The weekend is finally here! It’s time to load upNetflixand enjoy a good binge-watch. But don’t doomscroll through the menus trying to find something perfect—I’ve rounded up three shows that I enjoyed, all of which make for excellent weekend viewing.
Whether you’re seeking something dark and mysterious or more light-hearted and funny, I’ve got you covered with these Netflix suggestions that you’re able to realistically start and finish in a day or two.
2024
1
8
7 hours 24 minutes
Status
Ended (limited series)
You may have seen the 1999 filmThe Talented Mr. Ripleystarring Matt Damon, but did you know it was based on a novel published over 40 years prior? Netflix’sRipleyisn’t a remake then, but instead goes back to the source, offering a slower pace and a delightfully unsettling lead performance from Andrew Scott.
If you’re unfamiliar, this is a story about the titular con artist who is struggling to make a living in New York. A wealthy man tasks Ripley with bringing his son Dickie home, who has been living in Italy for years, believing the two to be closer friends than they are. Once there, Ripley realizes Dickie is enjoying the luxurious life he craves, and begins a twisted scheme to ensure that he too can bask in the sun.
Set in 1960 and shot in black and white, the show is stylish and feels like a classic noir. Plus the Italian coast is gorgeous, of course. But with Scott at the center, a gleam in his eye as he manipulates situations, it becomes something much darker; he’s calculated and cold, but he’s not a genius, often making mistakes and overcoming tight situations by luck. It’s this that makes the character oddly compelling—you don’t root for him necessarily, but you’ll be gripped by the escalating deceit.
3 hours 53 minutes
Ongoing
Michael Schur has had a hand in some of the most iconic sitcoms of recent times, likeParks and Recreation,Brooklyn Nine-Nine, andThe Good Place. His latest,A Man on the Inside, reunites him with Ted Danson for a comedy about a widowed retired professor who is hired by a private investigator to go undercover at a retirement home. The crime? A missing ruby necklace.
Danson is always good value and he’s on top form here as Charles, a likeable man who is overly enthusiastic about his new job. He soon grows close to many of the home’s residents and it’s here that much of the show’s warmth comes from; it’s nice to see a group of seniors on-screen portrayed as real people and not stereotypes.
Admittedly, I didn’t find the show as amusing as Schur’s others, but it’s still great fun, with plenty of charm and heart; it strikes the right emotional balance without ever feeling twee. It’s also nice to see more of Stephanie Beatriz, who is brilliant inBrooklyn Nine-Nineand plays an entirely different role here as the retirement home’s overworked director.
2025
7 hours 20 minutes
Unconfirmed
InThe Residencethere has been a murder in the White House during a state dinner and it’s up to Cordelia Cupp, a straight-talking renowned detective with a penchant for birding, to solve it. This is a locked room mystery on a grand scale—someone inside the White House must have committed the crime, but with so many suspects and rooms, Cupp has her work cut out.
The Residencehas a big cast of characters, including those who live at the White House, those who work there, and those who are attending the state dinner for the Australian prime minister (like Kylie Minogue, playing an amusing version of herself). The dynamics between these groups makes the investigation even more complicated (and funny!), as Cupp sits down with them all to find out not only what their movements were on the night of the murder, but also everything that led to it.
A particularly impressive element of the show is the production design. I’ve never been to the White House, butThe Residencenails it based on photos. It genuinely feels like you’re watching something that has been filmed there, and it’s neat to see areas on-screen that you wouldn’t normally, like the residential rooms and staff quarters.
What are you waiting for? WhileNetflix’s cancellation problem is getting worse, these shows tell complete stories and make for the ideal weekend binge. Happy streaming!
Netflix
Stream all of these brilliant shows, along with plenty more licensed and original programming, with a monthly Netflix subscription.
