Beat shutdown blues with animated series on Netflix

Anyone with an internet connection and a smart device can vouch for the fact that most of their lockdown days were spent by binge watching movies and TV shows. Whether downloading from under the radar torrent sites, streaming online via third party websites or streaming from Netflix, visual media has kept many entertained during the ongoing global crisis. 

As testament to the statement, Netflix has gained 16 million new subscribers amid the global lockdown. That is almost double the number of new sign-ups it saw in the final months of 2019. 

Here in Bangladesh, the situation is not any different. Since offices and educational institutes are closed due to Covid-19, a good chunk of the entertainment-loving population is spending lazy days indulging themselves in the world of films. "I wake up at noon, freshen up, and power on my laptop so I can resume watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine from the night before," said 16-year-old Muntaha Ahmed. 

Like Muntaha, hundreds others are passing time on Netflix. Not only students, many service holders are also lounging while watching Netflix after six to seven hours of attending home office. Sakib Tonmoy, a 23-year-old visual storyteller at a digital marketing agency in Dhaka, said that watching a few episodes of a favourite series on Netflix helps relieve him from a day's worth of work-life stress. "The easiest way for me to take my mind off things is to log into my Netflix account," he said. 

Even after watching the most interesting of movies and TV series for a while, many might get bored of the repetitive nature of the shows. But being bored is not an option when we are required by the law to remain indoors. In a bid to curb boredom and serve the lovers of entertainment their rightful plate of new things to watch, here is a list of the top five animated series on Netflix.

Rick and Morty 

This series can easily be called TV's most unlikely hit show. In the hit animated series, Rick is a sociopathic, nihilistic and narcissistic scientist who is the maternal grandfather of Morty - a neurotic 14-year-old who is frequently dragged into Rick's misadventures.

The duo go on strange interdimensional trips together to find morally questionable fixes for situations happening either on Earth or in a galaxy far, far away. 

Watch Rick and Morty season 1 promo here 

The main theme of the show revolves around the juxtaposition of two conflicting scenarios - a seemingly extremely selfish, alcoholic grandfather dragging his grandson along for interdimensional adventures, intercut with domestic family drama. Philosophically, Rick and Morty can be described as a never-ending joke wrapped around a studied look into nihilism, while the characters deal with cosmic horror and existential dread.

Under the layers of science, realism and philosophy, Rick and Morty come through as a series that provides the viewers with comic relief mixed with elements of surrealism. 

The R rated Rick and Morty first aired in April of 2014 and four seasons of the series are currently available for streaming on Netflix. The series rates 9.2/10 on IMDb and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

BoJack Horseman 

Falling under the same R rated radar as Rick and Morty, BoJack Horseman is another adult animation series that resides among the elites of Netflix-ville. 

Watch Bojack Horeseman trailer here 

The adult animation is about a depressed anthropomorphic horse who is also an alcoholic beyond repair. BoJack is a former sitcom star attempting a comeback while also dealing with addiction and depression in an attempt to continually dull the pain of his previous bad behavior through intoxication. As the show grew in scope, it explored all kinds of ideas and stories. But the two most persistent ones were directly tied to the show's fundamental elements - addiction and the way fame fosters and protects toxicity.  

BoJack Horseman paints a bigger, but impalpable, picture of how marrying a story about mental health and addiction to a story about a powerful, yet abusive, celebrity is a regular phenomenon in the world of Hollywood. 

Six seasons of the series are available for streaming on Netflix. It rates 8.7/10 on IMDb and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Love, Death & Robots

Although animated, Love, Death & Robots differs from the rest on this list as far as production goes. Uniting animators from around the world for 18 standalone episodes of various self-determined lengths, the anthology intends to be a global celebration of the art of animation. It is perfect for anyone with low attention span as all the episodes last no more than 20 minutes. 

Watch Love, Death & Robots trailer here 

Much cannot be said about the plotline of the series due to its standalone nature, but all the episodes share a thematic connection of darkness, gore and violence. 

Massively entertaining and unique in its own glory, Love, Death & Robots has to be watched in order to soak up its essence of animated excellence. 

The sci-fi/thriller Netflix series rates 8.6/10 on IMDb and 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Big Mouth 

The story of this animated sitcom revolves around a group of 7th graders as they navigate their way through puberty and struggle to come to terms with the sudden outburst of hormones that trigger sexuality. The stars of the sitcom are hormone monsters Maurice and Connie who get assigned to the protagonists of the show to guide them through the winding roads of pubescence. 

Watch Big Mouth trailer here 

While the show seeks out to streamline curiosity surrounding pubescence, Big Mouth manages to keep intact its rudimentary element of comic relief while the characters seek out their destiny as puberty destroys them mentally and physically.

Three seasons of Big Mouth can be streamed on Netflix and the series rates 8/10 on IMDb and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Paradise PD

This adult animation series has to be the most messed up cop show which somehow it gets weirder with every episode. Paradise PD follows a small-town police department where crime is rampant and the police are seriously incompetent. Although the show can seem stupid at times, it does provide instant comic relief to the viewers. 

Watch Paradise PD trailer here 

With elements of endless bloody fantasy violence, cursing, and crude sexual innuendos and continual instances of sexual harassment, Paradise PD blasts the viewers with every crude and lewd joke it can muster. R rated, the adult animation is not a show for ones who get easily offended and definitely not suitable for kids. 

The two part series rates 7/10 on IMDb and 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.