Over the last year, I have spent more time than I ever have watching TV. From rewatching old favorites to starting well-known classics I had never seen before, I found consistent comfort in television in a tumultuous year. Here are four shows that complement each other perfectly, and are destined to be watched in succession, plus three rewatch podcasts to break down each episode.
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
A cult classic that debuted in 1997, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is simply a must-watch for everyone. Buffy Summers is the Slayer, the Chosen One destined to save the world from vampires and demons—all while trying to pass her classes and navigate the Sunnydale dating scene. Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as Buffy, whose quips are as killer as her wooden stakes, with other spectacular female leads, including Alyson Hannigan as bookish Willow and Charisma Carpenter as mean-girl Cordelia Chase. Utilizing a monster-of-the-week format for most of the seasons, Buffy comes into each episode facing a new stress of high school life, and a new monster trying to take her life. Running for seven seasons and 144 episodes, Buffy has longevity for even the most avid binge watchers. After each episode, listen to the podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer, hosted by Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs, for a spoiler-free, in-depth analysis of each episode. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available on Hulu.
2. Angel
As season four of Buffy comes to an end, season one of Angel sets sail. This Buffy spin-off premiered in 1999, and is led by Buffy’s main love interest, the eponymous vampire with a soul. His co-star? Your favorite Buffy mean-girl—Cordelia Chase herself. The vampire and former cheerleader, along with a half-demon named Doyle, create a private investigation business, saving the people of Los Angeles from monsters and demons. Angel is a much darker (see: vampire), neo-noir style show than Buffy, but with just as much witty repartee, action, and romance. Some may say (some being me) that Angel is actually better than Buffy, but that is for you to decide. One thing is certain, however. The Angel theme song might just be one of the greatest of all time. Angel on Top, the sister podcast of Buffering hosted by LaToya Ferguson, recaps each beautiful moment of this beautiful show. Angel is available to watch on Hulu.
3. Veronica Mars
After seven seasons of Buffy and five (glorious) seasons of Angel, you may be over the whole vampire thing. Veronica Mars, with Kristin Bell in the titular role, is a kind of combination of Buffy and Angel (minus the vampires). It is a neo-noir show set in southern California, where the witty blonde teenage protagonist is the private investigator. The monster-of-the-week format frequently used in Buffy and Angel is swapped for a mystery-of-the-week in Veronica Mars, amidst an overarching mystery to be solved bit by bit throughout the seasons. Veronica Mars premiered in 2004, and ran for three seasons in its original run, and is loaded with appearances by future Hollywood stars (Amanda Seyfreid! Tessa Thompson!), and even a few Buffy stars. The Veronica Mars movie premiered in 2014, and the show returned again for season four in 2019. And yes—there is a rewatch podcast! Veronica Mars Investigations, hosted by Helen Zaltzman and Jenny Owen Youngs of Buffering the Vampire Slayer (does this make them cousin podcasts?), is currently breaking down every episode, spoiler-free. Veronica Mars streams on Hulu.
4. Danny Phantom
Yep. Danny Phantom. A show you might not have thought about in years is the obvious follow-up to the three previous shows. Danny Phantom, in essence, is an animated Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Danny Fenton is a regular-teen-turned-superhero, and his two best friends, who are the only ones who know his secret, help him try to save the world from ghosts and pass his classes. Every episode follows the classic ghost-of-the-week format. While each episode brings plenty of humor (Danny’s fighting quips are on par with Buffy’s), the show also hosts plenty of lessons about making the right choices and what makes a true friend. With just three seasons and 53 episodes, Danny Phantom is a lighthearted and low stress end to this grouping of shows. There is unfortunately no popular rewatch podcast for Danny Phantom, but there are plenty of videos on creator Butch Hartman’s YouTube channel about what Danny might have done since the show’s end in 2007. It currently streams on Paramount+.