LOVERS OF THE GOOD PLACE : From Schitt's Creek feel-good comedy to Firefly Lane's painful drama and Matt Sazama's heartfelt Lost in Space, here is the real reason we Netflix binge, the best way to do it and the next series to watch!

We all have high standards when it comes to TV & Cinema, me especially, being one of those film buffs that psychoanalyses absolutely every detail in a movie or series because you know what, I just love it that much and it will eventually be my full time career, but at the same time I'm also learning and understanding what will work in my future filmmaking adventures as well as learning things about myself, which ultimatley is the point of cinema; to learn, feel, seriously over-think, connect and grow.

Somedays I'm all for the occasional horror, trash-tv binge when I just want to exist without thinking or feeling for a minute, to escape reality and have my mind be utterly silent. That's happend quite often the last few months as I've not been in a good place.

Speaking of being in a good place, it was THE GOOD PLACE that sparked my love of TV shows and netflix addiction.

Forking hell!

Michael Schur’s series about heaven and hell is remarkably funny and inconspicuosly emotionally driven. If there’s one thing that this hit show is definitely not intentionally about, it’s the current State of the World Today and it's refreshing. The Good Place isn't about he-who-shall-not-be-named Trump, Brexit Baloney, the devastating realisation of #MeToo or any up to the minute talking points, because that’s exactly the sort of thing that us fans at home want to avoid. We watch shows to escape.

We already deal with so much on a day to day basis and this heartwarming sitcom which is set in a non-denominational afterlife some of us might call “Heaven” and in the show is portrayed as 'The Good Place', offers just the right amount of escapism without any negative side effects. I'ts a show you can healthily binge. It's a show that will make you howl with laughter and cry at it's core narrative...

We're all a little bit sad all the time.”

This was the first show that I felt had it all. The good stuff we forget to remember on a day to day basis and it was the first domino to fall in my whilrwind TV binge watching expericence. A good cuppa, some pizza and Netflix. Ideal winding down situation.

Binge-watching is a form of addiction and I became addicted to feeling good in what was an ultimately sh*tty year. Because we haven't been allowed to go out and have had to spend every day of our lives at home for however long it's been now, one of the things we do to fight against our boredom and anxiety aside from incessantly scrolling through our instagram feeds is binge-watching brilliant TV shows.

Netflix promoted binge-watching is as essential to the firm's existence as it is to the viewers mental health.

'When we engage in activities that are enjoyable such as binge-watching, our brains produce dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical which gives the human body a natural, internal feeling of pleasure that reinforces a continued tryst in that hobby.

So if you want to binge, have watched and LOVED The Good Place, here is where your heart, eyes and mind should turn to next. Schitt's Creek.

It was The Good Place that led me to my first true love, SCHITT'S CREEK through netflix's own genius algorithmic recommendation and, all I can say is, it was spot on. Netflix somehow seemed to gauge my mood and said here you go, here's another idealistic family oriented and funny real world sitcom to make you laugh, cry and believe in the good again. It's a hugely underrrated comedy about newly broke millionaires struggling with small-town life and has become quite a marvel. A Golden Globe winning show starring the incredible real life father son duo, Dan & Eugene Levy and the charismatic and brilliant Catherine O'Hara, which has more humor layered into every episode than just about any other show on television. It starts off purely comedic, with an exaggerated take on the wealthy stereotype and slowly builds to a show of real substance and depth. The beauty of Schitt's Creek and what I believe makes it stand out is that it has been unafraid to let each and every character develop in a naturalistic way. Every character on the show grows into themselves and it almost feels as though you grow with them. I felt greatly connected to this show and its characters and at a time where it seems like so little is right with the world, Schitt’s Creek is the perfect getaway to a funnier, happier, more fulfilling place.

I have since recommended Schitt's creek to everyone who has watched The Good Place and am always hit on the receiving end with wow, how have I never come across this show before, it's brilliant or OMG It's exactly what I needed to watch right now!

“I don’t want to brag, but Us Weekly once described me as ‘up for anything.'” — Alexis

Now, continuing with the underlying familial themes, If you've seen either of the above shows, my next recommendation would be to check out Catherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke in the highly acclaimed FIREFLY LANE.

So maybe you've heard of it and maybe you've been told not to watch it and have seen some not very great reviews but, I geniunely hope you will give this a try. I was skeptic at first but as I was feeling geniunely more secure in life and wanted to push further and watch something others would deem hard to watch, I gave it a shot and I don't think I've ever watched a show that quickly before. 3 days. Boom. Done. I absolutely loved it. And I'm sure if you walk into it without judgement, you will too.

