Netflix Instant View is a wonderful invention, rivaled only by running water and food for the title of “Top College Necessity.” The service offers a near-endless catalog of entertainment, and while you absolutely should be using it to catch up on “Mad Men” before the season five premiere, here are a few gems you may have overlooked: 

“No One Knows About Persian Cats”

The fact that this movie is an Iranian documentary-style film may initially turn you away, but bear with me. This present-day account of two indie rockers attempting to assemble a band and escape their nation’s oppressive regime is endlessly accessible and engrossing. Though the movie is indeed a stark portrait of a country where most music is illegal and poverty and violence run rampant, it is more than that. “No One Knows About Persian Cats” perfectly articulates what we love about music: the jubilant spirit of simple sound. 

“The Larry Sanders Show”

Do you love “30 Rock” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm?” Do you tolerate the existence of “Entourage?” If your answer to any of these questions was yes, then you owe a debt of gratitude to “The Larry Sanders Show.” This riotous look behind the scenes of a late-night talk show is six seasons of rich belly laughs and sharp celebrity lampooning.

“Mystery Team”

 

Actor-rapper-comedian Donald “I’m-Awesome-At-Everything” Glover teamed up with DC Pierson and Dominic Dierkes, his partners in crime from Internet sketch troupe Derrick Comedy, to make this hilarious film about three man-boy sleuths who stumble upon a dangerous underground crime ring. “Team” won this writer over with the following line of dialogue: “Haha! Well, it looks like we have a long night of doing cocaine ahead of us!”