Need a Show to Watch? Here's 5 Binge-worthy Netflix Series to Start and Finish by 2020

I’m sure we all spent the majority of our time in 2020 staying in and watching Netflix since we can't go anywhere or travel during this pandemic. Who else spent their weekends just watching shows and relaxing at home? As much as I miss traveling, I discovered so many new television shows and movies to watch since they're on the majority of streaming services now. While movies took a huge hit this year, it's been nice being able to watch them at the safety of my home without the hefty price of going to a theater. Whether you need a new show to binge-watch during the holiday break or something light-hearted for a date night, here's my list of the top five series in 2020 that you should check out.

Money Heist

Named the #1 most-watched non-English series, the show takes place in Spain with a group of robbers and a professor pulling off the ultimate heist of all time, centering around the Royal Mint of Spain and Bank of Spain through the seasons. You'll fall in love with the Professor who is the mastermind behind all the heists and see how incredibly brilliant he is. From planning every little detail to even anticipating exactly what the police's next steps are, this series is going to keep you attached to your screen waiting for their next move and cheering as they pull off each event successfully. The series also goes through the background and stories of the robbers and how they were recruited by the Professor which creates more character development and leaves them feeling relatable. With the endless amount of plot twists and drama, you'll binge through all four seasons and will leave you begging for more with the cliffhanger.

Love is Blind

I'm usually not a huge fan of dating or reality tv shows but Netflix definitely delivered in this category this year. Located in Atlanta, Love is Blind brings together 30 single men and women through blind speed dating where they are able to hear and speak to each other through pods for ten days but cannot physically see each other unless one person proposes. From there, you're able to see them actually meet each other for the first time and their reactions, their families, plan their weddings and see whether they are still in love with the person they met in the pod or accept the reality of the other person face-to-face. This show was created to test the theory of whether the emotional connection is better than physical attraction as an experiment. You'll get to see which participants fall in love or go home still being single.

Another reality/dating show called Too Hot to Handle also came out this year where it features single men and women but on an island to see whether they can resist the temptation to engage in no sexual contact for four weeks in order to cash out the prize money of $100,000. While it was entertaining, I find this show lacks character development compared to Love is Blind and do not recommend watching it unless you are looking for a background show.

Master Chef

Who doesn’t love watching Gordon Ramsey and seeing him in action with his outrageous sayings? Hosted by him, Aarón Sanchez & Joe Bastianich, these tough judges are looking for the next home chef to mentor so they can be the next Master Chef. You'll see the chefs build their culinary skillsets throughout the crazy tasks they are given ranging from skills test, mystery box challenge, elimination test, team challenge, and the pressure test. The show also invites celebrity chefs to showcase different themes and cultures to better understand what it takes to be a master chef. From watching the home cooks impress the judges with their specialty dishes in the beginning to seeing the top three finalists and their presentation really inspires you to cook more and experiment. One of my favorite episodes is when the home chefs were flown to London to work at Ramsey's flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, as a team challenge to see what it's like to run a three-star Michelin restaurant and serve appetizers and entrees. Two words: chaotic and stressful.

American Horror Story

If you're a horror or thriller fan, you’ll love the American Horror Story series since there are so many plot twists and storylines in the nine seasons. You can start from any season and there's a different setting for each one although they tend to reference the old seasons so I would suggest watching from Season one first. All the characters are the same but play different roles to fit the storyline. Featuring top actors like Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Emma Roberts, etc, this is the one show you should add to your list if you are into mystery, thriller, or suspense. However, if you are not a fan of gory and blood, I would advise against watching since it tends to be heavier on the graphic side. I would recommend Season 1, Murder House, and Season 9, Camp Redwood. Fun fact: Lady Gaga, Adam Levine, and Neil Patrick Harris are some of the characters that had guest-starred in the series.

Emily in Paris

Starring Lily Collins playing Emily as the main character, you follow the adventures of Emily who is from Chicago sent to Paris to help a French marketing firm develop their social media strategy from an American perspective. The show circles around how Emily maneuvers her way through the city as she is dealt with cultural differences and different working strategies from her Parisian coworkers. While I felt that some of the scenarios were not realistic, I still binge through this light-hearted series within a day or two and loved the character development of Lily Collin's character.

Have you watched any of these shows and do you have any recommendations for the ones you watched? As 2020 comes to an end, I would love to read your suggestions below and check them out for myself. If you have favorite tv shows for cooking and thriller, definitely send them my way! #nbholidaycheer