by Sophia Lashmar, Year 10
Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through Netflix, searching for a show that you haven’t watched yet, something with substance that appeals to your tastes? Do you think about trying something new, to find your perfect, binge-worthy show? Why don’t you try expanding your horizons, and watch a series from a different country, even in a different language? Popular series such as Squid Game and Casa de Papel took LGB students by surprise, as they weren’t in English (of course, you won’t have seen these due to their age ratings!). But they definitely captured our attention. They were a breath of fresh air, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
There are many reasons to watch television from around the world, other than simply for your own entertainment. First, if you’re trying to learn a new language, or improve your grammar, pronunciation, or comprehension, watching a show or a movie in the language has been proven to help. We can all agree that watching a series is definitely more fun than studying with a textbook. Second, watching shows and movies from different countries can actually improve your general knowledge, cultural appreciation, and even motivate you to learn a new language. Third, if you are continually watching the same types of shows, or are focused on one genre, you are most likely in need of a fresh perspective. Different cultures have different storytelling styles, so naturally their television shows have different story structures, core values and episode formats. For instance, most Korean shows, known as K-dramas, are generally 16 episodes, an average of an hour long, and feature teasers at the end of each episode. K-dramas also tend to have specific features, such as love triangles, surprising cameos and slightly out of place product placements. To conclude, if you’re looking for something to watch, expand your Netflix searches, and watch something different from a foreign country and in a new language. Here are some top shows from around the world to get you started…
Crash Landing on You is a South Korean romantic comedy drama which tells the dramatic and unlikely love story between a successful South Korean heiress and a dashing North Korean army captain. After businesswoman Yoon Se-ri ends up in the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas, she is discovered by North Korean captain Ri Jeong Hyeok. Disregarding rules and regulations, Ri Jeong Hyeok risks everything to get her home safely, however he cannot help falling in love with her along the way. While this is a show packed with humour, suspense and romance, it also tackles more serious topics as it sheds light on the divide between the two Koreas, and the hardships of life in North Korea. Lastly, an added bonus to this series is that the two protagonists have found love in real life, which makes this show all the more sweeter. Crash Landing on You is most definitely worth reading the subtitles for.
If you haven’t already raced through the first two seasons of Netflix France’s Lupin, it is unmissable. This 10 episode series is a mystery thriller, and features Assane Diop, a cunning and astute thief seeking revenge. The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a necklace over 20 years earlier, and Assane’s covert mission to expose the truth behind the theft that his father was wrongfully convicted of. Assane draws inspiration from childhood crime novels, and invents schemes in order to expose the Pellegrini family that framed his father. Lupin is a suspenseful series that will have you on the edge of your seat and desperate for more details. It took LGB students by storm when the first 2 seasons were released, and now has them waiting apprehensively for the 3rd season. Lupin is in French, so it will also technically help you at school, though if you struggle to keep up, the subtitles are also available. If you haven’t watched it yet, don’t miss out!
Another French series to look out for is Call my Agent or Dix Pour Cent, as it was known in France before being taken on by Netflix. Call my Agent is set in a Parisian talent agency and captures the agents’ daily trials and tribulations of managing their capricious clients. With one disaster after another, this show not only is humorous; it also accurately portrays French workplace culture, as the agents squabble over contracts and clients. However, the agents are not exactly a paradigm of professionalism, as their personal and private lives seem to be constantly entangled, from workplace romances, to surprise offspring, to former beaux-turned-bosses. Call my Agent is a fun, fresh and creative 4 seasons of dry French wit and appearances by famous French actors.
If you take Spanish as your 3rd language, Gentefied may just be the show for you. The English-Spanish bilingual drama set in Los Angeles captures the struggles of 3 Mexican-American cousins as their Los Angeles neighbourhood is overshadowed by the threat of imminent gentrification. As they each juggle their own issues, they come together in an attempt to save their grandfather’s bustling taco shop. The series also tackles more serious issues, such as the treatment of Latinxs in the U.S., and the challenges of acknowledging one’s roots. While the plot may seem to spell imminent doom for the neighbourhood, the Morales cousins will have you in fits of laughter.
If you are a fan of police dramas, the Swedish series Fallet could be one to try. The premise of the show is that 2 inept detectives, one Swedish and the other British, are given one last chance to redeem themselves as they are tasked with solving an impossible murder case in the sleepy Swedish town of Norrbacka. While the synopsis of the show may seem sombre as the detectives investigate a gruesome crime, it is most definitely a comedy and would appeal to fans of Sherlock’s sharp-witted jokes. A thrilling crime comedy, Fallet contrasts other shows in its category due to the quality of its writing, acting, realism and humour.
You may have already seen Cable Girls appear on Netflix, but weren’t necessarily convinced. However, the show has received a plethora of accolades, and has a gripping plot. The series accurately captures the lives of 4 young working women in 1920s Spain, as they vie for coveted positions at the Madrid headquarters of the national phone company. The jobs represent an escape for these women who are all running from their issues. The series focuses on the unlikely and mismatched group of colleagues and friends as they find love, respect and success in a time where women were not yet emancipated. However, they are plagued by deception, jealousy and heartbreak, which threatens the safe haven of the Cable Girls
Even though Derry Girls is in English, it is set in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, during the Troubles of the 1990s. While this might not sound particularly gripping, the series revolves around a group of friends at an all-girls Catholic high school. Their wicked sense of humour, daring plots to defy their parents and their crazy antics at school make for an entertaining series. For many LGB students, English is not a first language, so by watching Derry Girls can help with mastering English, deciphering regional accents, and learn more about Northern Ireland. A stellar cast and an original premise make Derry Girls a refreshingly unique television show.
If you haven’t watched Downton Abbey, the popular British period drama, then you’re obviously not from the U.K.! A staple in British households, it follows the lives of the Crawley family and their army of servants at the turn of the 19th Century. The Earl of Grantham and his family are impossibly haughty and grand, and their servants are arguably more so. In the mansion that is Downton Abbey, secrets fly and gossip spreads like wildfire, both upstairs in the library, and downstairs in the servants’ hall. This makes for compelling viewing and creates staunch loyalties in its viewers. Downton Abbey would appeal to students who enjoyed The Crown, Pride and Prejudice and Netflix’s new hit series, Bridgerton.
