UPDATE: The popular crime series Sons of Anarchy has been added to our list of the best shows on Netflix Australia — Find out more about it in the Drama / Crime section on page 6!

Since its arrival on Australian shores, we’ve enjoyed unfettered access to all of Netflix’s critically-lauded original shows. Not only that, users also have access to a wealth of other licensed material.

If you’re like us, you spend a good deal of your time Netflixing. Sure, Netflix also streams movies, but its television output is perhaps the reason most people have signed up for an account. There’s nothing quite like firing up Netflix and binge-watching a series at your own pace. Getting instant access to entire seasons of Stranger Things from day one is half the appeal.

This is why we’ve created the TechRadar guide to the best shows on Netflix Australia right now (in no particular order). We’ll keep this best TV show list constantly updated with the latest television shows that you should be watching on Netflix in Australia and also tell you why.

The best new shows on Netflix Australia

Of course, the list includes Netflix Australia classics like Stranger Things, House of Cards, Making a Murderer, Black Mirror, Narcos and BoJack Horseman, but there’s so much more to binge on the service than the well-known titles. 

We’ve selected more than 60 great series worth watching over the following pages, but if you’ve watched ’em all already you can also find out what’s new on Netflix this month right here, or cut to the chase with our quick picks for the top trending shows on Netflix right now.

The following list charts the best shows that are currently trending right now on Netflix Australia. For our complete list of shows, which has been separated into genre, continue on to the next page or select your preferred genre from the drop-down list above!

1. The Staircase

A harrowing true crime series that’s as binge-worthy as Making A Murderer (but was actually released long before it), The Staircase follows the real-life murder trial of noted author Michael Peterson for the mysterious death of his second wife Kathleen, who violently lost her life at the bottom of the family home’s staircase. While the accused vehemently protests his innocence and (most of) his family stands by him, it isn’t the first staircase-based death of a loved one that’s taken place in his orbit. Though it appears to be an open and shut case at first, various factors surrounding this second death seem to defy explanation. Was it an accident or was it murder? We promise that your opinion on the matter will flip frequently throughout the original eight-part series, and will continue to do so in the three brand new episodes accompanying it on Netflix.  

Seasons on Netflix: 1

2. Anthony Bourdain: The Layover

Following his sudden and tragic death, now might be the perfect time to revisit Anthony Bourdain’s charming series The Layover, which is the only Bourdain show available to stream on Australian Netflix. They say that chefs are like the new rock stars of our time, and if that’s the case, the lovably-outspoken celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain was the culinary equivalent of Iggy Pop and Henry Rollins rolled into one charming yet thoughtful dish. In his show The Layover, Bourdain roamed the globe in search of mouth-watering meals and cool sights to see, although unlike most other travel/food programs, Bourdain spends an equal amount of time exploring communities and meeting the locals. Lighter and breezier than his other shows, No Reservations and Parts Unknown, The Layover finds Bourdain pointing out cool things to do in a city when you only have a day or so to explore. Funny, eye-opening and extremely entertaining, Anthony Bourdain: The Layover is a must-watch show for foodies and globetrotters alike. 

Seasons on Netflix: 1

3. Queer Eye

Queer Eye is back! Taking over from where the original Fab Five left off, the new team has been put together with the same ultimate mission: to remodel individuals into the best possible version of themselves, whether it be their wardrobe, living arrangements, grooming, diet or even their confidence. We know, makeover shows are usually pretty lame, but this one is fantastic in the way that the guys really get to the emotional heart of each subject they undertake. Often, there’s a reason these men (and for the first time, a woman) have let themselves go or have put up defensive walls against the outside world. Because the Fab Five really seem to care about them, it becomes incredibly rewarding to watch them go from unhappy to full of life. Chances are you’ll cry at least once per episode. 

