

Netflix
‘Dash and Lily’ Is the Series You Need to Watch for a Sprinkle of Holiday Romance
Everywhere you look, there’s a holiday rom-com looking to fill your free-time during the holiday season.
And while there’s nothing wrong with indulging in some Hallmark and Lifetime movie magic – the predictable storylines offer a sense of warmth and comfort – if you’re hoping to break the mold and escape the “cheesiness factor,” there’s nothing better than Netflix’s heartfelt Dash and Lily.
The limited-series “romantic comedy” is based on the young adult book series of the same name, and was released in early November as part of the streamer’s early holiday rollout.
I initially skipped over it because I wasn’t ready to embrace the Christmas spirit before the Thanksgiving turkey was plopped into the oven, but as the weather became cooler and holidays drew nearer, I caved and found that it’s a whimsical and authentic story of finding love amidst the holiday rush.

DASH AND LILY (L to R) AUSTIN ABRAMS as DASH and MIDORI FRANCIS as LILY in episode 108 of DASH AND LILY Cr. ALISON COHEN ROSA/NETFLIX © 2020
There’s an innocence about the series that evokes feelings of endless possibilities – anything can happen if you just believe in the magic of Christmas.
But it isn’t as unrealistic as all the other rom-coms. The series trades in the small-town love story for New York’s festive backdrop and the overworked, grinchy adults for two teens looking for that fairytale romance… or at least someone who understands and accepts them.
The series doesn’t sugarcoat the reality that the holidays can definitely be lonely, and its titular stars are just two lost souls looking for their “other half.” It’s a realistic portrayal of two young adults who haven’t quite figured out life yet but have definitely been kicked down by it.
While Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) may initially seem like your typical nerdy girl meets popular and brooding boy at first, but there’s nothing cliche about them; there’s more depth to these two that’s uncovered in the eight episode run, which interestingly enough offers both of their points of view.
What Was the Most-Watched Movie in December? It Wasn’t a Holiday Classic, Survey Finds
Lily is a shy romantic who has had trouble fitting in and making friends because she’s “different,” while Dash is a cynical, self-proclaimed loner recovering from a breakup who is spending the holidays apart from his divorced parents. These characteristics could easily make them both insufferable, but instead, they straddle the line between awkward and genuine, which makes them and their experiences relatable to audience of all ages. In fact, it’s a welcome change to have the female protagonist as a girl who embraces her quirky and unique nature rather than one who conforms to societies standards.
Parts of the storyline may be predictable, but making this a series rather than a film allows Dash and Lily’s world to build on itself.
The duration of the series is perfect because it isn’t unnecessarily dragged out and yet provides just enough time to establish the characters and the connection they form via a notebook left behind at a bookstore. Even the supporting characters are fleshed out, have their own storylines that fit snuggly amidst the overall plot, and contribute to the action in some unexpected ways. Not only is the audience invested in what happens between Dash and Lily, but so are their friends and family members!

DASH AND LILY (L to R) MIDORI FRANCIS as LILY and AUSTIN ABRAMS as DASH in episode 107 of DASH AND LILY Cr. ALISON COHEN ROSA/NETFLIX © 2020
The plot builds on Lily’s challenge to the person who finds the notebook. Dash is up for the challenge and the duo begin a “pen pal” relationship in which they share dreams, desires, and dares passing the book back-and-forth to each other.
The goal of the series is to prove that it’s possible to fall in love with someone simply by establishing a genuine connection.
Of course, some tension is necessary and meeting in person proves to be a bit more difficult as the two wonder if the spark they have on paper might not carry over into real life.
Their insecurities get the best of them – which again is relatable no matter your age – and things get in the way of true love, as they always do, but eventually, love prevails.
As Macy’s and other retailers aim to sell you items you don’t need during the holiday season, the series aims to sell you an uplifting story of heartbreak and love with a dash (pun-intended) of tinsel. And unlike all those other purchases, this is one you won’t regret making… or watching.
Berlin
‘Berlin’ Is the ‘Money Heist’ Spinoff We Never Knew We Needed

