10 Shows to Binge-Watch
Have you watched all the shows everyone is raving about? The Tiger Kings, the Schitt’s Creeks, the Love is Blinds? Are you looking for fresh binge material to help you while away the isolation hours? SAME. But never fear. I decided to compile a list of amazing shows for your binge-watching pleasure.
Penny Dreadful - 3 seasons
There are a few shows that I mourn even years after they are no longer on the air. Penny Dreadful would be at the top of that list. This show was three seasons of perfection. Eva Green is a revelation in it. I was a nominal fan before this show but her performance as Vanessa Ives is one of the best performances I have seen - and it still holds up years later. I won’t go too deep into the details of the story lines themselves - I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But the shows holds up to its name. And features characters from classic horror or “Penny Dreadful” stories. But I will say that the ultimate story line is straightforward and timeless - the battle of good vs evil. Also Josh Hartnett is fine as hell in this and does a fantastic job as well.
The Magicians - 6 seasons
This was my favorite show on TV. It recently ended it’s run on SyFy after 6 seasons. Some would describe the show as Harry Potter for adults but I find that to be a bit pejorative. The show is so much more than that. Based on the books series by Lev Grossman, the show follows six young magicians. That’s a REALLY simple description but it is again a show that has a LOT of twists and turns and I don’t want to ruin any of them.
Hannibal - 3 seasons
This show remains as my favorite show of all time. Not for the faint of heart- BUT. So well written. Cinematic. Brilliant. When this shjow was first announced I remember thinking “Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lector?! Puhleaze.” And now when I think of the character I don’t think of anyone BUT Mads Mikkelsen. His Hannibal is a very different beast than Anthony Hopkin’s version. The story is about Hannibal BEFORE he was captured and when he was a consultant for the FBI. We get to see the sophisticated, well-dressed psychopath that was hinted at in the films. The story follows the complicated friendship between Hannibal and FBI profiler Will Graham, played by Hugh Dancy. Of course a LOT happens within the show but the core story is about the parallel between the two characters.
New Girl - 7 seasons
Ahhh New Girl. This show is hilarious. I wanted to hate it when I watched the first episode but I couldn’t. It’s simply too funny and enjoyable. The premise is pretty straight forward TV sitcom: Three guys welcome their new quirky female roommate. Hijinks ensue. This sounds boring AF I know. But it’s the writing and the characters (and actors) that make it worthwhile. The writing is so unbelievably off center and unique for a network show. Trust me. Once you get to know Schmidt, Winston,Nick, and Jess you will be hooked.
Broadchurch - 3 seasons
If you are a UK reader than I am sure you are VERY familiar with this show. It was huge in the UK. It features Doctor Who himself David Tennant and a pre-The Crown and Oscar win, Olivia Coleman. This show is intense. There’s no other way to describe it. It deals with intense and difficult subject matter, but it is also insanely good. The acting is next level. The script is next level. And you will not be able to stop watching. I binged all three season in a weekend. That’s how amazing this show is. And to give you a head’s up of how intense it is: I cried during the first episode. And I’m not a crier.
The Witcher - 1 season (2nd season coming in 2021)
This is an easy 1 season binge. And a really fun show to watch overall. Plus you can stare at Henry Cavill and his insane body for the majority of it. So win win. This show is based on the popular Witcher books and video games. I have never read or played either and you don’t have to be familiar with either to enjoy or be able to follow the show. What I love most about it is the way the story is told. It’s structure is actually very smart. Some people were confused by it and others were like me and found it clever. Either way the show had great reviews overall. Because of the somewhat complicated plot that palys a HUGE role in the show I won’t provide any spoilers, BUT I will say that I enjoyed this show so much I am considering re-watching it. And I hardly ever do that with TV shows.
Luther - 5 seasons
This is the series where I really came to know Idris Elba. I know some people know him from The Wire and other US films and TV shows but this is in my humble opinion where you really get to SEE Idris Elba. He is Luther. The star and he’s in almost every scene. Using his real British accent. Luther is a complicated character. A tortured detective who has a bad reputation within the police force for sometimes going too far with his cases. He cares. Too much. And it consumes him. Each season is dedicated to a single case that Luther is working on and how it affects his mental health and his personal life. Or lack thereof. This is a procedural and a character study in one. The seasons are short - ranging from 6 to only 2 episodes. So it’s pretty easy to binge. And each season ends in such a way that you will definitely want to keep going to see how it all ends.
McMillions - 1 season
I love a good documentary series. And you all know how much I love stories about scams and scam artists. I featured the McMillions podcast on the blog in February. This is the show that inspired the podcast. McMillions covers the huge fraud ring that stole millions of dollars from the McDonald’s 1 million lottery contest. Every year. How they did it and how they eventually got caught.
How To Fix a Drug Scandal - 1 season
Another documentary series. This one is on Netflix. I know Tiger King is all the rage right now (don’t even get me started on the problematic infatuation with Joe Exotic) but How To Fix a Drug Scandal is actually the better documentary. The story centers around two Massachusetts State Drug Lab Techs and their misconduct. Misconduct that led to the largest number of overturned drug convictions is US history. You read that right. This is a quick watch - only 4 episodes - but impactful and your jaw will be on the floor for half the time. And the other time you will be utterly enraged.
Younger - 5 seasons (season 6 coming in summer 2020)
A 40 year-old woman lies and says she’s 25 to get a job in publishing. How ridiculous is that premise? It was the absurdity of the premise that first drew me in to Younger years ago when I first started watching it. But it was the utter charm and hilarity of the show that made me stay. Produced by the creator and producer of Sex and the City it has the fast-paced poppy vibe of SATC. But it is definitely NOT SATC. Younger has more heart and isn’t quite as cynical - despite it’s slightly cynical premise. It’s also far more inclusive than SATC featuring LGBT and characters of color. Each episode is about 20-25 minutes. I was able to get through and entire season on a Saturday recently. The show is funny, you care about and love pretty much every character. All of whom are written so spectacularly. And there are two beautiful men to stare at: Nico Tortorella and Peter Hermann.
