Every TV show, from FRIENDS to 4 More Shots Please, has captivated audiences by inspiring a sense of belonging. Today’s youngsters are glued to television shows, often known as series. Every friend circle has a happy-go-lucky demeanour like Joey, persistent and industrious like Damini Roy, someone who was born with a silver spoon like Veronica Lodge, and so on. Despite being a means of killing time, these shows provide a broad exposure to many genres while also making them ingenious and inquisitive. Mahati Salike compiles a list of the five most intriguing television series you shouldn’t miss.
- Stranger Things:
With a new season released recently, audiences are going crazy about this series. The series is nestled in the 1980s in Indiana, the story originally centres on the exploration of a little boy’s inexplicable and unexpected disappearance. However, the inhabitants of a tiny town soon discover mysteries of a research facility, portals to another realm, and deadly monsters.
Why you should watch this series?
It has a wide range of emotions, mystery, and intrigue. It’s filled with action, comedy, and pathos, as well as a dash of sci-fi and demons for good measure. It exemplifies traditional multidimensional nature by integrating aspects such as horror and sci-fi. The graphics are outstanding, and the plot with its twists and turns is worth the watch.
Cast: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, Matthew Modine, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, Paul Reiser, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman
No. of seasons: 4
Director: The Duffer Brothers
Streaming on: Netflix
- Modern Love: Mumbai
When pressed to define love, each one of us has a distinct interpretation. But what exactly is love? Striking chords with the modernity in love that should be perceived by everyone, this series is a personally treasured choice. Modern Love Mumbai is a six-part compilation that examines, as the title says, Modern love stories based on Mumbai personalities. The compilation is an adaptation of the Amazon Original ‘Modern Love,’ which is based in New York and showcases comparable 21st-century romance from the city.
Why you should watch this series?
Besides the narrative, the aesthetics of the narratives make Modern Love Mumbai appear alive. The series investigates the most unforeseen aspects of everyday living, whether it’s a narrative about post-marriage doldrums, struggling for a sense of individuality in a partnership, or battling family for acceptance. All of the six stories, oriented by six different directors, have their originality and a trace of these directors. Whether it was shot in a modest city dwelling or near Mumbai’s famed Bandra–Worli sea connection, the makers portrayed the city of dreams from various perspectives.
The series, on the other hand, examines this city of dreams in every manner conceivable to bring out love, joy, and turmoil.
Cast: Fatima Sana Shaikh, Bhupendra Jadawat, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Tanuja, Pratik Gandhi, Ranveer Brar, Yeo Yann Yann, Meiyang Chang, Wamiqa Gabbi, Naseeruddin Shah, Sarika, Danesh Razvi, Ahsaas Channa, Tanvi Azmi, Masaba Gupta, Ritwik Bhowmik, Prateik Babbar, Aadar Malik, Dolly Singh, Chitrangda Singh, Arshad Warsi
No. of seasons: 1
Directors: Shonali Bose, Hansal Mehta, Vishal Bhardwaj, Alankrita Shrivastava, Dhruv Sehgal, Nupur Asthana
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
- Bridgerton:
Bridgerton is a romantic saga inspired by the writings of Julia Quinn. Put into the context of the Regency era, the eight close-knit siblings of the prestigious and rich Bridgerton clan explore London socialites in pursuit of love and happiness, accompanied by friends and foes equally.
Why you should watch this series?
Bridgerton is one of many entertaining series that has a lot of such episodes. This opulent period play stimulates absurdly pompous terminology. The sexual affairs, the bright outfits, and the incredibly wealthy mansions, estates, and castles hug and soothe you. If you’re looking for a romantic break, this series is ideal.
Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Hannah Dodd, Phoebe Dynevor, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Claudia Jessie, Ben Miller, Luke Newton, Regé-Jean Page, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Thompson, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, Julie Andrews, Simone Ashley, Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn, Calam Lynch, Rupert Young
No. of seasons: 2
Director: Chris Van Dusen
Streaming on: Netflix
- Never Have I Ever:
Devi Vishwakumar is a 15-year-old Indian-American Tamil teen dwelling in Los Angeles. Devi tends to lose feeling in her limbs when her father, Mohan, expires unexpectedly. She desires to alter her social standing after a highly disastrous sophomore year, but classmates, family, and sentiments make it difficult for her. Furthermore, her love life suffers when she develops feelings for two boys. What Devi does and who she chooses culminates in some terrible mistakes in her life, which comprise the storyline of this series.
Why you should watch this series?
Never Have I Ever has excellent diversity in terms of colour, sexual preference, culture, and other factors. This show confronts preconceptions, prejudices, and issues regarding gender identity, as well as grief, sadness, and the gloom that comes with it. These protagonists are far from flawless, but they learn through past errors and evolve as a result of them. The show is a stage play, based on Kaling’s personal experiences, and it puts a hilarious perspective on certain clichés concerning Indian society while refuting the others. The makers of the series have recently made an official announcement of Season 3 and fans can’t keep calm!! So, brace yourselves for some adorable love tales, amazing friendships, and just the proper amount of adolescent angst in this hilarious and heart-warming TV drama.
Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, John McEnroe, Lee Rodriguez, Ramona Young, Megan Suri
No. of seasons: 2
Director: Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher
Streaming on: Netflix
- Kaun Banega Shikarwati:
Kaun Banega Shikharwati is a modern-day regal series that is underrated. It depicts the monarch of Shikharwati, Raja Mrityunjay, and his dominant hand man, Mishraji, as they devise an absurd plot to reunite the emperor’s separated daughters to rescue the royal kingdom from an income tax probe.
Why you should watch this series?
Love, anguish, competitiveness, despair, immeasurable affection, and more, are present in Kaun Banegi Shikharwati. The premise is intriguing, and it’s refreshing to witness a show in which girls compete to be the future king. It contains aspects of astonishment and amusement. It is peculiar, surreal and has a staggering vibe which is a credible source of laughter. It’s not attempting to sell us some meaningful message. The series is a lot of fun and a stress reliever.
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Raghubir Yadav, Lara Dutta, Soha Ali Khan, Kritika Kamra, Anya Singh
No. of seasons: 1
Director: Gauravv Chawla, Ananya Banerjee
Streaming on: Zee 5
