Spring Break is upon us and many of you will soon be setting off in planes, trains, and automobiles for (hopefully) warmer climates. Or perhaps you’re going the staycation route and are looking forward some some serious downtime. Whether you’ll be on your couch in Indy or streaming poolside, I’ve come up with some great shows and to stream—with a little Women’s History Month twist.
Read: They’ve got some layered, complicated, often badass female leads and stories to tell. Netflix is also curating its very own collection called “Because She Watched” which is absolutely worth your browsing time as well.
Enjoy.
Little fires everywhere (Streaming on hulu, March 18)
Perhaps you’re already a fan of Celeste Ng’s best-selling novel, “Little Fires Everywhere.” But even if you’ve never read it, you’ll want to dive into Hulu’s adaptation, starring and produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. It tells the story of the intertwined lives of two families in 1990s Shaker Heights, Ohio—and the secrets women keep.
MISS AMERICANA (CURRENTLY STREAMING ON NETFLIX)
Even if you don’t love Taylor Swift, you have to give the woman respect for being one of the most successful female artists of all time—and one who writes all of her own songs to boot. This documentary gives a personal look into the singer’s burgeoning political activism, her songwriting process, and the pressures that come with being a young woman in a sexist industry.
SELF-MADE: INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF MADAM C.J. WALKER (STREAMING ON netflix, March 20)
Madam C.J. Walker is ingrained in the fabric of our city’s history. Octavia Spencer stars as the haircare mogul, activist, and America’s first self-made female millionaire in this four-part limited series alongside Blair Underwood as her husband and Tiffany Haddish as her daughter, Leila. She also produced the project with NBA superstar LeBron James.
TO ALL THE BOYS: P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU (CURRENTLY STREAMING ON NETFLIX)
First, if you haven’t watch this film trilogy’s first installment—”To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”—rectify that immediately. Then jump right into the sequel. (The third film’s release date has yet to be announced.) Adapted from Jenny Han’s best-selling YA books, these movies perfectly capture the exquisite pain of first love and all the other big feelings that come with being a teenager. But it’s truly a delight at any age.
HILLARY (STREAMING ON HULU, MARCH 6)
Is there a more complicated female political figure in modern history than Hillary Clinton? I’d argue no—regardless of your political leanings. This new documentary series takes unseen footage from the 2016 campaign and weaves it in with intimate personal and biographical footage and interviews.
HIGH FIDELITY (NOW STREAMING ON HULU)
We love when creators gender-flip a well-known piece of pop culture—in this case “High Fidelity,” the 1995 book by Nick Hornby that became a 2000 film starring John Cusack. In the updated version, Rob is now played by the cooler-than-cool Zoe Kravitz as a Lower East Side record store owner who’s taking stock of her wonderfully messy and sometimes painful life and romantic failures. The show is such a fun hang—you won’t want to miss it.
Abby Gardner is Indy Maven’s executive editor and resident pop culture aficionado. You can get more of her weekly recommendations in her newsletter—We Have Notes.