Berlin is the Money Heist spinoff we never knew we needed… but we’re so glad it’s almost here.
Since Berlin (Pedro González Alonso) was hands-down the most captivating (and problematic) character in the Spanish heist drama, fans always wanted to get to know more of him, especially after he sacrificed himself in the season 1 finale for his team, largely due to his terminal illness, redeeming himself in the process.
Quickly rising the ranks as a fan-favorite, the writers kept Berlin’s spirit alive in the following seasons via flashbacks, noting that he always had a hand in the planning of the heists, even if he wasn’t around to see them through. And it became more and more clear that there was an unsatiable thirst from audiences to explore additional parts of the character’s origin story; thus, a prequel to Money Heist focusing solely on Berlin’s prior escapades only made sense.
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As seen in the later season of Money Heist, or La Casa de Papel, Berlin garnered even more intrigue when his son, Rafael (Patrick Criado) joined the heist. The former Electronics Engineer from MIT is Berlin’s prodigal son, whose only request was not to end up a thief like his father, also drew attention after entering a relationship with his father’s wife, Tatiana. It’s a lot to unpack, clearly, but it’s also proof that there was nothing boring or mediocre about Berlin’s life in the slightest, at any point.
So, again, it warrants a spinoff that digs even deeper into this complex, charismatic, and morally questionable character we’ve all come to love.
When he joined the Professor’s group in the series, he was already one of the most seasoned robbers of the bunch, having a plethora of experience mapping out and executing heists of ranging scales.
With Berlin: Money Heist, we’re not only going to get to see one of those previous heists in action, but we’re also going to get a sense of the man he was before attempting the biggest heist in history, which made him the beloved criminal we’ve come to know.
Capitalizing on the love already established for the series—one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time—the prequel finds Berlin, in all his glory as Andrés de Fonollosa, the mastermind behind a heist targeting the biggest auction house in Paris to steal €44 million.
The series trails the planning of a new heist as he recruits his crew: “Michelle Jenner (Isabel) plays Keila, an eminence in electronic engineering; Tristán Ulloa (Fariña) goes into the skin of Damián, a philanthropic professor and Berlin’s confidant; Begoña Vargas (Welcome to Eden) plays Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge; Julio Peña Fernández (Through My Window) brings to life Roi, Berlin’s faithful squire; and Joel Sánchez plays Bruce, the relentless man of action in the gang.”
While it’s mostly an all-new cast, we’ll see a few familiar faces with Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) and Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituno) appearing at some point, though it’s unclear what their connection is to the storyline. Is it possible that their paths have always crossed and Berlin was always on their radar way prior to the action at the Royal Mint?
We may not be getting the version of Berlin from the original series, but don’t fret, as the teaser trailer evidenced, he’s still as ruthless, dapper, and flirtatious as ever, meaning that they really did this character–and prequel—justice. The fact that it hails from the original showrunner, Alex Pina, is also a sign that it won’t let the fandom down.
“It’s a trip through the golden age of the character, when he robbed around Europe crazy in love,” Pina previously told TUDUM, adding, “That’s the most surprising, the comedy. You’re going to make people laugh a lot.”
Berlin in his prime, in love, and flexing his comedic bone? As the beloved criminal says in the trailer, “it’s all the things worth living for.”
The full synopsis for the series reads:
“There are only two things that are sure to turn a bad day into a great one: love, and a payday worth millions. They’re what keep Berlin going through his golden years, a time when he still has no inkling of his illness and hasn’t gotten trapped like a rat in the Spanish Mint. This is where he starts preparing one of his most extraordinary heists: making jewels worth 44 million disappear like some sort of magic trick. To do it, he’ll enlist the help of one of the three gangs he’s ever stolen with.”
Watch the Berlin trailer below:
Berlin arrives a few days prior to New Year’s Eve on Dec. 29, 2023, which means you’ll have plenty of time to binge watch while counting down to 2024.
To prepare, you can stream Money Heist on Netflix and read our coverage here.
Netflix
Who Is Mel’s Father in ‘Virgin River’?

Virgin River Season 5 concluded with a tiny time jump four months into the future, bringing the timeline into the Christmas holiday season.
Disclaimer — this post includes spoilers from the episode — proceed with caution.
On Virgin River Season 5 Episode 10, as Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson) decorated their cabin in anticipation of Joey’s arrival with the kids for their first-ever Virgin River Christmas, Mel received quite a shocking piece of information.
Her sister informed her that she found a stack of love letters between Mel’s mother and a mystery man in Virgin River that she believed could be Mel’s real father.
And this obviously lends itself to the question—who is the secret admirer?
There aren’t that many elderly men in Virgin River aside from Doc (Tim Matheson), and it would be next-level if he had another secret child in addition to Ryan, Denny’s late father. Though wouldn’t it be funny if Mel thought she just escaped to this random small town only to learn that it wasn’t random at all and she’d been working with her dad this whole time?
Aside from Doc, there’s really only Nick (Keith MacKechnie), Bert (Trevor Lerner), and Charlie (Patrick Keating), that we are familiar with, anyway.
Naturally, there are probably plenty of residents that audiences have never met (and they have to keep us on our toes and think of new directions for the storyline), and it’s possible her dad isn’t even alive anymore.
It would be extremely fitting if it was Lilly’s late husband, Buck, making Mel sisters with Ava, and Tara. Considering her strong bond with that family, her sisterly relationship with Ava, her love baby Chloe, and how drawn she is to that farm, this would be such a sweet twist. Mel always had a soft spot for Lilly as well, so this would be a unique way to keep her memory alive.
Mel’s father will be the major storyline addressed in the two bonus holiday episodes dropping in November, as the trailer revealed Mel starting the search for her biological dad before informing Jack shortly after that they found him, with Preacher noting that he’s “still in Virgin River.”
The way he says it makes it seem like he’s still alive, which limits the possibilities even more. Who do you think it is?
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Either way, Mel actually has roots in this small town that’s always felt like home.
Will There Be a Season 6 of ‘Virgin River’? And If So, When?
Netflix
‘Riverdale’ Season 7 Hits Netflix—Stream It Now

Riverdale’s seventh and final season is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.!
Merely a week after the long-running CW series aired its final episode ever, the streaming giant has added the series in its entirety.
All the episodes are available for fans all over the world to binge-watch on September 1, and going into a long weekend, that gives you plenty of time to catch up on all the shenanigans happening in the Town with Pep.
Many fans weren’t interested in the weekly release model as it wasn’t ideal having to wait for new episodes to drop every week, but having them available all at once on Netflix allows you to catch up with ease.
And if you’ve never seen Riverdale and are curious about all the nutty twists and turns that eventually get all of our characters to—spoiler—the 1950s, well, all seven seasons are on the streamer for your viewing pleasure.
You can rewatch those previous seasons and relive the series in all its glory (including anything you may have missed/forgotten about), or you can just tune in for the final season—it’s up to you!
As mentioned before, the final season hit the reset button of sorts as Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead (Cole Sprouse), and Veronica (Camilla Mendes), along with many of their loved ones and friends, went back in time to 1955 and found themselves reliving their high school days all over again.
Of course, as you rewatch any and all episodes, you can read all our reviews of the series that we’ve covered since its inception in 2017!
Enjoy your Labor Day travels to Riverdale—just remember that before it was redubbed the “Town With Pep” it was known as “Murder Town of the World.” You’ve been warned.
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