TV shows are kind of like relationships. Starting to watch a TV show can be a huge commitment. If there are multiple seasons with almost 20 episodes each season, you know you will be stuck watching that show for a long time. Now, you can always two-time or watch multiple shows at once, but then you can have a tough time deciding which one to spend the night with.
It is often beneficial to watch low-commitment shows during the summer, kind of like a summer fling. First, you can really expand your Netflix resume and be more knowledgeable about more shows. You don’t feel a need to finish the show too quickly because you don’t want it to end yet, therefore you get more sleep and actually choose going out over staying in with your laptop. While there are numerous other benefits, there are a few downsides too.
These shows often end too quickly, and there is little hope for new seasons because they originally aired in the early 2000s. They also end abruptly more often than not because they weren’t good enough for a couple more seasons on real TV. However, that’s alright because you didn’t have enough time to get too attached. These are the kind of shows that you enjoy and would definitely recommend to a friend who is still mourning after finishing "Gossip Girl," "Parks and Rec," or "Grey’s Anatomy."
1. "Freaks and Geeks" (1 Season, 18 Episodes, 45-Minute episodes)
This show is a classic. Starring some very famous actors while they were still young, this throwback helps us imagine what life might have been like in the 80s. While full of laughs, this show still deals with some very real high school dilemmas, from crushes to crazy parents. A very lighthearted show that is fun to watch and features a bada** James Franco.
2. "Mixology" (1 Season, 13 Episodes, 21-Minute episodes)
As a humorous interpretation of the modern bar scene in a big city, this show makes me excited for when I can go to the bars and worried about how much money I’ll probably be spending there. This show doesn’t contain the best acting in the whole world, and the plot isn’t very complicated, but it is still good for a couple laughs, especially the pity laughs for all of the awkward encounters. Although it recently finished airing in 2014, it was unfortunately cancelled after the first season.
3. "Friends With Benefits" (1 Season, 13 Episodes, 21-Minute episodes)
Similar to "Mixology," this show isn’t a “must see,” but it is surely entertaining. While the plot doesn’t exactly piece together very well between episodes, the copious amounts of attractive men and women make it worth the watch. This is the TV show version of a three star rom-com; however, it may be a little extra funny for anyone who might have been in this type of relationship.
4. "Blue Mountain State" (3 Seasons, 13 Episodes per season, 21-Minute episodes)
While this show may consist of a lot of episodes, they are short and tend to fly by. This is the type of show that doesn’t involve much thinking and is more on the PG-13 side because of the constant references to drugs, alcohol, and sex. This is a good show for the summertime because it is about everything you miss from college and some of what college is supposedly like, giving you a good laugh. The plot line doesn’t exactly flow, which can be somewhat confusing and frustrating, but the humor makes up for it.
5. "Lipstick Jungle" (2 Seasons, 7 & 13 Episodes per season, 45-Minute episodes)
This show is sort of a grown up version of "Gossip Girl," but with a little less drama and a little more reality. The three women featured in this show are basically adulthood goals because they are beautiful, successful, and have gorgeous husbands, boyfriends, or mistresses. This show was definitely a roller coaster of emotions because that’s what dramas are supposed to be and this one definitely succeeded. I was very disappointed when this series ended, so watch at your own risk.
6. "Young and Hungry" (1 season , 10 Episodes, 21 Minute-episodes)
This show is basically like every other ABC family comedy, but funnier and more realistic. The former Hannah Montana actress, Emily Osment, shows us that she has really developed since her Disney days in many ways. While this show is more of a joke than it is serious, it is definitely better than many of the other ABC family shows. And we’re extra lucky with this one because it hasn’t actually ended yet. The first half of Season 2 is on abcfamily.go.com. The second half of season 2 and season 3 are due to air soon!
