Netflix Recommendations

The Office: Season 1

Based on Ricky Gervais's hit BBC sitcom by the same name, this droll American remake stars Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the deluded general manager of the Pennsylvania-based Dunder Mifflin paper company. A biting satire that skewers office life with devious relish, "The Office" co-stars Jenna Fischer as receptionist Pam, John Krasinski as the lustful Jim, Rainn Wilson as know-it-all Dwight and B.J. Novak as Ryan, "the Temp."

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne's poignant tribute to his murdered childhood friend, Andrew Bagby, tells the story of a child custody battle between the baby's grieving grandparents and Shirley Turner, Bagby's pregnant ex-girlfriend and suspected killer. Initially, Kuenne made this documentary as a memorial for Andrew's loved ones, but it morphs into an emotional legal odyssey when Turner goes free on bail and is allowed to raise her son.

Planet Earth: The Complete Collection

Narrated by David Attenborough, this Emmy-winning series transports nature lovers from the Himalayan Mountains to the depths of the ocean and everywhere in between, exploring the planet's most fascinating wildlife and challenging environments. Bioluminescent squid, vibrant birds of paradise and the nearly extinct Siberian Amur leopards are just a few of the captivating creatures featured in this collection of exquisitely shot episodes.

Gone with the Wind

Margaret Mitchell's sweeping Civil War saga remains one of the greatest examples of cinematic storytelling. Vivien Leigh's tempestuous Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable's handsome rogue Rhett Butler bicker and battle from antebellum plantations to the streets of postwar Atlanta. This special collector's edition features a beautifully restored print and many extras.

The War: A Ken Burns Film

Documentarians Ken Burns and Lynn Novick bring the harrowing history of World War II to life through the personal accounts of a handful of participants from four "typical" American towns -- proving nothing was typical during this terrible time. Historical footage and photographs combine with realistic sound effects to create visceral scenes of the battles at Omaha Beach, Guadalcanal, Okinawa and more in this seven-part PBS presentation.

Rome: Season 1

Follow the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers -- Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo (Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson) -- and their families amid the rise and fall of the Roman republic and the creation of an empire. The fates of Pullo and Vorenus become entwined with those of Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and the young Octavian, a strange and awkward child who, by political guile and force, is destined to become the first emperor of Rome.

Breaking Bad: Season 1

Diagnosed with cancer and given only two years left to live, high school chemistry teacher Walter (Emmy winner Bryan Cranston) attempts to secure his family's financial future by teaming up with his former student, Jesse (Aaron Paul), to produce and distribute the illegal drug meth. As Walter slowly builds his empire, his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), grows suspicious of his erratic behavior, and the DEA starts searching for the area's new drug kingpin.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Seasons 1 & 2

A group of dishonest and self-absorbed friends -- Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and his sister, Dee (Kaitlin Olson) -- run a downtown Philadelphia Irish bar, where fresh, sharp-edged comedy is served up and proscribed topics like racism and gun control are thrown down. Situations created by everyone's judgemental behavior usually go from uncomfortable to hysterically horrible. Danny DeVito also stars.

Scrubs: Season 1

This show gleefully departs from the usual medical dramas, instead mining the laughs that come with interning at a busy and bizarre hospital. From the first day onward, J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff) and his classmates, the surgery-obsessed Chris Turk (Donald Faison) and smart-and-sassy Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke), discover that becoming a doctor requires tons of patience, clarity and a sense of humor in this first season of the hit series.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Lovable schlemiel Charlie Brown searches for Christmas' true meaning in this animated holiday classic. Charlie directs a Christmas pageant, buys a stunted tree and learns that the yuletide means more than just presents and tinsel. All of Charles Schulz's familiar "Peanuts" characters are here -- from Snoopy and Lucy to Schroeder, Linus and Pig-Pen. Great score by Vince Guaraldi.

Long Way Round

A sort of The Motorcycle Diaries for the Hollywood set, this documentary miniseries chronicles the cross-continental adventures of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they set out on their BMW bikes to travel round the world. Embarking from London and arriving 115 exhausting days later in New York, the duo tackles 20,000 miles of tough terrain, explores offbeat destinations and takes in colorful local culture.

