Watching episode after episode of a ridiculously good TV show has, for better or worse, became a staple of college education. As someone with a well-developed Netflix addiction, I have a long list of old shows I love to rewatch again and again, new ones I can’t stop watching, and shows everyone has been telling me I have to see. Here are my top shows to binge watch this semester:
How I Met Your Mother. With the final episode coming in March, there’s no better time to catch up on Ted’s romantic struggles, the history of the slap bet, or your favorite Robin Sparkles songs. If you’ve never seen this show, it will probably only take you two weeks to watch all nine seasons, and then you can share in everyone’s else’s excitement as we all finally see Ted meet the mother.
Sherlock. It’s smart, it’s witty, it’s funny, it’s intense. It has everything you could want in a 90 minute episode of a crime drama, right down to a brilliant British hottie. I dare you not to fall in love with Benedict Cumberbatch and his cheekbones.
Scandal. Olivia Pope fixes the problems of the political elite, wears gorgeous white suits, and basically runs the world. It’s so good you’ll forget that being overdramatic can be a bad thing and fall in love with it Grey’s Anatomy style. Honestly, Shonda Rhimes has done it again.
House of Cards. This one will be totally new for me, but I’ve heard amazing things. Kevin Spacey plays the House Majority whip with a secret agenda—how Georgetown is that? The series has received record nominations for a web-only series, and judging from the reaction of its fans, it’s not hard to see why.
The Mindy Project. For something a little more lighthearted, this quirky comedy never fails to deliver. Mindy Kaling, a hilarious role model for us all, stars as a doctor who’s trying to get her romantic life together. With great clothes, great comedy, and another dreamy British actor, this show can do no wrong.
So if you don’t already have a favorite show to obsess over, try one of these. And let me apologize in advance for your terrible ratio of time spent watching TV to time spent doing work.