WhatsApp is arguably the most popular networking app in the world right now. It has over 1.5 Billion active users and they are increasing every day. WhatsApp has also started to roll out features that the consumers want in the app like Stickers, Read receipts and much more. But there are some features that people are eagerly waiting for. But it looks like WhatsApp is still listening and trying to provide the people exactly what they want. Here are some of the features that WhatsApp has introduced or is going to, really soon.
Fingerprint Security
Some people are very concerned about the security of their chats on WhatsApp and it looks like the company has already started to address that issue of the users. The Fingerprint unlock for the app is available to some users for beta testing. What this feature doesn’t do however, is lock each conversation. There is only the option to lock the app as a whole.
WhatsApp beta for Android 2.19.3: what's new? WhatsApp is finally working to implement the Authentication feature to protect the app using your Fingerprint, under development! Info about other features are available in the article.https://t.co/yO6R6pOlsV
This was available since quite a while on mobile but has just now only started making its way into the desktop version of the app. Now users will be able to watch videos while chatting or doing anything else in the app. It is a useful feature and was definitely long-overdue in the desktop version.
Dark Mode
Who doesn’t like dark mode? The thought of getting a dark version for WhatsApp is enough to excite most people. And it looks like your wishes are about to come true as WhatsApp is all set to introduce dark mode really soon. This may come later in a span of a few weeks.
Along with these big updates, some small changes like private replies for iOS, a new Audio picker menu and new 3D touch actions for the iPhone.
As per a news report which surfaced on The New York Times, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s Chief Executive Officer has Ideas to unify its messaging services. That’s right, Whatsapp, Instagram and Messenger will have a common tech infrastructure very soon. And as this news arrives at a time when Facebook is under investigation, this clearly looks like a huge step to make things work by the Billionaire CEO.
Cross Platform Messaging
The total number of users across these 3 apps exceed 2.6 billion. If the integration happens, the users may be able to send messages across these platforms, which will be quite convenient, without doubt. An important thing to note here is that the apps will not combine. They’ll keep functioning as standalone apps. The only thing that’ll change is the ability of a user to send messages from Whatsapp to say, Instagram.
As far as encryption goes, Whatsapp introduced end-to-end encryption in April 2016, which set it to default on all future conversations. Even Facebook messenger has an option which allows you to opt into end-to-end encryption for all your chats. It’ll be really interesting to see how Facebook manages the same form of encryption across all three apps.
Possible Issues With Integration
A lot of discussion is pending as many underlying problems come to light. For instance, what will be the signing up process if the Unification occurs? How will data be shared between the users? Will Facebook require your mobile number as an identification? It’s clear that Zuckerberg wishes to keep users highly involved inside the already existing ecosystem. But will the transition be as easy as it sounds? It’s too early to say that. We’ll see how things work out.
According to a report in the Deadline, Netflix is reportedly working on a series based on the Resident Evil franchise. The news will be a delight to the fans of the series as the series will be produced by Constantin Films, the production house behind the super successful Resident Evil movies.
Resident Evil TV series will be based on the plot of the premise of the movies, which means there will be zombies and maybe the same evil Umbrella corporation behind it. It will be interesting to see what Netflix brings to the table for the super successful franchise.
The Resident Evil film franchise, launched with the 2002 Resident Evil, consists of six movies to date, produced by Constantin, which had acquired the rights to the video game series, and distributed by Screen Gems. The movies, starring Milla Jovovich has earned over $1.2 billion worldwide at the box office, making it the most successful movie franchise based off a video game.
What’s Next for the Resident Evil Franchise?
The Resident Evil movies were loosely inspired by the games made by Capcom. There have been 6 movies made for the franchise and there also was a reboot promised with James Wan producing the project. Now it remains to be seen if the production house will go with both or either one of them. If the TV series is to be made along with the reboot, it is speculated that it will continue as a spin-off from the movies.
What goes with the successful Horror franchise remains to be seen, but the fans of the series should be excited about a lot of things, including a remake of the Resident Evil 2 that is out today. Whatever happens though, we will know soon enough when either the reboot, the series or in the best case scenario, both are announced together.
