Screen Time

WITH MARISA PATWA

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Pre-streaming nostalgia, royal drama and teen chemistry: Netflix's November lineup features three highly-anticipated series

BLOCKBUSTER

Netflix is dripping in irony this November, debuting this popcornsoaked show based on the businesses they put out of business. Remember the glory days of shuffling through the Blockbuster aisles as a kid or teen? Picking the perfect movie for that Friday night sleepover or date night on the couch before you ended at the candy aisle, the pink cotton candy gleaming and the red licorice screaming for you to eat? It’s time to time-travel to the days when there was no "Netflix and chill" - just overdue Blockbuster rentals. The hilarious Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) and Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn 911) head up this fun cast, including J.B. Smoove, Tyler Alvarez, Kamaia Fairburn and Madeleine Arthur. I’m ready for the annoying co-workers, creepy customers and nostalgia of a once great business that ruled the video world before streaming. Netflix 11/3

THE CROWN - SSN 5

There has never been a more timely season for The Crown to drop, arriving just a couple months after Queen Elizabeth’s death. This season we go full throttle into the tragedy of Princess Diana’s demise and the effect it had on her beautiful children, now closer to the throne in reality than in this fantasy revision of the royals. Elizabeth Debicki picks up the mantle from the astonishing Emma Corrin while Dominic West will brood as Prince Charles after Josh O’Connor slayed his young moody prince appeal in seasons three and four. Since season one, I have been enthralled with the clever and eye-opening writing of the show, the gorgeous backdrops and the icy beauty of British culture. While Queen Elizabeth II is now buried and no longer ruling, her legacy will live on through Netflix - and her Corgis, of course. Netflix 11/9

ELITE - SSN 6

Elite is back and steamier than ever with no end of drama - and no grasp on basic math. Somehow the teens are still in high school but arithmetic doesn't matter in this soapy show set in Spain, just the insane chemistry between the cast members. Every year, Netflix does an incredible job of casting truly iconic actors that add fresh blood and spice into the wildly popular series. They all soar into fame with millions of followers and it is easy to see why. The new crop of episodes will be nothing short of dramatic, heartbreaking and, of course, murderous. There is always at least one mystery death to solve and I wonder if it’ll be a new cast member or a tried-and-true character who gets the death sentence when Elite resumes this month for a sixth delicious season. Netflix 11/18