Every weekend, I recommend how to cut down the time you spend perusing through Netflix and cut straight to the best content. I try to get you to break those bad Netflix habits like giving up after a few minutes to re-watch the same episode of The Office you’ve seen a million times. Yes, you. I see you. Jim and Pam end up together every time. I promise. I also try not to expose my own Netflix routines and diversify my offerings. That’s the only reason I’m not going to suggest that you watch Queer Eye Season 4 this weekend. I’ve gushed about the Fab 5 enough in this space. I mean, I will definitely be sobbing into my couch cushions when Bobby inevitably has an underrated heartfelt moment or when Tan finds the perfect outfit for a deserving hero or when Karamo does something super corny that still hits me in the feels... but for the sake of expanding our binging horizons, here are five other things you should watch on Netflix Canada this weekend.
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Sorry, that title should read: four-time Emmy nominated Schitt’s Creek!!!!!! It’s the little Canadian show that could. This week, Catherine O’Hara received the Hollywood adulation of her character Moira Rose’s dreams. She’s nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. Her onscreen husband, Eugene Levy, is up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy. The other Levy, co-creator and co-star Daniel, garnered his first Emmy nomination with the show’s nod for Outstanding Comedy Series. The fourth nomination is for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes. Again, shout out to Moira Rose and her wigs, her outlandish wardrobe, and her commitment to a rich, New York socialite aesthetic even in small town Schitt’s Creek. The nominations are confirmation of how special this show is — not that us die-hard fans needed the validation. The first four seasons of the show are streaming on Netflix. Catch up before the Emmys, and before the show returns for its sixth and final season.
Sometimes it’s OK to judge a book by its cover. And by book, I mean Netflix series. And by cover, I mean thumbnail. I decided to watch Family Reunion based on nothing but a thumbnail that told me two things: Black. Sitcom. Yes, please. I grew up with iconic '90s Black sitcoms like Family Matters, Sister Sister, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Malcom, Living Single, Moesha, and Hanging with Mr. Cooper. Now, the options are Black-ish and ... that’s about it? Family Reunion hopes to fill the void left by those classics. Come for the nostalgia (Tia Mowry-Hardict stars!) and stay for adorable premise: “When the McKellan family moves from Seattle to small-town Georgia, life down South — and traditional grandparents — challenge their big city ways.”
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You may still have Anthony Mackie’s wild Black Mirror episode in your head, or you may not be over Mackie’s Falcon becoming the new *SPOILER* Captain America in Avengers: Endgame. Don’t yell at me for that spoiler. You’ve had MONTHS. Anyway, you may still be hung up on all the roles you’ve seen Mackie in recently because there are so many, but this one finds Mackie front and center. He plays Paul, a nurse who is trying to save his pregnant wife, Taryn (Teyonah Parris), from some dirty cops. It’s a remake of a classic French film. Frank Grillo plays Abe, a murder suspect who teams up with Paul to bring down some bad guys. Mackie is Captain America now. He’s got this.
This franchise is my junk food. I refuse to give it up no matter how bad it might be! I have seen every single Fast & Furious movie in theatres, usually with my big brother, and not a single one has let us down on delivering what we show up for: mindless fun, excessive action sequences that get more and more ridiculous, and hot people! All of the hot people! The hot people coming back to franchise for Fast & Furious 9 were announced this week. Vin Diesel will be back as Dominic Toretto of course, Michelle Rodriguez returns as Letty, Tyrese as Roman, Jordana Brewster as Mia, Nathalie Emmanuel is Ramsey, and Charlize Theron will be villainous again as Cipher. OG hottie Helen Mirren will reprise her role as Magdelene Shaw, and new to the party is John Cena. If the Fast 9 casting news has put you in the mood for some fast cars and a tight-knit family of criminals or heroes (depending on who you ask), The Fate of the Furious is waiting for you.
If you’ve been paying attention to any pop culture news this week, you’ve probably read something about Aziz Ansari’s new comedy special. The fact that Ansari is back with a new special was going to be controversial no matter what, since the last time he was in the spotlight, he was making headlines for a viral piece on Babe.net that accused him of pressuring a young woman into sex on a date. In the Netflix special, Ansari addresses the allegations head on, and appears to show contrition and vulnerability. “Ultimately, I just felt terrible that this person felt this way,” he says of the scandal. You’ll have to watch it yourself to judge Ansari’s outlook on the story, but I recommend reading The New Yorker’s Doreen St. Felix thoughtfully and poignantly breaking down Ansari’s special and his new persona immediately after you watch it.