WhatsApp Messenger is a freeware, cross-platform messaging application that was started in the year 2009. In comparison to its initial release, the company has added several features and functionalities to the application. Except for text messaging it also provides services like Voice over IP (VoIP), media sharing and video calling. Due to its free price and ease of usage, it has become a huge hit amongst consumers across the globe.
One issue that the company has tried to tackle for a long period of time is the propagation of fake news via the platform. In the month of July, last year WhatsApp launched a test to limit the forwarding of messages worldwide. The company specifically mentioned that its Indian users forward more messages and photos than users from any other country. The company tested a lower limit that restricts users to send messages to only five contacts at once. Also, it removed the quick forward button next to media messages. According to the company, this step was taken to further improve the safety and privacy of its users. One example that helped to curb fake new is as follows:
Labelling Forwarded Messages
The new update of WhatsApp adds a crucial feature to restrain the diffusion of sham messages via the messaging application. After the update, WhatsApp will show which messages a user receives have been forwarded to them. Such a message will carry a small arrow along with the forwarded tag. This will allow the receiver to know whether that particular message was actually written by the sender or it was forwarded information.
This fresh feature of WhatsApp will allow the receiver to ascertain if a specific message was forwarded or purposely written. The receiver can then determine whether they should trust the claims of that message or not.
Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video are always at loggerheads as the streaming giants fight it out to get the most number of subscribers, the best shows and the most eyeballs. Some of the biggest shows from all across the world are either on Netflix or Prime Video. These services disrupted many industries – CD/DVD renting, music and even the film industry itself – giving viewers the opportunity to watch the best movies and tv shows from the comfort of your home.
So, how did they do it? How did they take over the experience of going to Movie theatres and watching movies on a big screen with a bucket of popcorn shared between the group of people.
What Is A Streaming Service?
A streaming service is a website that allows you to view content online for a fixed charge. This can be on a monthly, yearly or even a per show price. These streaming companies sign contracts with different production houses to get exclusive access to content. This allows for a viewer to get a unified content experience vs browsing the internet for different types of content. It also aims at stopping piracy which was prevalent before companies like Netflix showed up. In other words, “What Apple did with Apple Music, Netflix has done with movies and TV shows” which refers to the stopping of piracy in the entertainment business.
The World Before Streaming Services
Viewers like you and I have grown up watching movies at the cinema. Once the movie had run its natural course in these cinema theatres, the work on DVDs would begin. This was approximately five months post the movie release. If someone missed the movie during initial release , they would wait about six months for the movie to hit DVD production. Some preferred to wait for months more to watch the movie when it was eventually broadcast on television. Some even rented movies from places like Blockbuster(R.I.P.) or, in India, local renting stores.
Change In Business
Content production companies, traditionally, have had a business model that likes to control distribution. They wait for as long as they can before releasing a new format. For example, when they release a movie they wait till the vast majority of people who were willing to watch a movie at the cinema has watched it. Then they release other formats one by one. In the earlier days, they used to have different formats released one by one, which included DVD, CD, VCR, PPV and BlueRay. TV broadcasts were usually saved for last as it was reserved for people who wanted to see the movie, but were not willing to pay for it. So the production companies earned from TV sales and ad revenues.
But things have changed now and many production and distribution companies understand the importance of giving viewers options . The number of movie releases have also increased tenfold and a viewer does not wait for six months to watch a movie. Piracy has also been a concern with camera quality improving drastically, pirated versions of a movie have become very good in quality. The production companies were losing money in trying to control distribution. That is where streaming services came in.
Streaming Services Revenue
Many viewers think that Netflix is being paid by the production companies to list their movies. But in actuality it is the other way around. Netflix pays producers of movies to have content on their website for a set period of time. Once the time has expired, they choose to take it down or if the viewer count is more then they can extend the period by paying more.
In fact, Netflix’s entire cash flow comes from subscriptions. They have different plans for different countries which has options based on the number of screens. If you are subscribing for more than one screen so that two people from your friends or family can watch simultaneously. Amazon Prime which also earns from subscriptions as well but they have a one person one account policy and everyone has to subscribe to Prime separately.
