With the huge uprising of streaming services and catch up TV, it seems long gone are the days of watching an episode of your favourite show once a week. Since our new favourite shows are now all released at the same time or gathered together in one place it makes it so easy to say "just one more episode" and before you know it you have binged the whole season and you can't keep your eyes open at work. I have gathered together some of my favourites to give you some ideas if you are stuck with what to watch next.
The best things to look out for when picking a TV show to binge-watch is how many seasons there are? The last thing you want is to get addicted to something that has 10 seasons with 22 episodes each, you still need to function in the real world and eat food! Binging shorter shows has greater satisfaction when you finish them or even devastation that there are no more. Also, shorter seasons means you get to watch more shows and keep up to date with the water cooler conversations or however people interact these days (I'm always in the house binge-watching TV so I never talk to other humans!)
The best things to look out for when picking a TV show to binge-watch is how many seasons there are? The last thing you want is to get addicted to something that has 10 seasons with 22 episodes each, you still need to function in the real world and eat food! Binging shorter shows has greater satisfaction when you finish them or even devastation that there are no more. Also, shorter seasons means you get to watch more shows and keep up to date with the water cooler conversations or however people interact these days (I'm always in the house binge-watching TV so I never talk to other humans!)
Big Little Lies
A perfect life is a perfect lie
The way I watched Big Little Lies was the true definition of binge-watching. I watched all 7 episode in one night, I just couldn't stop. This book adaptation follows three mothers of first-graders in the wealthy beachfront town of Monterey California. On the surface, everyone is happy and successfully living the American dream, but dig a little deeper and everything isn't as perfect as they make out. When a new arrival turns up in town it all ends in murder, but whose murder?
The cast is incredible in Big Little Lies, it truly is an all-star cast; Nichole Kidman is fantastic and has some really difficult scenes, Reece Witherspoon is just as great and really carries the comedic side to this show. It kept me gripped all the way through, I really wanted to find out who the murder victim was and it wasn't predictable when you finally find out which I was happy about.
Available on - Sky Box Sets or Purchase on Amazon
Number of Seasons - 1, with the second season being made
Episodes per Season - 7
IMDB score - 8.6/10
Ozark
Their Last Resort
I was always going to watch this show regardless of what people said about is as I am obsessed with Jason Bateman, I love everything he is in, even if he does play the same character in everything! This show is so different to anything I have seen him in before and he played the dramatic role very well.
Ozark is about a seemingly ordinary family from Chicago. Marty Byrde on the surface is a respected financial advisor with one difference, he launders money for the Mexican Cartel. Due to some issues in the arrangement, Marty has to uproot his family to the lakes of the Ozarks in order to keep them alive. You are gripped all the way through this show, with its huge WTF moments you never know what is going to happen next or how it's all going to end. If you enjoy thrillers, action or just really well-acted drama you will love Ozark.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 1, with a second in production
Episodes per Season - 10
IMDB score - 8.4/10
The Affair
Danger Lies in Losing Control
After a chance meeting, Noah Solloway and Alison Bailey embark on a passionate affair. The show tells the story and re-tells the story from each party's point of view and how the same situation can be interpreted very differently by the people involved. When I first started watching The Affair I didn't have a bloody clue what the hell was going on because of the way the story is told, but you soon get used to it and it is very clever. Noah and Alison tell their story from a police station and we don't find out why they are there or what has happened until the end of the season. There are so many twists and turns and it excellently deals with the fallout and heartbreak of affairs. What I love about The Affair is you never know what is going to happen next, or who is going to screw who, physically or figuratively, which kept me wanting more. It was great to see Joshua Jackson on screen again and Domonic West is fantastic as the messed up Noah Solloway.
