10 Netflix Shows and Movies for Your Summer Watch List, Plus 3 to Avoid

I am a huge TV watcher, so today on the blog I’m bringing you my must-watch Netflix shows/movies (plus some you should skip!).

 

Although I have many streaming services I find Netflix to be the best all-around for both tv shows and movies. 

 

There is something for everyone, even kids.

 

I’ve streamed a lot over the years and I just love TV shows in particular. My husband, though, prefers movies. So between the two of us, we get a good mix depending on who picks what we watch.

 

But, I think my love of TV shows in particular stems back to my younger days when DVR and Netflix didn’t exist, and you had to watch shows when they came on or wait for a rerun. 

 

Or if it was a movie, you had to go to Blockbuster and rent it. Remember those days? 

 

Crazy to think my daughter will never even step foot in a Blockbuster. 

 

Anyway, since we are halfway through the year and well into summer, I’m giving you my 10 shows and movies for your summer watch list on Netflix (plus some you should skip!). 

 

 

What to Watch this Summer on Netflix

 

Ozark

I’m not gonna lie when my husband and I finished the last and final season we were disappointed with the very last episode. 

 

The last episode was good, I was satisfied. But, overall, it just didn’t live up to everything else on the show and I think the actual ending could have been better. 

 

That said, I wouldn’t let that deter you from watching the series. It’s a great show!

 

It is interesting and a different take on the classic drug cartel movies and TV shows you typically see.

 

Jason Bateman stars in it and even helped produce it too! 

 

Overall it’s been one of my favorite series on Netflix to follow and keep up with. I’m sad to see it end, but it’s an enjoyable summer watch list show if you haven’t seen it yet.

 

Emily in Paris

A bit of an eccentric show compared to others on this list. This quirky romantic comedy/drama is about an American girl named Emily who works at a marketing firm and travels to Paris for a one-year job assignment at the firm’s branch in Paris.

 

Emily doesn’t speak French and has rarely traveled outside her Chicago bubble in the United States. So, she’s a total fish out of water and doesn’t quite fit in. 

 

Many of Emily’s American ideas and mannerisms clash with the French lifestyle. It’s an adjustment for both the Paris marketing firm and Emily herself, which is a lot of the humor and storyline in the show. 

 

Overall, it’s just a lighthearted, rom-com-style TV show. Lily Collins is fantastic as Emily Cooper. And, I particularly love Ashley Park’s character, Mindy Chen, who is one of Emily’s closest friends on the show.  

 

Of all the ones on this list, it feels the most like summer to me too!

 

The Crown

If historical TV shows are your thing we should probably be friends (like seriously send me an email and tell me your favorite!). 

 

I LOVE historical TV shows and books related to England and the monarchy. 

 

I was SO excited about The Crown when it was first announced to Netflix and eagerly started the series the day it was released.

 

Based on the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown is based on historical events surrounding her Majesty both publicly and personally. 

 

I don’t think you realize just how long Queen Elizabeth has reigned until you stop to look at all the events that have happened during her time, which is exactly what this show does. 

 

I’ve loved the cast, which has changed as the characters have aged. Claire Foy was a magnificent queen in Seasons 1 and 2; Olivia Colman took over for Seasons 3 and 4.

 

Imelda Staunton (aka Dolores Umbridge) will take over the role of the Queen in Seasons 5 and 6.

 

Since The Crown is pretty popular, if you’ve already seen this one and are looking for something else set in England, check out The English Game on Netflix.

 

Similar to The Crown in how it is shot and filmed, it’s a historical sports drama about the origins of football (soccer) in England. 

 

As a soccer lover, I enjoyed this one immensely; the historical elements and characters are really interesting.

 

It is a miniseries that you can easily and quickly watch, so I highly recommend it if you have already enjoyed The Crown.

 

Red Notice

I honestly don’t know of a movie I’ve seen with Ryan Reynolds in it that I haven’t enjoyed. 

 

Reynolds is hilarious and just a great actor. Combining Reynolds and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson in a film should have been done sooner. 

