A world of television

Josh Chou, Editor-In-Chief|June 15, 2020

It’s official. After binging every noteworthy American television show, it appears that there’s nothing left to pass the time. Thankfully, there’s a whole slew of quality foreign shows with hours of gripping content, all available online. 

Money Heist

Need an escape from reality? This Spanish Netflix show has you covered with loads of action, drama, crime and even a romantic subplot. The series, which currently has four seasons, details the adventures of a group of eight criminals. Following the elaborate plan of their leader “the Professor,” played by Álvaro Morte, the team breaks into the Royal Mint of Spain to print billions of euros. What distinguishes their heist from the rest, however, is the gang’s decision to hold every single person inside the Royal Mint hostage to negotiate with the FBI and CIA. With constant action and powerful character development, “Money Heist” is sure to keep all viewers on the edge of their seats, itching to see the resolutions to each episode’s cliffhanger. 

Itaewon Class

For viewers looking for a more lighthearted and humorous series to binge, the Korean drama “Itaewon Class” brings a perfect mix of both elements. The melodramatic Netflix show follows the journey of an ex-convict, Park Saeroyi (Park Seo-joon), as he tries to start his own street pub. The show also has a comedic element to its plot as it tells the story of how Saeroyi meets new friends that help him establish his street bar and his attempts to win the heart of a girl who works for an opposing pub. Itaewon Class is guaranteed to brighten the mood of its audience as it provides a never ending stream of heartwarming and funny scenes. 

Into The Night

For fans of apocalyptic thrillers, this French Netflix title is the perfect series to dive into. The show’s main conflict begins when the sun’s light mysteriously begins to kill everything it touches, killing both humans and animals. The plot follows a group of plane passengers who boarded their flight as soon as the deaths began. Now they must travel at night, racing across Earth to outpace the sun, in order to find a shelter where they can find a resolution to the catastrophic phenomenon. “Into the Night” is perfect for a short binge, as the show only consists of one season with six 40-minute episodes. 

elite

Those interested in suspenseful storytelling should turn to this compelling Spanish show. In the first season, three working-class teens—Samuel (Itzan Escamilla), Nadia (Mina El Hammani) and Christian (Miguel Herrán)—are given scholarships to Madrid’s most exclusive private school, Las Encinas. Tension rises and drama unfolds as the trio clashes with their wealthy classmates and struggle to adapt to their new environment. Making matters worse, an upper-class student sympathetic to their plight is mysteriously murdered. No one is above suspicion as the screenwriters weave a complex plot, which also provides biting commentary on class divides and elitism. The following two seasons of this series only get better, building off of the first and creating nuanced characters that you can’t help but empathize with. 

My Hero Academia

Almost out of nowhere, “My Hero Academia” took the anime world by storm mid-2016, and since then it has climbed the charts to join some of the most iconic animes of all time, such as “Naruto Shippuden” and “One Piece.” Set in a superhuman society where a majority of the population has powers called “quirks,” the story follows Izuku Midoriya on his quest to become the greatest superhero of all time. The catch? He was born without a quirk. After almost sacrificing his life to save a classmate, however, he’s given a gift from the No. 1 hero, All Might, which  allows him to attend U.A. High, Japan’s premier superhero high school. 

“My Hero Academia” may be wildly entertaining with its action packed plots and breathtakingly animated fight scenes, but it’s the solid writing behind it that makes it so endearing. The screenwriters really allow the viewer to understand the characters’ struggles and empathize with them, no matter if they’re heroes or villains. The recurring themes of fate, will power and heroism bring depth and purpose to the plot, while making the audience more emotionally invested in each arc. Now finishing its fourth season, “My Hero Academia” shows no signs of slowing down.