Originals
Even though Netflix earns a lot from the subscription, they spend a lot more in advertising, marketing and overhead as well as operating cost. They also invest a lot on what they call Netflix Originals which are movies and TV shows produced by Netflix themselves. Prime Video have also heavily invested in originals but Netflix has had more hit titles like Stranger Things, Brahman Naman, Narcos, Little Things and so on. The new Black Mirror Bandersnatch and a movie called Bird Box saw rave reviews.
In a developing country like India with immense growth potential , streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video are producing Indian content and focussing on the Indian market by reducing subscription prices. The competition has just begun in India and it will be interesting to see if other players like Hulu see India as a possible expansion strategy in future. Till then, get your blankets and popcorn out, sit back, relax and stream.
Netflix has given us all a new year gift! They have finally revealed the premiere date for the much anticipated show- Stranger Things. Netflix shared an image for the show on a popular social networking site which just read “JULY4” indicating the premiere date. The image shows the kids we all know and love standing on a viewpoint watching the fireworks.
But Netflix being so meta, they shared another seemingly unsuspecting tweet before sharing the image. That consisted of a video showing parts of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve countdown from Dec. 31, 1984. The video was interrupted with occasional glitches with alphabets written on them. This is like a word search game we see in newspapers and magazines, except a few words were highlighted.
The sentence read “When Blue And Yellow Meet In The West”. The trailer also shows someone hacking into “Lynx Corp”. It also shows a copyright from 1984-1986, and shows someone running the program “SilverCatFeeds.exe.” The live countdown feed for the new year then glitches out finally showing SMPTE color bars.
Then the feed comes back on again with a tagline that states “One summer can change everything” and then the date July 4, 1985 which changes to July 4, 2019.
Stranger Things star David Harbour also said in an interview that this season will be a “Summer of love” which might be fitting since the last season ended with Mike and Eleven dancing at a school event. The Season 3 will have 8 episodes. The episode names have also been revealed which might give further clues as to how the story will evolve. The first episode is named “Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy?” and the last is called “Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt”. Stranger Things fans have already started to try and decode what the hidden messages mean and how the storyline would progress. We would love to see if 4Chan can decode this before 4th of July.
Black Mirror is at it again! The new trailer for their latest episode just dropped and it is as mind-boggling as the other ones. As a result, writing about Black Mirror trailers are always difficult as very little can be deciphered from the visually interesting and artistically inclined popular Netflix series trailers. For the uninitiated, Black Mirror is a Netflix show that focusses on technology and how it might affect human beings in one form or the other. We have seen it all – an implanted recording of life, a technology game show, miniaturisation and so much more. Each episode of the series deals with one aspect of non-existent technology. The episodes are based in either a parallel past or alternative present. The new trailer shows the main characters from the year 1984.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM0xWpBYlNM
The main character of the storyline is a computer programmer. As a result, he is tasked to building a video game from a novel. Directed by David Slade, the episode trailer showcases the main character being tormented by the game that he is building. He begins to question reality and ultimately is faced with a challenge. The three characters highlighted in the trailer include Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk), Will Poulter (The Revanant) and Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing).
What is a Bandersnatch?
The name Bandersnatch is taken from the 1872 novel ‘Through the Looking Glass’ by writer Lewis Caroll. Bandersnatch is a fictional character developed by the writer. However very little description is known. The only detail that the writer provides is that it has a long neck and snapping jaws. It can also move extremely fast.
From the trailer that we see however, it seems that the artists have re-imagined the Bandersnatch to be more of a feeling and emotion than an actual character. There is a scene where two characters are talking to each other. A poster with a metal monster in the background can be seen with “Metl Hedd” written on it. The creature you can see looks like a metal version of the Bandersnatch that we all saw in Walt Disney Pictures’ Alice in Wonderland (2010).
Bandersnatch from movie Alice in Wonderland (2010)
The new episode for Black Mirror has been released by Netflix and is 1 hour 30 minutes long. The episode starts with a notice asking viewers to keep the mouse close at hand. Netflix allows viewers to choose how the story develops by answering questions in between the episodes. Several games have been developed on a similar concept with alternate endinhgs before. However this is the second time that an interactive episode like this is made. The first was a children’s animation produced by Netflix as well.
