It's summertime! Which means most of us have a lot of free time on our hands. Here are seven shows you can watch instead of enjoying the weather or being with your family!

1. Grey's Anatomy

What doesn’t Grey’s Anatomy have to offer? Between juicy drama, heartwarming romances, and rare moments of intense action or peril, this show has something for everyone. From the show’s opening scene you’re introduced to the couple that will play with your emotions for the rest of the foreseeable future. You constantly root for the gorgeous Dr. Meredith Grey, the titular character, and mysterious heartthrob Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shephard even though they spend the first several seasons playing games with each other and, consequently, your heart. You’re also introduced to multi-dimensional characters like Cristina Yang who has several epic quotes such as “screw beautiful, I’m brilliant” and “Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature. Be better than anyone here, and don’t give a damn what anyone thinks.” Characters like Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan, Dr. Callie Torres, Dr. Miranda “The Nazi” Bailey, and Dr. George O’Malley never fail to offer moments of comedic relief, top-notch eye candy, as well as some of the series’ most powerful emotional moments. Although it’ll be going into its 14^th season this year, I guarantee it’s worth the binge. From episode 1, showrunner Shonda Rhimes makes you connect with the characters and by the time you get to the finale, you’re too invested in the characters to back out. Also, the finale’s closing line: “And you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.” definitely adds a motivation to hit “Next Episode”.

2. House of Cards

House of Cards is another show that pulls you in from its first moments. Its introductory scene acquaints us with Democratic House Majority Whip Francis J. Underwood, a man who regularly breaks the fourth wall and says directly to the audience “I have no patience for useless things.” What a first impression. The rest of series follows him and his wife Claire as they manipulate their way to higher positions of power in Washington. Despite the dastardly nature of the duo, the show does a good job of making sure you consistently root for them. Benevolent characters are depicted as “in the way” or otherwise problematic and at the end of the day you end up cheering for the unapologetically malevolent power couple. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright put forth some of their strongest performances and each season only gets progressively better. Season 3 was controversial amongst the fan base but seasons 4 and 5 more than compensate for it. House of Cards offers viewers a grim yet entertaining look at American politics during its darkest hour. With constantly high stakes, a quality storyline, and characters you hate to love, House of Cards is thrilling televison.

3. Dear White People

Dear White People is a poignant yet necessary show that provides an inside look at race in America from the perspective of students at a fictitious, “not-so-post-racial” Ivy League University. The show assigns each episode, with the exception of the finale, to a specific character in order to highlight various types of racial views and experiences in the present day. It serves as a standalone sequel to the 2014 film of the same name which is also excellent viewing if you can find the time. For minorities, the show offers a great deal of catharsis and relatability, while white people can use the show to better empathize and understand the struggles of the minorities in their lives. Personally, I’ve been handing out Master’s Degrees in Woke™ to white friends of mine who watch the show and have an in-depth discussion with me about it. The show really isn’t as preachy as the title makes it sound and despite its serious subject matter, it has several moments of comedic relief. My personal favorite is the show’s Scandal parody: Defamation in which a character who’s reminiscent of Olivia Pope engages in over-the-top drama and constantly chooses her affair with the president over self-respect, but I digress. Overall, I recommend this show because it is informative as well as dramatically and comically entertaining. Dear White People (And Everyone Else), watch Dear White People!

4. Thirteen Reasons Why

13 Reasons Why sparked a lot of controversy upon its Netflix relief. As a reader of the book, I’m reluctant to recommend this one because, as my friend said, “they takin’ liberties like they’re the statue”. As an outsider, I probably could’ve appreciated it a bit more. The drama keeps you on the edge of your seat and though none of the characters are really likable, I still found myself somewhat caring about their wellbeing. Clay, the main character receives 13 tapes from a girl who’s recently committed suicide. Each tape assigns partial blame to one person, including him. I’ll admit, this one I just watched primarily for the hype and controversy. Obviously, there is a great deal of potentially triggering content, so proceed with caution.

5. Stranger Things

I hopped on the Stranger Things train super late. It was in my queue for about a year before I finally watched last week. Let me just say: I immediately fell in love with the characters and became engrossed in the mystery of “where’s Will?” and “who/ what is responsible for all these strange occurrences happening in the town?” The kids were my personal favorite, especially the mysterious yet powerful Eleven, a girl whom the adolescent protagonists encounter that helps them in the search for their missing friend. It’s a solid combination of horror, thriller, drama, mystery, and even some comedy. Keep in mind there are a few but not many jump-scares. While some would argue it has a slow start, by episode 3 or 4 you’re fully gripped and ready to binge until the end.

6. Gotham

As someone who’s loved Batman since he was 3 years old, it seemed inevitable for me to eventually watch Gotham. The series serves as a prequel to the caped crusader’s adventures in the titular city. It follows young detective Jim Gordon as he learns the ways of Gotham’s corrupt police department, young Bruce Wayne as he decides what to do following the murder of his parents, as well as the how the various villains evolve into their future personas. Like most network television shows, Gotham takes a moment to find its footing, but once it does it is very addicting. A great deal of the show’s appeal is built around dramatic irony, which personally I enjoy. Witnessing characters like The Penguin, The Riddler, and Two-Face develop from nobodies into criminal masterminds is very encapsulating. The show’s action and drama are breathtaking and episodes always leave you hungry for more.

7. The West Wing

The West Wing is every liberal’s darling TV show. The lovable President Jed Bartlett and his dysfunctional staff make for quality heartwarming entertainment. In these vitriolic political times, The West Wing is a breath of fresh air. Of course, because it’s politics, there’s opposition and drama. But the way the show depicts it, there’s still a degree of class to all the affairs and everyone is at least respectable. While the show isn’t as dramatic as other White House-related shows like House of Cards or Scandal, it does offer a variety of powerful moments. While those shows depict American politics at their darkest hour, The West Wing offers a brighter picture. With Aaron Sorkin as the showrunner for seasons 1-4, the dialogue is regularly on point and, when appropriate, moving. To add some extra motivation: the ending to the series premiere is one of my favorite moments of the whole show. If you appreciate politics and would enjoy the fictional account of a presidential administration from start to finish, The West Wing is for you.