David Farnor | On 24, Jan 2017

February is almost here – and Netflix is about to unleash arguably its most diverse month yet. Following its blockbuster deal last year, The People v. O.J. Simpson finally arrives on the site, alongside TV box set Aquarius, weekly episodes of Reign Season 4 – not to mention Riverdale and Shadowhunters – and the third run of Netflix’s mouth-watering docu-series, Chef’s Table. There’s also The Furchester Hotel for the young ‘uns and Dragons: Race to the Edge’s fourth season, as well as Netflix’s first ever Latin American animated series, Legend Quest.

If indie drama’s more your thing, fresh from Sundance come Abstract: The Art of Design and I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore – the directorial debut of Macon Blair – followed by 2014 Sundance hit Imperial Dreams, starring John Boyega.

Then, of course, there’s comedy with horror-tinged sitcom Santa Clarita Diet, Season 3 of Cuckoo, and Girlfriend’s Day, the new film from Bob Odenkirk. And, just in case that hasn’t ticked all the boxes, there’s always Ultimate Beastmaster to look forward to – the new tournament contest from Sly Stallone, which sounds as ridiculous (and potentially ridiculously brilliant) as its title suggests.

Here’s what is coming soon to Netflix UK in February 2017:

Ex Machina – 1st February

“If you’ve created artificial intelligence, that isn’t the history of man. It’s the history of gods.” That’s programmer Caleb to his boss, Nathan, after winning a prize to spend a week on a private work retreat – only to discover it’s really to put a top secret robot through the Turing test. The robot in question? Ava, a female with enough self-awareness to know what she is, and enough smarts to do something about it. Domnhall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac are excellent as the programmers – but Alicia Vikander steals the show.

Miles Ahead – 1st February

Kind of blue and effortlessly cool, this unconventional music biopic of Miles Davis shirks formulaic structure – and even facts – but thanks to a star turn from director Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead has attitude to spare.

The Only Way Is Essex: Season 1 to 17 – 1st February

Reality TV fans just got the TOWIE fix they’ve been dreaming of.

The Furchester Hotel – 1st February

CBeebies and Sesame Workshop have teamed up to make this madcap series about the best worst hotel since Fawlty Towers, which includes long-term guest Elmo and eternally-hungry employee Cookie Monster. From protecting sculptures and finding lost guests to delivering toast and (ahem) not eating guests who happen to be cookies, this is silly stuff for big and little Jim Henson fans alike.

Fantastic Mr. Fox – 1st February

“Who am I, Kylie?” “What now?” “Why a fox? Why not a horse, or a beetle, or a bald eagle? I’m saying this more as, like, existentialism, you know?” Wes Anderson brings his signature whimsy to Roald Dahl’s classic tale, turning the familiar story into a colourful, neurotic, anarchic adventure.

Aquarius: Season 1 – 1st February

NBC’s gritty drama stars David Duchovny as Los Angeles homicide detective Sam Hodiak, whose investigation into a missing girl leads him into the dark activities of a strange cult run by a small-time but charismatic leader Charles Manson, portrayed by Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones). The 13-episode series is set in 1967 at the height of ‘the summer of love’ and years before Manson notoriously masterminded the horrific Tate-LaBianca murders.

The Fear of 13 – 1st February

In 1982, Nick Yarris was convicted of the rape and murder of a woman. He maintained that he was innocent. How often have you heard a TV show or film begin like that? In today’s true-crime-obsessed age, tales of wrongly-jailed suspects have become sadly familiar, from Making a Murderer to Serial. The Fear of 13, though, is something entirely unique. Consisting almost entirely of Nick talking to camera, this documentary is storytelling distilled into its simplest, and more powerful, form. A gripping and fascinating watch.

Schitt’s Creek: Season 2 – 1st February

CBC’s TV comedy, which stars Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, finds a UK home, thanks to Netflix’s acquisition. Suddenly broke, the formerly filthy-rich Rose family is reduced to living in a ramshackle motel in a town they once bought as a joke, because of its name.

I Am Your Father – 1st February

This Spanish documentary delves behind the scenes of Star Wars to explore the man who played Darth Vader – David Prowse – only to be overshadowed by James Earl Jones, who provided the voice for the Sith lord.

Imperial Dreams – 3rd February

John Boyega stars in Malik Vitthal’s indie drama about a 21-year-old reformed gangster, whose devotion to his family is put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds. The film premiered at Sundance back in 2014. Now, Netflix has snapped up the rights to distribute it as a Netflix original.

Santa Clarita Diet – 3rd February

Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star in this unexpectedly dark comedy about a married couple – Sheila and Joel – who find their lives changed when Sheila winds up on a killer new diet.