Instagram is one of the largest photo and video sharing platform. The application was first launched in 2010 and due to its simplicity, it soon became a sensational hit. Back in 2014, Facebook took over Instagram and a lot of changes have been made to the application since then. Instagram now even allows users to share videos. One key feature that contributed to the success of Instagram is its dedicated feed tab. It allows users to scroll through photos and videos vertically which is very handy. Before the end of the year, the company rolled out an update of the application which received a global backlash.
Changes Made With The Update
The Instagram feed is a collection of picture and video content that the user can easily swipe through. Originally, the feed scrolled in a vertical direction but the update completely changed this swipe motion. After the update, the user needs to scroll left to right instead of the top to bottom scroll that the users are accustomed to. With the horizontal feed, each photo is given the spotlight at any given time but after the update, this has changed. The user can now view a single post, and the comments are much more prominent now. This update received a backlash from users around the globe.
Instagram soon realised their mistake and have halted the rollout for both Android and iOS devices. Additionally, the Instagram head commented on twitter that it was merely a small test to check the feasibility of the feature which did not work out as intended. Most notably, a few minutes after the horizontal feed went live, the vertical feed seems to have reappeared for most of the users.
Social media giant Facebook, is reportedly developing a cryptocurrency to be used to transfer money using WhatsApp. WhatsApp, as we know, is owned by Facebook and is going to receive the first taste fo the company’s Blockchain initiative. The report suggests that the company is developing a stablecoin. We’ll discuss what a stablecoin is, further into this article. But for now, its pretty interesting to see how this idea developed.
The Social Currency
Facebook had been keen on entering the financial arena, for a very long time. In fact, it had hired PayPal president David Marcus way back in 2014. After a few months at the company, Facebook named him as the head of the blockchain division. Within a few more months, Facebook hired more than 40 people into this blockchain division. however, despite having so many employees and resources, nothing that the division does was made public.
Obviously WhatsApp would be the ideal choice for the company to start exploring this booming, yet jittery market. More than 200 million people use the messaging service in India alone. Another notable statistic is that India also leads the world in remittances. With more than $69 million sent to India, it is a pretty lucrative market for new and more convenient currencies to be integrated. However, another challenge is gaining the trust of people. Especially in a country like in India, where either the awareness about cryptocurrencies is low or nil and those who are aware are wary of the same.
However, Facebook plans to introduce a stablecion currency to change this. A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency which is designed to minimise the effects of price volatility. To do this, they are pegged to an existing currency or to traded commodities such as precious metals. Therefore, they end up being more stable and don’t carry the risk of the ‘bubble’ suddenly bursting.
Marvel and Netflix have decided to pull the plug on Daredevil after it’s third season. The show follows in the footsteps of other Marvel shows such as Iron Fist and Luke Cage. The show had a very successful starting season. It took a beating in the second season as viewership dwindled during the second season. This is believed to have happened because of the long time gap of two years between the two seasons. Daredevil is the first show by Marvel and Netflix, which eventually led to shows like The Punisher, Jessica Jones and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Jessica Jones and The Punisher are the only two Marvel shows that are running at the moment. Netflix has said that the three seasons of Daredevil will still be available on their platform.
Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Karen Page on the show thanked ‘every person who contributed to this series over the years’ and also expressed her grief. She also thanked the show’s Executive Producer Erik Oleson on a social networking website.
I’m so sad that we won’t be continuing this story. Mostly I’ll miss seeing the friends I’ve made everyday. Thank you to every person who contributed to this series over the years. And to @erikoleson because of you we are going out on a high. @Daredevil#Daredevilpic.twitter.com/aVmXu1UwFu
Daredevil did receive a much better response in the third season. But it seems like that was not enough to save the show. The company, in a statement, said that they are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, they feel it best to close this chapter on a high note. Marvel Entertainment, owned by Disney may soon have shows on Disney’s own online platform. The platform will be called Disney+. They are gearing up to build its online media streaming platform and future Marvel shows might feature on it. Marvel has however announced that new shows for Loki, Falcon and the Winter Soldier are soon going to be released. It will be interesting to see what future Marvel shows have in store for us.
