UKC

I was not sure how they would keep the series going once Escobar was dead and didn't have that much confidence that following the Cali cartel would be as good.

How wrong I was.

So much better than the previous two series (which I thought were very good), if you haven't seen it yet you are in for a treat. Way more tension as the main plot arc follows the cartels head of security (who has a conscience and doesn't carry a gun) who turns informant once he realises that his job will only end one way. This character (brilliantly played by Matias Varela) really did exist and was a consultant on the making of the show. Whilst there has been some dramatic licence by the writers, he claims the show is broadly accurate. If so, the real Jorge Salcedo must have balls of hardened titanium that he carries in a wheel barrow!

Support acting great as well, some of the henchmen are pretty terrifying in their ruthless, empathetically vacuumed coldness (yes I'm referring to you Navegante) and it doesn't fall into the trap of letting the violence get too gratuitous. Possibly not everyones cup of tea, but if you like a bit of gangster/drugs/nasty guys drama based on truth then I don't think you can go far wrong with this.

Anvil : The story of Anvil.
If you liked Spinal Tap then this will be right up your street. What makes it is this is a real band and it really is a fly on the wall rockumentary, not mockumentary (although there are plenty of references to Spinal Tap if you are a fan) I really warmed to the lead singer whose blind enthusiasm in the face of D list reality was very endearing. A real feel good, human movie and you definitely do not need to be a fan of heavy metal music to enjoy it.

Das Boot
Having recently enjoyed a fantastic tour of HMS Alliance with my children on holiday, I re watched (after many years) this classic war film. Admittedly having just been on a submarine and having read the Haynes manual on Alliance , this definitely enhanced my enjoyment as I understood a lot more of the operational side of film. Brilliant tension, brilliant acting (when Johann (Erwin Leder) almost loses the plot with fear after a heavy dose of depth charging, it is 100% believable and frightening) Im sure many have seen it, but if you haven't seen it for 30 years then have another go.

There is a lot of dross on Netflix, here are three gems IMO. Would be happy to hear any other recommendations.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

The only 'box set' I've really been unable to stop watching has been Homeland. Best thing I've ever watched. Other than that I enjoyed Designated Survivor (I guess a similar genre to Homeland but nowhere near as good). Other than that I've failed to watch more than a few episodes of Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones (though this seems quite good and I'd like to watch more), House of Cards, River, Making of a Murderer and probably some others.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:


You sometimes have to wonder who it is giving it all the OK


I enjoyed the Fargo series (I think they only have the first two, at the moment). A little silly, but quite addictive, I thought - BB Thornton and his hair particularly sinister in the first

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Netflix do seem to spew out some rubbish in the hope that at least one of their many many 'netflix originals' does well.

My personal favourite series (some not on netflix) are

Game of thrones
Peaky blinders
Narcos
Homeland
Breaking bad
Dexter
Sons of anarchy
Better call saul (brilliant)
Man in the high castle

In reply to Tyler:

I enjoyed Homeland when it was on channel 4, not seen Designated Survivor yet.

I loved Breaking Bad (wife not so much), and Making a Murderer. House of Cards is good, not great. Again, I think it slightly lost its way.

In reply to GoneFishing111:

Peaky Blinders is one of my favourite shows. as good as anything HBO can churn out IMO

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Amazon rather than Netflix but Halt and Catch Fire is really good for anyone that's been in the computer business for a while.

In reply to nufkin:



I think Malvo is up there with Anton Chigur (No country for old men) as my all time favourite baddy

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:



Just finished Ozarks. Not bad. Bit of a slow burning. You might like it if you enjoyed Breaking Bad...

In reply to nufkin:


I've never seen this, but I love the film. How does the series compare?

In reply to aln:

The first one has elements that are nods to the film (as well as an outright reference), and they share the same fondness/fun-poking for things Minnesotan - language, culture, landscapes etc. The second one carries it on, but set in the seventies. Both continue the film's theme of ordinary people trying to cope as things spiral out of hand

In reply to ThunderCat:

I thought Ozark was one of the best series I've seen in a long time. Marty Bird is the accountant you'd want whether checking your books or if you have a gun to your head. Loved it.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Narcos (best theme tune, but Escobar way too sympathetic), Fargo (esp season 2), Breaking Bad (Yo!), Homeland (bit absurd) all excellent, but Mad Men has by far the greatest depth.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:


My wife's cousin's husband is a Colombian doctor from Medellin who grew up in the shadow of Escobar. I was chatting to his wife the other day and she said they watched the first two seasons together a while back and that, by and large, whenever she asked him whether this or that incident in the show really happened he'd think a bit then reply yes, yes.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Stranger Things!