Remember my last post where I talked about my passions in life? I was so happy I got to share them with you all but devastated when I realized I left one of the biggest ones out of that list…my passion for Netflix!
You might laugh but I take my obsession..or passion of Netflix VERY seriously. It’s my escape from the real world and my chance to unwind and dive into a good show. I get so invested in the characters and the story lines that I will discuss them with anyone who wants to or doesn’t want to listen.
It all started because I was bored getting ready for work. I would always watch the morning news or the today show depending on when I woke up, but I started work at 2:30 pm at the time, and all that was on were soap operas. I pulled up the App Store, downloaded Netflix, and was hooked right away. I started watching a show that my parents always talked about and never understood until I started watching and my life changed, one Netflix show at a time.
All of these shows below have their own theme, characters, inside jokes, reoccurring things, and lessons that they’ve taught me. Some give me a good laugh when I need it, and some I take very seriously..but I’ll get into that later. So here are my top 10 favorite Netflix shows that you can start to binge when you’re all out of ideas.
10.Scandal- Scandal was my second dive into the wonderful and twisted place that is Shondaland. It’s about a woman named Olivia Pope who was a media consultant for the president of the United States who decided to open her own crisis management firm. No matter what she does she can’t seem to get away from life at the White House. It’s full of love, lust, drama, and crime and will have you moving on to the next episode before the current one ends. It’s so addictive and easy to follow which for me is always a plus for me. Sometimes I want to yell at Olivia for some of her life decisions but for some reason I keep cheering for her and just want her to find happiness and sanity. There are currently five seasons of Scandal on Netflix with a new season starting Thursday. After you start watching Scandal you’ll be so invested that you start calling Kerry Washington Olivia Pope.
9.Sherlock- I want to put a disclaimer out there first, if Sherlock was just slightly easier to follow it would be higher up on my list. For that reason though it’s at number 9! Sherlock follows the two main characters Sherlock Holmes and John Watson as they solve mysteries at 221b Baker St. The show runs for 90 minutes or so and has 3 to 4 episodes a season. There are currently 3 seasons on Netflix with one that just ended last week. My favorite thing about Sherlock is the long running villain. He’s so bad that I just can’t do anything but beg he shows up in the next episode. If you like fast paced, intelligent, mystery shows then Sherlock is for you!
8.Always Sunny in Philadelphia- I guess I should warn you that if you’re not a fan of crude shows that maybe you should skip over this one. Always Sunny follows four friends, Mac, Dennis, Charlie, and Dee as they go through the adventures of owning a bar. The characters are completely self absorbed and don’t really think about anything they’re doing and that’s why I love them. They’re so over the top that I believe the characters are real. They get into the weirdest situations and there have been several times where I laugh like an insane person. I started Always Sunny on maternity leave because I need a quick show that would make me laugh and I got that. There are 11 seasons with a 12th season on now, and they are incredibly easy to binge through. I finished all of them in a couple of weeks and I don’t regret a single episode. If you like crude humor with reoccurring jokes and characters Always Sunny is for you.
7. Lost- The main reason lost is on this list is because it was the first show I ever watched from beginning to end. I was obsessed. My whole family would come together and watch it in complete silence. During each commercial we would all discuss our theories and the second it came back on everyone was dead quiet. This show was an obsession of ours and we all took it so seriously. The plot is simple, it’s about a group of passengers on a plane who crash on an island and run into some inexplainable things. That’s all I can say, I really can’t give anything away. Lost will constantly keep you guessing and leave you speechless. There are only six seasons on Netflix and I suggest it to everyone out there who wants to watch a really good show, something that they can get into quickly.
6. Friends- Ahh I can hear the theme song now. I hate to admit it but I didn’t start watching Friends until New Year’s Day 2015 when it became available to stream on Netflix. I wanted to start it earlier but couldn’t find anywhere to watch all 10 seasons. Friends is just what it sound like, a group of six best friends and they’re lives in New York. There are running jokes and characters that you can’t help but root for. I laughed, I cried, I cheered on Ross, Phoebe, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey as they went through the ups and downs of life. Friends is a feel good comedy that will make you feel like everything’s right with the world. If by slim chance you haven’t seen it, or haven’t seen it all the way through I highly suggest it. It’s a great start to a solid Netflix addiction.
