Recommendations of what to watch to practice English on Netflix
Having just started my Netflix experience I've discovered several series that have caught my attention.
I am writing this to encourage my students, and those who want to practice their English from the comfort of their own living rooms, to enjoy as well as improve their English skills.
So let's gets straight into it!
1) Elementary
2) Mad Men
3) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
1) Elementary - A mystery series loosely based on the Sherlock Holmes character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it is a compelling series to begin with. As a fan of the original books by Conan Doyle (which I highly recommend for reading as a true classic of English literature) the stories are rich and varied, with often bizarre characters and criminal cases for the detectives to solve. Set in modern day New York and London with a British police consultant, assisted by Joan Watson (who is female in this particular series) they are assisted in the cases by an array of organisations and irregular individuals. Note the British accents juxtaposed with the American here.
2) Mad Men - A drama set in the 1960s. This series revolves around the lives of an expanding high pressured advertising agency in the USA in New York. It centres on the life of Don Draper, a rising star in the burgeoning marketing industry. For anybody interested in the media world it's a product of it's time. By this I mean it tackles controversial and tricky subjects such as smoking, alcoholism, homophobia, racism and feminism. For me the fascination with this series stems from the society and age in it which it portrays, despite it being only a relatively short period of time that has passed.
3) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt- A hilarious series that has sadly, recently concluded. Like the others it is set in New York and follows the story of Kimmy, who was kidnapped as a teenager and held hostage in a bunker for 15 years by a pastor with a doomsday complex. After her release she is still trapped in her 15 year old self and wants to enjoy her life. Eternally optimistic and full of vitality she doesn't let the normal ups and downs of everyday life get her or her friends down. With an eclectic group of friends the characters range from her theatrical and fame seeking flatmate to a geeky computer entrepreneur. It will be guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!
Hope this list helps and have a browse on Netflix or other video streaming services for more but hopefully this variety will get you started!