Happy International Women’s Day! Today, might not be a holiday but every day is women’s day and you can be amazing every day.
And to inspire you and your series binge cravings, here are the Netflix series for you to watch and learn what it takes to be a woman.
1. The Crown
This is a historical drama covering Britain’s monarchy. How much is it accurate to reality is unknown but the creators did their research through interviews and accounts of people who know the royal family. Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Phillip in 1947 to the fourth season about Lady Diana Spencer’s marriage to Prince Charles. Not only is it visually stunning and well-acted, but it portrays the different plight of women in the family across generations and how they cope together (and separately) in such demanding and public life.
You will understand the burden of Queen Elizabeth especially at the beginning of her marriage. You will look into other female icons such as Margaret Thatcher maneuvering politics, Princess Margaret’s life in the public eye, and Lady Diana herself with her marriage. In this story, you will learn that women of all social status face conflicts differently in their lives.
2. Bridgerton
Set in the 19th century, the series is based on the series of novels by Julia Quinn. It centers around the Bridgerton family where they are struggling with their own personal conflicts and finding true love. Like the novels, each season will focus on one Bridgerton sibling and their journey. Julia Quinn brought to life the characters with such personality.
However, the focus lies on the women. We all know that women did not have it easy back then and Quinn depicts the realism of this time period without sacrificing their empowerment. To the uninitiated, this might sound like your typical romance novel. But the author addresses plenty of issues in a tongue-in-cheek way that you can’t help but feel entertained. The Netflix series only just released their first season focusing on the first daughter of the family.
The season follows Daphne Bridgerton as she struggles to find a husband in a punishing and scandalous world of debutantes in London. There, she meets Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings whom she strikes a deal to con the ton to get herself the best match. Aside from Daphne, you can also see her sister, Eloise struggling with the reality of her sister’s fate that would soon be hers. Eloise is like Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet longs for independence and freedom from marriage. Despite the time period, Bridgerton successfully creates charming and relatable female characters that will keep you glued to your seats.
3. The Queen’s Gambit
Success, depression, and substance abuse – Elizabeth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit will make you learn a thing or two… and not just about chess. This miniseries based on the novel by Walter Tevis. It is a coming-of-age period drama about an orphaned chess prodigy on her rise to the top. She is also struggling with drug and alcohol dependency.
Now, whether you are an addict or not, there is a lot to unpack in this short seven-episode series. This drama deals with relationships, how to handle success at such a young age, and emotional stability. Despite being set in the ’50s and ’60s, it is still relatable in our current time period. Ana-Taylor Joy’s portrayal of the character recently won her The Golden Globe. The desire for success and materialism, this show teaches us to value relationships with our loved ones and mental stability. Like it or not, money cannot buy anything.
4. Money Heist
Speaking of money, this series about a band of thieves stealing money might be an irony in itself. This four-season long series is on Netflix and still ongoing. It is the only one on this list that is not in English. But subs overdubs, okay!
The story follows a genius man known as The Professor planning a unique heist to a huge sum along with a group of men and women he recruits. Although all of the characters are interesting to follow, we’re focusing on the women. The women of Money Heist are absolute powerhouses. From the thief’s side, we have Tokyo and Nairobi. Tokyo is dealing with guilt from her past and protect her love. Nairobi’s heart-wrenching motivation in getting back her son is absolutely moving. And not forgetting The Professor’s love interest, Raquel, a charismatic police negotiator as they both entangled in this game of cat and mouse. Each of these women has interesting stories to offer and Money Heist is an absolute must for those who like a fast-paced story.
5. The Witcher
Based on the novels by Andrej Sapkowski and the best-selling game series of the same name, the story follows the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. However, despite its name we’re focusing on the female character, Yennefer. She provides an interesting glimpse into the duality of womanhood. Although she appeared a bit later as the story focuses more on Geralt, Yennefer steals the show with her heart-wrenching backstory and eager motivation.
People might start watching because of Henry Cavill, but they stayed for Anya’s Yennefer. Either way, you can watch the first season on Netflix. The second season is expected to come out later this year so we can keep our fingers crossed to see more Yennefer in the future.
Source: The Crown, Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, Money Heist, The Witcher