cult and a young woman who may or may not be dead. A supernatural thriller with horror, mystery, noir and sci-fi seeped into its creepy atmosphere, Archive 81 has it all.

Netflix

Dark (2017-2020)

Germany's answer to Stranger Things deliberately takes its time before stepping into completely compelling and original places. A sci-fi noir, Dark folds time travel, conspiracies and estranged families into a generation-spanning story kicked off by a child's disappearance. If those kinds of meticulously-crafted layers are what you're after in your storytelling, settle in. All three seasons of Dark's meditative look at time travel and its effect on human nature are waiting to hit you at full force.

Netflix

Stranger Things (2016—)

It wouldn't be a best list without Stranger Things. If somehow you've missed the Duffer Brothers' ode to '80s horror and Steven Spielberg, things are about to get tubular. We follow El, a near-mute girl who was the subject of scientific experiments. She develops telekinetic powers, which she uses to fend off monsters who invade from a frightening alternative dimension. The world of Indiana, Hawkins, is lovingly detailed for anyone in need of an '80s nostalgia hit and the misfit characters, played by a stellar young cast, are part of everything that makes this show a tour de force.

Netflix

Travelers (2016-2018)

Full disclosure: Netflix sadly canceled Travelers after its third season, but this tightly plotted sci-fi out of Canada does manage to end with an ambitious bang. We start with Marcy, a disabled woman who's beaten up after helping a friend escape thugs. She dies -- then comes back to life. This strong character-driven sci-fi reveals its secrets in clever ways, following operatives from the future tasked with preventing the collapse of society but also navigating the tricky territory of living a double life.

Laurie Sparham/Netflix

Black Mirror (2011—)

While Charlie Brooker's bleak tech anthology series can be hit and miss, at its best, Black Mirror packs its mini-movies with an exploration of futuristic technological ideas through painfully human stories. One of those is San Junipero, following two women in the '80s (cue banging soundtrack) as they fall for each other in ways they couldn't do in their "real" lives outside the beach city. The tech aspect is revealed with genius timing and, in general, the show explores the consequences of our plugged-in lives in disturbing and occasionally uplifting ways.

Drama

Netflix

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022—)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo hasn't even finished airing its first season on Netflix, and it's already a runaway winner. Its unique concept: A woman who has autism becomes a lawyer in South Korea, elevated by her brilliant and unexpected ways of approaching cases. An inspiring heroine, Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) brings extraordinary representation to the screen. Charming, heartwarming, as radiant as the sun -- you could watch this show for days.

Mike Kollöffel/Netflix

Borgen (2010—)

Denmark's bleaker answer to the West Wing. Borgen is the epitome of sophisticated political dramas, chronicling the inspiring fictional underdog story of how, against all odds, Birgitte Nyborg Christensen (Sidse Babett Knudsen) becomes the first female prime minister of Denmark. Produced by the same company behind The Killing, Borgen is four influential seasons of one woman's complicated, intricate rise to power.

Netflix

Maid (2021)

Margaret Qualley is the heart of this miniseries based on a memoir. Maid follows Alex, a young mother trying to support her daughter by working as a housecleaner. Alex's task is made slightly more difficult thanks to an abusive relationship, poverty, homelessness and more. But it's not all heavy subject matter, with light and charming moments that give Maid an extra sheen. Not only a moving story expertly crafted, Maid cements Qualley as a major star.

Netflix

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

How do you make chess the thrilling centerpiece of a coming-of-age tale? You shake it into a cocktail of stylish visuals, a rocking '60s soundtrack and the magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, one of the youngest (and few female) chess players in the world. The fictional story in The Queen's Gambit, named after a chess opening, follows her rise from an orphanage to toppling the best players in the world -- as long as her drug addiction and bags of wine bottles don't get in the way.

Netflix

Unorthodox (2020)

This miniseries is based on a memoir and told primarily in Yiddish with painstaking detail. Almost a thriller, Unorthodox follows 19-year-old Esty Shapiro, who escapes her arranged marriage in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn. She ends up in Berlin, exploring a new life outside the strict beliefs she grew up in, but her community doesn't let go that easily. Featuring a stunning performance from Shira Haas, Unorthodox lets you take a step into a relentlessly compelling world.