Seasons on Netflix: 2

4. Marvel’s Luke Cage

Netflix has been killing it with its Marvel shows so far, having already launched a number of top-tier shows including Daredevil and Jessica Jones. With Luke Cage, we got a new kind of hero — one who’s proud to use to his powers in an effort to represent and protect his community. If you’ve watched Jessica Jones, you’ll already be familiar with this literally unbreakable character, as he played a pivotal role in that show’s first season. HIs own series, however, picks up some time after that, with Cage relocating from Hell’s Kitchen to Harlem, and finding himself coming to blows with local gangsters. And, now that Luke Cage’s second season has arrived on Netflix, it’s time for Harlem’s hero to once again re-enter our list of trending shows. Expect plenty of intense action with a real hip-hop flair. 

Series on Netflix: 2

5. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Someone escaping from a Domesday cult shouldn’t be a recipe for comedy but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt manages to squeeze the funny out of this premise. Created by Tina Fey and starring Ellie Kemper as the title character, the show sparkles with wit and lands on the right side of kooky. Best of all, the first half of the show’s 4th (and unfortunately final) season has just landed and is fizzing with the same energy of the three seasons (we especially love the ‘Making a Murderer’ parody episode). If you’re a fan of shows like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock, you’re pretty much guaranteed to love Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Seasons on Netflix: 4

6. The Alienist

Set at the turn of the 20th century, The Alienist finds New York City gripped by the heinous serial murders of young male prostitutes. With the city in a panic, police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) appoints a team to track and apprehend the killer. This includes the unorthodox criminal psychologist, Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl), New York Times illustrator John Moore (Luke Evans) and aspiring detective Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning). A harrowing mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat, The Alienist is a grisly crime thriller in the vein of Mindhunter and From Hell. 

Seasons on Netflix: 1

7. Lost in Space

Based on the classic 1960s television series (and rather forgettable 1990s film) of the same name, Lost in Space is the latest show to get its own Netflix makeover. The space colonist family Robinson has found itself stranded on a mysterious planet once again, and it’s up to them to find a way off that rock and back on course to its actual destination. Darker and more serious in tone than the original series, the new Lost in Space still offers the same sense of wonder, albeit with a new emphasis on survival in a harsh new realm. Visually spectacular.

Seasons on Netflix: 1

8. Wild Wild Country

This six-part documentary series tells the almost-unbelievable story of a utopian cult that was founded by a charismatic Indian guru and went on to build its own city in the Oregon desert. Told using news stories and archival footage from the city’s heyday in combination with present-day interviews with those who were there, the slowly-escalating series jumps from free love to stoushes between cult members and local Oregonians and culminates in attempted assassinations, legal battles, bombings and mass poisonings. It’ll leave you wondering who’s really in the right — and pondering what rules people are willing to break as they attempt to hold on to power. Wild Wild Country is one wild, wild ride.

Seasons on Netflix: 1

9. Santa Clarita Diet

Like a cross between Modern Family and The Walking Dead (with a spattering of Dexter thrown in for good measure), Santa Clarita Diet is a hilariously gory Netflix Original series that sees suburban mum Sheila (Drew Barrymore) suddenly acquire an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Though shocked at first, Sheila’s loyal husband Joel (Timothy Olyphant) and daughter Abby (Liv Hewson) are determined to keep this family together, even if it means covering up a number of murders…

Seasons on Netflix: 2

10. Riverdale

Set aside any pre-conceived notions that you might have about a ‘sexy Archie’ series and get ready for one of the most addictive new shows of the year with Riverdale. First things first — this ain’t your grandpappy’s Archie show. A modern day re-imagining of the beloved comics franchise that has spanned almost eight decades, this Twin Peaks-inspired version of Riverdale is fraught with murder, deception and small town scandal. Famous characters like Jughead, Veronica, Betty and even Josie and the Pussycats are all present and accounted for, only with a decidedly millennial twist. The question on everybody’s lips: Who killed star quarterback (and most popular kid in school) Jason Blossom? With new episodes fast-tracked from the US every Thursday, your only problem will the seven day wait between episodes. 

Seasons on Netflix: 2

Want to know more about Netflix’s take on binging? Watch our very own Jon Porter live on the couch discussing his time at Netflix HQ!

http://www.techradar.com/news/best-shows-on-netflix-australia

Introduced back in 2014, the Fire TV Stick is Amazon’s rival to Chromecast and Roku. The device plugs into an HDMI port to allow any TV to stream content over a Wi-Fi network, effectively turning the set into a very well-featured smart TV.

