The Best of Netflix: Shows To Uplift, Inspire, & Bring You Joy When You Need It Most

There’s no denying we’ve all been more than a little bored in the house, in the house bored.

Here at team Lustic we’ve certainly binged through a long list of shows to pass the time during the last 10 weeks of sheltering-at-home. But even with a global pandemic to contend with, some of these shows have not been worth their while!

The good news is that there are some new {and not so new} programs that have literally brought us to tears. The good kind of tears. Those that come with feelings of total awe, inspiration, motivation and complete love for humankind.

The feelings we all need more of at the minute.

To make sure you don’t miss out on some of 2020’s greatest moments {cos heck we need to find them} we’ve created a “Best Of Netflix” list for your shelter-at-home viewing pleasure.

Here goes:

BEST FEEL GOOD SERIES

1. Shine On With Reese Witherspoon

   This show focuses on highlighting powerful and ambitious women and it really was a catalyst to us writing this blog post! Reese’s down to earth interviews really shed a new light on some of our favourite women in the world including - Sara Blakely, Pink, Dolly Parton, and others and we can’t recommend it enough!
   

2. Becoming

   With the same title as her autobiography, this film focuses on the life of the former First Lady Michelle Obama. This Netflix documentary shows a familiar, albeit more carefree, former first lady talk us through her journey of self-belief and “becoming” the first black woman to be first lady of the United States. And it’s definitely worth a watch.

Best REAL LIFE Docu-Series

1.  Formula 1: Drive To Survive

   Don’t let the name fool you, you don’t have to have an interest in Formula 1 to find this totally fascinating, addictive and inspiring. Absolutely loved it and have such a renewed respect for these drivers!

2. Sunderland Til I Die

   This program was flagged by our yogi-friend Janine Martins and it honestly took us by surprise. It’s based around one football team’s crazy journey that is equal parts emotional as it is inspiring. Again, we’re not football fans but totally loved this!

3. The Last Dance

   This 10-part film follows the career of Michael Jordan and his colleagues within the 1990s Chicago Bulls team. Unseen footage tells a story we may have been too young to remember and gives insight into the mentality of some truly incredible athletes - with input from the likes of Barack Obama, Justin Timberlake and others. A great watch for all.

Best Crime-Thrillers

1. Happy Valley

   If you’re into escapism and want an intense crime-thriller to keep you on your toes, this one is it. It’s an oldie but a goodie. Great story-line, incredible acting and the kind of gritty-intensity that the Brits do so well. Two series later and you’ll be hoping for a third.

2. Bloodline

   If you’re wanting to watch something a little closer to home, this American crime-thriller has three seasons of twists and turns surrounding a family business based in Key West. Again, not a new show but something definitely worth getting into.

3. Unforgotten

   Originally shown on BBC, this 3-part series tracks some gruesome disappearances, with interesting detective-work and interplay with some really gripping storylines.

4. The Sinner

   This psychological whodunnit quickly pulls you in with a riveting first episode. The haunting ambience of the show seeps in slowly and runs deep through three series. Definitely worth a watch.
   

5. Safe

   Despite the fairly basic storyline, the twists and turns keep you guessing. Silly at times and wildly melodramatic, Safe is one of the more light-hearted murders, if that can even be a thing?! It is here and we enjoyed it for that.

Best of Reality Trash TV

1. Love Is Blind

   The nexus of this show is to determine whether you can fall in love with someone without seeing them - and without spoiling anything, there are certainly mixed outcomes. A really easy watch that has you quickly connect with these people on a more meaningful level than you’d expect!

2. The Circle

   This show is a 2019 cross-between Big Brother and MSN chat where a series of strangers interact entirely on a keyboard to determine whether you can really get to know someone without meeting them. Like Love is Blind without the romance, it’s really fascinating to see if today’s often superficial online world can create genuine real-life connection. The big reveal {and a few cat-fish moments} is worth watching for sure!

3. Too Hot To Handle

   With a cast-list full of gorgeous Tinder-addicted singletons, this show is based on the premise of testing their willpower by paying out cash if the group can hold back from jumping into bed together. You’ll need to forgive us for the type of trash TV we’re recommending, but hey, we all need an outlet!

4. RuPaul’s Drag Race

   With one of the most iconic drag queen's as the host, each week contestants are given different challenges to battle out and lip-synching for their lives! Spanning across a decade with multiple international spinoffs, this show sheds a light on the souls behind the costumes and you'll be surprised how much it impacts you!

5. Selling Sunset

   Consider this The Hills with botox, 7 inch heels and yellow Lamborghini. It’s equal parts cringe as it is eye-opening as you see inside some of LA’s wildest homes - ranging from $10-70 million a piece! The catty drama is oddly addictive as it’s balanced out with an insider’s guide to the life of the uber rich.

Did we miss any?

We’d love to hear!

Let us know what you’re watching and loving in the comments below.