Good shows must watch: The Toys That Made Us and other shows to binge on

With so many streaming platforms at our fingertips, it's easy to get caught up in the deluge of shows and marvel at the vast content we're getting for the low, low price of a few dollars a month.

So, we're cutting through the noise and giving you a cheat sheet of our top picks to stream this weekend.

Think of this as the North Star for all you weekend watchers who love a good binge.


THE TOYS THAT MADE US

What: A little less Vox Explained and little more Magic School Bus, The Toys That Made Us is a nostalgia-infused documentary that is bound to excite toy collectors and hobbyists alike. Take a trip down memory lane as it explores the beginnings of some of the biggest toy franchises that have shaped and influenced our childhood, and their rise to fame. But, as innocent as the subject matter is, the series doesn't shy away from the shadows of the past, and the ugly truth and motivations behind the creation of these iconic franchises.

A peek into the origins of He-Man revealed a team grasping at straws and desperate to launch something as big as Star Wars. And way before Sanrio's Hello Kitty had Singaporeans getting into fist fights and breaking glass walls, the Japanese company was struggling.

PHOTO: Netflix

That said, the series doesn't overdose on the disheartening moments and does a great job of maintaining a lighthearted and entertaining tone that makes it feel less of a history lecture and more of a night of trivia.

Where: Netflix; Season 3 premieres today (Nov 15)

PATRIOT ACT WITH HASAN MINHAJ

What: Part talk show, part stand-up comedy, part crash course on current affairs, Patriot Act is where general knowledge intersects with pop culture and is hosted by The Daily Show alumnus, Hasan Minhaj. Patriot Act dissects and discusses topical affairs, especially those which are more relevant to America, but what makes this show brilliant is its delivery and presentation.

With Hasan's ability to distill key learnings into digestible analogies, backed by eye-catching visuals of graphs, data and media reports, Patriot Act makes even the most irrelevant subjects to Singaporeans — such as student loan debts in the US — accessible to us. For example, when talking about the rapid growth of the video-game industry and how it exceeds the profits made by sports leagues in the US, Hasan quipped: "Next year, you're going to see Jay-Z and Beyonce sitting courtside watching a pasty 16-year-old kid play Fortnite."

PHOTO: Netflix

Bottom line, Patriot Act makes you smart. No joke. It lowers the barrier to entry on current affairs and helps you understand what is going on in the simplest way possible. After all, the mark of an intelligent person is not just about the breadth of what you know, but the depth as well.

Where: Netflix; Volume 5 premiered on Nov 10 with new episodes weekly

I'M MADAM!

What: A wannabe influencer, Pepper, who strives to be Singapore's "number one influencer", finds herself enlisting in the army to chase after her ex-boyfriend and to give herself a little publicity boost after he dumps her and her career falls apart. Think of it like a Singapore version of Legally Blonde.

The Toggle Original comedy works for the most part because Pepper is a naive and kind woman who is just trying very hard to 'adult' and we can all identify with that. Local actress Oon Shu An manages to portray those traits convincingly to the point where it's hard not to root for her as an underdog.

PHOTO: Toggle

However, when everything starts to go downhill for the character, several rom-com tropes did test the extent to which we suspend our disbelief.

That said, when the credits roll at the end of the first episode, it definitely piqued our interest enough to continue watching — even if it's just to see whether Pepper gets her 'happily ever after'.

Where: Toggle; all episodes are available now

bryanlim@asiaone.com