However, much of that content is geo-locked, meaning it’s only available from a certain country or region due to the likes of content licensing agreements and broadcast rights. Of course, one way you can get round such content blocking is by using one of the best VPNs.

Top five VPNs for Amazon’s Fire TV in 2018

1. ExpressVPN

Number of servers: 2000 | Server locations: 148 | IP addresses: 30,000 | Maximum devices supported: 3

ExpressVPN is our top pick for the best all-round VPN, and specifically for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. With 2000 servers in close to 100 countries, this British Virgin Islands-based provider offers a lot of connection choices. In our testing, we found speeds were fractionally lower than our normal rates on shorter hops, with little change in long-distance connections.

ExpressVPN is known for its quality apps which include a brand new Android app that works well with Android-based streaming devices (like Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick), and it can be navigated with the remote control. When you fire it up, the app immediately recommends the location that gives you the best connection speed.

ExpressVPN offers an excellent level of technical support, including lots of troubleshooting guides and 24/7 live chat support, plus you can also get in touch via email if that’s more convenient.

The Android app uses the OpenVPN protocol, encrypting all traffic with 256-bit encryption. The privacy policy clearly explains that the company doesn’t collect or log traffic data, connection IPs, or browsing activity from individual users, a huge plus for Kodi users. In our testing, we confirmed that ExpressVPN unblocks Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and a wide range of streaming services. ExpressVPN also provides Fire TV-compatible MediaStreamer DNS services, for those who wish to unblock content even when not connected to the VPN.

Price plans aren’t the cheapest, but may be worth the added cost for the best possible streaming experience on Fire TV / Fire TV Stick. The pricing is somewhat mitigated by ExpressVPN’s ‘no hassle’ money-back guarantee which allows you to try the full service for up to 30 days, with no sneaky small print restrictions on bandwidth or similar. That certainly comes in handy as there’s no free plan or trial. The yearly plan offers the best bang for your buck (with three months thrown in for free). The packages available are:

2. IPVanish

Number of servers: 1000+ | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: 40000+ | Maximum devices supported: 10

IPVanish certainly delivers on the performance front, over both short hops and long-distance connections, with the former being up to five times quicker than some rivals, and the latter showing a commendable average increase of 15% in download speeds. There are plenty of servers to choose from, with impressive global coverage.

There’s also a dedicated Fire TV app that is easy to setup and use. It has some handy options like automatic IP switching and fastest server optimisation, although note that it doesn’t support the first-generation Fire Stick. IPVanish doesn’t log any traffic or connection data when you use the service.

One downside worth mentioning is that when we tested out the firm’s customer support, we found it sluggish to respond, which obviously isn’t ideal if you do run into a problem.

There is no free trial, but the three plans on offer do come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. Your best bet is the yearly subscription which is the most affordable option. The packages available are:

3. VyprVPN

Number of servers: 700+ | Server locations: 70+ | IP addresses: 200,000+ | Maximum devices supported: 3-5

[Save 40%] Until July 31, 2018, get 40% off VyprVPN’s annual  plans, just in time to boost up your coverage of the 2018 World Cup in  Russia. VyprVPN is a fast, highly secure VPN without third-parties, all  for as little as $36.00 for the first year. Get VyprVPN here.  

This VPN is blazingly fast and delivered more than twice our normal download rates, which will be pure streaming heaven for users watching 4K content (or HD, for that matter). The server count is very impressive as well, with more than 700 servers in 70+ locations around the globe.

VyprVPN has its own Fire TV app, available in the APK format or directly through the Amazon Store. The app offers lots of speed optimisation options and will automatically connect to the fastest server available, also providing you with upload and download speed graphs, a ping test and so on.

OpenVPN and Chameleon protocols are used here, with the latter being VyprVPN’s proprietary solution that’s designed to avoid deep packet inspection, and your VPN connection being detected and throttled or blocked (note that this is only available on the Premium plan).