Around a month back, the World Mental Health Day was celebrated. It laid emphasis on the importance of mental health, especially in today’s world. The emphasis in today’s world is due to the fact that increasing exposure to certain technology has in fact resulted in people becoming more distant from each other. While these were just speculations until now, a study now backs up this claim. The study proves that a relation exists between social media use and increased depression and loneliness.
The Study
The study was conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and for the first time, did not place the users in unrealistic situations. Earlier studies were done in laboratory conditions, were data was collected during short spans of time. Which were sometimes even within a duration of one hour. During these studies, users were sometimes not even using social media platforms like Facebook and mostly relied on self-reported data.
The study conducted now, aimed at a more comprehensive and rigorous approach towards the issue. The study included three of the most used social media platforms, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. The participants of the survey, which were around 140, recorded their mood. This was done both before and after using these social media platforms. They also share screenshots of their iPhone battery information to see how many hours a day they used the social media apps. They were then split into two groups. One group was allowed to consume the same amount of social media every day, while the other group had their share reduced to 10 minutes, per platform, per day.
The Findings
Based on the data received from the above, they identified seven major problems among the participants. These include the fear of missing out, anxiety, depression and loneliness, among others. The result of the survey was as stated, the fact that more social media exposure led to more mental health issues. The researchers even went further to say that they believe anyone between the age of 18-22 should stop using social media altogether.
The researches suggest that one stays away from social media as much as possible. And should spend more time with people in their lives. The awareness about the same is on the rise. Google has introduced its Digital Wellness program which ensures that you spend more quality time with those around you. This program is big in all google devices and some features are present in almost all Android smartphones. Apple also introduced certain parameters to limit the time you use a certain app in a day, with its latest updates.
Netflix has always been on point when it comes to crime drama. The shows featured on Netflix are more often than not, highly rated on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes and always manage to keep you on your toes. This weekend, we give you a list of such shows to watch on Netflix that will keep you on the edge of your seats. So make some pop-corn, sit back and binge watch.
This gripping crime series focusses on a true event that happened in the United States in the 80s and continued till the 2000s. The story revolves around Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, who served 18 years in prison for the wrongful conviction of sexual assault and attempted murder. There are two seasons with a total of 20 episodes each running around 47 to 77 minutes.
This crime series is based on a book called Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. The authors of the book are John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, and they focus around the time when the FBI did not have a criminal profiling division. The story revolves around the central characters FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. They go around the country to interview serial killers (They coin the term as well, on their journey to understand ‘serial killers’). There is just onwseason with 10 episodes with a watching time of 34 to 60 minutes each episode.
This crime drama is gripping and is an extraordinary story told through fiction about the infamous Unabomber. Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber was a real life terrorist. He, between 1978 and 1995, killed three people and injured 23 others. The story of the series follows the main character Jim Fitzgerald who the FBI tasks to profile the Unabomber. He faces constant opposition from within the FBI who question his weird methods. The series has 1 season with 8 episodes each 42 to 43 minutes long. It is a great watch for the thrill-seekers on a Sunday afternoon.
Narcos is a highly successful crime drama series running for three seasons now and has a huge viewer base at the moment. And what more, it is set to release a new season on November 16th! If you still haven’t watched the series, then this weekend would be a good time to catch up on it. Seasons 1 and 2 are based on the story of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, who was an infamous drug lord in Columbia. He was known as the “The King of Cocaine” and was the wealthiest criminal in history. Escobar was known to have burnt money to keep himself warm at times.The three seasons comprise of 30 episodes ranging from 30 to 45 minutes each.
The show chronicles a story of deception, intrigue and murder in and around frozen Minnesota but somehow all clues lead to Fargo, North Dakota. Fargo has three seasons so far and each have an amazing starcast with very edge of the seat stories. It features great actors such as Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Martin Freeman, Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons. Others well known figures include Jean Smart, Ted Danson, Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Goran Bogdan and David Thewlis. If you are going to watch this, you will need more than two days of constant binge-watching for sure!
