The Power of Netflix

Do you remember the days when there were only about 13 TV channels from which to choose for your viewing pleasure?

Well those days are, obviously, LONG gone since most people have hundreds and hundreds of channels that they can watch not to mention web series, you tube videos, Redbox rentals (etc., etc., etc.) and the powerhouse that is Netflix, the provider of on-demand Internet streaming media. Of course, Netflix isn’t the only streaming provider out there, but they are certainly making a name from themselves and giving their competitors a run for their money.

Let’s take a look at just some of the new original series that Netflix has been offering its viewers over the last few years:

House of Cards – The political drama focuses on Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a Democrat from South Carolina and the House Majority whip, who was passed over for an appointment as Secretary of State, initiated an elaborate plan to get himself greater power. The 13-episode first season debuted on February 1, 2013; the 13-episode second season aired on February 14, 2014 and the 13-episode third season aired on February 27, 2015. A fourth season will air next year.

Hemlock Grove – Based on the Brian McGreevy novel follows two teenage boys at the center of a murder mystery in the creepy small town of Hemlock Grove of Pennsylvania that is full of supernatural elements. The 13-episode first season aired on April 19, 2013 while the second season aired on July 11, 2014. The show’s third and final 10-episode season will air sometime this year.

Orange Is the New Black – The series based on the Piper Kerman memoir focuses on Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) who was sentenced to prison for transporting a suitcase full of drug money. The 13-episode first season debuted on July 11, 2013 while the 13-episode second season aired on June 6, 2014. The upcoming third season, that is to consist of at least 14 episodes, will premiere this June 12.

The Killing – The 6-episode fourth and final season of the series that actually aired for three seasons on AMC ended up on Netflix, airing on August 1, 2014. The series followed homicide detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman).

Longmire – The other save that Netflix has made is the fourth season of the A&E drama that focuses on Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), the sheriff of fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming. An official airdate for that season has yet to be announced, but it will air sometime this year.

Marco Polo – The new series about the early years of the adventurer in the court of Kublai Khan debuted on December 12, 2014 and a second season has been ordered.

Bloodline – Set in the Florida Keys, the series centers on a close-knit family of four adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home. The 13-episode first season just aired on March 20 and the second season will debut next year.

Marvel’s Daredevil – The much-anticipated look at Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, who fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the Super Hero “Daredevil” in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City debuted on April 10.

Between – The 6-episode Canadian sci-fi drama will debut on May 21. The series will feature Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy as Wiley Day, a pregnant teenage daughter of a minister living in the small town of Pretty Lake, which is coping with a mysterious disease which has killed everybody over the age of 21.

Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones – The series will star Krysten Ritter (Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23) in the title role, a former superhero who opens her own detective agency after an end to her superhero career. The series is set to debut sometime this year.

Narcos – The series will look at drug kingpin Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) and the Medellin Cartel, and will also include Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones and Graceland). The 10-episode debut season will air sometime this year.

Sense8 – The Wachowskis (the siblings behind the Matrix trilogy) have created this series that will revolve around eight strangers from different parts of the world who suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked. It will debut on June 5.

As for what Netflix has in store for viewers in the near future, here is a list of some of them:

Marvel’s Luke Cage – Mike Colter (Ringer and The Good Wife) will star as the title character, but there are no specific details on how this adaptation will play out, except that it will be “adult-oriented” and very different from the Marvel cinematic universe. The series will debut sometime next year.

Marvel’s Iron Fist – The series will follow superhero and martial arts master Danny Rand. There has been no announcement yet about casting nor about the direction for which the series will take. There is no official airdate set yet either.

The Crown – The epic royal drama from screenwriter Peter Morgan will tell the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street – and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. It is expected to air in 2016.

The OA – This series will come from actress Brit Marling and writer Zal Batmanglii, who have been collaborators on The East and The Sound Of My Voice, will work together on this new project, but the details are being kept under wraps. The 8-episode debut is slated to debut sometime next year.

The Get Down – The musical drama from director Baz Luhrman that will follow the lives of a group of South Bronx teenagers in 1970s New York City is expected to debut sometime next year.

Montauk – The show is a 1980s drama set in Montauk, New York, where a young boy vanishes into thin air. The 8-episide series is set to premiere in 2016.

Needless to say, the power of Netflix is undeniable and they certainly seem to be at the top of the food chain in terms of original streaming programming. What do you think of all the programming offered by Netflix? Do you have a favorite streaming series? Share away below.