For stressed and exhausted college students, there’s no better feeling than finishing your last final or turning in your last paper for the semester, knowing you’re officially free of all responsibilities and obligations for a few weeks. You get to eat real food, sleep in until noon (or later) everyday, and watch Netflix for hours without the stress of uncompleted assignments nagging at you.
I have spent a lot of time binge-watching different TV shows through the years. Like, a lot a lot (honestly, probably too much time…). By this point, I consider myself an expert in the field of binge-watching and online streaming sites. Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite shows currently streaming on Netflix as a special holiday treat to all interested. If you find yourself with free time on your hands during Winter Break, and don’t know what new show to check out on Netflix, this list is here to help you and (hopefully) provide lots of entertainment. Obviously you can’t watch all 15 shows (or can you? Challenge accepted.) but with a variety of genres among the list there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Master of None
Master of None is a Netflix original series created by and starring Aziz Ansari. The first season was released in early November and the show was an immediate hit. Ansari is able to create hilarious characters who make viewers laugh, but who are also relatable and down-to-earth. The struggles faced by Ansari’s character Dev are some any young adult can relate to, but with a comedic and light-hearted twist.
Parks and Recreation
Hopefully by now, you’ve heard of Parks and Recreation—the NBC comedy about a hard working city-government employee with endless optimism and a love for waffles. If you haven’t, or you’re one of the people still putting off watching it, you’re missing out. This sitcom is filled with amazing and hilarious actors, such as Amy Poehler, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, and (again) Aziz Ansari. The show ended in February of 2015 and currently, 6 of the 7 seasons are streaming on Netflix (the 7th season can be streamed through Hulu). Personally, Parks and Rec is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. It’s hilarious, it’s emotional, it’s inspiring… Watching Leslie (Poehler) and her friends beat all odds and achieve their dreams throughout the series is a great reminder of where optimism and hard-work can get you.
Like Parks and Rec, The Office is another hilarious NBC comedy. Based on the British show of the same name (which is also streaming on Netflix), The Office focuses on the everyday lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton, PA. The employees at Dunder Mifflin are led by the well-intentioned, yet awkward and oftentimes inappropriate, manager Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) and routinely find themselves in some type of crazy situation or funny antics.
30 Rock
Combined with The Office and Parks and Rec, 30 Rock is the third NBC comedy in what I refer to as the “Comedy Trifecta.” Though it never received very high ratings or much praise when it originally aired, 30 Rock is hilarious. Tina Fey is the creator and star of this show, which is more than loosely based on her time working for Saturday Night Live. 30 Rock is about writer Liz Lemon (Fey), the head writer for the sketch-comedy TGS. It documents her personal struggles, as well as her workplace struggles. Liz is a smart, awkward, funny, know-it-all who you just can’t help but love.
Arrested Development
Another comedy, Arrested Development originally premiered on Fox in 2003. The sitcom ran for three seasons before being cancelled. However, Netflix picked it up in 2013 and a fourth season was released (with a fifth season and possible movie in the works currently). The show focuses on the Bluth family, a wealthy, extremely dysfunctional family that faces challenges when the family’s patriarch (portrayed by Jeffrey Tambor) is sent to prison. Each member of the family is dysfunctional in their own way, and their wealth has caused them to be out of touch with reality. With quotes such as, “It’s one banana, Michael. What could it cost? $10?” it’s easy to see why this crazy family brings so much entertainment.
The Mindy Project
The Mindy Project is another show that originally debuted on Fox but was cancelled prematurely. Thankfully, this one was picked up by Hulu. This show is the only one on the list that can’t be streamed on Netflix, since it’s now owned and produced by Hulu. However, it’s still worth checking out. Starring the incomparable Mindy Kaling, this show is about the bad-ass, hilarious, pop-culture obsessed, fashionista Dr. Mindy Lahiri, who works as an OB-BYN in New York City. Mindy is one of my favorite characters from any TV show because she proves you can be girly and love reality television, but also be a smart and hardworking professional who gets the job done. Girl power to the extreme.
Portlandia
Quirky and weird, Portlandia is a sketch comedy show from Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. It’s a satirical portrayal of life in Portland, Oregon, poking fun at the stereotypical behaviors and personalities associated with the city. Armisen and Brownstein play a plethora of different characters on the show, such as “Candace and Toni,” third-wave feminists and owners of a feminist book store. Admittedly, this show’s unique style isn’t for everyone, but any fan of Armisen, Brownstein, or Portland should check it out.
Freaks and Geeks
This show, produced by Judd Apatow in 1999, was cancelled after just one season, but has since amassed a cult following. It starred (now super-famous) actors such as Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Linda Cardellini. This show is both a drama and a comedy, making viewers laugh out loud at times while still highlighting the ups and downs of life in high school and the struggles faced by teenagers. The show is very real and relatable, focusing on life in high school without being cheesy and overly dramatic or unbelievable. The only bad thing about it is really that there’s just one season. Fans of Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, and/or Jason Segel will definitely love this show.
Gilmore Girls is a fun show to lose yourself in. Set in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, CT, it focuses on the quirky mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (portrayed by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel respectively). It’s a great comedy, as Lorelai and Rory banter back-and-forth and find themselves in funny situations. However, it’s also an emotional show that takes you through the joy and pain life can bring. Heartbreak, high school bullies, college applications, and more are all very real topics covered throughout the course of the show’s 7 seasons that show while it might be a fun TV show, it still has some substance. Even if you’ve watched Gilmore Girls before, now is the perfect time to re-watch the series as they’ve recently announced a Netflix revival is in the works.
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time seems cheesy, and it can be. I won’t pretend it’s always the most well written show. However, it’s incredibly addictive. Once you start watching, it draws you in. The show uses characters from different fairy tales and Disney movies and puts them in a modern day setting. There are heroes and villains and battle between good and evil. There are characters ranging from Snow White and Cinderella to Elsa and Anna. While it may seem easy to write this show off, it’s by the creators of Lost, so you know it will be full of twists and turns.
Friday Night Lights
You don’t have to love football to love Friday Night Lights. This drama ran for 5 seasons, starting in 2006, and focuses on the football-loving town of Dillon, TX. In Dillon, football is life; the entire town shuts down come Friday night. The coach of the Dillon Panthers, Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), must balance living his life, protecting his family, and coaching his team to the state championship. The success of the team impacts the town’s perception of his family and himself. There is plenty of drama throughout the series, with each character facing many ups and downs. The show highlights the good and bad of small town life, and leaves viewers with a great life motto: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”
The West Wing
While many people are enamored with the drama of political shows like House of Cards, showing the behind-the-scenes darkness and corruption of life in Washington, The West Wing is a much lighter take on the political drama. It ran for 7 seasons, from 1999-2006, and starred Rob Lowe, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlet. The West Wing was a very accurate portrayal of the day-to-day life of presidential aids, and the goings-on in the West Wing of the White House. The show won over 20 Emmys during its run and still stands today as one of the best shows of all time. Though it doesn’t have the drama and deception of House of Cards or Scandal, it still has plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers intrigued. As a Politics major and avid follower of politics, this is easily one of the best shows I’ve ever watched.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Daredevil/Jessica Jones)
For fans of action, adventure, and superheroes, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fun show on its own, and a great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe when watched in-tandem with the films. Now on its third season, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. offers viewers an exciting ride. As a bonus, Netflix and Marvel have teamed up to produce two new series: Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Any fan of Marvel should check out these exciting, and at times dark, shows.
