17 Must-Watch Movies and Series: Your Ultimate Binge-Watching Guide

1. The Acolyte 2024，IMDB Rating: 3.9, IMDB Votes: 108547, ID: 12262202
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The Acolyte, a Star Wars series, had a disappointing run on the charts. Despite its initial hype, the series failed to sustain viewer interest. However, it did manage to stir up some controversy and discussion among fans.
2. Those About to Die 2024，IMDB Rating: 6.4, IMDB Votes: 5844, ID: 10569934
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Those About to Die is a sword-and-sandals epic starring Anthony Hopkins. Despite its clichéd plot, the series is described as dumb, pulpy fun, making it a light-hearted watch.
3. Bad Boys: Ride or Die 2024，IMDB Rating: 6.8, IMDB Votes: 40647, ID: 4919268
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Bad Boys: Ride or Die checks all the boxes of a movie like this in a way that feels depressingly half-hearted. However, the chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence keeps the film engaging.
4. Lady in the Lake 2024，IMDB Rating: 6.0, IMDB Votes: 1150, ID: 14022668
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Lady in the Lake is a compelling, but ultimately unrewarding murder mystery thriller. Despite its intriguing premise, the series fails to sustain any suspenseful tension.
5. Presumed Innocent 2024，IMDB Rating: 7.8, IMDB Votes: 20584, ID: 17677860
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Presumed Innocent is a drama about South Korean society and some aspects, such as economic inequality, the struggles of the working class, and the dark side of capitalism. Despite mixed reviews, it’s considered an important show of 2024.
6. Sunny 2024，IMDB Rating: 7.1, IMDB Votes: 1234, ID: 18070898
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Sunny is a surprisingly accomplished and hard-to-pin-down show of 2024. It’s a defiantly strange program that refuses to be put in a traditional genre box, blending elements of thriller, comedy, relationship drama, and science fiction into something that feels new.
7. Stranger Things 2016，IMDB Rating: 8.7, IMDB Votes: 1361443, ID: 4574334
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Stranger Things is a worldwide phenomenon and one of the most talked about shows since it came out back in 2016. It’s an absolute blast to watch and will keep you entertained throughout the entire series.
8. Arcane: League of Legends 2021，IMDB Rating: 9.0, IMDB Votes: 281667, ID: 11126994
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Arcane: League of Legends is a highly acclaimed series with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It explores the origins of two iconic League champions, set in the utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun.
9. Blood of Zeus 2020，IMDB Rating: 7.5, IMDB Votes: 23596, ID: 10009170
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Blood of Zeus is a captivating series that combines Greek mythology with anime-inspired action. The plot development and world-building are commendable, making it a must-watch for fans of mythology and animation. However, some viewers found the characters to be two-dimensional.
10. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2022，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 83312, ID: 12590266
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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners offers a satisfying return to Night City, with impressive world-building and animation. Despite its juvenile splatterfest, it’s praised for its iconic imagery and familiar genre beats.
11. Carol & The End of the World 2023，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 5386, ID: 29629770
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Carol & The End of the World is a smart and meditative series that explores what it means to be a person living among others. Despite some criticisms about the season finale, it’s praised for its clever and approachable spin on the apocalypse.
12. The Dragon Prince 2018，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 27873, ID: 8688814
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The Dragon Prince is an adventure-filled series with well-developed characters and an engaging plot. Despite some criticisms about its pacing, it’s praised for its diversity-friendly approach and critique of human greed.
13. The Witcher 2019，IMDB Rating: 8.0, IMDB Votes: 577065, ID: 5180504
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The Witcher is a high-end drama that masterfully combines action sequences with a compelling narrative. Despite some criticisms about its humor, it’s praised for its intense and indulgent dramatic sensibility.
14. Ozark 2017，IMDB Rating: 8.5, IMDB Votes: 352236, ID: 5071412
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Ozark is a tense and twisty series that explores the life of a financial planner entangled in a money-laundering scheme. Despite some criticisms about its season finale, it’s praised for its masterful creation of tension and phenomenal acting.
15. Peaky Blinders 2013，IMDB Rating: 8.8, IMDB Votes: 663652, ID: 2442560
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Peaky Blinders is a powerful drama that follows the life of the Peaky Blinders gang in post-war Britain. Despite some criticisms about its middlebrow approach, it’s praised for its smart weaving of feminist critique throughout its narrative.
16. Bridgerton 2020，IMDB Rating: 7.4, IMDB Votes: 189425, ID: 8740790
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Bridgerton is a confectionary treat of a show that offers a modern take on Regency romance. Despite some criticisms about its anachronistic mashup, it’s praised for its smart weaving of feminist critique throughout its marriage plot.
17. The Crown 2016，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 259908, ID: 4786824
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The Crown is a lavish drama that chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II. It’s a visual feast that reveals personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries. As a retired engineer who values history, I found it to be an enlightening depiction of the Queen’s reign.