5. Stranger Things- Yes I had to include the phenomenon that is Stranger Things. My husband and I were hanging out one night and I told him I heard a lot about this new Netflix original. He said he also heard some great things about it and we were hooked right away. It follows three kids in the 80’s who go looking for their missing friend. The creators wanted to make an homage to all of the great sci-fy and thriller movies of the last few decades and incorporated it all into 8 episodes. It’s so addictive and keeps you guessing. I remember specific scenes when I was yelling at the characters trying to help them out. If you’re looking for something to start on a Friday night that can give you a little scare before you go to bed, you’re in the right place. Once you start you won’t be able to start.
4. New Girl-Deciding to watch New Girl was one of the best decisions I’ve made. New Girl follows Jessica Day and her life living with her roommates; Nick, Coach, Schmidt, and Winston. It’s a comedy that will put you in the best mood you’ve ever been in. It has one of my favorite relationship story lines as well. Each and every character is so unique and has their own unique quirks that they all flow together so well. I love absolutely everything about this show. It was the show I suggested to Jason and when we first got married we watched it over again. I guess it reminds me of him and watching it brings me back to those times. I love this show so much and highly suggest it.
And now the top three!!
3. Parks and Recreation- I watched the first episode of this series and didn’t make it through the first ten minutes. I thought it was super dry and couldn’t get past the similarities to the office. You know..the whole documentary type thing? I was scrolling through my feed a couple of months later and decided to give it another shot and I’m so happy I did. I should have never judged this show by the first episode. The show is about Leslie Knope, the Deputy Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, and it follows her career and life along side her amazing coworkers. I am obsessed with every outrages character and believe that they all bring something so special to the show. The city of Pawnee Indiana is so quirky, fun, and entertaining. One of the biggest reasons I love this show, is Leslie herself. She is so spunky, fierce, and never stops fighting for what’s right. You can’t help but cheer her on as she fights through local politics and issues. I adore this show, each one taught me something that I took away from the show. If you want a show that you’ll end up watching over again out of pure joy, Parks and Recreation is for you!
2. How I met your Mother-I can’t explain my joy for this show but I’m going to try. How I met your Mother is all about our main character Ted Mosby talking to his kids in the future, telling them the story of how he met their mother. He tells starts every show off facing them telling them about all of the crazy adventures he had with his four best friends; Marshall, Lily, Barney, and Robin. How I met your Mother is so beyond clever, one of the pleasures of binge watching it, is you get to really appreciate the reoccurring jokes, subjects, and people. There are story lines that go throughout the whole show, you could be watching season 7 and they’re including something from season 1 and they do it in such a pleasing way. The gang is hilarious, and you can’t help but fall in love with every one of them. You’ll find yourself laughing and enjoying the show one minute, to being fully invested in the love stories that go along with the show. This show is so beautifully written and I was so happy I started it. There are 9 seasons and you’ll enjoy every one of them.
- Grey’s Anatomy- If you know me at all this will come as no surprise to you. Grey’s started my love for Netflix. I dove in wholeheartedly to this show and never looked back. It takes place at Seattle Grace Hospital and follows surgical interns Meredith, George, Alex, Cristina, and Izzie as they go through their surgical residency. One could argue that Meredith is the main character, and she is for the first few seasons but the creator, Shonda Rhimes, starts to really dig deep into every characters story lines. This show got me right in the feels and I can’t even explain why. Grey’s will smack you in the face with emotion and you won’t be able to stop watching it. It’s so easy to become so emotionally invested in this show, you begin to really develop connections to each character their stories. Let’s just say there was one episode that got me so hard I cried so hard I couldn’t talk..not super proud of it but whatever. If you start Grey’s I promise you, you won’t regret it.
I hope my list can help you pass some time, or find a new guilty pleasure when you want to binge a new show. I promise, with any of these suggestions, you won’t regret starting them. There were so many shows that almost made the list, maybe I’ll make a part two? Hope you enjoyed and happy binging!
Beyond 20 Something 