Netflix

Godless (2017)

This miniseries carves itself firmly into the Western genre, with a female-led cast boasting Merritt Weaver and Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery. With its 1880s New Mexico vistas swirling around it, Godless draws up the violence in a tale that sees an outlaw on the run from his boss seek refuge with an outcast widower. Oh, Jeff Daniels is in this too, if the show wasn't enticing enough.

Netflix

The Crown (2016—)

Sumptuous is one word to describe the production values of The Crown's drama about the British monarchy. Following Queen Elizabeth II's life, starting in her 20s with a powerhouse performance from Claire Foy, The Crown captures the grand workings of historical events from deep within Buckingham Palace. Figures like Winston Churchill, Princess Margaret, Margaret Thatcher and more are treated with the highest cinematic sophistication. A fifth and sixth season are on their way to round out your knowledge of the queen's reign into the early 21st century.

Fantasy

Netflix

Arcane (2021—)

One of the best TV shows of 2021 was an animated series. That's right -- if you're animation-unfriendly, Arcane is the show to change your mind. The action-adventure introduces us to the steampunk world of Piltover and Zaun, two cities grinding on opposing values and fortunes. Then there's Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), two sisters torn apart by tragedy and fighting to survive. Arcane is the kind of moving portrait that gets under your skin on a par with Pixar. The characters will draw you to tears. A must-watch.

Netflix

Sweet Tooth (2021—)

This fantasy based on Jeff Lemire's comic book is the definition of weird and wonderful. Sweet Tooth follows Gus (a stellar Christian Convery), a half-deer half-human child, who lives a sheltered life in the forest with his dad Pubba (Will Forte). Events relating to The Great Crumble, a viral pandemic, sweep Gus into an adventure branching down mysterious, action-filled and highly entertaining paths. Echoes with real-world struggles can be heard in the treetops of this immersive, riveting fantasy world. Genre fans settle in for this fantastic ride.

Kevin Baker / Netflix

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)

We weren't ready for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Canceled after one season, the critically acclaimed fantasy series is, well, a gem. A prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson film, the series returns to the planet Thra, where three Gelflings inspire a rebellion against the absolutely diabolic Skeksis. The puppet design and performances -- from a stunning cast including Taron Edgerton, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nathalie Emmanuel -- sneak up on you. You'll find yourself deeply invested in the poor, oppressed Gelflings' lives, hurt just as much as the puppets whenever one of their own is harmed. A full-on fantasy epic, built with love, care and staggering detail.

Crime

Netflix

Unbelievable (2019)

This miniseries, based on a true story of rape, deftly navigates its disturbing and tricky subject matter with the help of a remarkable performance from Kaitlyn Dever. She plays Marie, a teenager who's charged with lying about being raped, but of course it's more complicated than that. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever team up as whip-smart detectives who see what others fail to, adding another layer to Unbelievable's delicate, powerfully moving triumph.

Netflix

When They See Us (2019)

Ava DuVernay's When They See Us comes under the tough but essential viewing banner. It depicts the real-life events of the 1989 Central Park jogger case, involving five male suspects of color who were falsely accused of rape and assault. Not only sensitively drawing the humanity of the boys into focus, When They See Us demands outrage at the injustice of systemic racism.

Netflix

The Sinner (2017—)

Four fascinating seasons of The Sinner await to be cracked open, each one focused on a murder committed by an unlikely offender in even stranger circumstances. Season 1 follows Jessica Biel's Cora, who stabs a man to death on a beach in a sudden frenzy, but has no idea why. It's up to Bill Pullman's Detective Ambrose to unravel the shockingly disturbing events embedded in her psyche that lead to her being triggered.

