Latest Netflix News: A veteran series still kicking proves long-running TV is still possible as recent hits are given some wings

Photo via Netflix

Long gone are the times when television would dish out legacy shows that defined entire generations, sometimes for over a decade, with reliable yearly seasons that we didn’t have to wait ages for. Shows, nowadays, are ten episodes long, and last four seasons, if you’re lucky — but not before you endure year-long (or longer) hiatuses in between. That’s why two of the biggest Netflix events of the past week are so refreshing in their own way.

Black Mirror put out its sixth season this week and still managed to hit number one across 21 countries. Sure, the current cultural impact of the transfixing dystopian show pales in comparison to the grip it once had on water-cooler conversation, but the fact that people still gravitate towards it is a hopeful omen for the future.

Also a hopeful omen is the batch of television shows getting renewals at Netflix for once. Not one, not two, but three television shows from three different countries were given the green light for a second season by the platform, which has recently built quite the reputation for canceling its shows before they even learn to walk and talk.

Black Mirror’s reception might be lukewarm overall, but one episode had fans shook

Season six of the phenomenal anthology series Black Mirror premiered on Netflix on Thursday, and although reactions have been mixed on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes (where it’s enjoying a 73 percent rating from critics, but battling a meager 53 from fans), it’s still better television than most of the things streaming these days.

Not only did the show shoot back into the Top 10 of Netflix across a whopping 76 countries, but some are calling one of the season’s episodes the show’s best. Loch Henry, the second of five episodes in the new season, proved to be a fan favorite from the recently released bunch. While season six’s opener left much to be desired, viewers hailed its successor for its disturbing nature which delivers on all the traits that made Black Mirror as popular and acclaimed as it became.

Annie Murphy, the star of Schitt’s Creek, and the first episode of Black Mirror‘s sixth season, “Joan is Awful,” came to her chapter’s defense saying it’s lighter than what the show has accustomed viewers to. While it might not be as self-serious as previous outings, “Joan is Awful” offers a good counter to all the existential dread, Murphy believes.

Hooray for second seasons!

The beginning of the week saw Colombian erotic thriller Fake Profile get a renewal, followed by South Korea’s latest of many runaway hits Physical: 100. But, as we edge closer to the big Tudum weekend ahead, Netflix is not done with the good news. Portuguese sensation Turn of the Tide — which became the country’s very first show to enter the Global non-English TV Top 10 — has also been greenlit for another season on Netflix, thus extending upon the group of misfits’ cocaine-powered trials and tribulations.

That’s not all, though! Teen shows, as I’m sure we all know, are Netflix’s bread and butter. From Stranger Things to Never Have I Ever, and including Heartstopper, the streaming platform has found success in the format through all shapes, sizes, and genres. Not an exception to the rule, XO, Kitty — the K-drama-inspired spin-off to the To All The Boys trilogy — has also soared. It only took Netflix 27 days to announce its renewal (a very short wait in comparison to the drought of news about Shadow and Bone) after it debuted as a worldwide success, and held on to the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks. We will be seeing Kitty Song Covey again.

It’s Extraction 2 day!

Gather ’round, Hemsworth-heads (Hemsworthians?), Extraction 2 is finally here and the reviews are definitely promising. Here at We Got This Covered, Scott Campbell gave the film three stars out of five, praising its high-octane first two acts, despite a lackluster third. Likewise, the critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes is a solid 76 percent — a definitive improvement from Chris Hemsworth’s last lead project Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

The popcorn action flick, which would actually do great in theaters if it got the chance, has already been delighting Netflix subscribers watching at home. Those who have tuned in rate it highly, resulting in an 89 percent audience score on the review aggregator website. On social media, viewers are calling it a more-than-worthy sequel to its 2020 predecessor as it delivers a few memorable action sequences, particularly a 20-minute-long single take.

About the author

Francisca Tinoco

Francisca is a pop culture enthusiast and film expert. Her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences from Nova University in Portugal and Master’s Degree in Film Studies from Oxford Brookes University in the UK have allowed her to combine her love for writing with her love for the movies. She’s a freelance writer and content creator, working in both the English and Portuguese languages for various platforms, including WGTC.