This is the first German-language Netflix original series and is a great watch if you are fine with watching a show with subtitles or are fluent in the German language! The show revolves around a fictional town in Germany where children start to disappear mysteriously. This bring out the dark past, the double lives and the broken relationships of four families in the town. This show is often compared to Netflix’s Stranger Things. It has one season with 10 episodes with a run time of 45 to 57 minutes each.
This series is based on Jeffrey Toobin’s book, The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson (1997) and revolves around the Nicole Simpson murder case. In 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside Nicole’s condominium in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles and O.J. Simpson was the prime suspect for the murders. O.J Simpson is a former American running back. He was a well known figure at the time. The story follows how the trials for the same went and how, finally (Spoiler alert) he was acquitted. This mini-series is a part of American Crime Story. The series has 10 episodes ranging from 41 minutes to 1 hour 6 minutes each.
Alphabet, the company that owns Google is shutting down its social networking website. Google+ has reportedly exposed user data of 500,000 customers to external developers. This comes after an announcement of a bug breach that was reportedly in their system for more than two years.
This bug could access Profile fields that were shared with the user. This includes Profile fields that are not public.
The data is limited to static, optional Google+ Profile fields including name, email address, occupation, gender and age. It does not include any other data the user may have posted or connected to the website or any other service, like Google+ posts, messages, Google account data, phone numbers or G Suite content.
They reportedly discovered and immediately patched this bug in March 2018. Google also said that they believe it occurred after launch as a result of the API’s interaction with a subsequent Google+ code change. The company also acknowledged in their blog that one of the reasons for shutting down the Google+ is that it “has not achieved broad consumer or developer adoption.
To provide for a smooth transition for the existing users, they will wind- down over a 10 month period.
[blockquote right=”pull-right”]Google will wind- down over
a 10 month period, closing
its curtains in August 2018[/blockquote]
This means the Google+ site will close curtains next August. According to Google they have no evidence that any developer was aware of this bug. They have also assured that no one has abused the API. In Google’s finding there is no evidence that any Profile data misuse occurred.
The company has offered reassurance that whenever there is a user data breach, they go beyond their legal requirements and apply several criteria focused on their users in determining whether to provide notice. When it comes to Gmail, they are updating its User Data Policy for the consumer version. This will protect the user by limiting apps from accessing user data. There has been a lack of interest and the gradual decline of social media overall in the recent times. It is also noteworthy that just 10 days ago, Facebook reported a data breach of 50 Million users.
It seems that this was a good decision on the company’s part. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Twitter was ablaze with users commenting about how they had suddenly been logged out of their Facebook apps. This seemed to be faced by a lot of users, and you might be one of them too. The reason is the latest breach into Facebook’s security system which affected almost 50 million accounts.
The breach was detected by Facebook on 25th September. A hacker or some hackers had used a vulnerability in the code of the social networking giant to gain access to user accounts. This was done by gaining control of the access tokens for the accounts. The access tokens are basically what allow you to log int your mobile accounts without having to retype your password every time. An update to the video uploading feature in July 2017, led to this vulnerability and attackers only needed to find this out to get the access tokens to user accounts.
To combat this, Facebook immediately reset the access tokens of all the affected accounts and an additional 40 million accounts. This led to users being abruptly logged out of they Facebook and Messenger apps. Along with this, the company is also disabling the ‘View As’ feature in your account until it conducts a thorough security review.
What has not been answered is who the attackers were and what they used the accounts for. They could have used the accounts to change settings . It could have even been used to log in to third party apps using the accounts. The possibilities are many, but the company has still not found an answer to the question. However, it has added that no credit card information has been exposed.
Facebook is treading through rocky waters. Earlier this year, Facebook had a crisis which forced CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify in court. The company pledged soon after this that it holds the protection of user information above everything else. Although this is completely different, it is the users who are affected. With around 2.23 billion active monthly users, and the absence of a Chief Security Officer, its high time Facebook steps up its security game.
The weekend is here and its a time to rejoice. While some of us may have bigger plans, most might just prefer to stay in and watch something good. So, whether its an immersive experience or just some light content you’re looking for, here’s a list of Top 10 shows on Netflix that are sure to make you go wow.