Warrior – 9th February

Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton dial the intensity up to 11 in this MMA drama about two brothers who find redemption in the ring – even when it means going up against each other. Nick Nolte brings emotional weight as their recovering alcoholic father, while director Gavin O’Connor gives enough painful realism to the gritty, brutal fight sequences that the movie ducks heavy-handed cliches and swings straight for a powerful punch to the gut.

Abstract: The Art of Design: Season 1 – 10th February

Fresh from its premiere at Sundance, this original docu-series from Executive Producer Morgan Neville takes us beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design, showcasing great designers from every discipline whose work shapes our world.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life – 10th February

Steve Carr’s comedy follows imaginative teen Rafe (Griffin Gluck), who comes up with a simple solution to shake things up at his boring school: break every rule going.

Cyborg 009: Call of Justice: Season 1 – 10th January

The Cyborg 009 franchise returns with a new series of three feature-length outings from Toho. Netflix has snapped up the rights to the whole thing, releasing the anime broken down into 12 20-minute episodes, effectively making one season. Years after taking up normal lives incognito, it see the cyborgs forced to fight again when the superhuman Blessed appear with a plan for humanity.

You Me Her: Season 1 – 10th January

Originally set for release in January, this American drama has been snapped up by Netflix as an exclusive outside of the USA and Canada. It follows a yuppie husband and wife, who hire an escort to spice up their sex life,. But things take an unexpected turn when romantic feelings surface.

Reign: Season 4 – 12th February

The CW’s historical drama returns for its fourth and final season, with episodes arriving every week on Saturdays, shortly after their US debut.

Girlfriend’s Day – 14th February

Before he returns in Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk co-writes and stars in this comedy drama about a washed-up greeting cards writer trying to recapture the feelings that once made him a success. Natasha Lyonne co-stars, alongside a cast that includes Andy Richter, Ed Begley Jr. and Halt and Catch Fire’s Toby Huss.

Katherine Ryan: In Trouble – 14th February

The Canadian-born comic becomes the second Brit to record a stand-up special for Netflix with this show filmed at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo last summer.

The People v. O.J. Simpson – 15th February

The first season of FX’s American Crime Story goes inside the O.J. Simpson trial and explores the chaotic, behind-the-scenes dealings and manoeuvring on both sides of the court. John Travolta, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson and David Schwimmer star, resulting in one of the best TV shows of the last year.

Landmine Goes Click – 15th February

The first of the films under Icon’s FrightFest Presents banner has arrived on Netflix UK. Leva Bakhia’s thought-provoking revenge horror follows three American tourists backpacking through the remote countryside of European Georgia, when one of them gets trapped on an armed landmine. However that seems to be a minor threat when a local psychopath comes to their aid and things start to get a whole lot worse.

Cuckoo: Season 3 – 16th February

Written by Robin French and Kieron Quirke, Cuckoo’s third season was one of BBC Three’s flagship launch titles when the online channel went live in February 2016. Greg Davies and Taylor Lautner reprise their roles as hirsute, laid-back American Dale and Ken Thompson, father of the Slough-based Thompson family, with whom Dale continues to stay.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 – TBC

The franchise based on Stephanie Meyer’s novels reaches a surprisingly epic conclusion, as the movies depart from the page for a finale that’s part X-Men, part trash and all entertaining.

Chef’s Table: Season 3 – 17th February

After a mini-season last year dedicated solely to French cuisine, Netflix’s mouth-watering documentary series returns for a globe-trotting third run profiling the world’s top chefs, giving us an insight into the lives and kitchens behind their culinary talents. The show’s new subjects will range from Michelin-starred cooks to a buddhist temple chef living in the countryside of South Korea.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Season 2 – 17th February

The second season of Netflix’s exclusively acquired anime arrives, after Season 1 was released in 2015. The Seven Deadly Sins sees a deposed princess begin a quest to find a disbanded group of evil knights to help take back her realm after tyrants have taken it over.

Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 4 – 17th February

Netflix’s original animated series, a spin-off from How to Train Your Dragon, returns for another dose of Hiccup and Toothless action.

Annie – 22nd February

Went ga ga for La La Land in the cinema? Get your musical fix with John Huston’s 1982 adaptation of the Broadway show, based on Little Orphan Annie.

Legend Quest (Las Leyendas): Season 1 – 24th February

Netflix’s first Latin American animated series is based on a successful trilogy of children’s films from the Mexican animation studio, Ánima Estudios. Set in the 1800s, this whimsical adventure centres on Leo San Juan, a reluctant but heroic teenage boy with the ability to communicate with ghosts and monsters. One day, Leo’s home town vanishes into another dimension, prompting Leo to join forces with a phantasmagorical group of misfits in order to defeat Quetzalcoatl, an inter-dimensional entity who has sought to conquer the universe for centuries.