The provider also has its own DNS solution, and maintains a ‘no logs’ policy, although that said, some session logging does take place, such as connection times and IPs – which might not be ideal for everyone.

You can test the service with a free 3-day trial – and it’s a good idea to exercise that right, as VyprVPN doesn’t allow refunds after you’ve signed up. When it comes to subscription plans, the best all-round choice is the Premium plan billed annually, because this comes with all the advanced features on offer – and monthly billing is expensive (for either plan). The packages available are:

4. NordVPN

Number of servers: 4678 | Server locations: 62 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 6

In our testing, NordVPN delivered very good performance, with impressive speeds on short connections, and some very serviceable results with longer distances. There are plenty of servers to choose from, too. The provider offers tutorials on how to set up your router with a VPN or share the VPN connection from your PC in order to use the service with the Fire Stick. Since recently, there is also a dedicated Android TV app that you can download from Amazon Appstore and use it with your Fire TV.

NordVPN excels on the security front, offering double data encryption (where your connection gets passed through two separate VPN servers), along with support for all the major security protocols. On top of that, the firm has a ‘no logs’ policy, which is always good to see.

There’s a free trial but you’d never know about it unless you dig around on the website. Out of the four available price plans (all of which have a 30-day money-back guarantee), the monthly plan is very expensive, but the three-year subscription is a fantastic deal. The packages available are:

5. Buffered VPN

Number of servers: N/A | Server locations: 44 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5

This Hungarian-based provider offers impressive performance levels, with five simultaneous connections supported. In our review, we encountered an issue where a website wouldn’t load due to the VPN – and this might well be a one-off, but it’s still something to note. Buffered has 44 server locations and while that number isn’t as big as some other VPNs, they are all major locations so it shouldn’t make a huge difference.

The network has a detailed tutorial on how to set up Amazon’s Fire Stick so there shouldn’t be any problems on that front. If any occur, there is an extensive FAQ and live chat support to help you troubleshoot. This VPN makes it clear that it doesn’t log any online activity, so your privacy will be well protected.

One of this provider’s strong points is a generous 30-day refund policy that’s valid for up to 10 hours of usage time, 100 sessions or 10GB of bandwidth – whichever comes first.

The refund policy is especially useful considering that Buffered VPN is far from cheap. Even the yearly subscription is pricier than many, but it’s the most affordable option here (as ever). The packages available are:

How to choose the best VPN service for Amazon’s Fire TV Stick

Obviously, performance is always important for streaming, so you want a VPN provider that offers fast and reliable connections. A plentiful server count is helpful for finding a swift server – the more options you have, the better – and it’s also good to have a lightweight app which won’t affect performance levels, too.

You won’t always find a dedicated app for the Fire TV Stick, though, and it’s obviously a bonus when you do, because it means you can avoid having to set things up manually. Support for Kodi add-ons is also a boon.

http://www.techradar.com/news/best-vpn-for-fire-tv-stick-our-5-top-choices

Xbox is headed to Cologne, Germany for next month’s Gamescom gathering, and it will reveal all-new bundles and accessories at the show, according to a blog post by Microsoft’s Major Nelson. 

An earlier version of the blog post noted there would be “all-new Xbox hardware” shown during a special episode of Inside Xbox, however the blog has since been edited to read “new Xbox One bundles and accessories,” with no mention of new hardware. 

So, now we know for sure that it’s unlikely the Xbox Two will be revealed, considering Microsoft redacted its “all-new Xbox hardware” line. 

Instead, we should expect new Xbox bundles featuring games, consoles and controllers, hopefully at attractive prices. 

Plus, we’ll see brand-new accessories, which could include the rumored new Xbox Elite 2 controller. The upgraded controller, first spotted in leaks in January, could have rubberized grips on the front, new indicator lights, USB-C, Bluetooth connection, adjustable tension in the thumbsticks, and a charging port similar to those found on Apple MacBooks. 

Stay tuned as we bring you the latest from the August edition of Inside Xbox, plus all the other gaming news from Gamescom 2018. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/new-xbox-bundles-and-accessories-are-coming-to-gamescom-next-month