Head over to netflix.com for all of the details, but here are some of the shows we’re not going to miss.
History of Swear Words
An education in expletives: the history lesson you didn’t know you needed. “History of Swear Words,” hosted by Nicolas Cage, is a loud and proudly profane series that explores the origins, pop culture-usage, science and cultural impact of curse words through interviews with experts in etymology, pop culture, historians and entertainers. Available Jan. 5.
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy
In the early 1980s, the crack epidemic tore through America’s inner cities like a tsunami, ravaging all in its wake. Decades later, the destructive effects on people’s lives, families and communities are still deeply felt. “Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy” examines not only the personal devastation caused by the drug, but also the shadowy origins of the crisis and the resultant, ongoing marginalization of Black and Brown people trapped by the U.S. prison and health-care systems. Available on Jan. 11.
The Minimalists: Less Is Now
The film’s title was inspired by the popular maxim “less is more,” popularized by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), who used this aphorism to describe his design aesthetic; his tactic was one of arranging the necessary components of a building to create an impression of extreme simplicity. The Minimalists have reworked this phrase to create a sense of urgency for today’s consumer culture: now is the time for less. Available Jan. 1.
Surviving Death
“Surviving Death” is an in-depth investigative series exploring the possibility of an afterlife. Over six episodes, “Surviving Death” explores questions that have been contemplated throughout time: What does it mean to die, and is death the end of our existence? Weaving together innovative new research with firsthand accounts from those who’ve been close to – and even experienced – death, the series takes viewers on an extraordinary journey into a world beyond human existence as we know it. Available on Jan. 6.
Pieces of a Woman
Martha and Sean are a Boston couple on the verge of parenthood whose lives change irrevocably when a home birth ends in unimaginable tragedy. Thus begins a yearlong odyssey for Martha, who must navigate her grief while working through fractious relationships with Sean and her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn), along with the publicly vilified midwife (Molly Parker), whom she must face in court. Available on Jan. 7.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
The Netflix limited docu-series “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” tells the spellbinding true story of how one of the most notorious serial killers in American history was hunted down and brought to justice. Told through harrowing first-person interviews, gripping archival footage and spectacular original photography, this four-part series represents the definitive telling of this iconic L.A. real-life horror story. Available on Jan. 13.
