We are now living in the era of streaming wars. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and several others are going head to head in order to grab our attention and, more importantly, our money. The key for most streaming operators seems to be to create more content than ever before in an effort to keep us entertained.

Netflix, of course, is pumping out a huge number of series created by its in-house production team, and it seems to favour that side of content production over movies. The service also has plenty of shows listed from other tv channels and producers too. Below we are going to pick out some of those series that you’ll definitely want schedule in over the summer. To help keep it inclusive for everybody, we will break it down into different categories:

Best for Foodies – Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Saying that Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown is a food show is perhaps a bit misleading – it is so much more. It’s part chef show, part travel documentary, with a dash of politics and history. The main ingredient, however, is Bourdain himself. The American chef, who died in 2018, had become a beloved figure, building up a massive viewership in the United States and beyond. The premise of Parts Unknown is to take you on a culinary journey to places you would not expect – like Libya, Colombia or Myanmar – and show that all food cultures are worth celebrating. It makes for incredible viewing.

Best Gritty Drama – Narcos

Narcos is well-known by now. Indeed, it’s become so popular that there is even an official Narcos slot game online at www.mansioncasino.com in the UK. But, such is the grim nature and grittiness on screen, the show can be hard work at times. It is one of those shows that demands loyalty from its viewers, but the pay-off is worth it. There are some flaws with this drama examining drug lords in Colombia, and later, Mexico, but it’s nevertheless one of the most ambitious series ever created.

Best for Sports Fans – Sunderland Till I Die

Yes, the Last Dance might be getting all the international attention, and we would highly recommend watching the story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. However, for UK sports fans, the two series following the highs and lows (mostly lows) of Sunderland AFC over the last few seasons. It’s sometimes sad, often funny and says something very particular to British sports fans. At its heart, it explores the relationship a city can have with a football club, and that’s something we can all relate to in the UK.

Best Short Binge – After Life

After Life isn’t your typical Ricky Gervais comedy, although it does have the Office creator’s fingerprints all over it. It is a bittersweet tale of a man coping with grief, and Gervais does a great job of portraying the elements of loss on screen. At times, it’s hilarious. At other times, you’ll be reaching for the tissues. At just six episodes, each season is like a long movie, so you can watch both seasons over the course of a weekend – you won’t regret it.

Best Long Binge – Homeland

There was a time a few years ago when everyone was talking about Homeland. After all, it made a star out of Damien Lewis. However, it dipped a little after the first few seasons (Lewis left after the fourth season). However, the producers kept plugging away, and it is now in its 8th season and better than ever. The stories of Carrie (Claire Danes) and Saul (Mandy Patinkin) are definitely worth persevering through the mid-run dip.

Best Comedy – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is not for the faint-hearted, and it makes anything that comes out of Ricky Gervais’ mind seem very tame by comparison. The show is about a group of four young friends who own a pub in Philadelphia. Helped by one of their fathers (Danny DeVito), the gang gets into all types of scrapes. It’s obnoxious and not very politically correct, but it is very, very funny.

Best for Politics Junkies – Trump: an American Dream

For a person being who gets more headlines than any other person on the planet, it’s amazing that producers can find more material to analyse Donald Trump. However, what we like about this here is that it looks a lot deeper into the man behind the tweets and angry rhetoric. While it is fascinating, it still leaves us asking the question: Do we really know who Donald Trump is?