“Netflix and chill” isn’t just for hook-up culture anymore. Since we all got locked in our homes in 2020, the culture of binge-watching has become pretty universal across the country. We’re even seeing a huge boom in people creating dedicated home theaters in their homes’ bonus rooms, complete with tricked-out media room furniture like rows of home theater recliners, and you can’t forget the high-end audio-visual tech. Well, winter is coming, and you’ve finally got your DIY home theater finished. Now you’ve got to make sure you have a lineup of fun shows to binge. It’ll give your friends and family a fun, relaxing way to spend time together when it’s 40 and sleeting outside.
Binge-able Shows by Streaming Platform
Firstly, even though there’s only one season, we’d be remiss not to recommend “The Squid Game.” It’s part social commentary, part thriller, part drama.
- Into creepy shows? “YOU” just dropped its third season and it is… weird. 8/10 would recommend.
- There are an infinite amount of seasons of “The Walking Dead” if apocalypse/zombie stuff is your thing. Seriously, that show will never end.
- You can find the SNL-style office comedy “30 Rock” on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and Prime – 7 seasons of endlessly ridiculous situations experienced by a woman in a man’s world.
- Love true crime? We all do. “Making a Murderer” has 2 seasons full of forensic intrigue and a compelling look at our justice system. 9/10 would recommend.
Hulu:
We love Hulu for its bingeable reality TV. Seriously – if your guilty pleasure is reality TV, Hulu is where it’s at.
- No one will admit it, but some of us love the endless franchises of “The Real Housewives.” You can find them all on Hulu. Literally days’ worth of plastic surgery creations who overspend and love to throw wine. 8/10 would recommend the NY, OC and Beverly Hills franchises.
- Remember “Survivor”? This is a great binge for people who love strategic games and watching people try to survive with… no actual survival skills.
- “Catfish,” you guys. Comedy, drama, creep, heartfelt endings. Enough said.
- And, of course, “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”. They’re each on their 20-something-th season.
Hulu creates a lot of quality content of their own as well. People who like mind-bending shows will love “Nine Perfect Strangers,” and “The Great North” is a fun sitcom cartoon.
HBO Max:
Pre-COVID, HBO wasn’t nearly as accessible as it is now, and it didn’t have nearly as many non-HBO shows in its lineup. Today’s HBO Max app, though? Full of great options.
- For true crime buffs, “The Jinx” is a docuseries that holds perhaps the greatest I-forgot-I-had-a-mic-on moments of all time. 15/10 would recommend.
- Love police dramas and stories about the surveillance state? “Person of Interest” marries the two quite well, and it’s got 5 seasons that run around 20 episodes a piece.
- “LoveLife” is a dramedy that follows fictional millennials in their quest to find love, and it just dropped its second season. 7/10 would recommend.
- In the mid-2000’s, the YA drama “Gossip Girl” was a guilty pleasure for teens and adults alike. Well, you can stream all 6 seasons, as well as 2 seasons (so far) of the reboot.
Honorable Mentions: Shows with over 100 Episodes
Getting attached to a cast and a story is always a bummer once you’re done with the 8th episode and realize there’s nothing left- that’s it. Sometimes we just want to sit back in our movie chairs and slug about for an entire weekend. We mentioned a few shows above that are at the 100+ mark on episode count, but here’s a few more:
- “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”: A police comedy streaming on Hulu.
- “Adventure Time”: An absurd cartoon series streaming on Hulu.
- “Chopped”: A reality cooking competition, also on Hulu.
- “Law & Order: SVU”: A dark police drama about the worst types of crimes, streaming on Prime.
- “The Office”: The office comedy series. You can find it on Netflix.
- “The Twilight Zone”: A real throwback that’s inspired countless shows and movies, on the Paramount+ app.
We hope this list will be your go-to for powering through these long winter nights in your cozy media room with popcorn and hot chocolate in-hand!