Staying at home seven days of the week can upset work-life balance, with a truly good rest period becoming difficult to come by.
Watching a movie or two can be an easy way to put your mind off work completely by immersing yourself in the twists and turns of cinematic goodness, but if you wish to take it up a notch, a TV series marathon may just be what the doctor ordered.
ANTARA has curated a handful of binge-worthy shows ranging from drama to crime – all available on online streaming platforms — to watch over an entire weekend.
Criminal Minds
With 15 seasons available online, Criminal Minds is a classic for all true crime or crime-fiction junkies. The show follows members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as they hunt criminals by working through their psyche and thinking like the unknown subjects (UnSubs) that they are after.
The first season opens with several characters, including Jason Gideon, portrayed by Mandy Patinkin, and Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), the newest and youngest member of the team who brings his eidetic memory to the table.
Throughout the series, we get to see the characters develop as individuals, as well as their dynamic as a team, led by Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson). Communication liaison Jennifer Jareau (AJ Cook) and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) also quickly became favorite recurring characters among viewers during the series’ run.
In most episodes, the BAU team deals with different cases, making Criminal Minds a show that leaves viewers wanting for more, and at the same time, one that is easy to pick back up for weekends to come.
When They See Us
In contrast to the loaded 15-season Criminal Minds, When They See Us runs into just four episodes. But that doesn’t mean the show doesn’t pack a punch. In those four episodes, viewers get to follow the real-life stories of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise — who have come to be known as the Central Park Five.
The five boys were wrongly accused and served time for a crime they did not commit after a woman was found unconscious and raped in New York’s Central Park in 1989.
The story sets the image of how racial bias and stereotyping of people of color led to their conviction and coerced confession. Beyond the journey that finally got the five protagonists justice, the show also portrays the aftermath of their incarceration and how it affected their lives in the society that they returned to in their adulthood.
The Crown
Drama series The Crown gained a large new following after its 4th season was released in 2020. The show that depicts the lives of the British royal family has won several prestigious awards in the film industry, including a Golden Globes award.
The storyline follows many iconic moments in the royal family, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) after the passing of King George VI (Jarred Harris). The first season of The Crown largely sets the scene for her journey adapting to her new role.
Though the spotlight is mainly focused on the Queen, her sister Princess Margaret, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby and later by Helena Bonham Carter, as well as Prince Philip (Matt Smith) shine as strong characters who are often juxtaposed against the Queen.
Aside from the Queen’s personal ties, her relationships with her Prime Ministers, including Winston Churchill (John Lithgow), Harold Wilson (Jason Watkins), and Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) also make for exciting dynamics.
In its fourth season, The Crown brought Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) into the picture, and the dramatic love triangle between Lady Di, Prince Charles (Josh O’ Connor), and Camilla Parker Bowles (Emerald Fennell), which has been widely reported over the years.
In its latest season, viewers can see the dramatic depiction of the relationship, as well as the legendary, beloved figure of late Princess Diana, brought to life by Corrin.
Jane the Virgin
We can depend on romantic comedy shows like Jane the Virgin for the feel-good factor we can all use a little bit of right now. Starring Gina Rodriguez as Jane Villanueva, the story follows a 23-year-old woman who becomes pregnant after being artificially inseminated by mistake during a routine check-up.
Set in sunny Miami, Florida, the Western adaptation of the telenovela follows Jane, a young, hard-working, and religious Latina woman raised by a single mother and grandmother, and the twists and turns that come into her life after she becomes pregnant, despite her vow of celibacy until she is married.
Aside from the dramatic premise, its plot twists, magical realism, and heart-warming family representations make Jane the Virgin a binge-worthy show. This show will definitely keep Indonesians, who are quite familiar with soap operas, even Latin telenovelas, wanting for more.
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Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
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