The Best New Shows to Watch on Netflix This February
I watch Netflix's new release section closer than I do the weather app these days. I'm always on the lookout for top-notch, bingeable shows that I can pester my friends and colleagues about for weeks until they give in. For example, Cheer (on the list) is a completely unexpected favourite of mine as of this weekend. I'm not a college student nor have I ever participated in the sport, but the cut-throat American college cheerleading documentary series has me hooked. February's looking like a fantastic month for new content—we've got a doco on Dolly, Oscar-nominated movies and 2020's version of Big Brother. We've gathered the best of the best that'll see you through until March.
Messiah
Messiah is Netflix's newest and most controversial series and we are truly obsessed. There's even a petition running to have the show cancelled due to the religious themes within the show. The trending sensation is told from a few different perspectives: a CIA officer, a refugee, a Texas preacher, and his journalist daughter and follows a man who is receiving global attention for sparking a spiritual movement. Is he a divine entity or just a con man? We'll be binge-watching the rest of the season this weekend.
Marriage Story
The names Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Laura Dern should be convincing enough as it is. They're the star-studded cast behind this movie that's receiving huge amounts of buzz and critical acclaim. This heart-wrenching story details one couple's desire to keep their family together despite a bitter divorce. Expect award-winning performances in this year's most talked-about movie.
Dolly Parton: Here I Am
In just one hour and a half, learn all there is to know about the iconic country music songstress. There's even commentary from Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as this documentary sheds a light on the people and places that have helped shape Dolly Parton's iconic career in entertainment.
Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems is an Adam Sandler movie with a difference. Critics are calling it his best performance of his career as a charismatic New York City jeweller who must balance family, business and enemies in order to pull off the windfall of a lifetime.
AJ and the Queen
Drag queen superstar RuPaul Charles and Sex and the City writer Michael Patrick King have teamed up to create this brand new series where Ruby Red (played by RuPaul) discovers a ten-year-old sidekick in AJ while travelling the country in a beaten-up old RV. See if you can spot the assortment of Drag Race alumni throughout.
Cheer
As I learned in the first episode, Navarro College takes cheerleading very seriously. They've won the coveted national title more times than you could count and this series follows them as they aim for yet another trophy. What's not expected is the intimate look into the lives behind each of the forty members of the squad as we watch them put their bodies on the line to make the cut.
The Circle
It's been described as Big Brother meets Catfish and we couldn't be more hooked. The premise of the game is to be the most popular player standing by strategically portraying the best parts of your personality. Or, you could just use someone else's identity entirely in order to take home the cash prize. It's the ultimate social media experiment you have to see to believe.
Glow Up
Another modern-day competition show to sink your teeth into is Glow Up, a series where aspiring makeup artists compete in colourful challenges in order to win an opportunity of a lifetime. It's the beauty industry's answer to Top Model.
The Witcher
Based on the fantasy books by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher stars Henry Cavill aka Superman as Geralt of Rivia who hunts mutated monsters for a living on "The Continent" and who finds his destiny tied to a sorceress and a princess. Could this be the new Game of Thrones?
For more suggestions, try the 15 best comedies on Netflix right now.
