Summer is a great time to go on adventures. Whether it's hiking or shopping or traveling across the globe, summer is usually the time that people like to spread their wings and try fun new things. But not every day needs to be some crazy adventure – sometimes a nice, lazy day in can be just as beneficial as a day down in Atlanta. Why not take a journey into another person's life via the wonderful world of Netflix? Here is my Top 10 list for my favorite Netflix or HBO shows that are irresistibly binge-worthy for your rainy day of pleasure.
10. "Friday Night Lights"
There's just something about a little high school drama that attracts us all. This small town, state champion football team introduces a myriad of characters who's stories are endearing, exhilarating and eternally relatable. Whether you sympathize for the paralyzed ex-star quarterback, the down-on-her-luck hard worker with no familial support or the vexed school administrator balancing the needs of her school with the needs of her family, this show is irresistible. With only five seasons to its name, this Netflix series doesn't take too long to finish but will be worth your time.
9. "Bob's Burgers"
I have often stayed away from the shows that could be categorized as "animated adult comedy". Shows like the "Simpsons" or "Family Guy" really just haven't been my cup of tea. So when my friend, who is a big "Simpsons" fan suggested "Bob's Burgers", I was hesitant to say the least. But if you're looking for a constantly cackling comedy, this is the show to watch. A less than enthusiastic Bob Belcher runs his less than successful burger joint with his less than impressive family that gets themselves into more than hilarious hijinks. Netflix is where you can find the five seasons of this easy-to-breeze-through show, and it is well worth your time.
8. "New Girl"
Zoe Deschanel has captured the hearts of nearly all of my friends – both young and old, male and female. As this quirky, always awkward girl figures out life in her 20s, the endless adventures of her and her all-male roommates will have you rolling with laughter and gasping in secondhand embarrassment.
7. "How to Get Away with Murder"
Although I have been watching this show live since its inception, this is definitely a must watch for everyone. The show follows five law students and their professor as they, as the show entitles, "get away with murder". Not only can you follow the roller coaster like twists and turns of their exhilarating story, but also the episode long court cases that impress and shock viewers. The third season will be on TV this fall but the first two are on Netflix for your hours of enjoyment.
6. "Jane the Virgin"
This show is nuts. As a tongue in cheek stereotypical telenovela comedy, the ups and downs between characters in this show will blow your mind. The main character Jane, a 20 year old virgin, was accidentally inseminated with her boss's sperm! On top of that, the hotel that they work at is a front for a notorious gang leader's sketchy business and has recently been the scene of a number of murders. As story lines converge, you won't be able to stop pressing "next episode" on Netflix this summer. Season two just concluded on TV and will soon be put up, so you'll just go from cliff hanger to cliff hanger for even more hours than before.
5. "How I Met Your Mother"
Similar to the TV-classic “Friends”, this show is about five friends who live in New York in their mid twenties and it's “Legen – wait for it – DARY!”. Adorable love escapades paired with wacky bar stories create a delightful tale of family and friendship that you won’t be able to stop watching!
4. "Parks and Recreation"
Amy Poehler at her best! You think you know what happens in the average government building, but this show’s hilarious take on a small town’s “Parks and Recreation” department shows you another side and it's absolutely addicting. As Leslie Knope, a motivated, hopeful mid-level bureaucrat, tries to improve her sluggish town of Pawnee, Indiana, she enlists the help of hilariously hopeless Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt, pre-Jurassic World), anti-government gun nut Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), pessimist April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), goofball accountant Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), snazzy showman Tom Haverford (Aziz AnsarI), and a laundry list of other renowned comedians to join in on her charades. All seasons are up on Netflix and ready to be binged!
3. "Game of Thrones"
The only show on this list from HBO: Game of Thrones is a cinematic masterpiece! After concluding it's sixth season this past week, I cannot express how deeply I love this show. The dynamic characters with winding back stories and internal conflicts matched with insane wars, beautiful scenery and epic dialogue will have you watching for days. I am proud to say I finished the first five seasons (ten, 1 hour long episodes) in only 10 days because I could just not stop watching!
Warning: There is a lot of nudity and sex (especially in the first two seasons), but it's totally worth getting through for the rest of the show.
2. "The Office"
My top two were a close match. Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson are hilariously funny alongside their coworkers – oh excuse me, subordinates, in this "workplace dramedy". With it's brilliant mixture of in-your-face funny, quick one liners and Jim's confused glances at the camera, this show is one of a kind. I have watched all nine seasons about eight times now on Netflix, and the episodes just keep getting funnier and funnier. The relationships seem so real, and the characters could quite easily be your coworkers or next door neighbors. It's delightful, hilarious and endearing. You will not regret watching this show.
Warning: The first episode is rough. Just get through the first 22 minutes of this amazing television show and you will come to love what millions of others do.
1. "Friends"
Like I said, my top two shows were a close match. But "Friends'" timelessness and broad appeal is what puts it at the top of my list. Everyone knows the gang, whether or not you've even seen one episode. Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Pheobe and Joey are more than just each others' friends in this fantastic 10 season show on Netflix – they are our friends. Spending their late twenties and thirties growing up in New York City, each character is dynamically crafted so that we all see a little bit of ourselves in them. Their adventures and hijinks are hilarious, and their up and down romances keep our hearts at their edges. With too many memorable quotes to mention, this show connects generations due to the character's relatable stories and endearing personalities. Friends is my all time favorite show, and I think you will understand why should you choose to binge watch this terrific television masterpiece.
