Right off the bat, February 2019 is off to a good start with the acerbic and form shattering “Russian Doll,” which will have to be your first binge-watch of the month as it’s pleasantly addicting. The rest of the month presents similarly odd choices, both new and old, from classic sitcom formats that are refreshingly modernized to a mockumentary with a heart and Steve Buscemi playing God – naturally. The month for movies is still rather hit or miss and considering the cold we’ve been doused in (at least in this writers neck of the woods), so it may be safer just to stay at home and run through anything and everything you’ve yet to catch up on, especially as television continues to lack barriers in terms of what time of year produces the best content.
“Russian Doll”
What You Need to Know: Actress Natasha Lyonne possessed such eccentric exuberance in breakthrough roles such as “But I’m a Cheerleader” and “Slums of Beverly Hills” that it’s been a shame to see her too frequently relegated to little more than offbeat best friend/supporting character. While she is charming in Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black,” even those showrunners haven’t always utilized her greatest gifts. With “Russian Doll,” she has taken her skills into her own hands to create something decidedly weird with the likes of Lesley Headland (“Sleeping with Other People”) and Amy Poehler to superb effect. Our critic couldn’t recommend it more, noting the layers that likely cement it as one of the year’s best, saying, “‘Russian Doll’ is an absolute delight that you’ll want to watch on a loop.”
Release Date: Season 1 premiered February 1st on Netflix.
“One Day at a Time”
What You Need to Know: For a terrible moment, the honest and joyous “One Night at a Time” didn’t look to have much of a future past its excellent second season. That’s when fans rallied, and those concerns were put to rest. Now, we’re back for another season with the Alvarez family. Unafraid to tackle weighty topics such as mental health and a focus on LGBTQ stories while keeping a tried and true sitcom levity, “One Day at a Time” understands the balance of humor and heart more than most shows of similar ilk these days.
Release Date: Season 3 premieres February 8th on Netflix
