Netflix is home to countless television shows and movies, with many labelled as “critically acclaimed” or, as others see it, overrated. In no particular order, these often talked about shows may actually be worth watching.

That 70s Show

The first thing that catches the eye with this show is the song featured in the title sequence. The rock anthem is an earworm that the audience can easily find themselves singing along to. The array of characters have unique personalities that anyone could relate to during their travel back to the 1970s. The show follows a group of teenagers through their lives in rural Wisconsin and their misadventures as they explore themselves and their relationships with each other and the world.

New Girl

This combination of quirky characters and storylines that make the audience question the writers’ sanity comes together to form a cohesive ball of laughter and feeling that many other shows do not provide. Jessica Day, an elementary school teacher, is displaced after she finds her longtime boyfriend cheating. She moves into a loft with three men she found on Craigslist: Nick, Winston and the eccentric Schmidt. They become her family as she reevaluates her life and values in the fast paced city of Los Angeles. Rotten Tomatoes rated the show 94% fresh, commenting that the show “brings laughter by spotlighting funny and genuine characters that are imperfect in relatable ways”.

Parks and Recreation/The Office

These shows are two sides of the same coin, so it was fitting that they are categorized the same way. Both shows are full of dry humor and wit, but most people tend to lean towards one or the other in terms of which they prefer. “P&R”, as it is often called, follows public servants in the parks and recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana and the wacky tasks they are sent on by the even wackier citizens of the town. The Office, on the other hand, features the strange employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. “Personally, I find The Office to be entertaining,” sophomore Sean Wagner said. “I think the producers came up with a good script and found the right cast to deliver it.” 

Stranger Things 

While this choice seems obvious, it is still worth the explanation. The 80s based drama/mystery has everything from headstrong female characters to comedic dialogue and bopping background music fit for the decade. The Netflix original series has a 93% fresh cumulative rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the site also acknowledging it as a “love letter to the 80s classics”.

Jane the Virgin 

Often times, television shows or movies do characters and plotlines injustice when it comes to completing the last installment. This does not apply to Jane the Virgin. Every loose end is wrapped up with a bow on top of satisfying endings to every character arc. The modern take on a telenovela features a number of diverse, raw and emotional characters intertwined in countless detailed storylines that are too complex to describe. Jane Villanueva, a latina in her 20s, finds herself in impossible situations over and over again and must navigate through life with her army-like family at her side.

These shows, while they seem like obvious choices when it comes to recommended programs, are often overlooked because of how popular they are. But popular shows are popular for a reason, so giving them a try may be worth the effort.