Planning your January Netflix binge? Curious about the must-watch TV series this month? We’ve carefully crafted an extensive guide to the best TV series available on Netflix for January.

Sex, full frontal nudity, drugs, violence, language etc. If you cannot handle any of this, this is not for you. This comedy action series is at the top of the list for a reason. I absolutely loved this one and have never laughed so much. You cannot take anything literally here, although there are a couple of sombre events which take place. This is a politically incorrect, silly tale that cannot be taken seriously. It all starts out with a bomb, followed by a bowl of guacamole at a party and more bombs. The basic story is that of an elite special forces team who thwarts a deadly threat to Las Vegas. After their celebratory party, filled with booze, drugs and sex, the team discovers that the bomb they deactivated was a fake. The team now has to fight through their impairments, overcome their personal issues, find the real bomb, and save the world. A simple task one would think. My personal favourite would have to be C. Thomas Howell’s bomb disposer, Haggerty. Hilarious. Excellent soundtrack to all the mayhem makes this highly entertaining.

This excellent thriller from Sweden is an adaptation of Mattias Edvardsson’s novel. The story follows the Sandell family, who are a normal family consisting of the priest Adam, the lawyer Ulrika and their 19-year-old daughter Stella. They live a seemingly perfect life in a polished residential suburb until the day everything changes when Stella ends up in custody, accused of murder. Her devastated parents don’t know what to do. Ulrika finds herself at odds with her colleagues in the legal profession as she fights to obtain Stella’s release. Adam also finds himself questioning his faith and finds his fellow clergymen becoming aloof. He and Ulrika want to help Stella at any cost, but do they really know their daughter? A good story with a few twists to hold your attention.

This crime drama from Poland tells of an alcohol-addicted former rock musician, Marcin Kania, who sets off on a crazy journey into the darkest corners of Warsaw and the human psyche to find his missing son. Because of his past he is thwarted at every turn by police and his ex-wife who his over-reaction is due to his addiction affecting his actions. To exacerbate the situation, he has no recollection of what really happened the night his son disappeared from his apartment. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Jakub Żulczyk.

The location of this crime series, inspired by a true story, was interesting in itself as it takes place on the border between Paraguay and Brazil, which makes it difficult as various criminals use this to escape being apprehended. There is a lot of action, car chases, shoot-outs etc., and one has to pay attention as to which gang member is which. The story follows a complex investigation by federal agents from the Foz do Iguaçu bureau after a robbery of epic proportions at the premises of a private security firm in Paraguay. Following the trail of the DNA samples they collect, they discover a trace that connects the robbery in the neighbouring country with other recent crimes, unveiling an even larger plan involving criminal elements from both countries. Yes, it does get complicated, especially when you throw a corrupt police colleague into the mix, but it is a well-produced and acted crime series.

Here our location is France, Marseille in particular, where a group of police officers with unconventional methods track down a vicious drug dealer in order to prevent the city from plunging into a bloodbath. But as the team takes on a new recruit with her own agenda, the situation quickly spirals out of control as rogue police captain Lyes Benamar starts to veer from the path set down by his superiors and the city officials. There’s a lot going on here as rival gangs take on each other and the police. As you can imagine, there’s lots of action and violence.

An excellent terrorism thriller series from the Netherlands. It’s edge of the seat action with this one. Your attention will definitely not stray as it’s one tense situation after another. The story follows Mardik Sardagh, a Dutch detective of Afghan descent who receives a text message stating that his childhood friend Faysal is in the Netherlands. When a terrorist attack occurs the next day, Mardik suspects Faysal and investigates, with drastic consequences. Not only does Mardik have to deal with his sceptical colleagues, but he also has the ruthless internal investigation squad out to get him due to his Afghan connections, which eventually also affects his family. There’s certainly a theme running through this story of how you can be judged on your outward appearance and where you were born. This is confronting viewing at times, but well worth it.

Somewhere in a box I have my childhood books of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. They would now be 60 years old but are still in quite good condition. After watching this wonderful series, I think I’ll get them out for another reading. I don’t remember some of the issues that are covered here, but perhaps they weren’t of interest to me at aged 12. But this is a new take on the classic novels of the adventures of a young orphan girl living in the late 19th century. We follow Anne as she learns to navigate her new life on Prince Edward Island with her adopted family. I loved this series, and perhaps that has a lot to do with the story being a connection to my own childhood and people who are now long gone. I highly recommend this tale about a simpler time, without the pressures of today’s world.

Few of us would attempt to go travelling with our parents, although my daughter did venture on a three-day cross county train trip from Vancouver to Toronto with me. We do get on very well, plus there is the fact that I live in Australia, and she lives in NYC, so we don’t get to hang out a great deal. I must say it was thoroughly enjoyable. I’m not sure Jack Whitehall feels this sometimes as he does the same with his father as they set off across Southeast Asia on a series of adventures. I am late coming to this series but found it entertaining and enjoyable.

After watching various documentaries on this subject over the years, I thought I was well-versed in WWII, but that was a misconception. Through vividly enhanced archival footage and voices from all sides of the conflict, this docuseries brings WWII to life like never before. The archive film is amazing and the opinions and experiences of some of those involved are honest and revealing. I was unaware of the devastation that occurred in Poland in the final days of the war. This is excellent viewing, albeit disturbing in that in shows man’s inhumanity and the fact that those in power still use soldiers and civilians as targets to this day. That will not change until we unite and bring about change.

I’ve watched a few of these documentaries where people are willingly taken in and brainwashed by charlatans. I doubt I will ever really understand the circumstances that would force one to do this. This is an investigation into Jeff and Shaleia, the leaders of Twin Flames Universe who sell online classes that guarantee harmonious union with your destined partner. Twin Flames Universe is a controversial community that preys on people looking for love. With exclusive access to former members, the series reveals the horrifying stories of coercion and exploitation surrounding Twin Flames Universe and the active efforts of family members to rescue their loved ones from Jeff and Shaleia’s web. I was seething after viewing these self-styled gurus at work. As of 2023 they are still running Twin Flames and the Church of Union from their home in Michigan, and still accepting new members.