Netflix

Money Heist (2017—)

This series is loved by many (and Netflix loves you for it), but in case you haven't heard what all the fuss is about, Money Heist is, yep, about a heist. The mastermind doing Ocean's Eleven-level prep work with equally satisfying reveals is The Professor. He's got banks in his sights and we see how his intricate plans come together with slick flashbacks, time-jumps and even an unreliable narrator. This is captivating TV with a distinct Spanish identity -- don't let the subtitles put you off.

Netflix

American Vandal (2017-2018)

The first two seasons of this mockumentary series burst onto Netflix with a potent combination of potty humor and social commentary. A parody of true crime documentaries such as Netflix's own Making a Murderer, American Vandal follows the aftermath of a high school prank gone wrong. After 27 faculty cars are left fatally vandalized with grievous phallic images, it's up to a couple of sophomores to crack the crime, before the wrong person is expelled for good. Yep, this is a satire. But it weaves a surprisingly engrossing mystery that creates an accurate bigger picture of contemporary high school life. A hefty achievement.

Netflix

Alias Grace (2017)

This miniseries is from a couple of years ago, but in case you missed it, it's definitely worth checking out. In the vein of The Sinner, Alias Grace steps back into its young female protagonist's past to figure out why she commits murder, of which she has no memory. An adaptation of a Margaret Atwood novel, the show stars a hypnotic Sarah Gadon as Irish immigrant Grace, navigating a turbulent life as a servant for a family in colonial Toronto. Partly based on a true story, this isn't a straightforward mystery with straightforward answers and that's what makes it all the more captivating.

Netflix

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

David Fincher directs a stash of episodes in this psychological crime thriller's two-season run (the third is on indefinite hold), so meticulous visuals and captivating storylines are a given. Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) is a special agent in the FBI, sent to interview serial killers in prison to build a profile of what makes them tick. Cameron Britton as real-life serial killer Ed Kemper is absolutely chilling. Mindhunter is smarter and richer than your average crime show, somehow growing with its complex characters. It would be a shame if the third season didn't happen (although that seems to be the case).

Netflix

Narcos (2015-2017)

Drug kingpin Pablo Escobar is the subject of this, yes, addictive series that races through his rise to becoming the infamous cocaine distributor and billionaire. A true-to-life account that blends in archival footage, Narcos manages to present a sympathetic side to Escobar without undermining the gravity of its material. Plus, the DEA's hunt to bring Escobar down ratchets up the suspense. After you finish the three series, head to Narcos: Mexico, a companion series that focuses on the illegal drug trade in Mexico.

Netflix

Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)

Netflix wisely snapped up the rights to Peaky Blinders and there are six seasons (and eventually a spinoff film) to traverse the stunning rise of 1900s Birmingham gang leader Thomas Shelby. Prepare yourself for a mesmerizing performance from Cillian Murphy in this family saga that has a fantastic amount of fun and flair showing Shelby's dealings with other gangs, the police and the occasional lover.

Romance

Netflix

Heartstopper (2022—)

If you're in the market for an impeccable new happy place to move into, look no further. Heartstopper is a bright spark of a coming-of-age series, telling an LGBTQ+ love story with compassion and grace (and no one dies). Charlie falls in love with Nick, but Nick is still figuring out his sexuality. With real teenagers playing teenagers, fleshed out characters and little animations that evoke Alice Oseman's graphic novel of the same name, Heartstopper is a safe, joyous, life-affirming queer romance. Essential viewing.

Netflix

Bridgerton (2020—)

Known as Jane Austen but with sex, this period piece offers a different take on the early 19th century dating scene. With lavish production designs and colorful costumes, this is Regency London like you've rarely seen it. The Bridgerton siblings' adventures in love are captured by a scandalous newsletter, written by Regency London's version of Gossip Girl, voiced by none other than Julie Andrews. Settle in for this gorge-worthy viewing.

Netflix

Love (2016-2018)

This Judd Apatow creation draws the best out of the talented Gillian Jacobs (Britta in Community) and Paul Rust. They play Mickey and Gus respectively, an opposites-attract couple, who go to messy, frustrating and endearingly down-to-earth places that make this an honest look at a relationship being built over time. Iris Apatow is a standout as the unhappy child actress Gus tutors who gets away with just about anything.