 

Released in November 2021, Red Notice is classified as an action-comedy on Netflix and that’s the perfect description for it. 

 

“An FBI profiler pursuing the world’s most wanted art thief becomes his reluctant partner in crime to catch an elusive crook who’s always one step ahead.”

– Netflix

I really don’t want to tell more than that with this one because it might spoil some things if I get into the details too much.

 

And, the twists and turns (or cons I should say) that happen in this movie make it interesting and fun.

 

Red Notice is easy to watch and I highly recommend it! 

 

The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals

I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this show, but it’s been a great series and I hope they do another season (right now there are two on Netflix). 

 

The premise of the show is three friends (Megan Batoon, Jo Franco, and Luis D. Ortiz) who travel around the world to different destinations and showcase and stay at amazing rentals, some of which you can rent on places like Airbnb or VRBO.

 

What I love about the show is each 30-minute episode is themed. So, one episode features places in Bali, another in Hawaii, another around paranormal stays, and so on and so on. 

 

They are all unique and different. 

 

But, this show takes it a step further and you see three properties that fit various categories within each episode.

 

• Budget (that Megan Batoon selects)
• Unique (that Jo Franco selects)
• Luxury (which Luis D. Ortiz selects)

They tell you the price and features of the place and spend a day or two at the property they are renting. 

 

At the end of the episode, they each pick their favorite property from the three they visited. 

 

Some of the rentals are crazy expensive and others are actually super cost-effective. 

 

There are some episodes where they meet and talk with the owner of the property or host some type of dinner party too. And, that’s always a fun way to get to learn more about the area they are exploring or the property they are renting.

 

It’s a show that offers a different take on both a travel-style show and a property/HGTV-style show. 

 

And, you get to experience and explore unique rentals that you would never otherwise see. I mean I certainly can’t afford a luxury rental in Hawaii or Bali, LOL.

 

It’s also a great show you can have on in the background and not fully pay attention to. You don’t have to watch the episodes in order, you can skip around. 

 

It’s a fun show that I don’t think has ever gotten enough promo from Netflix.

 

 

Related Post: 10 of the Best Coffee Movies for Coffee Lovers

 

 

The Chef Show

This is another easy summer watch list show that you don’t have to view in any particular order or use a lot of brain power for that matter, lol.

 

My husband and I loved this show and we were so excited every time a new batch of episodes came out (the last set was released in 2020, so it’s the oldest recommendation I have on this list).

 

The Chef Show features Jon Favreau (producer and actor best known for movies like Iron Man, The Avengers, and Spider-Man and he’s the creator of The Mandalorian!) and Roy Choi (a famous chef and creator of the Kogi Taco Truck). 

 

The pair formed a very close friendship while on the set of the movie Chef and that’s ultimately what spurred this TV show. 

 

On the show, Favreau and Choi create different dishes together alongside other celebrities and chefs they know. 

 

The chemistry between Favreau and Choi is great and a lot of the guests they have are really interesting (Seth Rogan and Wolfgang Puck are the ones that stick out for me).

 

It’s a fun, relaxing show that will probably leave you hungry by the end.

 

The Witcher

If you have a gamer husband (like I do) you have probably heard of The Witcher video games. Or, maybe you are into the book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. 

 

Either way, it’s a popular franchise and this is just another installment, but honestly, it is SO good. 

 

I would say The Witcher is probably my favorite TV show on this list right now. 

 

It’s about Geralt of Rivia, a witcher and monster hunter, who’s trying to figure out his place in the mythical world created by Sapkowski.

 

I love Henry Cavill as Geralt (I’ll be sad when he leaves after season 3), he just plays the role perfectly. And, it’s a fantasy story that would please any fans of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Game of Thrones fan. 

 

There is also a whole “Witcher Collection” on Netflix, which is really cool. It includes a lot of behind-the-scenes, making-of episodes, and additional information on the various characters and creatures in the series. 

 

The Witcher: Blood Origin (a mini-series that will take place before Geralt’s time) is on Netflix too!