Available on - Sky Box Sets or Purchase on Amazon
Number of Seasons - 3, with season 4 starting in June 2018
Episodes per Season - 10 - 12
IMDB score - 8/10
Black Mirror
The Futures Bright
Black Mirror is an anthology series from creator Charlie Brooker. It is hard to describe Black mirror and out of all these shows, I feel like its the one you should know the least about before you watch it. Generally, it's subject matter is based in a strange high-tech world and looks in on the dark side of humanity. What I love about Black Mirror is that you can relate each story to aspects of real life. For example, one episode in season 3 called Nosedive shows humanity living in a world solely based on reviewing each other, the better your reviews on things like how polite you are to people in daily interactions the better your standing in life. It is such a clever episode, it takes the way the world is currently and exaggerates it into some incredibly entertaining and thought-provoking TV.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 4, Season 5 not planned but inevitable
Episodes per Season - 3 - 6
IMDB score - 8.9/10
Stranger Things
The world is turning upside down
If you haven't already binged both series of Stranger Things you must be living under a rock. One of the most popular TV shows at the moment, Stranger Things is a nostalgia-fest throwback to the 80s. Following a group of young teenage boys who love playing Dungeons & Dragons and riding their BMX's, who one day they meet a strange girl called Eleven and embark on a crazy and terrifying adventure. If you loved every 80's coming-of-age movie you will become obsessed with Stranger Things, there are so many amazing references and the effort put into the sets and costumes does make you think it was filmed in the 80's. The acting is impeccable especially for the fact this is the first job for most of the young actors. Seasoned professionals like Winona Rider and David Harbour also bring award-worthy performances.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 2, plans for 4 seasons all together
Episodes per Season - 8 - 9
IMDB score - 9/10
Spartacus
Some legends are written in blood
The reason we started watching Spartacus was that we saw a trailer for it and it looked so ridiculously crazy and over the top, we couldn't not check it out. We watched Spartacus the old fashioned way of once a week and waiting between seasons, which I think is a calm way to watch it. I know I am recommending to binge-watch this show but I would be careful not to overload yourself or you will be fighting people and having orgies all over the place before you know it. The only way I can describe this show is probably with one of those warnings that were always on before it started "the following program contains, lots of naked people, lots of sex, lots of blood and very graphic killings/maimings". I didn't have high hopes when I first started watching Spartacus, I thought it was going to be an awful, overly gory cheese-fest but I couldn't have been more wrong. Amongst the gore and the sex was amazing acting and intense storylines.
It takes you through the full story of Spartacus from his capture as a slave to his fight for freedom. Sadly Andy Whitfield who played Spartacus in the first season developed cancer. Season 2 is a prequel telling the story of the Ludas before Spartucas arrived, this was to give Andy time to recover, unfortunately this did not happen and he sadly passed away. In season 3 and 4, the Spartacus role is taken over by Liam Macintyer who does the role huge justice and definitely keeps Andy's legacy alive. When this show ended it affected me for days as it was so intense and perfectly written.
It takes you through the full story of Spartacus from his capture as a slave to his fight for freedom. Sadly Andy Whitfield who played Spartacus in the first season developed cancer. Season 2 is a prequel telling the story of the Ludas before Spartucas arrived, this was to give Andy time to recover, unfortunately this did not happen and he sadly passed away. In season 3 and 4, the Spartacus role is taken over by Liam Macintyer who does the role huge justice and definitely keeps Andy's legacy alive. When this show ended it affected me for days as it was so intense and perfectly written.
Number of Seasons - 4
Episodes per Season - 6 -13
IMDB score - 8.6/10
Glow
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
I saw the promotion pictures for this series and I had no interest in watching it, I only did to keep the peace as the hubby really wanted to see it. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Glow is another nostalgia fest, set in the 80's and follows the ups and downs of a newly formed women's wrestling TV Show. In a hilarious way, it deals with the relationship between best friends Ruth and Debbie, the struggles of has-been writer Sam and all the craziness women's wrestling entails. It is extremely well produced and the hair and costumes, like Stranger Things, makes you think it was actually filmed in the 80's. I can't wait for season 2.
Glow is another nostalgia fest, set in the 80's and follows the ups and downs of a newly formed women's wrestling TV Show. In a hilarious way, it deals with the relationship between best friends Ruth and Debbie, the struggles of has-been writer Sam and all the craziness women's wrestling entails. It is extremely well produced and the hair and costumes, like Stranger Things, makes you think it was actually filmed in the 80's. I can't wait for season 2.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 1, season 2 in production
Episodes per Season - 10
IMDB score - 8/10
All Netflix/Marvel Superhero Shows
Justice is blind
Ok so bulking all these shows in together is a little bit of a cheat, however, I couldn't write a list about binge-watching TV shows and not include these. I am a huge superhero fan and have been for a long time, I have seen every Marvel movie and religiously watch the DC TV shows Arrow, Flash and Legends of tomorrow since they started, so when Netflix announced they were making Daredevil with a plan to make more superhero shows I was very excited. Fast forward 3 years and we now have 5 different superhero shows in rotation. I get a little passionate about the fact you need to watch them all and in order, I have been known to shout at someone at work when they randomly say that are going to start watching Luke Cage without having ever watched any of the others. So you have been warned. This is the order you need to watch them in:
Daredevil Season one
Jessica Jones
Daredevil Season two
Luke Cage
Iron Fist
Defenders
The Punisher
The Netflix superhero ensemble is a lot grittier than their DC counterparts. There are some amazing fight scenes and crazy superhero storylines. The best out of all of them I believe is Luke Cage as it just feels a lot more real, well as much as a program about a bulletproof man can feel real. I was really disappointed with Iron Fist but if you are going to do this properly you have to get through that one so you are ready for The Defenders. You won't be disappointed if you like action, drama and of course Superheroes.