Netflix

Lovesick (2014-2018)

Easy, enjoyable viewing with a premise ripe for embarrassment humor. Helpless-in-love Dylan discovers he has chlamydia and must track down past flings and inform them they might have it too. A flashback narrative keeps us on our toes, especially when the focus turns to Dylan and best friend Evie's feelings for each other. It never goes into soapy territory, with an eccentric but loveable supporting cast playing English flatmates in a Glasgow setting.

Comedy

Netflix

The Chair (2021—)

A comedy-drama starring Sandra Oh? The Chair is elevated by Oh's impeccable charm. Set at the fictional Pembroke University, The Chair follows Oh's Professor Ji-Yoon Kim, the newly appointed chair of the English department. She's the first woman chosen for the position and faces an uphill battle to move the stale department along with the changing times. With astute observations about academia, scene-stealing appearances by Holland Taylor as a senior faculty member, and ambitious social commentary, The Chair reaches worthy heights.

Netflix

Never Have I Ever (2020—)

Devi is your average high schooler who wants nothing more than to be cool and get a boyfriend. But it's hard to stay chipper after your dad dies. Mindy Kaling's coming-of-age story covers familiar territory and yet it stands out from the pack in multiple ways. Get this: Its narrator is John McEnroe. The sporting connection is just one layer of this surprising, charm-your-socks-off show, depicting an Indian family living in California. You've seen these stories before, but not with these unique characters.

Netflix

Julie and the Phantoms (2020—)

Stick with Julie and the Phantoms' silly premise before making any judgements. Julie is a teenager who accidentally summons a boy band from the '90s -- The Phantoms. While Julie helps the band achieve their potential, they help her enjoy music and life again after the death of her mother. As music tends to do, the catchy tunes will send you soaring through the joyous, ridiculously entertaining and, of course, romance-filled first season. Ghost jokes are included.

Netflix

Feel Good (2020-2021)

Comedian Mae Martin's Feel Good really does try to do what it says on the tin. It follows the repressed George (Charlotte Ritchie) as she falls for Martin's Mae after seeing her stand-up show. Their London-based romance sees George grappling with coming out to her middle-class friends and family, while Canadian Mae has a drug problem that makes their love even more difficult. A confidently told story with its sense of humor nailed on from the start, Feel Good exudes sweetness and grace.

Sam Taylor/Netflix

Sex Education (2019—)

Binging Sex Education is a no-brainer: The self-aware, John Hughes-possessed mishmash of American and British high school culture is a joyful breeze to watch. We follow Otis (Asa Butterfield), the son of a sex therapist (Gillian Anderson), as he embarks on his sexual awakening. The explicit sex talk and scenes are addressed in refreshingly healthy and honest ways. Built around a diverse cast with pure charisma, the show gets even bigger in season 3.

Netflix

Russian Doll (2019—)

Russian Doll takes its Groundhog Day premise and wrenches it apart in the most unpredictable ways. Natasha Lyonne is the crackling spark at the center of its time-looping mystery, playing Nadia, a game developer who repeatedly dies on the night of her 36th birthday party. The Amy Poehler co-created show uses time travel to explore self-reflection on a whole new level, making this a definite one-sitting appointment.

Guy D'Alema/Netflix

Cobra Kai (2018—)

Initially Cobra Kai, a series based on the Karate Kid films, might sound like a cynical money-making spinoff of the martial arts franchise. But it's become one of Netflix's most popular shows, thanks to well-written characters and a good measure of nostalgia. The series follows Johnny Lawrence, 34 years after he was jump-kicked in the face by Daniel LaRusso. Taking this subversive viewpoint, Cobra Kai is four seasons of self-aware, light-hearted and full-of-heart fun.

Netflix

Derry Girls (2018—)

Another unmissable show, Derry Girls follows the mishaps of Erin and her friends in 1990s Derry, Ireland. Their teenage woes are paired with antics from their equally hilarious parents, set on a backdrop of the Northern Ireland conflict. While you can make comparisons with The Inbetweeners, Derry Girls draws from its own well of sweet charm and the historical context paves ground for surprisingly dark humor.