 

Fatherhood

Released in June of 2021, Fatherhood stars Kevin Hart and is about a widowed new dad (I know…really sad premise). 

 

My husband and I watched this together and we both enjoyed it. It’s funny, heartfelt, and just an all-around good movie. 

 

In the movie, Hart’s character Matt is suddenly widowed shortly after his daughter, Madeline, is born. 

 

The movie follows Matt and “Maddy” (which was a whole other emotional thing for me because my daughter is Madison, aka “Maddie.”) on their journey through fatherhood and childhood together.

 

It’s inspired by a true story, Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love by Matt Logelin (Hart’s character in the movie). 

 

The movie is a bit different from the memoir Logelin wrote in that it goes beyond the initial early years of Logelin’s fatherhood journey and dealing with his grief and into Maddy’s older, school-age years. But, that’s what helped turn this memoir into a story for a movie. 

 

Logelin was involved in the film. There are pictures of him on set with Hart, and he has been reported as being happy overall with the film, despite some of the made-for-movie changes that occurred. 

 

It’s really a great movie perfect for parents.

 

The Adam Project

Remember when I said earlier there wasn’t anything Ryan Reynolds acted in that was bad? While this is just another example. 

 

The Adam Project is a Netflix film released at the end of February 2022 and stars Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo (as well as Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana).

 

It’s about a pilot named Adam Reed (played by Reynolds) that travels back in time to save the future where he meets and teams up with the 12-year-old version of himself (played by Walker Scobell). 

 

It’s a sci-fi comedy if that’s even a category? But, that’s the best way I can think to describe it. 

 

It’s funny and witty but packed full of action and cool sci-fi gadgets and ideas. 

 

My husband and I watched this one together one night for an at-home date night and it was the perfect movie for that. 

 

The Umbrella Academy

This is a quirky show, but the quirkiness is what makes it good. 

 

The show is about a group of estranged “siblings” with incredible powers (each sibling has a different power). But, it’s not a superhero-style show in the slightest. 

 

It’s weird and quirky and that’s probably because it is based on a comic of the same name written by Gerard Way…who is the lead singer in the band My Chemical Romance. 

 

I know kinda crazy, right? 

 

It’s a great show that you should absolutely check out if you haven’t seen it yet! 

 

Three Things to Skip this Summer on Netflix

 

Okay, so we’ve talked about the good on Netflix (and honestly there is a lot of good). 

 

But, there are some duds on Netflix that you may have heard of or seen suggested to you by Netflix. Of course, just like my recommended shows above these are all my own opinions. 

 

But, I watch a wide range of shows and movies and I think I have a sense of what is good and what isn’t (most of the time at least). 

 

So without further ado, check out these things you should not include on your summer watch list.

 

 

Meltdown: Three Mile Island

This sounded interesting to me when I came across the series on Netflix. It was released in 2022 and it’s a 4-part miniseries. 

 

It covers the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979 with the events that led up to it as well as what unfolded after.

 

The accident is still the worst of its kind in the United States (although not the worst in the world when compared to the ones that happened at Chernobyl or Fukushima). 

 

This show, though, was just not what I thought it would be. They had real interviews with people affected by the accident, but as a whole, it was just a bit boring and disappointing. 

 

The episodes dragged on for me and I just felt like there wasn’t enough information about the accident itself. I guess I was expecting it to be more of a documentary style and it wasn’t; it was dramatized for TV and I didn’t like that.

 

Netflix set up the series with interviews with real people affected by the accident and then flashbacks/reenactments of the accident or events. It just felt very choppy and unorganized at times. 

 

Lastly what bothered me was the ending. Netflix put up additional information at the end of the series (like most shows do when it’s about a real-life event). It reads:

“Since the accident in 1979, only two new reactors have been licensed in the US. They face safety concerts and are billions over budget. Neither have opened.”

This sounds really powerful and shocking. It sounds like since this accident the US has only allowed two new reactors to open. 

