Netflix has revolutionized any free time spent away from work and school. Ever since my family started subscribing to its service, I’ve always been in the middle of a show I couldn’t stop watching. Once Netflix started its streaming service, many of us became quick to run home and ignore our responsibilities in favor of endlessly watching TV. I want absolutely no part of the conversation about whether or not it's a healthy habit. Realistically, plenty of us are going to spend this winter break mindlessly in front of our laptops or smart TVs. Here are my suggestions for what to watch if you are among those people. Keep in mind that this is nowhere near an exhaustive list of all the amazing shows on Netflix. These shows are more of the building blocks of a die-hard binger.
1. "Pretty Little Liars"
Full of many twists and jaw dropping reveals, PLL is one of those shows constantly aiming for shock value. Even if you've already watched the entire series, it’s still worth re-watching to see if you can catch all the hints of the major surprises in store.
2. "Scandal"
Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with everything that is Shonda Rhimes. Of all her television shows, "Scandal" is my favorite by far. Watching Olivia Pope be a “professional fixer” (or crises manager) made me seriously question my career path on many occasions.
3. "Blue Bloods"
Everyone watches cop shows. The problem is there are too many of them to really corner a good portion of the viewers' market. Blue Bloods is probably one of the best cop shows out right now. It’s a show that really demonstrates the tension between politics and law enforcement. Also, as a New Yorker, I love anything that represents my home.
4. "Jessica Jones"
As a disclaimer, a lot of the subject matter can be triggering for survivors of sexual violence, or people who are just generally turned off by graphic material. Despite that, the Netflix Original has taken the internet by storm. It’s not your typical superhero TV show where the heroine is a woman with super strength and the villain is a man with mind control capabilities. The battle of brain versus brawn has never been more exciting
5. "How I Met Your Mother"
This list would not be complete without a good sitcom. "How I Met Your Mother" is an excellent one, but it’s one of those shows where you probably missed an episode or two along the way. This makes it a great contender for a long-term binge, despite the controversial series finale.
6. "House of Cards"
Netflix shows are created with binge watching in mind. This political drama is certainly one of those shows that benefits from extended periods of time dedicated to watching it. Although the show is a bit of a slow build, once the twists start coming you won’t want to turn it off.
7. "Gilmore Girls"
In case you haven’t heard, Netflix is currently creating a revival of this mother-daughter saga and I’m incredibly excited about it. However, the series finale aired when I was in middle school. Many of us need to brush up on our "Gilmore Girls" trivia in order to be prepared for the upcoming reunion.
8. "House Hunters: Collection"
Let’s be honest, there are too many TV dramas. So many shows now compete to be dark and edgy. That’s exciting and great, but sometimes, it’s a little too much. Sometimes, all you want to do is yell at real life people for choosing the house $30K over-budget because it had better curb appeal. Bonus? The collections for "House Hunters: International" and "House Hunters: Renovations" are also on Netflix.
9. "Star Trek"
The trailer for the newest "Star Trek" movie just came out and it looks amazing. It’d be nice to honor the television show that started it all by watching the original series, and the subsequent ones such as "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (also on Netflix). Also, "Star Trek" was one of the most groundbreaking shows of its era. It had a very diverse cast and it televised the first interracial kiss. Its mark on entertainment history is important to recognize.
10. "Breaking Bad"
"Breaking Bad" is one of the most streamed television shows. It’s a no brainer why it makes my list. In case you’ve been living under a rock, "Breaking Bad" is about a high school chemistry teacher breaking into the crystal meth business in order to pay for his lung cancer treatments and care for his family. This show's unnerving believability demonstrates why, among other things, we need to renovate our healthcare system and pay teachers more.
11. "Heroes"
NBC recently started a miniseries called "Heroes Reborn" that’s meant to be a continuation of this show. As the title suggests, it details various characters’ lives after they gain special abilities. Many people believe that this show was cancelled prematurely, as it had a very dedicated fanbase. If you’re into the new series or are just interested in kickass scifi, you should probably check this out.
12. "Friends"
Do I even need to explain?