Michele K Short/Netflix

Maniac (2018)

This dark comedy miniseries stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill as two strangers, Annie and Owen, who sign up for a mysterious pharmaceutical trial (because that's a good idea) that induces wild, often distressing dreams. Entrenched in dazzlingly crafted visuals, Maniac is a multilayered dive into the subconscious. Which means it's dark and unpredictable, with a surprising touch of the warm sentimental stuff.

Netflix

GLOW (2017-2019)

A show inspired by the true story of the first pro female wrestling syndicate in the '80s? Starring Alison Brie? Produced by Jenji Kohan? Dreams do come true. GLOW's purely fun comedy, packed with eccentric female characters, teams campiness with underdog triumph and soars. Season 3 progresses deeper into the lives of its diverse ensemble, shifting the series to Las Vegas. A fourth and final season was in the works, but sadly production fell victim to the pandemic and Netflix canceled the show.

Netflix

Dear White People (2017-2021)

This provocatively titled show delivers a timely look at modern race relations through the eyes of a different character each episode. Following several Black students at Winchester, an Ivy League institution, Dear White People manages to blend its social commentary with a sharp sense of humor. With its fourth and final season now in the books, this remains a powerful eye-opener.

Netflix

The End of The F***ing World (2017-2019)

If you like your dark British humor, look no further than The End of The F***ing World. Psychopath James (Alex Lawther) comes up with a plan to kill Alyssa (Jessica Barden) while on the run from their lousy parents. But as they soar across the open road and commit a couple of violent crimes, their callous hearts soften and they develop feelings for one another. Surprising, fast-paced and surreal, both seasons of this deadpan teenager of a show, with its headphones pumping the best sad '50s, '60s and '70s doo-wop, will blow you away.

Netflix

Crashing (2016)

Before she electrified everyone with the word-for-word perfect Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge wrote a six-part comedy that showcased the early stages of her astonishing talent. Crashing follows six twenty-somethings living in a disused hospital, casually observing the strict rules in exchange for cheap rent. The oddball characters subvert expectations wherever hilariously possible, with Waller-Bridge dropping in as the ukulele-playing Lulu. Not only disrupting the Friends setup, she gets herself into occasionally jaw-droppingly dark situations (see the all-too-touchy Aunt Gladys).

Netflix

Master of None (2015—)

On the surface a comedy about a 30-year-old New Yorker who loves his pasta, Master of None casually throws in nuanced and moving episodes about immigrant families and their second-generation children. Then it drops an entire episode about Tinder. Dev's relatable experiences bubble with creator and star Aziz Ansari's wit and charm and, personal controversy aside, the romantic and cultural themes he explores are remarkably mature. Season 3 takes things down a different road again, starring Lena Waithe and Naomi Ackie. Ansari features in an episode, letting us know where Dev's at in his love life.

Netflix

Call My Agent! (2015-2020)

Thinking about dipping your toe into more of Netflix's international content? French comedy Call My Agent! hosts an ever-growing list of famous actors playing themselves, from French stars to Americans like Sigourney Weaver (!) in the latter seasons. But we look at the world of showbiz from the perspective of the long-suffering agents, including Camille Cottin's scene stealing powerhouse agent Andréa Martel, who rebuffs male colleagues with lines like: "When I moved on from guys to girls, it was like graduating from the sandpit to the football pitch." A brilliant series with four seasons poking fun at the entertainment industry (a fifth season and a TV film are on their way).

Netflix

BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)

When it comes to cartoons that lower your guard before gut-punching you with reflections on mental health, BoJack Horseman takes the cake. Set in an LA filled with anthropomorphic animals, it follows a washed-up ex-sitcom star who tries to climb back to his former celebrity by releasing an autobiography. While at first it might take you some time to digest this unconventional cocktail, BoJack Horseman soon astounds you with its truths about struggling with depression and addiction on the path to getting your life back on track.

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