For a short-watching time with a preschooler, try ‘Maisy.’
Lucy Cousins’ classic picture book, ‘Maisy,’ is now available for streaming as an animated series on Peacock or the Roku Channel. It is a timeless show in cheerful colors, created for young viewers. The series follows Maisy and her friends, participating in picnics, parades, and ferry rides with no conflicts. Each episode has four shorter segments, and it is a cute and calm show where a significant element is listening to webbed feet of ducks and penguins slapping the ground.
For something biting that takes 80 minutes, try ‘The Architect.’
‘The Architect’ is a dark Norwegian comedy, set in a near future where housing is scarce, drones are everywhere, and everything is worse. The show is satirical and funny, targeting the hollowness of both extractive capitalism and liberalism’s uselessness. If you like ‘Black Mirror’ or ‘Humans,’ ‘The Architect’ is a key pick. It is a four-episode sleek series that feels extra efficient and angular in its grayness and viciousness.
For a pick-me-up show with four hours to spare, watch ‘Muster Dogs.’
‘Muster Dogs’ is an unscripted Australian series available on Netflix. The shows depict five kelpie puppies given to five ranchers, showcasing their herding skills before reconvening a year later to see the most advanced dog. However, the show is much more about the journey than the destination. It features incredibly endearing participants, human and canine, and even talking-head interviews with giant snakes in the background. The landscape footage is strikingly majestic, with poetic and philosophical ranchers who share their experiences with a drought and the burden of tolerating uncertainty. ‘Muster Dogs’ is an excellent choice if you want to stay healthy, close to your friends, listen to good music, and have man’s best friend at your side.