Life on Mars: Series 1

The worlds of science fiction and police drama collide in this gritty British series that stars John Simm as Sam Tyler, a 21st-century Manchester detective who wakes up in 1973 after a hit-and-run car accident knocks him unconscious. While Tyler contends with unethical colleagues and the corrupt culture of 1970s police work, he struggles to determine if he's insane, in a coma -- or if he's truly traveled back in time.

Generation Kill

A platoon of young but highly trained Marines leads the charge of American forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq in this gritty, Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries that highlights the challenges soldiers face on the front lines. Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, Stark Sands and Jon Huertas head the cast in this realistic portrayal of war in the Middle East, based on a nonfiction book by Rolling Stone scribe Evan Wright.

The Sopranos: Season 1

Modern-day New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) brings an element of humanity to the "family" in this Emmy Award-winning series from HBO, as Tony turns to a psychiatrist (Lorraine Bracco) to come to terms with the effect of his job's brutality on his life. As the Feds crack down and the tension within the organization rises, Tony's wife (Edie Falco) and two kids have expectations of leading a normal life.

The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition

Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden (Bob Gunton). During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman) -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

A History of Britain

This fascinating documentary discards timelines and tiresome lineages for a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse England's past. Hosted by noted historian Simon Schama, the series travels from India to Ireland, and from the Norman Invasion to the American Revolution, spotlighting the epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island at the edge of the world into the greatest empire on earth.

When We Left Earth

Follow the 20th century's space race all the way to the moon -- and beyond -- in this incredible, comprehensive six-part documentary series narrated by Gary Sinise. Chronicling America's space program from the early days of the Mercury project to the era of the space shuttle, the sensational series features eye-popping footage from a host of various missions, plus in-depth interviews with NASA astronauts and engineers.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

When he's not busy breaking the law or trying to get close to his secret crush, Penny (Felicia Day), supervillain wannabe Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) boasts about his exploits via his Internet video blog and dreams of defeating his nemesis, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion). Conceived during the 2008 Hollywood writers' strike, Joss Whedon's quirky musical comedy originally debuted as an online miniseries.

From the Earth to the Moon: The Signature Edition

This 12-hour HBO miniseries created by Tom Hanks garnered 17 Emmy nominations and captivated audiences. From the early stages of the space program and Kennedy's 1961 call to reach the moon within a decade to the successes and heartbreaking failures of the race for space, the dream was kept alive by dedicated, daring professionals and a nation intent on reaching for -- and landing amid -- the stars, all while the world faced the Vietnam War.

Finding Nemo (Widescreen)

Pixar has created another amazing computer-animated adventure, this time heading underwater as two plucky fish, Marlin and Dory (voiced by Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres), search high and low for Marlin's missing son, Nemo (Alexander Gould). In addition to the other beloved ocean-dwelling characters in this box office recordbreaker, this widescreen version includes deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, "The Art of Nemo" featurette and more.

Long Way Down

Together again, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman make another outrageous excursion in this Fox Reality Channel follow-up to the actors' first trip, which was documented in the series "Long Way Round." Kicking off their travels in the Scottish village of John o' Groats, the pair eventually make their way to Cape Town, South Africa, journeying through Europe and Africa to reach their final destination.

Absolutely Fabulous: White Box

Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) are up to their usual high-spirited antics in this special based on the hit British television series. Edina decides to remodel her kitchen, and she knows she's seen the style she's looking for -- but it may have been in a past life. Now, she just might have to undergo regression therapy to get the information she wants. Laurie Metcalf appears as Edina's psychic adviser; Nathan Lane guest stars.

Life: Season 1

After spending years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, Detective Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) returns to the police force determined to prove himself to wary co-workers, especially his distrustful new partner, Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi). Crews finds it hard to readjust to the law enforcement world but also discovers that his years away have changed his perspective, helping him notice minor details needed to solve crimes.

The Universe: Season 1

Travel through the galaxies and explore extraterrestrial phenomenon with this sweeping examination of the universe from The History Channel, which uses state-of-the-art computer technology to take viewers up close to distant planets and stars. Topics include black holes, comets, alien galaxies, star deaths, the moon, the interior of the sun and much more. All 13 episodes from the first season are included, plus the bonus episode "Beyond the Big Bang."

The X-Files: Season 1

The truth is out there ... and the search begins as FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) team up to solve mysterious cases involving the paranormal. From investigations of aliens among us to their own personal demons, the first season of this multiple Emmy Award-winning sci-fi series from Chris Carter shows how it all began.