Here are 11 of my All-Time Favorite Bingeworthy TV Series
As winter drags on, you, like me, are probably constantly finding yourself in need of a good TV series to binge. Well, I’m here to help you out with a list of a few all-time favorite TV series. All of them can be found on the major streaming platforms and all of them were excellent, very memorable, and totally worth watching. I’m sure I’ll think of more, so you can another post of favorites in the future. In the meantime, PLEASE leave your favorites in the comments. I’m stuck and need something new to watch!
American Primeval
This new limited series from Netflix is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride through the wild, wild west. It has strong female leads, sooooo many plot twists and surprises, and best of all, Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights. Yes, ladies, he’s back — and better than ever. The plot: “A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.” There’s lots of gore and disturbing scenes in this one, so be warned.
Rome
Let’s start with the TV series that turned me onto the TV series craze way back in the day: Rome. I actually don’t remember that much about the plot anymore because I watched it sooooo long ago, but I do remember being completely enthralled by the show, which seemed to have everything that makes a big-budget series memorable: Crazy sex scenes! Shocking gore! Melodrama! Memorable characters! Richly detailed costumes and sets! And I wasn’t alone in my feelings. “I found the series, which premieres Sunday at 9 p.m., to be an addictive piece of costume soap opera rich in atmospheric realism (thanks to a $100 million budget),” wrote the Boston Globe’s Matthew Gilbert. The show only ran two seasons, I believe because of the massive budget it required, but both seasons were highly watchable and followed characters that included both names you’ll remember from sixth grade social studies and normal, everyday Romans-on-the-street. I loved it.
Broadchurch
Like most of you, I’ve seen a LOT of TV series by now and Broadchurch stands out in my mind as one of the best of all time. Here’s a synopsis: ‘Two detectives – the strong yet compassionate Detective Sergeant, Ellie Miller, and the by-the-book Detective Inspector, Alec Hardy – are brought together to solve the murder of an eleven year-old boy on a picturesque beach in a small coastal town. Under the glare of the media spotlight, the two race to find the killer, while the clock ticks and the mystery deepens.’
I’m not much of a murder mystery/police procedural TV watcher, so the fact that I was obsessed by this series says a lot. I was drawn in by the superb acting and the show’s many twists and turns, and it was an excellent introduction to the incredibly talented Olivia Colman.
Derek
Ricky Gervais created and starred in this hilarious and poignant comedy-drama series about a slow-witted nursing home attendant who sees only the good in everyone. Despite its unlikely premise, Derek is absolutely one of the best TV series I’ve ever watched. It takes one or two episodes to really get into it (and I’d recommend turning on subtitles, because the writing is fantastic and it’s easy to miss out on some of the jokes since everyone speaks in regional British dialect), but if you loved season one of Ted Lasso, I honestly think you’ll love Derek even more. I’ve never laughed so hard — and then cried so hard — while watching a TV show.
The Queen’s Gambit
Pitch-perfect from start to finish, this limited series is riveting and totally bingeworthy. Plot summary: “The Queen’s Gambit centers on the life of young orphan Beth Harmon, who possesses a remarkable talent for chess. The show, which is set in the 1950s and 1960s, follows Beth’s journey from an orphanage where she had a difficult upbringing to becoming a world-class chess prodigy.”
The time period makes this one a fun watch, but you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat during Beth’s chess matches. This series is so well-done in every aspect, and never gets dull for a moment. I’ve seen it twice, and I almost never watch a series more than once!
Catastrophe
There are very few comedy series that I find funny — this one is a notable exception. The premise: American man Rob gets Irish woman Sharon pregnant when they hook up for a week while he is on a business trip in London. That’s really all you need to know. It is smartly written, expertly cast (added bonus: Carrie Fisher has a role!), and manages to be howlingly funny without getting to broad or over-the-top. This is another one I’d definitely recommend turning on subtitles for, because you won’t want to miss a single line of dialogue.
Succession
Get ready for plenty of intrigue, plot twists, and dark humor. Succession is clever, it’s funny, it’s painful, it’s salacious, and it’s based on a true story. Here’s a very brief synopsis: ‘The Roy family is known for controlling the biggest media and entertainment company in the world. However, their world changes when their father steps down from the company and each of his children vies for the top spot.’ This series is so well-written and acted that you will feel like you know the characters in real life and find yourself thinking throughout the day about what they’ll do next. It slips a little in the final season but overall, it’s a masterpiece — and the theme song is the ringtone on my phone, if that tells you anything.
Friday Night Lights
All you have to say is “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” and if the person you’re talking to, male or female, has seen Friday Night Lights, you can pretty much guarantee they’ll get a bit misty eyed and say quietly, “I loved that show.” A quick recap: “This drama follows the lives of the Dillon Panthers, one of the nation’s best high school football teams, and their head coach Eric Taylor.” But it’s about so much more than football, so don’t worry if you’re not a sports fan, like *small voice* me.
Friday Night Lights is strong throughout its entire five-season run, and every episode will give you so much to think about. It is brilliantly written and shot, and really was a pioneer of more realistic, innovative, ‘everyday life’ dramas on network television. Watching it, you’ll see so many aspects of the series that were (and still are) imitated by other shows after it became a hit. Fun fact: I know more than one person who watches this entire series every. Single. Year. That’s how good it is.
Game of Thrones
This series is another one of my all-time favorites. I got completely immersed in Game of Thrones‘ fantasy world. A recap: Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia. This series is shocking and over-the-top, with so many twists and turns. There are some craaaazy sex scenes and lots of gore, so be prepared.
The Empress
This is for all my historical fiction, Downton Abbey-loving fans. I happened across The Empress when season one came out a few years ago and was immediately hooked. It’s dubbed on Netflix, and it was so good, I didn’t even mind that their mouths didn’t match up with the words! Here’s the summary: The Empress is a Netflix series about the life of Elisabeth “Sisi” von Wittelsbach, Empress of Austria, and her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph. The series follows Sisi as she navigates the complex politics of the Viennese court, while also dealing with her husband’s family and the challenges of being an Empress. What makes the series fantastic is that Sisi is very much her own person, and probably not meant to be an Empress. I loved watching her try to follow the rules of royalty while holding on to her stubbornness and independence. Season 2 just came out and I can’t wait to watch it.
The White Lotus
Each season of The White Lotus is standalone — I highly recommend season two, of this satirical comedy-drama, which follows the guests at a luxury resort in Sicily. It’s pitch perfect and you won’t want to stop watching it. I thought the writing, acting, and story arc were phenomenal. Season one is just not as good, but I totally watched it after watching season two, just to be back in that White Lotus world! I am looking forward to season three, which just came out! Yay!
Your turn! What are some of your all-time faves? I don’t care how old they are — Share them in the comments!