I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore – 24th February

The directorial debut of Macon Blair, a face that will be familiar to anyone who has seen Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room or Blue Ruin, follows a nurse experiencing an existential crisis. Melanie Lynskey stars as nursing assistant Ruth, who finds her despair replaced by a renewed sense of purpose, after her house is burgled and she decides to track down the thieves. Accompanied by her martial-arts-enthusiast neighbour Tony (Elijah Wood), they soon find themselves dangerously out of their depth against a pack of degenerate criminals.

Ultimate Beastmaster – 24th February

A global series hosted by international stars, featuring elite contestants taking on one of the most gruelling obstacle courses ever. Think Gladiators. If Gladiators was invented by Sly Stallone. Yes, really.

 

Other new releases coming soon to Netflix UK in February 2017:

1st February
Sun Belt Express
Paris Is Burning
Tickling Giants
Under Arrest: Season 4
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree
Bitten: Season 1
Les Beaux Malaises: Season 1 to 4
The Hunt: Season 1
Intersection: Season 1
The Submarine Kid
Haraamkhor
Into the Drink
Conmen Case Files
Life Me Up
Dreamland
The Eccentrics: Season 1
Hija Unica
La Ultima Fiesta
Happy New Year
Gun Runners
Chauthi Koot
I Am Sun Mu
Extreme Animal Attacks
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Cyber Attacks
Dilwale
Maroon
Extreme Adventure Emergencies
Shopkins: Season 1
The Kindness Diaries: Season 1
Highly Strung
Mother with a Gun

2nd February
Beastly

3rd February
Heartland: Season 7
Riverdale: Episode 2

4th February
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Season 2, Episode 13
Daniel Sosa: Sosafado
Silver Spoon: Season 1
The Karma Killings

5th February
Garfield’s Pet Force
Star Men
Naga The Eternal Yogi
Elvira I Will Give You My Life
Shopkins: Season 1

7th February
Michael Bolton’s Big, Sexy Valentine’s Day Special
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments: Episode 6
Copenhagen

9th February
Tokio
Heart of a Lion
Baires

10th February
Riverdale: Episode 3
Grillo vs Grillo
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Hitler – A Career
Bajo el Mismo Cielo

12th February
People Just Do Nothing: Season 2

13th February
Magicians: Life in the Impossible

14th February
After Earth
Project MC2 Valentine’s Day Special (Netflix Original)
White Nights (Netflix Original)
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments: Episode 7
Me and the Alien

15th February
Aram, Aram
The Smurfs 2
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Demonic
Nightmare High: Season 1
Desperate Hours: Season 1
Spark
Colors of Heaven
Close Quarter Battle
Robo-Dog
Freight
The Nymphets
The Fury of a Patient Man
The Memory of Water
Pioneers of African-American Cinema: Season 1
The Ex
Talking Tom and Friends: Season 1
A Tiger’s Tail
The Hatching
Edge of Darkness

16th February
Cuckoo: Season 3
Twelve O’Clock High
Operator
Typer Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection
Break Up Club
Drive

17th February
Riverdale: Episode 4
Kill Ratio
Building Jerusalem
Nazi Vengeance
Very Good Girls
Killer Mermaid
A Funny Kind of Love
God’s Not Dead 2
Rocky Handsome
INDIA (TE3N)
Kill Speed
Q

18th February
NatureVision TV: Collection 2
Fall of an Empire
Love for Ten: Generation of Youth
Reign: Season 4, Episode 2

20th February
Fifty Shades of Grey
Divergent
Mirzya

21st February
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments: Episode 8
Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark

22nd February
The Good Lie

23rd February
The Bank Job
Blackhat
Wreck Trek
The Lovers and the Despot
The Reconquest
King Cobra
Love Me As I Am: Season 1 to 3
Last Girl Standing

24th February
Death at a Funeral (2007)
Veggietales in the City: Season 1
Riverdale: Episode 5
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Sharkwater
Sinister 2

25th February
Reign: Season 4, Episode 3
The Sound of Your Heart
The Mind of a Chef: Season 4
Operações Especiais

26th February
Jonas
Sin Senos sí Hay Paraíso

27th February
Brazilian Western
Taken 3
Force 2

28th February
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments: Episode 9
1000 Ways to Die: Season 3 and 4
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: Season 7 and 8
Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes
Fear Thy Neighbour: Season 1 and 2
Project Runway: Season 7 and 8
Be Here Now
People You May Know

TBC
Tickling Giants
Drag Me to Hell
Saw: The Final Chapter
Halo Legends
Good Luck Chuck
Ultimate Avengers: The Movie
Bitten: Season 2 and 3
100 Meters

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