The low-end critical reception for this beautifully done show is proof that critics can sometimes truly fail at their jobs. This show is absolutely amazing. Yes, as a young woman myself, I am the target demographic for the show but everyone I've recommended it to, Man, woman, old, young-ish, and anyone not typically thought to be the target demographic have found it difficult to STOP watching it. It's because it has a high level of artistry and detail brought upon every characters personal journeys and traits. It sends out numerous profound messages without shoving it in your face or cramming it down your throat so the story becomes too difficult to watch. It's the kind of show, just like The Good Place and Schitt's Creek before it, that gets you invested emotionally into its story and mulit-faceted characters. Firely lane feels like your best friend, the friend that's brutally honest with you, never sugarcoats anything and makes you double back and appreciate what and who you have in your life right now.

“That was what a best friend did: hold up a mirror and show you your heart.”

It's real, it's honest and watching it is a learning experience and even though there are some dark twists and turns, you will feel emotionally and spiritually uplifted, connected to your friends and family and that much more optimistic that whatever pain you are going through right now, you know it's all temporary and it will eventually pass.

My next mood-based suggestion which also continues on with the familial concept and the beauty of love and life is Netflix's reboot of LOST IN SPACE.

Now, you're probably thinking 'wait...but this is Sci-fi? Why would you recommend a sci-fi series after watching Firefly Lane?'.

The answer to that is, well it's because it's a gem of a series, you just gotta and, it's the perfect anecdote to a poweful drama. It's just that damn good. And yes, It's predominantly a sci-fi show with aliens, spaceships, weird and wonderful planets, but, it's also the kind of series I like to call an 'All in One'. Lost in Space doesn't only focus on it's sci-fi aspect, it also covers numerous other genres. It can satisfy feel-good family, science fiction fans as well as fantasy, drama and adventure fans in one go.

There's a lot more to this space than just galaxies and constellations. And it shows us that there are a lot more things that we haven't discovered yet, both in the depths of the universe and in the depths of ourselves. I always suggest jumping from fiction to non fiction shows and I can’t say for sure that Lost in Space stands out in comparison to other great Sci-fi shows like Amazon’s 'The Expanse', which is hailed as being the best Sci-fi show ever created but I do think Lost in Space occupies a unique part of the tv world in that it’s a family-friendly adventure series that you usually don’t see in this genre. The series follows the main protagonists, the Robinson Family and their dynamics at play as well as their connection and bond to an adopted outsider; the Alien dubbed Robot, who frankly is te character worth watching this show for. You will immediately fall in love.

“There's a lot of space out there to get lost in."

So, to summarise, the running themes behind these shows that link them together and guide me to what to watch next are themes relating to friendship and family dynamics, escapism and connectivity. all of these shows focus on emotional and intellectual engagement and its hard to find one that has both and these definitely do. To get the most enjoyment of a show you need to to feel as if you have travelled into an alternate universe and be able to relate and connect to different characters. You know it's a good show when you feel like you're the eyes and the camera, in the middle of it all. And it's nice to get out of your own head and see things from different perspectives.

How much will I/they relate to this show? Can we connect to these characters and truly immerse ourselves in the story? Are the questions I always ask.

What also connected these shows together for me personally, was my general mood throughout the year. Somewhat lost, worried, sad, out of sorts and I generally felt disconnected from the world and the people in my life. I felt very alone. These shows have the ability to make you feel less alone. So if you, like me have not been in a good place, I suggest giving these a try. I know they'll be worth it. It's important to ask yourself how you feel before you start to watch a show; if you can understand your mood, you are more likely to find the right piece to watch.

Your mood will dictate the choice of material you should consume.

As humans we can be lazy and impatient and we do not want to waste time researching everywhere for entertainment only to choose the wrong type to consume. We live in an incredibly priveliged world where we can access entertainment easily from almost anywhere around the world but this has created a big problem for us consumers - choice overload.

Although I can't fault say, Netlfix's algorithms for personalised show suggestions, one thing that platforms with a million faces behind them lack are the ability to understand and gauge how you feel. Netflix can't feel how you feel. And it might suggest you go and watch The Queen's Gambit after Lost in Space because it a fabulous show but, it wouldn't make sense.

So I say, if you loved The Good Place, try and stick to meaningful, familial themed all rounders with underlying powerful concepts until you yourself get to a good place.

As a freelance Composer and Screenwriter, I've been out of work for a year because of the pandemic and I am guilty of the monthly Netflix binge and honestly am even more grateful now for film and TV as watching certain shows has inpired me and kept me sane. Truthfully, aswell as writing this article for the benefit of the community and it being fun, there's also the chance that if I win, I can put forward the money into developing my award winning screenplay into a movie! It's called By The Sea. A working title but writing this has kept me in a positive mindset throughout the year. I hope you've enjoyed reading this and happy binging!

P.S. Stay connected.

Rona x (proudly dyslexic wanderer of the universe)