The Spectator ● April 22, 2016
Page 18
Arts and Entertainment 5 Shows on Netflix That You Need to See if You Haven’t Already By Alex Berg In the past few years, Netflix has become the go-to activity for whenever people have time to spare. Because Netflix has a vast array of television shows and movies, it can be difficult to know what to watch. A select few shows have all sorts of hype surrounding them—everyone from your cousins to your next door neighbors have seen and gushed about them. But are they really worth your time?
5: How I Met Your Mother “How I Met Your Mother” is about five friends living in New York City. The whole show is told through flashbacks from the perspective of the main character, Ted Mosby. The goal throughout this nine-season series is for Ted to tell his future children the full story of how he met their mother, and each episode is a flashback to a certain event that brought him one step closer to meeting his wife. Viewers learn about all of the failed relationships he has had leading up to meeting his wife, along with many other miscellaneous events and excursions with his friends. Some characters who really add to the show are Robin, the caring Canadian, and Lily and Marshall, the married couple. Another fan-favorite is Barney, a womanizing player who wears suits every day and takes home random girls every night. This show is fun to watch because the plotline is lighthearted and the show is easy to understand. The characters’ unique antics, such as Robin’s Canadian pride, Marshall’s innocence, and Ted’s hopeless romanticism, make this show exceptional. The characters also face many difficult situations regarding their love lives, careers, and a variety of other personal woes that keep the program very interesting as well. “How I Met Your Mother” is a great show because it is a perfect mixture of drama and comedy.
3: Jane the Virgin
M ar
iya
Ge
dr
4: Parks and Recreation “Parks and Recreation” is centered on a government worker named Leslie Knope who is extremely passionate about everything she does. Leslie is always upbeat and full of energy, and she sets out to improve her community of Pawnee, Indiana. There are a bunch of supporting characters who really enhance the story as well, including Leslie’s caring best friend, Anne; her snobby and pretentious coworker, Tom; her cold and deadpan boss, Ron; her dark and funny intern, April; her goofy and lively friend, Andy; and her constantly ridiculed, but entirely innocent coworker, Jerry. A lot of the story is told from individual commentaries by each of the characters styled as documentary-style interviews, which are sprinkled throughout every episode. This show is incredibly funny and very enjoyable due to its diverse range of personalities and its clever writing. Something that makes this show unique is the fact that the lead actress, Amy Poehler, is a comedian in addition to an actress, so she is able to deliver a performance flawlessly that has a perfect balance of humor and drama. All of the characters have very different but very big personalities that blend in a way that is unique and fun to watch. This, along with a plotline that is easy to follow, makes “Parks and Recreation” a show that is hilarious and very easy to enjoy.
2: Nurse Jackie
ich
/T “Jane the Virgin” tells the story of a 23-year-old girl who he Sp lives with her mother and grandmother, and grew up having ec tat never met her dad. This show is an American spin on a Spanish or telenovela. Everything was going well for Jane, and she was planning to marry her boyfriend, Michael, until one mistake changed her entire life. At a regular gynecologist check-up, Jane is accidentally artificially inseminated by her boss’s sister. As a result, she has to decide what to do about the mistake. The stress from this dilemma turns into a series of problems that changes Jane’s life. This show is so interesting because Jane is caught in a constant whirlwind of drama. It is also great that this show has mainly Hispanic actors and actresses in its prominent roles. With every episode, a new problem arises and Jane struggles to keep her life under control. As the show moves along, Jane is faced with a ton of dramatic decisions that make this show extremely intriguing and fun to watch.
“Nurse Jackie” is about Jackie Peyton, a passionate nurse and mother of two. She seems to have everything going for her: a loving family, a great job, and a good group of friends. However, Jackie’s world comes tumbling down when she becomes addicted to drugs. Working in a hospital all day, Jackie is easily able to acquire narcotics to fuel her addiction. She keeps her problem a secret from her friends and family, and continues going about her normal life as if nothing is wrong. As she falls deeper and deeper into this pit of drug addiction, her life begins to slip out of her control and she starts losing everything she cares about. Jackie’s friends are always there for her, including her best friend, Doctor O’Hara; her funny and adorable coworker, Zoe; and her strict but caring boss, Gloria. “Nurse Jackie” is very intriguing because it evokes sympathy from its viewers. Jackie is very relatable because she is written as a caring mother and nurse, so the audience always roots for her to make good decisions regarding her addiction. In addition to this, the other characters have a very diverse set of big personalities that give the show many more positive aspects. The show’s dramatic plotline is balanced by occasional spots of comedy from characters with bubbly personalities, which prevent the show from being overly dramatic, but still allow it to have a very dynamic and heart wrenching plotline.
