Summer is always a bit of a quiet time in TV land. The terrestrial channels are mostly filled with repeats, chat shows are on a break until September and all of the other half decent series' are either finished up for the year or won't be returning until the autumn.
Thankfully though, there's plenty of options to avail of on Netflix this month, with even more original shows, movies and documentaries to sink your teeth into.
Below are our picks for July;
Netflix Originals
Stranger Things - 15th July
One of the most hotly anticipated shows of the summer, Stranger Things has all the makings of your next favourite show to binge on. Your curiosity alone would be piqued by the fact that Winona Ryder is starring in it, who, other than a stint in Show Me A Hero, really hasn't been in anything worth talking about since the nineties. Ryder plays Joyce Beyers, mother to a young boy who goes missing, in this supernatural drama set in the 1980s. With the debut of an impressive young breakout cast (Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Mattarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Millie Brown as Eleven), Stranger Things is described as "a love letter to the ubiquitous cult classics of the 80s".
Marco Polo - Season 2 - 1st July
Netflix's big budget show Marco Polo has returned for a second season on the streaming service for ten new episodes, and this time round will even feature our own Gabriel Byrne, who will play Pope Gregory X in this historical drama about the famed explorer's adventures in Kublai Khan's court in 13th Century China.
Between - Season 2 - 1st July
This show didn't exactly set the world alight last year, but for those that got hooked in, you'll be happy to know that Between season two has arrived on Netflix. It follows the story of a town hit with a mysterious disease that killed everyone over 21, with the government setting up a 10-mile diameter quarantine area and leaving the inhabitants to fend for themselves. Last year viewers had to wait week by week for an episode, but now all of season two has been made available as of July 1st.
Bojack Horseman - Season 3 - 22nd July
Will Arnett's Bojack Horseman returns for a third season this summer, with the former nineties star earning new-found fame for his role in Secretariat. Things couldn't really be going any better for Bojack, with even an Oscar nod in the mix. However, his success comes with a price tag as Bojack's self doubt and substance abuse come back to haunt him, in a series that seems to be taking a much more deeper look at the character, while still remaining as hilarious and on point as ever.
Spotless - Season 1 - July 1st
Co-created by Ed McCardie and Corinne Marrinan, this drama set in London follows the story of Jean Bastiere (Marc-André Grondin) who runs a crime scene cleaning business in London. However things start to go awry when his estranged brother Martin rocks up with secrets from Jean's past and some trouble with mob boss Nelson Clay (Downton Abbey's Brendan Coyle).
Netflix Original Films
Tallulah - July 29th
Juno's Ellen Page and Allison Janney reunite for yet another baby drama as Page plays a free spirited young woman who rescues a seemingly unwanted baby, and then shows up at her ex-boyfriend's estranged mother's apartment, telling her the child is her granddaughter. It marks the directorial debut from Orange is the New Black writer Sian Heder, so expect a similar type of dark humour throughout.
Brahman Naman - 7th July
This eighties coming-of-age comedy is pretty much Indian's answer to American Pie. It follows the story of a young lad called Naman (Shashank Arora) who leads his geeky friends on a trip to Calcutta to win prizes at the National Quiz Championships. Oh and to lose their virginity. What could go wrong?
Rebirth - 15th July
If you're looking for something a bit more dark and twisted, you'll be into this psychological thriller, from writer-director Karl Mueller (Mr. Jones). It follows the story of suburban father Kyle (Fran Kranz) whose long-lost college buddy shows up at his office, brimming with excitement about a self-actualisation program he’s just finished called Rebirth. He convinces Kyle to head along for a weekend trip and what follows in a mind-melting journey down a bizzare rabbit hole that will leave Kyle wondering just what the hell he got himself into.
What else is new?
Gilmore Girls - All seven seasons - July 1st
We are pretty excited to say the least for the upcoming Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix, which will land on the streaming service later in the year. To tide you over until then though, all seven seasons of Gilmore Girl have been made available to stream, so there will be plenty of time to remind yourself of all the Stars Hollow drama before the new episodes arrive.
Fargo - Season 2 - July 13th
After the critically acclaimed first season last year of the TV adaptation of nineties hit Coen Brothers movie Fargo, it's no wonder they came back for more with a second season. The prequel to the first series is set in 1979 and follows central character Molly's father Lou Solverson when he was just 33 years old. It's got one hell of an impressive cast too, starring Patrick Wilson, Kirsten Dunst, Ted Danson (yes, TED DANSON) Nick Offerman, Jean Smart, Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond), Jeffrey Donovan, hell, even Kieran bloody Culkin is in it
Other stuff not to be missed...
Daft Punk Unchained - 1st July
Music documentary following the talented duo's rise to fame and their impact on the electronic music scene.
The Fault in Our Stars - 13th July
Look, sometimes we all just need a good cry.
Shrek 2, Shrek 3 and Shrek Forever After
Can we ever see these movies enough?
Jim Jefferies - Freedumb
The Australian comedian returns for another Netflix stand-up special with his own unique brand of black humour.
Gavin and Stacey - Season 3 - 15th July
Oh! Oh! What's occurin'?
This Welsh comedy classic is not to be missed.
Some more movies...
The Wicker Man - 1st July
The Invitation - 8th July
X-Men: Days of Future Past - 20th July
