binge-worthy stuff to watch this winter BY ANNA SPIVAK Cozy up with a big blanket and get that popcorn out. It’s time for something good that actually came out of 2016 – some really rad TV. Whether it’s a light comedy that you’re looking for, or a totally immersive sci-fi world of crazy, the list below has something for everyone to binge-watch this winter. HBO’s “West World” If you haven’t heard it yet, “West World” is what’s missing from your life, sci-fi lovers. This highly immersive, 10-episode series transports you to a world where you can pretty much do anything you want. A massive, theme-park type world, filled with incredibly realistic robots called “hosts,” serves as the backdrop to this highly addictive show. Because they are constructed to look like humans, viewers can completely forget that the hosts on the screen are controlled by park employees and that each has a specific storyline it is instructed to stick to. The main job of the hosts is to try to entice visitors to participate in their particular storylines, whether that be a bounty hunt in the desert, a party in a saloon or seeking out buried treasure. However, some visitors aren’t too keen on playing by the rules; instead they’re interested in finding out secrets hidden deep within the park and possibly in the minds of the hosts – quite literally. Best HBO’s “The Night Of” A gripping and eerily realistic look into today’s criminal justice system, “The Night Of” follows the story of Nazir “Naz” Khan, a Pakistani-American college student living in Queens who, in the worst turn of wrong-placeat the-wrong-time events, finds himself in prison and charged with murder. During what was supposed to be a night out with his friend in the city, Naz takes his father’s taxi and drives off in search of a party he was invited to. Before he can make it there, a girl unknowingly climbs into the taxi while he is stopped, thinking that he is an on-duty driver. The next morning, Naz finds himself in the girl’s apartment where she has been brutally murdered. He runs, not remembering what happened the night before and eventually gets pulled over and found with a knife in his pocket. The rest of the show is focused on figuring out the truth, getting Naz out of prison and the person Naz becomes while he is locked up. Netflix’s “Luke Cage” Another totally addicting, action-packed Marvel show, “Luke Cage” is bursting with sci-fi elements, superhero magic, nods to today’s political issues and a little love in between. The show is centered on Luke Cage – formerly Carl Lucas – who gained super strength abilities after an experiment, performed on him while he was in prison, went terribly wrong. Trying to keep a low profile after his escape, Luke was not looking for trouble until villains from his past started catching up with him. With impeccable acting and very real issues facing the world today intertwined in the show, “Luke Cage” is definitely all it’s cracked Amazon Prime’s “Red Oaks” If you’re into light-hearted, coming-of-age, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”-esque stories, “Red Oaks” has all the charm, fun and relatable characters you’re looking for. Set in 1980s New Jersey, the show revolves around protagonist David Myers and the country club he works at as a tennis instructor. Starting out the show as a timid, play-by-the-rules teen still dating his highschool sweetheart, David quickly realizes there’s a bigger, better world out there for him after graduation. QNS.com 20 WINTER 2016
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