Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Netflix released Broken, a documentary series made up of four stand-alone, investigative films. Each episode explores the manufacturing processes and cultural forces behind the demand for four landmark products: counterfeit makeup, e-cigarettes, cheap furniture, and plastic. If you're interested in learning how to be a smarter consumer, the time is now! If you're looking to have your mind blown by the all-powerful influences of globalism, consumer culture, brand desire, and mass production, watch all four episodes of the series. Each episode of Broken runs for about an hour, with topics given ample time and space to be assessed from all angles. The docu-series offers a diverse set of perspectives, including voices that contribute to the harm caused by the aforementioned products, such as lawyers representing the plastics industry, counterfeit makeup vendors, and representatives from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. While painting a fuller picture of the issues at hand, these voices bolster the series' message: There's an urgent need for change when it comes to the regulation of harmful products and manufacturing practices. Broken conveys that adequate safety regulations, policies, and bans must be passed to control the harmful impact of poorly produced merchandise – if not for our sake, then for that of future generations. Such a powerful message from a Netflix original, releases that explain the underbellies of American systems – such as manufacturing in Broken and other Netflix originals – are triumphant in comprehensively informing the viewing public at a time when the news seems to run a mile a minute.

Very informative, definitely a stream!