Having spent a month and a half of my summer couch-ridden with mono, I consider myself a true authority in the field of Netflix. While school starting back up again is admittedly exciting, it’s sometimes necessary to sit back, relax and enjoy the finer things in life: great Netflix shows. What follows is a comprehensive list of, in my experience, the best Netflix series to get addicted to this school year.
1. New Girl
New Girl, put simply, is a cinematic masterpiece: a true triumph in modern TV comedy, a universally applicable show. It follows the story of Jessica Day, a young teacher who takes on sharing an apartment with three twenty-something-year-old boys. Perhaps this show is so appealing because there is a little Jessica Day in all of us: the pervasive awkwardness, singing at inopportune times and random crying at pictures of puppies. This is a great series to pick up because the episodes are only 20 minutes, and there’s no need to watch them in order. I never genuinely laugh out loud at TV shows, but New Girl has me belly-laughing every time.
2. The Office
There is truly no Netflix show comparable to The Office. With crude humor that’s out of this world and characters such as beet-farmer-turned-office-worker Dwight Schrute, The Office is a must-see for teenagers and adults alike (probably not children, though). However, don’t be fooled–this series isn’t all workplace tomfoolery and “that’s what she said” jokes. There is a certain depth to The Office in its detailing and development of the interpersonal relationships between characters. If you want to spend your evening procrastinating homework and instead watching fictional TV office workers hilariously prank each other, don’t hesitate to start The Office.
3. Grey’s Anatomy
If you’re looking for a tearjerker, something that will keep you holed up, wrapped in blankets in your room for hours on end, Grey’s Anatomy is for you. A borderline soap opera, Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama that seemingly never ends (seriously, it’s in its 12th season and still going strong). However, let this serve as my fair warning not to get attached to any of the characters, because as you may have assumed, they all end up suffering from intense medical ailments. But if you’re willing to put up with a little blood and gore to watch Patrick Dempsey frolic around in scrubs, I fully support starting Grey’s Anatomy.
4. 90210
90210, the newer version, is an emulation of the life we all wish we could live, if only for a day or two. Set in Beverly Hills, hence the 90210 zip code, this series is all about high-profile life for a group of teenagers in California. We’re talking designer handbags, elite high schools, Hollywood auditions and glamour in every facet of life. If I were taken to an alternate universe, no offense Greencastle, 90210 would be at the top of my list.
5. Friday Night Lights
Watching this next series would not be complete without your dad’s old oversized sweatshirt on, the fireplace crackling and a plate of your mom’s freshly cooked dinner in front of you. That’s how homey Friday Night Lights is. Recounting the tale of a football team from a quaint town in Texas, this show intertwines high school romance, sports and everything in between to create a feel-good masterpiece about passion, dedication and perseverance. Don’t you worry, I don’t know the difference between a wide receiver and a tight end either, but I was enchanted for all five seasons of Friday Night Lights.
6. One Tree Hill
If you want to fall completely and totally in love with a TV show character (or two), One Tree Hill will cater to you. Another teenage drama series, One Tree Hill is centered around the extremely diverse brothers Nathan and Lucas Scott, whose strange familial history and love of basketball bring them together on and off the court. I must say this series did somewhat morph into a horror show, and several times I called my mom when I was watching a creepy episode home alone (but hey, maybe that’s just me). That being said, I would be shocked if you made it through all nine seasons without a poster of Nathan or Lucas Scott ending up on your wall.
While I feel I have pinpointed Netflix’s finest shows to obsess over this year, truly the possibilities are endless. And if you’ve already watched each and every one of these in its entirety, it’s probably time to close the laptop and see the light of day (who am I to talk though, really?). So here’s to a new school year, but more importantly, here’s to a new year of binge watching Netflix!