netflix january 2020 sex education

Sex Education: Season 2

What it’s about: It’s sex ed in high school settings – two teenagers set up a makeshift sex education clinic – and it comes with all the perilous and experimental tangents that entails.

Who’s in it: The cast from the much raved about premiere season returns –  Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, and Kedar Williams-Stirling.

Why watch it: Over 40 million viewers tuned in to the first season for its realistic (and hilarious) take on how teenagers grapple with sex. Season 2 promises to be even more engaging with a STD outbreak in the school and the introduction of new kids in town to challenge the status quo.

When it’s available: Jan 15

A Sun

What it’s about: A tender story of a dysfunctional Chinese family of four, with the two wildly different  teenaged sons at the center of it. The younger son has always been a problem child and only continues to land himself in deeper trouble while the introverted older brother is his opposite; a paradigm of goodness aiming to get into medical school. In other words, the model child every Asian parent dreams of.

Who’s in it: Chen Yi-wen, Samantha Ko, Wu Chien-ho, Liu Kuan-ting and Greg Hsu

Why watch it: A Sun has been garnering rave reviews internationally for its deeply nuanced study on human interactions – as well as a major award winner, emerging as the Best Film at the recent Golden Horse Awards (the Chinese world’s equivalent of the Oscars).

When it’s available: Jan 24

Uncut Gems

What it’s about: Big talker and small-time New York jewellery store owner Howard Ratner is a compulsive gambling addict who must make another gamble – this time for his life – against his towering debts.

Who’s in it: Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Mike Francesa, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian.

Why watch it: Critics have been hailing Uncut Gems as Sandler’s career best and an insanely witty and fast-moving thriller that was robbed of a nomination with the recent Oscars nominations – tune in to find out for yourself.

When it’s available: Jan 31

The Circle

What it’s about: Think of Netflix’s newest reality show as the 2020 social media-version of Jersey Shore or Big Brother.

Why watch it: The premise is this – there are eight contestants, each vying for $100,000 and they’re housed in single apartments each but are not allowed to meet each other in real life. Instead, they communicate via a custom-made app and are required to rank each other every other day from favourite to rock bottom. The top two contestants are temporarily granted “influencer” status and are given the power to boot one contestant of their picking, who will then be replaced by a new person. The Circle has a whiff of that so-bad-it’s-still-bad vibe going for it a la Singapore Social – we suggest watching it in group settings to pick it apart together.

When it’s available: Jan 1