Binge While Baked: Netflix Edition
by Ali Khan, store manager of Hashtag Fremont
You’re finally home from the dispensary, you’ve just taken a fat rip from the bong, and you’re ready to settle down with a new show to binge, huh?
We know what it’s like to be so high that even the Select Profile screen on Netflix can seem like a daunting choice to make, which is why we’ve curated this excellent spoiler-free list of binge-worthy original programming.
So, take another rip, and let this sweet, sweet guide help you find the perfect Netflix series to binge. To ensure there’s something available for all our stoners out there, we’ve selected choice programming from some of the major categories offered by Netflix. Let’s get started!
Original Food/Travel Series:
Cooking On High
Join two cannabis-friendly chefs as they go head-to-head in what’s been billed as the first marijuana-based competitive cooking show.
In between the kitchen scenes, join the judges as they share their stoner stories from decades past.
Here’s some advice to folks who might be binging this show: Be sure to smoke high-CBD strains to keep the munchies away! Or if you’re not into CBD, you can also pick up some Durban Poison or Candyland (below, from Sweetwater Farms) -- both are fun, euphoric sativas that also serves as an appetite suppressant for many folks.
Original Variety/Talk Show:
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
If you’re looking for a hilarious and poignant Original Variety/Talk Show to binge-watch, look no further than My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
Newcomer David Letterman interviews a variety of impressive guests including President Barack Obama, husband to Beyonce Sean “Jay-Z” Carter, and award-winning comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Tina Fey, among others.
These intimate interviews provide insight that’s often lost in the hustle and bustle of your typical late-night talk shows.
If this sounds like the binge for you, we recommend smoking a nice, relaxing hybrid strain, such as Blue Dream, Blueberry Sapphire (below, from Vashon Velvet), Girl Scout Cookies, White Widow, or Pineapple Express. All of these strains will put you in your happy place.
Reality Show:
Queer Eye
If you’re looking for some feel-good television, no other Reality Show will make you feel as good as Queer Eye.
This reboot from Netflix has already won two Emmys so far, and there’s no sign of the Fabulous 5 stopping anytime soon.
Follow the Fab 5 as they provide more than a makeover and improve the lives of everyone they meet in this amazing show that that slays gender norms like they’re dragons.
While you’re watching this absolutely gorgeous series, be sure to lift your spirits with strains like Lodi Dodi, Snoop’s Dream, or White Urkle.
Animation:
Big Mouth
If you’re looking to get back to your Saturday morning cartoon roots, there’s no shortage of original Animation for you to binge.
Sitting at the top of our animation list is Big Mouth, a story that centers around adolescents experiencing puberty and changing hormones.
Created by Jon Mulaney and Nick Kroll, this animation series is a hilariously bold representation of what it feels like your body is going through during some formative years.
With an impressive ensemble of comedians including Fred Armisen, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Jordan Peele, Maya Roudolph, and Jenny Slate, you’ll have no trouble unleashing your inner monster.
Jack Herer and Super Lemon Haze are both excellent sativas to keep you elevated and focused while you watch, and Northern Lights is the perfect indica choice if you’re looking to mellow out and melt away.
There’s also no shortage of CBD strains that are great contenders to pair with cartoons, Harlequin and Harle-Tsu being two of our favorites.
Foreign Films and Series:
Narcos
If you’re looking for something more sophisticated, and you don’t mind having subtitles on while you watch, Foreign Films and Series open up a whole new world.
Narcos tops our list of foreign favorites as an accessible, well-written and action-packed drama that serves as a safe first step into foreign language programming.
Narcos follows the notorious Colombian drug war and its larger players in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
While some may already be familiar with the story of famous drug kingpins like Pablo Escobar, the show delves into the golden age of the cocaine trade in Columbia with multiple perspectives, including vantage points from the infamous Cali Cartel as well as the DEA.
If you miss binge-watching shows like Breaking Bad, and you speak Spanish or don’t mind a little light reading of subtitles, Narcos is an absolute must!
While you’re watching, be sure to avoid strains that’ll make your mind wander. Some suggestions that’ll keep you focused on the plot include Dutch Treat, Cinex, Super Lemon Haze, Stashsquatch (below, from Plantworks), White Fire OG, and Obama Kush.
Drama:
Mindhunters
If foreign language programming is not your thing, but you’re still looking to scratch that Drama itch, look no further than Mindhunters.
This Netflix original series follows the early days of the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit as they investigate what eventually go on to be defined as “serial killers.”
If you’re even remotely fascinated with crime thrillers or criminal psychology, this adaptation is an absolute must watch. Producers David Fincher and Charlize Theron along with Broadway favorite Jonathan Groff have created a spectacle that has quickly cemented Mindhunters among the Netflix favorites.
Because the subject matter of this show is uneasy, we recommend strains that’ll keep you from going to a dark place. Check out uppity strains like Animal Cookies, Blueberry Headband, Sour Diesel, Maui Waui, or Chocolope. Or if you’re looking for something on the mellow side, also consider Master Kush, Grape Ape, or Granddaddy Purple.
Original Comedy:
American Vandal
Like so many other stoners sitting on their couch with a bong in hand, perhaps you’re just looking for laughs.
If comedy is what you desire, our top pick goes to the Netflix Original series, American Vandal. This mockumentary series follows the recent trend of true-crime documentaries a la Netflix’s Making a Murderer and NPR’s Serial podcast.
From crimes from vandalizing cars to poisoning lemonade with laxatives, American Vandal investigates the true essence of what it’s like to be the subject of an investigation in high school.
If you’re looking for a comedy that mocks and parodies crime in all the right ways, and you also don’t mind a bit of potty humor, then American Vandal is an absolute must-watch.
Strains to smoke while binging include Super Silver Haze, Silver Tip, Narnia, and Pineapple Express. If you’re looking for some heavier strains, you might also want to consider Purple Punch (below, from Pot of Gold) and Strawberry Fields.
The next time you’re at Hashtag in Fremont or Redmond, be sure to keep an eye out for some of the amazing strains above.
Stay tuned for more binge-worthy recommendations, and feel free to leave a comment or reach out with your own suggestions on which strains belong with which shows.