 

And, I was intrigued by this statement so I did some research after watching the series. 

 

If you go to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) website (www.nrc.gov) you can see the locations and information for all the power reactor sites in the country.

 

It has a lot of information that I didn’t even know was public, and I went down a rabbit hole on the website. 

 

There are currently 93 commercial nuclear power reactors in the United States. You can see a full list of them here. 

 

You can also click on each station and see the details of the specific unit, including when an operating license was granted and the license renewed, even when the license is expiring. 

 

There are way more than two licenses that have been issued since The Three Mile Island accident in 1979 (I’ve highlighted some below, but there are even more than what I’ve listed that were granted Operating Licenses after 1979).

 

• Callaway Plant Unit 1 – Operating License Issued in 1984
• Catawba Nuclear Station Unit 1 – Operating License Issued in 1985; Unit 2 – 1986
• Clinton Power Station Unit 1 – Operating License Issued in 1987
• Dresden Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 – Operating License Issued in 1991
• Joseph M Farley Nuclear Plant Unit 2 – Operating License Issued in 1981
• Palisades Nuclear Plant – Operating License Issued in 1991
• Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 1 – Operating License Issued in 1996, Unit 2 – 2015

Some of the licenses issued since 1979 are for additional units at an existing facility. So maybe those don’t count as “new?”

 

Or, maybe the licensing statement was in regards to the companies that obtained them and built the units, so maybe there have only been two new energy companies in the nuclear sector that have applied for and been approved for licenses?

 

Maybe it takes time to get a license number and then an operating license is different?

 

Or maybe it has to do with the type of reactor?

 

I have no clue, the point is Netflix doesn’t explain it at all or give any context surrounding that statement. 

 

They just say only two new reactors have been given a license since the Three Mile Island accident and from the research I’ve done that just doesn’t seem to be true.

 

So at the end of the day, I find it very misleading, and it was just the last piece that turned me off the show. I wouldn’t recommend Meltdown Three Mile Island at all. Just skip it. 

 

Is It Cake?

Have you seen those videos on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok where people make amazing things into cakes? 

 

That’s basically what Is It Cake is.

 

A TV game-show version of those crazy replica cakes…shoes, bags, food, objects of any kind, whatever you can think of turned into cake.

 

I saw the promo one day and I thought, “Oh my gosh, what a great idea. I love those videos, this show will probably be so cool.”

 

And honestly, it’s super cheesy and a bit ridiculous. 

 

The host is kinda weird, the setup and way people “judge” what is cake vs what isn’t are weird. 

 

It’s just one of those ideas that sound so great as a TV show, but the reality is you just lose whatever it is that makes those cake videos fun to watch. 

 

I could only watch two episodes of this before I just gave up completely. It just wasn’t good in my opinion. 

 

And, I’m shocked it’s been renewed for another season.

 

It doesn’t work for me and Netflix has better game shows (like Bullsh*t the Game Show) and baking shows (like Nailed It! which is on season 6). 

 

He’s All That

A remake of the classic, She’s All That (which was decent, but nothing amazing when compared to other films released at that time). He’s All That  is about a female influencer that bets she can transform an unpopular male classmate into a prom king. 

 

And, that’s really all there is to say about it. 

 

You can tell from just reading the description it’s going to be meh. And, that’s what it was. 

 

A predictable storyline, especially if you have seen She’s All That, it’s just not worth the watch. 

 

It was released in August of 2021, so it’s been out for almost a year now and if you haven’t seen it yet, you aren’t missing anything. 

 

 

 

 

There you have it! My summer watch list for Netflix!

 

Most of these recommendations I’ve watched with my husband, so my perspective includes some of his thoughts too. I think a lot of these shows or movies would make for a great date night (well, except for the three you should just skip!). 

 

And, if you need other easy and fun at-home date night ideas, check out this blog post!

 

Now I want to know, what are you watching these days? Have you seen anything you would recommend this summer? Anything we should skip? 

 

Share below in the comments, and let’s build an even bigger summer watch list!