South Park

South Park

South Park, although it was removed from Netflix, is one of my all-time favorite shows. Based in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado, the series primarily focuses on the escapades of Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. South Park has become wildly popular and is famous for its basic animation, crude dialogue, and over-the-top social criticism.

My favorite part about South Park is its unpredictability. One episode, the boys could be sniffing their own farts to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and the next they could be battling the anti-Christ. Time after time, however, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are able to pump out fresh, socially relevant material under the guise of goofy, if not outright obscene, plotlines. In one particularly outrageous episode, Cartman is appointed temporary instructor of his class at South Park Elementary. Cartman abuses his power and helps his class cheat on a standardized test, leading to unusually high scores. Cartman is then sent to teach a group of inner-city students in hopes that his methods will generate similar success for the under-privileged high schoolers. In order to gain more respect from his students, Cartman changes his name to Mr. Cartmenez and impersonates a middle-aged Hispanic man. Initially, the students do not accept Cartman and he constantly wonders aloud, “How do I reach these keeeds?” With time, the students accept Cartman’s secret to academic success: Cheating. In the end, Cartman’s students make perfect scores and celebrate the newfound strategy. Although the episode may seem random, it has deeper contextual meaning. It serves as a scathing criticism of modern public education in America. The episode infers that the education system focuses more on memorization and standardized testing than individual learning and achievement, and I cannot say that I disagree. Many people condemn South Park for its crude humor, but I think that its obscenity is merely a façade designed to mask more significant social criticisms. 

In the end, South Park will always have its advocates and detractors. While it may not be the best show to watch with mom, it never fails to entertain and provide a good laugh. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are geniuses, and one can only hope that they are able to continue writing South Park for years to come.

I'm bout that Spongebob life

By now, you have probably realized that I have an affinity for HBO’s dramas; however, they are not the only shows that I enjoy. Although it has not been on Netflix for some time, Spongebob was one of my favorite shows throughout 2012 and into 2013. From the Krusty Krab pizza episode to Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, Spongebob has one of the wackiest plots of any show out today. From a young age, I always loved its creativity, and as I have grown older I have come to appreciate many other aspects of the show.  Between the character development throughout the series and the hidden adult-geared humor, Spongebob is still as entertaining today as ever.

Every child in our millennial generation fell in love with Spongebob and his crew of undersea critters. The interactions between Spongebob and Squidward are iconic, as is his friendship with Patrick. Growing up with the show, I find some of the newer episodes to be too outrageous, but older episodes like Band Geeks and The Fry Cook Games are simply classics.

I think my favorite thing about Spongebob is that it allows me to reminisce on the easier days. Even though I love being in college, I cannot escape the feeling of nostalgia Spongebob inspires in me.  Everything considered, childish cartoon and all, Spongebob is still wildly entertaining and a great source of laughs for people of all ages.

The Newsroom

After Breaking Bad, I’d have to say my favorite Netflix show is The Newsroom. This HBO series chronicles the story of Will McAvoy, the controversial lead anchor of the fictional “Atlantis Cable News.” The show is a scathing critique of the modern cable news scene, picturing other networks as agenda-driven rating whores. In contrast to most networks, Atlantis Cable news sets out to tell the news as it really is, without playing to either side of the political spectrum. The coolest part about the show is that it chronicles events from recent-history such as the BP Oil spill and riots and Egypt.

The show features Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy, who has become a cultural icon as the lead anchor of Atlantis News Network. Famous for never specifically aligning with either party, McAvoy explodes at a debate and rants about all of the problems in America. McAvoy faces backlash and sees his beloved ratings drop. McAvoy reunites with MacKenzie McHale, McAvoy’s ex-girlfriend who has recently accepted the job to be the new executive producer for his show. The two decide to put ratings aside and tell the news without bias or agenda. Over the course of the series, the two tackle different polarizing stories, while struggling to gain support for their new philosophy.

I highly recommend this show to anyone with interest in modern world news. It has a great story line and thoroughly develops all of its characters. It also is quite funny from time to time, especially the interactions between the eccentric McAvoy and his team. Also, it only is two seasons in and the third is scheduled to be the final, so it requires less time commitment than many other HBO series. Although it isn’t as exciting or addicting as Breaking Bad, The Newsroom is definitely still a winner.

My Netflix Go-To

Ever since its expansion to the internet, Netflix has dominated the at-home film and television experience. Offering thousands of movies and series, Netflix has the selection to offer something to fit everyone's taste. Nevertheless, we all seem to find ourselves falling back on a few of our favor "go-to" shows. For me, that show is Breaking Bad.

If you haven't heard of Breaking Bad by now, you have probably been living under a rock. Set in modern day New Mexico, the show features a brilliant, over-qualified high school chemistry teach, Walter White, who is diagnosed with lung cancer. Faced with expensive treatment and the need to provide for his family, Walt turns to cooking meth in order to make money. Not only does Walt cook great meth, he succeeds in become the meth kingpin of the Southwest. Along with his misfit sidekick, Jesse Pinkman, Walt becomes involved in some dark, albeit humorous, situations.

Breaking Bad has enjoyed unprecedented success and is widely considered one of the greatest television shows of all time. After a season, I was hooked, and now that the last eight episodes of the series are on Netflix, I am coming back for more. It doesn't have the flashy explosions of a 24, but it is packed with crazy cliffhangers and a roller coaster storyline that keeps the viewer on edge.

When I want to find a new Netflix series I look for three characteristics: strong acting, a unique plot, and good critical reviews. Breaking Bad hits each of these criteria. I have never met anyone who has watched the show that has not finished the series. Throughout the series, and even during each episode, you can fall in love with, and have your heart broken by each character. The dark qualities of Breaking Bad mixed with the evolution of each character draw the viewer in for a crazy ride.