From 'Dark' to 'The Crown': Top 10 web series of 2020

This year marked the rise of OTT as platforms churned out quality content at an unprecedented pace

This year marked the rise of the OTT platforms which, luckily for those in lockdown, churned out quality content at an unprecedented pace. Web series from around the world have had much to offer in terms of entertainment and introspection. So as compiled from The Indian Express, here are 10 of the most successful international shows from 2020 which you must catch up on if you haven’t already.

1.     ‘The Crown’ - Season 4 

Created by Peter Morgan for Netflix, The Crown traces the journey of Queen Elizabeth II, right from the time she is called up to ascend the throne after her father’s death. While it is mainly about the Royal family and their interactions with each other, it also throws some light on the changing political landscape of Britain.

The Crown has given us a great show season after season but when the fourth season premiered on November 15 this year, it surpassed its predecessors. Of course, the inclusion of the Princess Diana chapter helped draw the crowd.

2.    ‘Ramy’ - Season 2

This Hulu series has been lauded for its grounded and ‘real’ portrayal of modern American Muslims, who are usually seen essaying the more darker parts in shows and films. It’s refreshing change of pace and the way the protagonist tries to find some meaning amidst the entire cultural hotchpotch is new and exciting. Acclaimed actor Mahershala Ali plays a pivotal role in the second season of the show as radical Sufi Sheikh.

3.    ‘Mrs America’

Created and co-written by Davhi Waller, the FX series Mrs America first aired in April. The historical drama is based on the political crusade to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Lifted by a balanced, well-written screenplay and the stupendous performance of the main cast which includes Cate Blanchett, Mrs America is equal parts engaging and entertaining.

4.    ‘Little Fires Everywhere’

The Hulu series starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington is a piercing tale of motherhood. It shows the audience that mothers are humans too and capable of making mistakes, telling viewers to regards them as living, breathing humans who love, lie and do their best to carry out what the world asks of them.

5.    ‘Dark’ - Season 3

Dark is a science-fiction thriller that offers a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. Its narrative is complex, satisfying and takes time to sit well. After a couple of children go missing in a German town, four set of families are forced to face some truly mystifying questions about life as they know it. The third season was received well by critics and the audience alike.

6.    ‘Upload’

To create a whole new world with new terms and technology is no easy feat but creator Gregg Daniels did it very well in Upload. There is a virtual afterlife, hologram entities and the whole drill. Upload is a unique sci-fi comedy series, which while evoking laughter, also asks deeper questions about human existence.

7.     ‘Unorthodox’

Adapted from the memoir of the same name, Unorthodox is a German-American web series about a young woman who leaves her family’s rigid traditions behind to begin a new life in Berlin. It is unassuming and powerful with a heartfelt performance by the wonderful Shira Haas.

8.     ‘The Queen’s Gambit’

Not for no reason is The Queen’s Gambit the most viewed show on Netflix in recent times. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Beth, a girl stuck in a Kentucky orphanage in the 1950s, who discovers that she has a special talent for chess. The show is a riveting, inventive tale of power, class, competition and obsession in a patriarchal world.

9.    ‘The Boys’ - Season 2

This Eric Kripke series is irreverent in the best sense of the term. The Boys is a smart subversion of the superhero trope where the so-called cape crusaders are caught abusing their special powers. A team of men are employed to expose the truth and all hell breaks loose. There is blood, gore and all things adult in store. You have been warned.

10. ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’

The second chapter of The Haunting of Bly Manor fell a little short of its predecessor, The Haunting of the Hill House, especially in the scares department. However, it was creative and not your quintessential horror show. In fact, it is a gothic romance that is quietly terrifying and heartbreaking.

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