With Summer approaching, most teenagers and young adults are left with plenty of free time on their hands. Instead of them spending hours trying to find a show or movie to watch that will keep them entertained and interested for long periods of time, I composed a list (in no particular order) of the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix based on my personal experience.
1. Gossip Girl
This is a must see for every teenage girl, as the show explores the wonders and magic of the Upper East Side—the champagne, million dollar houses and expensive clothes. However, with that comes a hefty price to pay. The teenagers in the show have to maneuver many difficult situations ranging from jealous uncles to fake mothers to situations that most of us could not even being to imagine happening in our sadly normal lives.
2. 90210
This is a show that is very similar to Gossip Girl, but instead of looking at the Upper East Side, the show examines the spoiled rich kids of Beverly Hills, 90210. This updated version of the older series has more plot twists, intense arguments and much better looking characters.
3. White Collar
If we’re not just looking at the fact that Matt Bomer is literally the most attractive man on this planet, White Collar is an amazing show. It has adventure, romance, and thought-provoking scenes, where the viewer is left as to wonder how they couldn’t have seen this clue before. 10/10 for binge-watching.
4. Bones
A show that not many people are aware of and one that is one of my personal favorites will leave viewers feeling dumbfounded, yet wanting more. The protagonist, Temperance Brennan, is a genius anthropologist working with the Jeffersonian and FBI to solve crimes. The show is riddled with passion and romance, while the main focus is on solving the murders and mysteries.
5. One Tree Hill
The show is set in small-town North Carolina, where the highlight of the town is their high school basketball team, very Friday Night Lights sans the football. Most of the show revolves around tense familial relationships and betrayal by those closest.
6. The Office
How could this show not be here? First of all, Steve Carell is down-right hilarious with his various antics throughout the show. The other characters have their own fair share of humor, romance and anger but mainly humor. I would watch Jim’s pranks on Dwight any day of the week.
7. Parks and Recreation
A show similar to The Office but with Amy Poehler will leave any viewer in splits of laughter. With a great cast of Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones and others, the show will keep you on your toes while making your stomach ache from laughter.
8. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
This show is honestly just for those who need a dumb comedy to brighten up their days. The show has zero plot and really no direction, but the hilarity of it makes it something to laugh to and easily binge in a few days.
9. Grey's Anatomy
This is most likely the most popular show on Netflix right now, as the show itself wraps up its twelfth season on the air. The seasons are put on Netflix only a few short months after airing and has captivated America’s attention with it’s characters McDreamy/Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo.) Despite the fact that nearly every character on the show has died, America is still glued. Thank you, Shonda Rhimes (the creator.)
10. Scandal
Another Shonda Rhimes hit (you go Shonda,) Scandal follows Olivia Pope, Washington DC’s cleaner upper, who fixes practically every problem that needs a solution. She may or may not be having an affair with the president, but you’ll have to see the show to find out.
11. Friends
The most loved show of the 90s and early 2000s came to Netflix streaming in early 2015, and I can honestly say, I jumped on that the minute it was available. Ten seasons of crazy haircuts, hearing Ross say “we were on a break!,” Chandler’s sarcasm, and the feeling that everything would be okay with good friends around. 11/10 for bingeing because it’s a classic (and the episodes are short).
12. How I Met Your Mother
This show is very similar to Friends in that a group of friends from New York try to make it through their difficult and tumultuous lives. With Neil Patrick Harris as a main, this show does not disappoint, but be warned, do not look up the ending and actually wait to watch it.
13. That '70s Show
This show is probably the least known relative to the others listed. However, with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and many other popular celebrities, this show is packed with everything needed to make a hilarious binge-watch. It shows the struggles of the 70s from a teenager’s perspective, which in itself is promise enough for a good show.
Bingers, you may now proceed.
