Purging your post-finals stress: essential Netflix to binge

Connor White

In this case, you are not a special snowflake. Like so many others, you have been ravaged by stress and dreariness to the point of becoming a post-secondary powder keg, desperate for some kind of release. But do not fear; There is salvation waiting for you, for all of us. Blessed Netflix, your streaming options descend down from the heavens. Save us from the tyranny of scantron and citation.

You need comfort. You need something you can sink your teeth into. Netflix has more than enough to offer you, and we’ve scoured their entire library for content worthy of your binge.

“Blue Planet”: Nature documentaries are infamous for knocking out many a usually-attentive viewer, especially with the honeyed tones of famed British broadcaster Richard Attenborough narrating the entirety of the series. But that’s alright; if the Sandman comes a knocking, let him drift you away. The ocean will still be there when you wake up, and Richard Attenborough will be talking about whales or something.

“Amelie”: Hopeless romantics struggle every school break, trying to scratch that itch that the usual Sandra Bullock/Ryan Gosling fare just won’t satisfy.”Amelie,” a darling French film about a young woman’s attempt to right all the wrongs in her world, is exactly what you need to reignite that spark.

“No Reservations”: While Anthony Bourdain’s current work is with CNN (and is equally as good), Netflix has compiled some of the best episodes of Bourdain’s Travel Channel adventures. Soak in the sights and sounds of some of the world’s most exotic cities. Be warned: “No Reservations” has been known to spark an irresistible wanderlust. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself buying a one-way plane ticket, ready to explore.

“Pokemon”: 101 episodes of the original series, your childhood, are available for streaming, just waiting to be relived. Nostalgic and great to watch with younger siblings, “Pokemon” perfectly captures that Saturday-morning-cartoon feeling we’ve all been desperate to recapture. If you’re “above” watching a child’s show…well, we didn’t want to play with you anyway. So nyeehhh. We’ll be over here, actually enjoying ourselves.

“An Idiot Abroad”: It’s truly rare to find perspective of the world around us as unique as Karl Pilkington’s. While his name doesn’t carry a lot of weight here in the U.S., his musings are wildly popular in the United Kingdom. The premise is simple: British comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send Pilkington off to random parts of the globe, and let him call them as he sees them. Which he does, and which is frequently hilarious. You also get to here Gervais laugh plenty, which is a treat in itself.

“Mystery Science Theater 3000”: If you’re like me, it’s almost impossible to resist the urge to crack some smart-ass comment during a movie you find less-than-appealing . If you’re a fan of smarmy running commentary (and taking the piss out of old movies to boot), then “Mystery Science Theater” is for you. They make all the wisecracks you could ever want, on a number of old westerns and sci-fi movies. It’s like being at the theater, only the drunks in the front row are actually funny.