A night (or day) in is always a fun way to spend some ‘me’ time. Binge watching a few series is at the top of many lists.
We asked some of the Nodifi team for their best binge-worthy TV series to help recharge the batteries – lockdown or no lockdown…
The Nodifi team’s top TV series
The Sopranos
Recommended by: Dave Longbottom, Lead Developer
Synopsis
One of the most popular and well-known crime dramas, The Sopranos is set in the late 1990s – early 2000s, primarily in New Jersey and New York City.
Follow mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his family as they live the drama that ensues with their involvement in organised crime.
The highs and lows lived by Tony Soprano include hits, ‘friction’ with other mob bosses, insurance scams and the general daily life that all families go through.
6 seasons / 86 episodes (1999 – 2007)
Watch it if you liked
- The Godfather
- Goodfellas
- Narcos
- Breaking Bad
Stream it
Money Heist
Recommended by: Tim Wells, Chief Operating Officer
Synopsis
Another crime drama on the list, Money Heist is a Spanish series that follows two heists. The first being a hit on the Royal Mint of Spain and the second on the Bank of Spain. The story is told from the perspective of the robbers.
Mysterious mastermind, “The Professor” recruits a gang of eight thieves who go by city-name aliases such as “Tokyo” and “Berlin”.
The series explores the robbers’ motives, pasts leading up to the heists and their reactions when things don’t go according to plan.
The series first aired in 2017 with future episodes coming soon.
3 seasons / 36 episodes
Watch it if you liked
- Sherlock
- Breaking Bad
- Baby Driver
- The Italian Job
- Reservoir Dogs
Stream it
The Good Wife
Recommended by: Chris Murray, Commercial Credit Manager
Synopsis
This American legal / political drama follows the wife of a State Attorney as she gets back into her career in law following a corruption scandal involving her husband.
Having spent 13 years as a stay-at-home mother, Alicia Florrick must ‘suit up’ as a litigator to support her children while her husband goes through the trials and tribulations of a high-profile scandal.
Alicia and her colleagues encounter indictments, economic recession and political and internal conflicts as the series progresses.
The series has received a long list of awards and critical acclaim.
7 seasons / 156 episodes
Watch it if you liked
- American Crime Story
- Suits
- Better Call Saul
Stream it
American Horror Story
Recommended by: Ahrielle Weston, Settlements Specialist
Synopsis
This fictional miniseries tells a different story each episode with each being based around supernatural horror themes. Different episodes are set in different eras, for example the present day or the 1960s, and detail different spooky stories.
Episode examples include stories from an institution for the criminally insane, haunted houses and creepy isolated farm houses.
As this series doesn’t follow one plot, viewers are able to pick and choose episodes as they see fit.
10 seasons / 108 episodes (2011 – present)
Watch it if you liked
- The Conjuring
- The Ring
- Stranger Things
- The Walking Dead
Stream it
Top Gear
Recommended by: Julian Richards, Digital Marketing Specialist
Synopsis
Top Gear is a British factual motoring series presented by hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. With a sense of humour, the show reviews cars and puts the hosts to the test as they take on various unorthodox challenges.
Some challenges include driving budget vehicles along some of the world’s most treacherous roads, building custom vehicles and other driving challenges. Examples include building a ‘car train’ for a railway and travelling across parts of Africa in used budget vehicles.
The show has drawn many controversies and media attention with outlandish stunts on and off camera.
Primarily, Top Gear is a series aimed at both car and comedy enthusiasts.
Watch it if you liked
- Jay Leno’s Garage
- Mighty Car Mods
- Barn Find Hunter
Stream it
Only Fools and Horses
Recommended by: Peter Holman, Head of Partnerships
Synopsis
This British sitcom revolves around working-class, London-based Derek “Del Boy” Trotter and his younger brother and their numerous attempts to become rich.
Primarily through black market deals and other get-rich-quick schemes, the pair embark on unsuccessful missions to make millions. Early episodes typically didn’t relate to one another, but as the series progresses, some themes and storylines are carried over.
The series expanded as it evolved to include more characters, mainly people from the brothers’ local pub, The Nag’s Head.
7 seasons / 64 episodes (1981 – 2003)
Watch it if you liked
- The Office (UK)
- Blackadder
- Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Stream it
Peaky Blinders
Recommended by: Alex Ventura, Head of Marketing
Synopsis
British crime drama, Peaky Blinders, takes place in post-WW1 Birmingham, England. The notorious Peaky Blinders crime gang, headed by boss Tommy Shelby, gets involved in various schemes, typically involving horse racing and gambling.
The gang comes to the attention of senior police and government officials, even Winston Churchill, as they progress in their criminal careers. Inevitably, violence and internal disputes also escalate creating some intense scenes in the series.
Interestingly, there was a real Peaky Blinders gang operating in the early 20th century, which the series is loosely based on.
5 seasons / 30 episodes
Watch it if you liked
- Narcos
- Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
- Gangs of New York
- Ripper Street
Stream it
Better Call Saul
Recommended by: Liam Sutcliffe, National Relationship Manager
Synopsis
Another legal / crime drama on the series, this one takes place in the mid-2000s in New Mexico. Former con-man, Jimmy McGill is a respectable lawyer, however, due to events and characters, maintaining his integrity proves difficult. McGill transforms into a greedy criminal defense attorney known as ‘Saul Goodman’.
As the series progresses, events eventually intersect with the illegal narcotics trade which inhales other seedy characters. The trade’s promises of big paydays entices Saul Goodman.
The series has many similarities to Breaking Bad, of which Better Call Saul is a spin-off.
Watch it if you liked
- Narcos
- Breaking Bad
- The Good Wife
- Suits
Stream it
True Blood
Recommended by: Amy Di Fabio, Credit Strategist
Synopsis
The American fantasy horror drama follows a telepathic waitress, Sookie Stackhouse, in a fictional town, known as Bon Temps, in Louisiana. Parallelling the name of the series, a synthetic blood product, labelled ‘Tru Blood’, allows vampires to come out of coffins without needing human blood.
Vampires strive for equal rights while being blocked by anti-vampire groups. Some view the vampires as monsters that should be destroyed while others believe they should be treated equally.
Sookie’s involvement with the vampires intensifies as the series progresses. Ghosts and witches also make appearances in Bon Temps, creating more turmoil for the characters.
7 seasons / 80 episodes
Watch it if you liked
- American Horror Story
- The Walking Dead
- The Vampire Diaries
- Supernatural
Stream it
Get watching
Whatever your genre, there’s something ready to start streaming. Take some time to refresh, recharge and ‘get lost’ in a series.
Watch this space for more work-life balance ideas from the Nodifi team!
