Midterms were last week, and I dedicated my weekend to watching as much TV as possible as I recover from the days of stress and studying. Usually, I'd consider myself a movie person, but there are a lot of great shows on Netflix too, so I thought I'd give those a chance this time. If you're in a movie mood, check out these 13 Incredibly Amazing Movie Recommendations. Otherwise, enjoy these summaries of the most binge-worthy shows on Netflix!
1. "Psych"
Shawn and Gus are best friends that run a psychic detective agency. The audience knows Shawn isn't really a psychic but the Santa Barbara Police Department doesn't, so they get to work as consultants and goof off at various crime scenes. The fact that Shawn's maturity level is sometimes that of a middle schooler complicates things a bit, but it's also funny so everyone I know that's seen it thinks it's pretty great.
2. "Orange Is the New Black"
This Netflix original show follows Piper Chapman's time in prison after being convicted of transporting a suitcase full of drug money for her (now ex) girlfriend 10 years ago. What I love about this is that it's almost entirely character driven so we get to see a different inmate's backstory every episode. The fourth season comes out in June, and Netflix announced a couple weeks ago that it will be returning for fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons as well! I recommend this one for anyone looking for something long-term.
3. "Bob's Burgers"
Bob Belcher's dream is to own and run his own hamburger restaurant, which is kind of working so far. His wife Linda helps as much as she can when she's not singing or getting distracted talking to customers, and their three kids work part-time after school. Tina has an amusingly monotonous low voice and obsession with boys, Gene just wants to be a musician, and I'm pretty sure Louise, the youngest, wants to take over the world. At the end of the day they just want to make each other happy though, and that makes it a cute family show.
4. "Scrotal Recall"
Get it? Scrotal Recall, like "Total Recall" but with scrotum? I got the giggles the first time I saw the title of this show but it's actually really good. When Dylan, the blond guy on the left, finds out he has chlamydia, he has to contact all of his sexual partners to let them know. The story is told mostly through flashbacks of his relationships and experiences with friends over the last few years.
5. "House"
Dr. Gregory House is one of the best doctors out there, but his general distaste for people and pain medication dependency make doing his job a bit more complicated. Every episode features a new patient with a confusing disorder or disease that House and his team have to figure out before they die, which, luckily, they accomplish most of the time. If you like shows with a more serious vibe you'll probably like this one.
6. "American Horror Story"
What I love about this show is that every season is different. So if you watch some of the first season and don't like it, there are four others to choose from! They're all creepy though, so if you're into ghosts, old-timey mental hospitals, or creepy clowns, check it out!
7. "The Office"
Michael Scott is the best boss of all time, or at least he'd like everyone that works for him to think so. This mockumentary-style show follows Michael and the other employees of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company as they try to sell paper and deal with each other's pranks and blunders. The deadpan humor is great, and I like that the cast is so big because there's someone for everyone to enjoy.
8. "BoJack Horseman"
The titular character is that horse fellow in the middle. Back in the '90s he was the star of a TV sitcom called "Horsin' Around," but now he just sits around his mansion drinking and feeling sorry for himself. It's dark but funny and has likable characters with great names such as Mr. Peanutbutter and Officer Meow Meow Fuzzyface (yes, he's a cat).
9. "Parks and Recreation"
Everyone hypes up this show, but I hope that doesn't make you less likely to enjoy it! Leslie Knope is an employee of the Pawnee Parks and Rec department and can't seem to curb her enthusiasm for making the town better. The other people in the office don't care nearly as much, but she's a great friend, so they help her where they can. Fun fact: This was originally planned to be a spin-off of "The Office." Now the only thing they have in common is the mockumentary-style filming.
10. "Arrested Development"
This show centers around the very rich and consistently dysfunctional Bluth family. Michael is the widowed father of George Micheal, who has a crush on his cousin Maeby. Maeby's mom is Lindsey, twin sister of Michael and wife of Tobias, a terrible aspiring actor and never-nude (person terrified of ever being completely naked). Then there's GOB, the eldest brother and failed magician that just wants his parents to love him, and Buster, the socially inept momma's boy that still lives at home. They're an interesting bunch, and Netflix is releasing a fifth season sometime this year!
11. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Every generation a slayer is born and has to fight off vampires, demons, forces of darkness, etc. Fun stuff. When Buffy finds out that's her destiny, she gets a group of friends to help her and they form "the Scooby Gang." I haven't watched all of this one yet, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the best things to happen in the '90s.
12. "Sense8"
Another highly rated Netflix original show. This one is about eight people from all over the world that suddenly become mentally and physically linked. Apart from it being interesting, this show is also awesome because it focuses on issues such as religion and sexuality, which aren't often represented in science fiction shows.
13. "Scrubs"
These characters work at Sacred Heart Hospital and manage to find nine seasons' worth of goofing off to do (well, eight. Don't bother with the last one; it's terrible). The show features a lot of daydreams that J.D., the main character, has throughout the day and also some serious moments in which he has to buckle down and be a real doctor. Imagine House but way harder to take seriously.