The Sci-Fi show is a Netflix original which is based 300 years in the future. The society has been transformed by technology, and death is no longer permanent. One can be brought back to life with the possibility of interchangeable bodies. The protagonist, Takeshi Kovacs is the only surviving soldier of an elite warrior force. They were defeated in an uprising against the new world order. For centuries, his mind had been imprisoned when he was given a chance to come back to life. However, he has to undertake an impossible task to do so. Based in the future and in a society which is overrun by technology, Altered Carbon is a visual treat. The narrative is fresh and original and will leave you wanting for more.
This is a must watch for anyone who loves The Crown or Sherlock. The show is set in post World War I England and follows the activities of a criminal gang. The gang soon comes under the scanner of Chester Campbell, a detective sent by Winston Churchill himself to clear out crime.The Show stars Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy among others and won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series this year.
Brooklyn Nine Nine is arguably one of the most popular comedy series out there right now. Having picked up a huge fan following over the past few years, it has now acquired a cult status. The show is based in a police precinct in New York, filled with weird and whacky officers of the law. The protagonist, Jake Peralta is played by Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg and he is supported by other notable comedians such as Terry Crews. The series can be described as nothing short of a laugh riot and deserves to be watched right away.
Sacred Games has redefined Indian television and set a really high benchmark for the same. The story revolves around a Mumbai cop, Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) and Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and their bitter contest. Sartaj is taken off Gaitonde’s case, however he still continues to pursue Gaitonde for the sake of justice. What follows is a series of crimes and a thrilling story which is sure to grip you with its beautiful narrative. Sacred Games also gives us a sense of pride as we see the Indian television industry matching up to be world class.
Lost in space is another Sci-Fi show which makes it to the list. The Human Race is facing a catastrophe which threatens its survival. To combat this, various missions are sent into space to colonise the Alpha Centauri star system. The story revolves around the Robinson family. The Robinson family is one of many who live on board the Resolute, the mother ship which is carrying all the human beings. However, an alien robot forces them to evacuate and land on a nearby planet. They must now try a way to combat the harsh conditions of the planet, ensuring their survival.
Comedians in cars getting coffee is one of the most original ideas seen till date. The show has host and comedy star Jerry Seinfeld taking other famous comedians out for coffee, in amazing cars. Yes, each episode features a new comedian and a different car. The cars are usually vintage classics or supercars which are sure to make your jaw drop. We see the comedians involve in a candid conversation, giving us a closer look at our beloved stars. The show also maintains a balance between talking about the comedians and also giving us a detailed dose of the beautiful machines.
Vikings is a must watch show for history and action lovers. Based on Nordic stories, it is about a farmer who rises up to his call and emerges as one of the most fearless warriors. The series revolves around the stories of Ragnar Lothbrock and how he eventually becomes a king. Vikings stars Travis Fimmel and is sure to leave you awestruck with its rawness and intensity.
Mindhunter is a crime based drama, and it is sure worth a watch. The story revolves around two FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, who try to understand serial killers in order to catch them. This has them go through many killers and cases, but along the way they develop what is the modern day serial killer profiling method. Along with intense acting, the series is backed by Oscar-nominated director David Fincher and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron as the show’s executive producers. The show might just redefine crime for us as we know it.
Another Indian TV series to make this list, Ghoul is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is a fantasy horror drama, starring Radhika Apte. The story is set in a ‘totalitarian near-future India’ and involves a mysterious prisoner being brought in to a top secret army facility. The interrogating offers soon realise to their horror that the prisoner has the power to unleash a demon from Arabic folklore, which exposes their deepest secrets. Ghoul has redefined what horror means when it comes to India and has set a standard, apart from the terrible attempts at horror in the past.
Disecnhantment is an animated comedy series by Netflix. The story is based in medieval times and revolves around a princess. The twist however, is that the princess breaks every convention of being one. She continues to wreak havoc in her father’s kingdom along with her elf friends. The show is a dig at the same old structure of a fairy tale and offers a good deal of laughs as one goes along. While it may seem to be just another animated comedy on the surface, the creators have subtly sown satire into the story which takes a jab at our modern society too.
These TV shows are not ranked in any particular order and cannot be compared as they cover different spectrums. Whatever your pick, a good time is guaranteed!
