Netflix is the epitome of living in the modern age. Once upon a time, one had to watch new episodes of TV shows live and, if they were missed, had to hope it would rerun later. Now, because of Netflix, hundreds of TV shows and movies are at a fingertip, for a mere $8 a month. But, in addition to having countless episodes of popular cable shows, Netflix also produces its own shows, such as the series’ “House of Cards”, “Orange Is the New Black.” All of these are great niche shows, but, unfortunately, are only shown to a select audience. Each of these three shows has their own special qualities that only Netflix can deliver.
The best of the shows is easily “House of Cards.” In the show, Kevin Spacey plays a ruthless congressman trying to reach the White House. Breaking the fourth wall and using tons of dark colors and poorly-lit sets, “House of Cards” makes it feel like the audience is there with Spacey as well as being part of his evil scheme. Even other than Spacey, “House of Cards” remains brilliant, with top notch acting and an always-engaging plot that never leaves the viewer disappointed.
“Orange Is the New Black” is a very different show to “House of Cards.” OITNB revolves around the life of a bisexual woman in a women’s prison. The show is a dark comedy of the events in the prison, which is appealing, but not always in good taste. Yet despite its few shortcomings, OITNB is a good depiction of life inside a women’s prison. The acting is superb, and although the plot can be repetitive, that is a side effect from the show taking place is a prison. Ultimately, “Orange Is the New Black” is a great show, albeit with a limited future.
Overall, Netflix’s original shows show great variety. It has comedies, such as the last season of “Arrested Devopment”, dramas, such as “House of Cards”, as well as shows that only the online movie service could produce. In the end, Netflix should stick to a small nucleus of shows, like “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black” to ensure that some of its new shows don’t fall flat.