5 Not Safe For Kids (NSFK) shows to enjoy when the children are away

The bell has rung and school is out for the June holidays! (Well, almost.)

What most parents don't realise is that this is also a time for them to kick back and relax.

Why?

Because after months of taking care of your kids and attending to their needs in the name of their scholarly pursuits, you can finally take a breather too.

While you assign a list of fun holiday activities for them to do with friends (or a domestic helper), pour yourself a large glass of wine and unwind with the following NSFK (Not Safe For Kids) shows.

Parents, like any other working adults, deserve a personal wellness day too.

1. BLACK MIRROR SEASON 5 (NETFLIX)

This show is going straight to the top of this list because at the rate we're plying our children with technology, this will probably be a traumatising experience for them.

An anthology series that examines humanity's relationship with technology and explores themes of contemporary techno-paranoia, Black Mirror shockingly subverts our perception of technology with intelligent twists.

From a social credit system (a rating system by the public that affects one's socio-economic status) to weaponised robot dogs that have appeared in past seasons, the show seems to have a knack for predicting the future as well.

While these are rather extreme and dystopian depictions of technology-gone-wrong, it does provide substantial food for thought on whether we might be too over-reliant on our gadgets and devices.

You might want to savour the upcoming season though, because there are only three episodes.

Black Mirror Season 5 premieres on June 5.

2. ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE (NETFLIX)

A romantic comedy, Always Be My Maybe seems innocuous but considering that Chinese-American comedian Ali Wong co-wrote the script, we expect plenty of inappropriate humour.

Ali first burst onto our screens with her stand-up Baby Cobra (in which she performed pregnant) and delivered honest and raunchy insights about being Asian and pregnant with deadlier precision than Hawkeye.

In the film, she stars as celebrity chef Sasha who reunites with her childhood flame Marcus (Randall Park) when she returns home and both start to wonder about the possibility of rekindling their romance.

Sort of like the Asian Sweet Home Alabama and we honestly cannot wait for this.

Based on the trailer, Ali doesn't seem to have disappointed, with plenty of double entendres that she no doubt conjured from the darkest recesses of her mind.

We're also sure she wrote the movie just to share a kiss with Keanu Reeves.

Always Be My Maybe premieres on May 31.

3. BIG LITTLE LIES SEASON 2 (HBO)

The award-winning sleeper hit of 2017 may have started with a murder mystery, however, the series is anything but a typical whodunnit. Most of the drama stems from the tension, secrets and frustration bubbling beneath the glossy veneer of the elites.

The show follows the lives of the very rich, very privileged, and very white folks of Monterey, California; specifically the complex Monterey Five - played by the stellar cast of Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoe Kravitz.

Clearly there's more star power in this cast than the live-action remake of Aladdin.

And, the legendary Meryl Streep will be joining the action in the upcoming season.

Talk about female representation at its finest.

Subversive and darkly comedic, Big Little Lies is an exploration of friendships, marriage, lies, trauma, and parenting all wrapped up in a Tiffany blue bow. 

Big Little Lies Season 2 premieres on HBO and HBO GO on June 10, 9am.

4. THE HANDMAID'S TALE SEASON 3 (HBO)

Based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name, The Handmaid's Tale is a chilling series about the dystopian future set in a totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government.

The show examines the journey of the titular character, Offred (Elisabeth Moss), as she navigates her way through her subjugation in a patriarchal society.

As a woman in this new regime, she has her independence and identity stripped away. As a 'Handmaid', she can only take after the name of her male master and is subjected to child-bearing servitude.

As we live in the lap of luxury - and not necessarily material wealth - it's sometimes easy to take our privilege for granted and this is a stark reminder that, as one critic puts it, progress is neither automatic nor irreversible.

The Handmaid's Tale Season 3 premieres exclusively on HBO GO on June 6.

5. DEREK (TOGGLE)

After a successful run on Code of Law as the serial killer Derek Ho (who quickly became a fan favourite), Desmond Tan reprises his role in the spin-off, Derek.

In this Toggle Original, Derek's backstory is explored through flashbacks told to psychologist Dr Winnie Low (Cheryl Tan) as a team of investigators race to piece together a criminal psychological profile before he is hanged.

Gripping, mystifying and disquieting, Derek dives into the dark and broken psyche of a serial killer and draws out a vulnerable (and almost sympathetic) side to the character.

The show did a decent job at showing what local productions are capable of and would have almost gotten away with it too, had it not fumbled at attempting to address sexist behaviours in our society.

Derek is available on Toggle.

bryanlim@asiaone.com