Daredevil Season one
Jessica Jones
Daredevil Season two
Luke Cage
Iron Fist
Defenders
The Punisher
The Netflix superhero ensemble is a lot grittier than their DC counterparts. There are some amazing fight scenes and crazy superhero storylines. The best out of all of them I believe is Luke Cage as it just feels a lot more real, well as much as a program about a bulletproof man can feel real. I was really disappointed with Iron Fist but if you are going to do this properly you have to get through that one so you are ready for The Defenders. You won't be disappointed if you like action, drama and of course Superheroes.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 6, and keeps going
Episodes per Season - 13
IMDB score - 6.7/10 - 8.7/10
Glitch
Risen from the dead in perfect health?
This Austrailian drama takes zombies in a very different direction. A small town cop is called to the local cemetery one night to discover people have dug themselves out of their graves, the crazy thing is if the names on the graves are right they have been dead for a long time and seem to be in perfect health. It's a really interesting concept for a show, a little slow in parts but definitely worth sticking with. I like how you hear each "dead person's" story and what decade they are from as they work out how they died in the first place. I haven't watched the second season yet but the way the first season ended made me excited to see where this show goes.
Number of Seasons - 2
Episodes per Season - 6
IMDB score - 7.6/10
American Horror Story
You're going to die in there
American Horror Story is an anthology series so every season has totally different stories and characters, however, most of the cast stay the same in each series. The title of the show is a true representation of its content, so if you are easily scared this might not be the series for you. It is very much a horror movie in a TV show format, but every series is a different type of scary; from ghosts to witchcraft and mental asylums to freak shows, all with an underlying themes of murder and death.
Each season gets even weirder and crazier than the last. Kathy Bates is a season regular and she is so convincing and terrifying playing different crazy murderous women, Lady Gaga turns up in the season Hotel which I wasn't looking forward to but she is a surprisingly good actress. There are so many twists and turns and because it changes every season, any character can be killed off at any time. The best season, in my opinion, is the first one Murder House, Even though all the episodes have huge WTF moments I think this one has the biggest ones. You may need to watch from behind the sofa at times but it is an addictive show.
Available on - Netflix
Number of Seasons - 6, number 7 isn't on Netflix yet but has aired
Episodes per Season - 13
IMDB score - 8.1/10
Hope this list gives you some inspiration, let me know in the comments below what you have watched and what you like to binge-watch.
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Oh Kelly you have some AMAZING recommendations on here. Steve is completely with you on Iron Fist - he's written a post if you want to check it out ;-)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same about Glow and only watched it for Steve but ended up LOVING it. We've just finished Peaky Blinders - we have a couple of episodes of Riverdale to watch (I recommend both Peaky Blinders and Riverdale by the way) and then we're starting on The Punisher.
So many people have recommended Peaky Blinders, I think that is on the list. You will love The Punisher
Deletesome great choices here. I've seen (and loved) Stranger Things, GLOW and Spartacus, I thought is was "an awful, overly gory cheese-fest" but that's why I liked it. I agree about Iron Fist being the weakest of the Marvel shows but I think I preferred Daredevil over Luke Cage.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Daredevil, it was a tough choice, Thom agrees with you.
DeleteOMG some of these look amazing, love the sound of Glow! Why can't I find more time to watch TV .... there just aren't enough hours in the day, it's so unfair!
ReplyDeleteIts my way of winding down I just love TV. I might write more articles though if I didn't watch so much TV lol
DeleteI have watched Big Little Lies and Stranger things last year and started watching Glow last night, I love it already x
ReplyDeleteIts a great show, Netflixs Originals are hard to beat at the minute.
DeleteFew of these I haven’t seen so may give them a second chance! Especially glow I assumed it was some dance musical not wrestling!
ReplyDeletePeaky Blinders and Gotham are amazing and should be considered! X
We use to watch Gotham but lots touch with it when channel 5 stopped showing it. Its on Netflix now so will be picking it back up at some point
DeleteSome great recommendations there! Like you I'm not too sure about GLOW and have basically watched Stranger Things from behind a cushion because my husband really loves it, but I'm excited to watch all the other ones!
ReplyDelete