The end of March has a couple of noteworthy drops on our favorite streaming service. And if quantity over quality serves its audience best, Netflix certainly knows how to provide.

The Irregulars (Netflix UK) - An 8-episode Limited Series that drops on March 26, the premise for this supernatural adventure-drama is based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Irregulars appeared in two of his Sherlock Holmes novels and in one short story. As written by Doyle, they were a band of street urchins, all young boys, and led by a young lad named Wiggins. But in this period of diversity and gender equality, the Irregulars have been reincarnated as two girls and two boys, plus with a tag-along young royal. One of the girls is of Chinese descent, and one of the boys of African lineage.

Call it then the YA detective version of Bridgerton, with historical inaccuracy part of the template for potentially giving a storyline such as this greater and broader appeal. The series also puts Dr. Watson in the center of the action, rather than Sherlock. The first episode has to do with kidnapped infants and a locked room mystery, but don’t think the series goes full-Sherlock, as it’s more the supernatural stuff that gets the spotlight as the series progresses. Obviously, playing to the YA audience limits this loose adaptation, even in terms of deduction and detecting; so just be fully prepared for some disappointment on this front. I’m genuinely curious to see if the kids take to this series.

The World to Come (Video On Demand) - Here’s a film that’s set in the American West and takes it sweet time narrative-wise, feeling more like a European film. At it’s core, it’s about the loneliness of frontier wives, and how the discovery of kindred spirits can lead to something more romantic and physical. Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby play the two main protagonists, and so there is star power leading the film, in much the same way it was done with Brokeback Mountain. But in fact, the similarities of the two films end there; as in World to Come there is also something being said about the traditional roles of women, the expected stoic acceptance of their lives of service, and how something as taboo as a physical relationship between two women would be viewed.

The diary form of the narrative is an omen of how certain things will pass, of a mystery and disappearance that eventually will take center stage. Psychologically, the film makes a strong statement about the frailties of the human mind, and bestows the film with an unexpected depth beyond the exploration of lesbian feelings. While several films over the last few years, such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Ammonite, have explored lesbian love encounters, this one hits hard with the aspect of tragedy that ensues. It’s a pity that this film has been generally bypassed this awards season, and I’d recommend it to most who find the subject matter of interest.

Deadly Illusions (Netflix USA) - As of March 22, Netflix has 14 films included in the Academy Awards nominations and vying for Oscar glory; and yet, none of them are in the streaming service’s Top 10 this week. And in that same period, this film ranked #1 in the USA. It’s also made Top 10 inroads here in the Philippines, which does say much about the Netflix audience, and why the streaming service really knows that it’s formula for success is quantity over quality. It’s a formulaic, paint by numbers domestic drama which stars Kristin Davis - best remembered for Sex in the City, Dermot Mulroney, and introduces us to Greer Grammer - ingenue daughter of Kelsey.

Davis plays a successful but now blocked novelist, egged on by her husband to create a sequel for her biggest bestseller. This in order to maintain the lifestyle they’ve been used to. Enter the character played by Grammer, who’s hired to be the nanny of their kids. So of course, you can predict every cliche, narrative twist, and know that you’ll hit it on the head each time. The acting isn’t even anything to rave about, and it looks more like the filmmakers are just making sure all boxes are ticked, in order to make this film conform to some algorithm for successful mystery thrillers. And yet, there is no questioning the popularity of this streaming choice. I don’t mind that, but just feel bad for the films of true merit that are being ignored.
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