FOMO? CATCH UP
Get in on the water-cooler conversations by checking out these gems
Are you a film buff who has never seen a Star Wars movie? A TV enthusiast who never got around to Breaking Bad? This list, compiled without judgment and in no particular order, is for you. We scoured streaming services for shows and films so iconic you might not publicly admit you missed out on them.
Have fun enjoying a pop culture phenomenon (or two) for the first time!
Star Wars (1977) Disney+
George Lucas's saga about a galaxy far, far away is available to stream in full. The most passionate fans recommend starting with the original trilogy (Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), followed by the less-beloved prequels (Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. From there, you can tuck into the third trilogy, two anthologies, a fan-favourite animated series and The Mandalorian, but first things first, young Padawan.
Seinfeld (1989) Crave
This sitcom, from Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, remains a classic more than three decades after its debut — not too bad for “a show about nothing.” Be sure to watch it while eating a big salad.
Friends (1994) Netflix
If you can get past the unrealistically attainable Manhattan apartments and (as with most '90s sitcoms) jokes that haven't aged particularly well, you're in for a fun and memorable binge. And you'll finally understand all those “We were on a break” references.
Veep (2012) Crave
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Selina Meyer, a U.S. vice-president who just can't catch a break, in this occasionally all-too-real political satire.
Jaws (1975) Netflix
Face your fears and watch the blockbuster that made Steven Spielberg a household name.
Mad Men (2007) Amazon Prime
This acclaimed, Emmy-winning period drama follows dapper advertising exec Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his Madison Avenue colleagues, played by an ensemble including Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, John Slattery and Christina Hendricks.
Stranger Things (2016) Netflix
If you were in the Upside Down when Netflix's massively popular sci-fi horror premièred, you can catch up ahead of the show's fourth season première, which has been pushed back due to coronavirus-related production delays.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Netflix
Stranger Things owes a lot to this Spielberg classic about a boy and his alien BFF.
Star Trek (1966)
Netflix/Crave
The Star Trek universe is vast and spans decades. For the uninitiated, there is no better place to start than Gene Roddenberry's original series, which follows the Enterprise crew, led by the brazen Capt. James T. Kirk (William
Shatner), and set the franchise's groundbreaking tone on diversity and inclusiveness. From there, you can tackle the spinoffs — The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine and the less popular Enterprise — and the original films, followed by a trio of more recent spin offs: Star Trek: Discovery, Picard and the animated Lower Decks. And that's not even counting the more recent film reboots, which are available to stream on various other services.
This Is Us (2016) Netflix
Dan Fogelman's multi-generational family drama is centred on the loss of a beloved patriarch and the values he taught those he loved so deeply.
The Simpsons (1989) Disney+
Over its three-decades-andcounting run, Matt Groening's animated comedy has predicted Donald Trump's presidency, the horrors of auto-correct and several Super Bowl outcomes. Maybe we should all watch it.
Breaking Bad (2008) Netflix
Even if you missed Bryan Cranston as a mild-mannered high school teacher turned drug kingpin, you've undoubtedly heard the name Walter White: Vince Gilligan's Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama was just that popular.
The Office (2005) Netflix/Amazon Prime
You know a sitcom is iconic when it gets sampled on the Grammys' album of the year — 15 years after the show came out. One quick spoiler alert, borrowed from our friend Pam: “Every so often, Jim dies of boredom.” The U.S. remake stars Steve Carell.
Sex and the City (1998) Crave
Explore love and sex in Manhattan through the eyes and newspaper column musings of Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Amazon Prime
Discover the meaning of “Rosebud” by watching this classic feature debut by Orson Welles.
Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008)
Disney+
Test your stamina and start with Iron Man, working your way up to Spider-Man: Far From Home. Depending on your level of dedication, you just might be all caught up with 22 movies in time for the twice-postponed release of Black Widow, which is set to open in May after being moved around the schedule because of the pandemic.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Netflix
With a drama reboot in the works, it's high time you watch Will Smith's breakout role, you know, while you're “chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool” on the couch.
The Sopranos (1999)
Crave
The late James Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for playing introspective mobster Tony Soprano on this HBO drama, which helped usher in the prestige TV era.
Game of Thrones (2011)
Crave
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss's eight-season take on George R.R. Martin's fantasy series became a ratings and water-cooler bonanza. Winter is coming, so it's the perfect time to visit Westeros.