As much as I enjoy family and friends, I would take the solitude provided by a dark room and my Netflix account any day. As someone who has truly mastered the art of the Netflix, may I offer a few suggestions?

1. Dowton Abbey: I confess, this one is a PBS Masterpiece Classic. Set in Northern England in 1912, the show focuses on the aristocratic Crawley family as they try to solve the issue of who will inherit their estate. My favorite character is Violet, the Countess of Grantham, who is played by Maggie Smith (famous for playing Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter Series”). Season one is available on Netflix, and season two is currently airing on PBS.
2. Page One: Inside the New York Times: This is a documentary which chronicles the efforts and struggles that go into the making of one issue of the NY Times. The focus on reporter David Carr is what I enjoyed most about the film. Mr. Carr is a native ofMinneapolis and had many clever things to say about the dying newspaper industry.
3. Pushing Daisies: This show was cancelled in 2009, and I cannot figure out why. The show focuses on a pie-maker, Ted, who has the power to bring dead people, animals, plants – whatever you can think of – back to life. Ted has partnered up with a detective agency to solve various murders by talking to the victims themselves. The show explores murder, romance, and uses a humorous dialogue in a colorful world all through quirky cinematography.
4. Harold and Maude: This movie is for anyone with a morbid sense of humor. Harold is a teenager obsessed with death. He drives a hearse and attends funerals in his free time. At one funeral, he meets the eccentric and elderly Maude. Soon a romance develops between the two. Yes, the film is slightly disturbing. Yes, it is also hilarious.
5. Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Think “America’s Next Top Model.” Now replace all those twenty-somethings and their rage issues with drag queens. And there you have “Ru Paul’s Drag Race”! Watch as the “women” suffer through fashion blunders, karaoke battles, and Ru Paul’s punny repartee. Drenched in comedy, the show also does a nice job of addressing many current social issues. Seasons one and two are available on Netflix.