The leader of the pack when it comes to Netflix-created series, this political drama starring Kevin Spacey wasn't only a smash hit, but Season 1 was nominated for nine Emmy awards.
Part West Wing without the Sorkinese, Scandal with more schmooze, and a whole lot of Kevin Spacey being awesome, this is drama is frankly better and juicier than pretty much anything on ABC, CBS, or NBC. If you haven’t watched Season 1, you have about a month to catch up, as Season 2 will debut on Valentine’s Day.
Piper, Alex and the gang are coming back in 2014! Season 2 promises to be filled with even more of the drama of Season 1, with more of a focus on the group as a whole and less on one individual (ahem, Piper). Not that it wasn’t interesting and moving to see how Piper went from the scared, preppy blond to the angry she-Hulk that beat Pennsatucky to a pulp in the Season 1 finale.
Still, now that Piper has truly shed all pretense that she is better or different than the women she’s incarcerated with, it makes sense to focus on group dynamics. Plus, who wouldn’t want more screen time for Red, Taystee and Crazy Eyes?
A few episodes of Turbo F.A.S.T. premiered on Dec. 24, 2013, but the bulk of the series is streaming in 2014. Yes, Turbo is mostly fare for the small fry, but as one of the first collaborations between Netflix and DreamWorks Animation, it promises to be a fun ride.
Plus, with episodes clocking in at approximately 11 minutes, it’s an easy way to relax and have a laugh on your morning commute. Just don’t be surprised if you suddenly notice a five-year-old watching over your shoulder on the train.
This highly anticipated series comes from none other than the Wachowskis (The Matrix) and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski. A contemporary sci-fi thriller series aimed for adults, the show seems to be a cross between Misfits and Babel, in which eight people worldwide gain the ability to communicate with each other via telepathy.
With both the Wachowskis and Straczynski set to write and direct episodes, the show looks to be a sci-fi lover’s dream. All 10 episodes will be available to stream at the same time when the series debuts in late 2014.
Developed by Eli Roth, Season 1 of Hemlock Grove featured all the gore, suspense and monsters that any horror fan could ever want. In that respect, expect Season 2 to top Season 1. As Roth himself promised in a statement:
“The worldwide fan response to Hemlock Grove was phenomenal. Netflix members loved the potent combination of sexy monsters, mystery and the dark family soap opera that ended with a huge twist, leaving audiences worldwide totally shocked. Season 1 was just a warmup for what we have in store for Season 2. Get ready to be scared in ways you never expected.”
So, if you didn’t think Hostel was scary enough, then tune in for Hemlock’s Season 2, because you will get more than your fill of thrill with a 10-episode overload of blood, screams and creepy crawlies (oh yeah, and more blood).
A collaboration between Gaumont International Television and Netflix, the drama Narcos is set to revolve around the life and death of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Although details about the series are scarce, and not much has been officially confirmed, execs have reportedly tapped Jose Padilha (RoboCop) -- pictured above -- to direct episodes as well as, more or less, run the series.
Although it’s difficult to tell the true direction of the series, given the lack of information, it will be interesting to see if Netflix can score itself a critically acclaimed hit around the underbelly of the criminal drug world like The Wire.
You guessed it -- this drama is about explorer Marco Polo, with Hollywood powerbrokers Harvey and Bob Weinstein as producers. Starz had originally picked up Marco Polo in 2012; reports show that Netflix may run with it this year.
The show chronicles a young Polo as he adventures into China, filled with political intrigue, adventure and encounters with Kublai Khan. Though it hasn’t yet been determined whether Marco Polo will be a series or a feature film (or whether the Weinsteins will choose to let it remain with Netflix), with Josh Fusco (Young Guns) and Dave Erikson (Sons of Anarchy) listed as creators, it should certainly be on your radar.
This adult-oriented animated series features the voices of Will Arnett (Arrested Development) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) about a whiskey-loving former TV star, who just so happens to be a horse (Arnett) with a human sidekick (Paul), and an ex-lover -- a cat named Princess Caroline (Amy Sedaris).
Seriously, why wouldn’t you tune in?
Yes, yes, it’s vague and doesn’t even have a title yet, but there’s a reason said untitled psychological thriller is getting a lot of buzz. Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman, the minds behind the hit series Damages, are the ones bringing it to Netflix.
This time, the characters play mind games in a family setting, with all sorts of secrets and skeletons popping out of the closet when a black sheep brother comes home. Sounds like a twisted Parenthood.
It's true that the first brainchild of Netflix's collaboration with Marvel is set for 2015, but hey, one can hope/pray/start an online petition for the date getting pushed up to...say, late 2014? Maybe a Christmas Eve premiere (like Turbo F.A.S.T.) is possible, at which millions of Netflix subscribers worldwide would know exactly what to do with their vacations between Christmas and New Year's Day: Marathon all 13 episodes, live tweet and then marathon again.
Even though Netflix has pulled classics such as Top Gun and Roman Holiday from its library, that doesn’t mean 2014 is a sad year for the streaming provider.
In fact, it's quite the contrary — with its original programming slate hotter than ever and a deal with Marvel, Netflix is poised to become an entertainment juggernaut.
With that in mind, here are 10 Netflix original series in 2014 that will more than comfort you over the loss of The Rundown from your viewing list.
Between returning favorites, such as House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, and newcomers Sense8 and BoJack Horseman, you'll find something worth watching — that is, marathoning — this year.
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