1: Orange is the New Black “Orange is the New Black” is, without a doubt, the best show on Netflix. This true story is based on Piper Chapman, a white-collar woman from New York who is convicted of a crime that she committed ten years prior to her trial, and is sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison. As soon as Piper goes to prison, problems arise in jail and at home regarding both her past and present relationships. The show’s dynamic characters are what make “Orange is the New Black” incredible, including Piper’s ex-girlfriend, Alex; the feisty Russian chef, Red; the lesbian junkie, Nikki; the delusional Italian, Lorna; the insane but relatable Crazy Eyes; the bold and loud Taystee; and the sensitive and funny Poussey. As the show progresses, drama arises amongst the inmates involving topics such as love, contraband, and gossip. The vast array of diverse characters make the show unlike anything else, and the big personalities often clash and cause conflict amongst different groups in prison. The show’s unique plotline and one-of-a-kind characters make it one of the best television programs that has ever existed, and it is definitely worth watching.
Zootopia’s Hidden Message
Angel Zheng / The Spectator
FILM
By Sunny Zhao This year’s Best Animated Feature might already be in theaters. Released on March 4, “Zootopia” had grossed over $500 million worldwide as of its second week in the box office. At first glance, “Zootopia” may seem like just another one of Disney’s typical talking animal movies, but it is much more than that. The movie contains a deeper message that bodes well for society at large. Through the work of an underestimated bunny and a sly fox, “Zootopia” advocates for equality with every scene. “Zootopia” features a world devoid of humans and ruled by ani-
mals of every species. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a small town dreamer. She wishes to go to the city of Zootopia, which, in Judy’s eyes, is a utopia where every animal, regardless of being a predator or prey, lives in harmony. She dreams of becoming the first rabbit police officer so she immediately moves to Zootopia after graduating from the police academy. There, however, Judy quickly learns that the city isn’t as perfect as she had believed. Facing prejudice not dissimilar from sexism in our world, Judy is assigned to be a meter maid by Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) and isn’t allowed to advance past her position.
When Judy asks why she cannot be on patrol, Chief Bogo says, “Life isn’t some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true! So let…it…go.” However, Judy soon learns of missing mammal cases and is given an ultimatum. If she cannot solve her case in 48 hours, she must resign. Without backup from the rest of the police force, Judy decides to team up with a fox con artist named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). The duo discovers that all of the missing animals have become savages, extremely aggressive toward anyone that dares to approach. The general public quickly realizes that all of the savages are predators. In a city where the majority of the population is prey, the resulting media coverage ensures that a new fear is born, creating divisions within Zootopia strikingly similar to the racial segregation still present in today’s society. Violence rises, and protesters believe that all predators should be rounded up and sent away from the city. Judy and Nick are left in the shambles of a once unified city, with fear and violence becoming the new norm, and they have no idea how to fix it. “Zootopia” could not have chosen a more perfect topic to discuss in our current day and age. With the controversial political debates
of the upcoming election and the looming presence of racism and sexism in this country, “Zootopia” illustrates these issues in a sly, but smart way. Judy represents a disenfranchised race. From the very beginning she is discriminated against as a police officer for being a rabbit. Both she and Nick are also victims of racial profiling, as they deal with societal prejudices about rabbits and foxes throughout the movie. “Zootopia” showcases how mass hysteria can lead to the segregation and irrational fear of a particular group. This draws a clear connection to Islamophobia in the United States and how some Muslim groups are treated with hostility. The movie promotes equality of all people, regardless of race, and shuns the idea of fear dividing us. It shows that the actions of a few people do not demonstrate the beliefs of a whole group. “Zootopia” elevates the idea of acceptance: that we can all get along in harmony as long as we understand each other and look past previous prejudices. “Zootopia” has bright, eyedazzling artwork and exceptional voice acting. Goodwin and Bateman perfectly bring Judy’s energy and Nick’s cleverness, to light. In addition, the voice acting talents of others such as J. K. Simmons, Idris Elba, and Shakira are more than
evident. The cast’s skill is mirrored by the animation team’s ability to perfectly sync the voices of each character up with a lifelike animation. The work of both the cast and the animators bring the city of Zootopia and its citizens to life. The movie has several unexpected plot twists and multiple adult references that would amuse even the most bored parent. From an imitation of the “Godfather” to a direct reference to “Breaking Bad,” there are plenty of fun Easter eggs for the audience to discover. While only bearing a PG rating, “Zootopia” is fit for all ages and does not fail to stimulate the imagination. While “Zootopia” is advertised as a film for kids, its message is important for people from all walks of life. It demonstrates the problems that divide and destroy people. The film shows how fear is a powerful and dangerous weapon that could be used to single out someone or a group of people. In our own news we can see hundreds of articles about political and societal division, violent protests against ideals, racial conflicts, but almost nothing about understanding. Nothing about combating the fear that divides us by understanding each other, with equality. I implore anyone who hasn’t yet to watch “Zootopia.” Its message is a lesson for all of us to learn.