In spite of Netflix pertaining to be of award-winning quality - this year saw the likes of 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', 'Mank' and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' get that coveted awards attention - they're not shy of putting out trashy shows and movies too.
We've spoken before about how Netflix has perfected the "hate watch" through cheesy rom coms like 'The Kissing Booth' or 'A Christmas Prince', and trashy series like 'Riverdale' and the very short-lived 'The I-Land' (yeah, that 'Lost' knockoff wasn't fooling anyone).
Now we seem to be going through another cycle of trash with such shows as 'Ginny and Georgia', 'Firefly Lane', 'Behind Her Eyes', 'The Bold Type' and 'The One' proving hugely popular on Netflix in recent months.
To an extent they were preceded by 'Sex and the City' wannabe 'Emily in Paris', which debuted last October.
Arguably, 'The Bold Type' has proven more successful than 'Emily' anyway, to the extent that it has four seasons, and has received better reviews, when it comes to adapting the Carrie Bradshaw-led show for a generation of millennials.
Aside from the fact that these shows are female-led and primarily targeted at females, these series share a number of factors in common.
Firstly, there's the fact that they're "chewing gum for the brain", namely totally low stakes and easy watching.
In fact, whenever they try to address deeper topics, the shows typically fall short and feel cringeworthy.
'Ginny and Georgia' has been the subject of controversy for some of the means by which it explored race, while French people were outraged by the heavily reliance on stereotypes and clichés in 'Emily in Paris'. (Hey, we've been there too - just look at 'Wild Mountain Thyme' as the latest offense when it comes to representations of Ireland)
The shows are typically high concept and largely derivative.
Consider 'Firefly Lane', for example, which follows two women growing up as teenage friends in the 1970s, up to their friendship in the present day.
It is essentially a remake of 'Beaches', and the show did well to cast Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as the charismatic leads, much to the delight of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Scrubs' fans, respectively.
'Behind Her Eyes' is more of a thriller tone than say the rom com or comedy-drama feel of the other examples.
It's basically working off the back of series that have proved hits for Netflix like 'The Stranger' and 'You.'
Then you have 'The One' (which in this writer's opinion anyway, has proven the most interesting of the series listed above).
This series follows the CEO of MatchDNA, a company that pairs people with their perfect partner based solely on their DNA comparisons, as well as the consequences for those who use its service.
It makes little sense, but the drama is so intoxicating, one easily forgives it.
You'll often find that these series are based on books, such as is the case of 'Behind Her Eyes' and 'Firefly Lane'. Again, this should come as little surprise as women do typically enjoy reading the book and seeing how it was adapted. (or watching the show so they can stay in the know, and don't have to to the effort reading the trending book at all)
So what's the final word on why these series are speaking to us right now?
Well the answer may seem like a cop-out, saying we're living in a pandemic, and all we want is some escapism right now, but that's largely why.
These characters are hyper with energy and larger than life. We live out lives vicariously through these drama-loving women while we stew on the couches, our lives placed on pause.
Through these shows, one can escape to Paris or New York, working at their dream job.
But another aspect of the shows which allows its viewers to live vicariously is that all-important theme of female friendship. Again, because that is a time when we're not able to see our besties, and simply miss hanging out.
For now, we'll have to settle for zoom catch ups with our friends. Until that wonderful time where we can put down the remote, and head to our friend's house, where we can watch more trash like this together.
